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Monday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Heroes and Models
Message from Fr. Jose Koluthara, CMI
Lord Jesus, |
My Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The feast of Peter and Paul that marks the end of the Jubilee Year of St. Paul, brings us face to face with the twin pillars of the original church. They are popularly known as the “Apostle to the Jews” and the “Apostle to the Gentiles”. Both Peter and Paul suffered martyrdom in Rome in the mid sixties. Scholars agree that it is highly unlikely that they both died on the same day. June 29th was probably chosen by the church as the day of their death because of the earlier association of June 29th with Romulus, the founder of the city of Rome. By replacing the day honouring Romulus with the Christian feast day of Peter and Paul, the church attempted to “baptize”, as it were, yet another pagan celebration. The Christian observance of the feast of Peter and Paul began in Rome in A.D. 258. Even though it is difficult to attribute the foundation of the church in Rome to Peter or to Paul, it is because they are acknowledged leaders of the Jewish and Gentile missions that they have been recognized as being indirectly responsible for the foundation of the Roman Church.
Last Sunday we heard about how Jesus calmed the storm at sea. This 13th Sunday in ordinary time we hear about Jesus healing a woman and raising a little girl from the dead (Mk. 5.21-43) Each of these miracle stories are tied together by the theme of faith in the person Jesus. In the second reading from the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians, we hear about “the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ”. Paul tells the Corinthians that Jesus, though rich, became poor for our sake so that we could all share in Jesus’ abundant wealth. Paul speaks of Jesus here as a role model. Like Jesus, we too are called to share the abundance of our resources with each other. In the simple act of offering resources from our surplus to others in need, we help create a community of equality where everyone’s burden is lighter.
Both Peter and Paul were made heroes and models for us by grace. Let us draw inspiration from them and submit ourselves to God’s grace.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
A Greater Power
Message from Fr. Jose Koluthara, CMI
A Greater Power
Lord Jesus, help us cultivate trusting faith by daily giving ourselves to God’s care. Amen.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Natural disasters like tsunami of 2004 that struck 12 countries in Asia and Africa, floodwaters of 2005 that ravaged India and Pakistan and the hurricanes like Katrina that hit North America made the whole world look on in shock and horror. In the face of these powerful watery cataclysms of nature, doesn't it seem that the God who created the universe in all its balance and beauty has turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to the perils of humankind? Today’s readings challenge our thinking.
We are told by the author of Job in today’s first reading (Job 38:1, 8-11) that God can shut the doors of the sea, set its limits, fasten the bar of its door and command that proud waves be stilled. We are also assured by the evangelist Mark in today’s Gospel (Mk 4:35-41) that Jesus has the power to command both wind and sea, and these elemental giants of nature shall obey him. The author of the responsorial psalm adds words of comfort to the voices of Job and the evangelist Mark. In Psalm 107, the ancient composer tells us that the same God who can command the storm to blow can also shush it into a gentle breeze and bring travellers to their desired haven upon calmed and placid seas.
If all these words are true about the power of God being infinitely greater than the surges and swells of the turbulent seas and oceans and flooding rains and rivers of this earth, then what shall our posture be before such greatness? To find the answer to this question, Mark draws our attention to the boat wherein Jesus and his disciples were sailing the sea of Galilee. Tossed about in the squall, with waves breaking over its sides, the listing boat was beginning to take on water. Yet while the disciples panicked, Jesus lay in the stern, sound asleep. In Jesus, we discover the attitude that we are to emulate in order to weather the storms of life, both natural and spiritual. That attitude, one of complete trust and faith, would see Jesus through all that lay ahead of him; that same trusting faith is ours to cultivate by daily giving ourselves over to God’s care, God’s will, God’s designs for our lives.
Faithfulness must characterize all our dealing with God – not part-time faithfulness, but daily deliberate trust. Only such a daily effort will prepare us for when disasters come our way. Even when panic chokes our hope and fear threatens our faith, we must always remember that a greater power than panic or fear is sleeping soundly in our sinking boat.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Covenantal Companions
Message from Fr. Jose Koluthara, CMI
My Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Mass is both sacrifice and meal. On this solemnity of body and blood of Christ we remember those two aspects in festive mode. The sacrifice is the broken body of Jesus given in death on the cross. The meal is the blessed, broken and shared Eucharist of the body and blood of the Lord. It is through this sacrifice and meal that new and eternal covenant between God and humankind was sealed and ratified. The covenant is the everlasting bond of the love by which all are united to God in Jesus Christ.
Though we can see various types of covenantal agreements throughout the Jewish and Christian scriptures, most were structured on the same basic pattern, i.e., two or more parties would bind themselves to a ritual agreement, the terms of which would be spoken or written. Oaths were sworn and curses were agreed upon and accepted. Then the covenant was sealed, often with the sacrifice of an animal that was cut or split in two (hence the expression, to cut a covenant). Both of the contractual parties then walked between the animal halves, each agreeing that a similar consequence should befall the one who would breach the covenant. A meal would be shared, for our ancestral brothers and sisters in the faith believed that those who ate together were bound as partners and protectors of one another for life.
Covenant also serves as an apt vehicle for expressing the relationship. Through the covenant of Sinai, referred in today’s 1st reading from Exodus (24:3-8), God initiated a relationship with the chosen people: “I will take you as my own people and you shall have me as your God!” (Ex.6:7). As part of ratification, the blood of the sacrificed animals was sprinkled on both the altar (which represented God) and people.
In today’s second reading, the Hebrews author compares the Sinai Covenant, sealed with the blood of goats and bulls with the new and everlasting covenant forged by Jesus, who, as both high priest and perfect sacrifice, has sealed it with His own blood. That this covenant was being initiated for us is clearly enunciated in today’s gospel (Mk 14:12-16, 22-26). Each time we gather to remember and to celebrate Jesus’ saving sacrifice we become, once again, true companions of the Lord. From the Latin words cum and panis, companions are those who share bread together.
Covenantal Companions
Lord Jesus, strengthen us through the Eucharist to give our own life’s blood in loving service to others. |
My Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Mass is both sacrifice and meal. On this solemnity of body and blood of Christ we remember those two aspects in festive mode. The sacrifice is the broken body of Jesus given in death on the cross. The meal is the blessed, broken and shared Eucharist of the body and blood of the Lord. It is through this sacrifice and meal that new and eternal covenant between God and humankind was sealed and ratified. The covenant is the everlasting bond of the love by which all are united to God in Jesus Christ.
Though we can see various types of covenantal agreements throughout the Jewish and Christian scriptures, most were structured on the same basic pattern, i.e., two or more parties would bind themselves to a ritual agreement, the terms of which would be spoken or written. Oaths were sworn and curses were agreed upon and accepted. Then the covenant was sealed, often with the sacrifice of an animal that was cut or split in two (hence the expression, to cut a covenant). Both of the contractual parties then walked between the animal halves, each agreeing that a similar consequence should befall the one who would breach the covenant. A meal would be shared, for our ancestral brothers and sisters in the faith believed that those who ate together were bound as partners and protectors of one another for life.
Covenant also serves as an apt vehicle for expressing the relationship. Through the covenant of Sinai, referred in today’s 1st reading from Exodus (24:3-8), God initiated a relationship with the chosen people: “I will take you as my own people and you shall have me as your God!” (Ex.6:7). As part of ratification, the blood of the sacrificed animals was sprinkled on both the altar (which represented God) and people.
In today’s second reading, the Hebrews author compares the Sinai Covenant, sealed with the blood of goats and bulls with the new and everlasting covenant forged by Jesus, who, as both high priest and perfect sacrifice, has sealed it with His own blood. That this covenant was being initiated for us is clearly enunciated in today’s gospel (Mk 14:12-16, 22-26). Each time we gather to remember and to celebrate Jesus’ saving sacrifice we become, once again, true companions of the Lord. From the Latin words cum and panis, companions are those who share bread together.
Sunday, June 07, 2009
Trinity in Liturgy
Message from Fr. Jose Koluthara, CMI
My Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Trinity Sunday is one of the four solemnities of the Lord during Ordinary Time. Since these feasts are dependent upon the celebration of Easter, they are called movable solemnities of Ordinary Time. The solemnities are: Trinity Sunday, Corpus Christi, Sacred Heart and Christ the King.
Adolf Adam calls them feasts of devotion and feasts of ideas. As feasts of devotion they are expressions of piety born in response to an internal or external trial. As feasts of ideas, each one extols a particular truth or specific aspect of the mystery of Christ. By stressing these truths or mysteries, the Church hoped to renew and strengthen the faith of God’s people.
The Arian controversies of the 4th and 5th centuries gave rise to a strong emphasis on and devotion to the Trinity in Spain and Gaul. Arius, a priest in Alexandria who died in 336, denied the divinity of Christ. As a result, faith in God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and the equality of the three Divine Persons was threatened. The Councils of Nicea and Constantinople (381) condemned the heresy and formulated the Nicene Creed, the profession of faith recited at every Sunday mass.
The heresy had an impact on Catholic faith and life. Preaching sought to strengthen faith in the church’s doctrine regarding the Trinity. The first preface of the Trinity found its way into the liturgy in the 400’s as this feast was born out of controversy. The modern preface of the Trinity appeared during the eighth century. By the year 1000, the feast of the Trinity was celebrated on the Sunday after Pentecost. The feast reminds the faithful of what it means when we refer to the Father, Son, and Spirit: We believe in three Divine Persons in one God.
The Sunday assembly professes faith in the Triune God when it begins every gathering by invoking “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”
Trinity in Liturgy
Lord Jesus, may your loving action lead us to the transformative power of the Holy Trinity. |
My Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Trinity Sunday is one of the four solemnities of the Lord during Ordinary Time. Since these feasts are dependent upon the celebration of Easter, they are called movable solemnities of Ordinary Time. The solemnities are: Trinity Sunday, Corpus Christi, Sacred Heart and Christ the King.
Adolf Adam calls them feasts of devotion and feasts of ideas. As feasts of devotion they are expressions of piety born in response to an internal or external trial. As feasts of ideas, each one extols a particular truth or specific aspect of the mystery of Christ. By stressing these truths or mysteries, the Church hoped to renew and strengthen the faith of God’s people.
The Arian controversies of the 4th and 5th centuries gave rise to a strong emphasis on and devotion to the Trinity in Spain and Gaul. Arius, a priest in Alexandria who died in 336, denied the divinity of Christ. As a result, faith in God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and the equality of the three Divine Persons was threatened. The Councils of Nicea and Constantinople (381) condemned the heresy and formulated the Nicene Creed, the profession of faith recited at every Sunday mass.
The heresy had an impact on Catholic faith and life. Preaching sought to strengthen faith in the church’s doctrine regarding the Trinity. The first preface of the Trinity found its way into the liturgy in the 400’s as this feast was born out of controversy. The modern preface of the Trinity appeared during the eighth century. By the year 1000, the feast of the Trinity was celebrated on the Sunday after Pentecost. The feast reminds the faithful of what it means when we refer to the Father, Son, and Spirit: We believe in three Divine Persons in one God.
The Sunday assembly professes faith in the Triune God when it begins every gathering by invoking “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Pentecostal Spring
Message from Fr. Jose Koluthara, CMI
Risen Jesus, revive us in the Spirit so as to experience the Pentecostal spring of the early church. Amen.
Risen Jesus, revive us in the Spirit so as to experience the Pentecostal spring of the early church. Amen.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters,
This Sunday we celebrate the solemnity of the First Pentecost, the gift of the Spirit unleashed upon the world. Those who knew themselves to be the recipients of that gift became newly identified as Church. And so Pentecost is rightly called the birthday of the church.
By the power of the Spirit the first members of the church began to understand what it meant to be church in the world. Being church meant bringing the good news of God’s love and forgiveness to all in the society. Being church meant gathering for the breaking of the Bread, both of the Word and Eucharist. Being church meant living in the awareness of the risen Christ and offering the joy of that same awareness to others. Being church meant belonging to a life-sharing community wherein no one suffered for lack of food, clothing, shelter, companionship or any of the other necessities of life. Being church meant being a people who no longer thought solely in terms of me and mine, but of we and us and ours. Being church meant living and caring and sharing in such a manner that others were drawn to desire a similar belonging.
The Pentecostal spring of the early Christian church stands in sharp contrast to the icy rigidity of the Christianity of later centuries. Eberhard Arnold, founder of the Bruderhof Communities (fellowship based on Jesus’ Great Sermon) believed that the contemporary church has lost something of the fire and faith and unconditional love of its ancestral forefathers. It was this awareness that made the insightful Pope Blessed John XXIII convene the Vatican Council II “to fling open the windows of the church in order to bring about a new Pentecost”.
What began with Peter and Company almost two millennia ago in Jerusalem (Acts 2:1-11, 1st reading) and what was continued by Paul and the many members of the one body of Christ (1Corinthians 12:3-7, 2nd reading) can and must be continued by us today.
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