Celebrating Mary, the Mother of the Church.

Monday 1^st June 2020. 

Read Genesis 3:9-15,20, Psalm 87 and John 19:25-34

“When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’” (John 19:26-27)

Every year, on the day just after Pentecost Sunday, the church celebrates a very special memorial called Mary, the Mother of the Church. Having completed the seven weeks of Easter, today is a day for us to pause awhile and remember the special role of Mary in the course of the whole Easter festivities and in particular, to examine the full weight of the words Jesus spoke the foot of the cross: “Behold, Your Mother.”

In our first reading today, we are reminded of the words God spoke just after Adam and Eve had eaten from the forbidden tree. In cursing the serpent who tempted them, God said: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed…” Who was God referring to as “the woman”? The Blessed Virgin Mary and her seed? Jesus Christ.

Mary holds the title of the Mother of the Church because she was present as a Mother throughout all the events that marked the beginnings of the church. When Jesus appeared to his disciples after rising from the dead, Mary was there. On the day of Pentecost, the day the church was born, Mary was there. Like a very responsible and caring mother, Mary has never abandoned the church. All the apostles addressed her as Mother and treated her with respect and dignity.

Just as John took her home upon hearing the words, “Behold Your Mother” we also take Mary home through our devotional practices. One may ask, does Mary deserve this title? What makes her mother of the church? Mary, together with Joseph raised Jesus. She was with him throughout his hidden years of formation and remained with him all through his public ministry. Mary instigated Jesus’ first public miracle for the good of the couple in Cana.

Through Mary’s intercession, the church has recorded and continues to record countless testimonies. Mary has proven beyond every doubt that she is more than just an envelope, she is a woman we can talk to, a woman we can rely upon to help her talk to her Son, Jesus Christ.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, may your Mother intercede for us both now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church. Bible Study: Genesis 3:9-15,20, Psalm 87 and John 19:25-34).*

Fr. Abu

Holy Spirit: Our Life

Sunday 31st May 2020. Read Acts 2:1-11, Psalm 103, 1 Corinthians 12:3-7.12-13 and John 20:19-23

“No one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:3).   

Today’s feast is older than Christianity. The Jews celebrated this feast fifty days (hence the word Pentecost), after the Passover as a Feast of Harvest and more importantly as the memorial celebration of the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses at Mount Sinai. Since it was compulsory for every adult Jew to come to Jerusalem to celebrate this Feast and on this day, the city was filled with visitors. It was just the right time for the Holy Spirit to descend. 

Interestingly, like the children of Israel received the tablet of the Law on Mount Sinai, marking a totally new dispensation for them – freedom from the captivity of the Egyptians, the coming of the Holy Spirit became the beginning of a new era for God’s children; the birth of the Church and the writing of the Law in our hearts. “A new spirit I will put within you, and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe My ordinances” (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

Again, like God descended on the Mount Sinai “in fire and the smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln,” (Exodus 19:18), God came down upon the Apostles in tongues as of fire. Furthermore, like a baby cries out loudly at birth, the Church gave a loud cry on this day, as Luke puts it: “suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind… at this sound, the multitude came together, and they were bewildered because each one heard them speaking in his own language.” (Acts 2:2-6). 

What is the significance of today’s celebration for us and what lessons are contained in the liturgy today:

1. The Power of Prayers.

As we celebrate this great Feast today, we realize that as a Church, as people of God, we are in need of this outpouring of the Holy Spirit more than ever before. So much has gone wrong today, like these Apostles, we are filled with fear and anxiety over the pandemic and its effects, we are locked down, depressed and hungry. Even though we cannot all be gathered in one place like the Apostles, we must unite ourselves in prayer. 

2. God is a Promise Keeper. 

God never promises and fails. The coming of the Holy Spirit was a direct fulfilment of the promises of God in the Scriptures. For instance in Acts 1:8, Jesus said: “you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.” Trust in God.

3. The Holy Spirit Enables Sacramental Remission of Sins.

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus appeared to the disciples. “He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’” (John 20:22-23). Adam was lifeless until God breathed on him. Up till that moment, no human being had the power to absolve a person of his or her sins. By breathing on the disciples, Jesus gave them supernatural life, extraordinary grace, so to say to enable them to forgive or retain the sins of people. So bear this in mind when next you go for confession. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that the priest is able to absolve you of your sins.

4. The Holy Spirit makes us Charismatic.

As St. Paul explains in today’s second reading: “There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7). To be charismatic is simply to be gifted; the word ‘charism’ means gift. Every Christian is Charismatic because we all possess different varieties of these gifts of the Holy Spirit. However, when we hear the word Charismatic, we tend to associate it only with a certain group of people who may, for instance, be speaking in tongues. 

St. Paul explains the other charismatic gifts such as the utterance of wisdom, the utterance of knowledge, the gifts of healing, the working of miracles, prophecy, the ability to distinguish between spirits, various kinds of tongues, the interpretation of tongues and so on (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). The truth is that the Holy Spirit decides which is best for everyone at any point in time. All we need to do is to make our hearts habitable for the Holy Spirit to use us. 

5. The Holy Spirit Unites Us as One.

St. Paul mentions in today’s second reading: “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body -- Jews or Greeks, slaves or free -- and all were made to drink of one Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:12-13). With the coming of the Holy Spirit, God seemed to have reversed the confusion of the people who were attempting to build the Tower of Babel by giving them different languages (Cf. Genesis 10:1-9). With the Power of tongues, people could now understand different languages and work together once again, this time, not to challenge God’s authority but to give greater glory to God. With the Holy Spirit, all of us God’s children should now see ourselves as one body. We must eschew racial discrimination, ethnicism and bigotry from our lives.

Conclusion: The Holy Spirit is everything to us. The Holy Spirit is our Life. He is the breath of God in the life of a Christian. As we celebrate the Coming of the Holy Spirit today, let us incline ourselves more readily to His powerful working in our lives. If we are good Christians, if we bear fruits for God, if we keep His Commandments, it means we have the Holy Spirit in us. Otherwise, let us in prayer fan into flames today the Spirit of God in us.

Let us pray: Come Holy Spirit, take possession of my whole being, and enkindle in me your Sacred Fire. Amen. 

Happy Sunday. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Pentecost Sunday. Year A. Bible Study: Acts 2:1-11, Psalm 103, 1 Corinthians 12:3-7.12-13 and John 20:19-23).

Different Crosses, One Same God.

Saturday 29^th May 2020. 

Read Acts 28:16-31, Psalm 11 and John 21:20-25.

_“Peter turned and saw following them the disciple whom Jesus loved… he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, what about this man?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If it is my will that he remains until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!’” (John 21:20-22)

Having been told of his fate, Peter wanted to know if this would be the case for others. Looking and seeing John, Peter asked Jesus: “What about this man?” Sometimes, we behave like Peter; we compare and contrast with others as though life is a competition. Jesus answered: “Even if I say he will remain till I come, what is that to you? Just follow me.”

God calls us individually to different tasks. Just as our gifts and abilities are different, our sufferings for the sake of God are never the same.  Sometimes we would wonder if God is partial but all that matters is that we follow Jesus.

You may be thinking someone else is carrying a lighter cross but unless you are that person, you will never see the full picture. St. Paul encourages us to mind our business and avoid being busybodies. (2 Thessalonians 3:11-12)

Our first reading tells us how Paul arrived in Rome and continued the work of evangelisation there. Paul and Peter had different gifts, they both worked to spread the Gospel but their crosses were different; they did not suffer the same faith. In the end, all we know is that great things happened through them.

Finally, as John reports, the Bible does not contain everything Jesus did and said. “Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” (John 21:25).

This statement perfectly introduces us to tomorrow’s Feast of Pentecost. Since the Bible does not exhaust all that Christ said and did, there is only way we can know the full story – through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus told us, “But when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness to me.” (John 15:26)

Let us pray: Come Holy Spirit and enkindle in us your Sacred Fire. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saturday of the 7^th Week of Easter. Bible Study: Acts 28:16-31, Psalm 11 and John 21:20-25).

Simon, Do You Love Me?

Friday 29^th May 2020. 

Read Acts 25:13-21, Psalm 103 and John 21:15-19.

“When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’... ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ … ‘Feed my lambs.’ … ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ … ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ … ‘Tend my sheep.’ … ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ …’Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ …. ‘Feed my sheep.’” (John 21:15-17)

Very often, you hear people say: “Love is blind.” The meaning of this is that when we are in love, we become blind to the limitations of the other person or better put, we are able to bear with whatever pain or suffering the person brings to us.

Love is like the energy that keeps us going. When you love what you do, you do not see it as work anymore; you just apply yourself to it. This is the reason Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him three times?

If Peter was going to succeed in shepherding the flock entrusted to his care, it was very important that Jesus remains the only of his life. For all those times, Peter would have to suffer for the sake of the faith, he would think back and remember how he said “yes” to Jesus’ question.

Jesus even went as far as predicting the kind of death Peter would die; how he would stretch his hands while others will tie his belt and take him where he does not wish to go. Love takes no record of wrongs; love never ends; love never gives up.

Put yourself in the shoes of Peter and ask: “Do I love God? How deep is my love for God? To what extent am I willing to suffer for God’s sake?” Very often, we assume we love God but the truth is that it is those things we stand to gain from God that we love. This is why we easily turn away from God when those things are not forthcoming.

In truth, if we don’t love God, we are only pretending to be Christians; trying to use God instead of worshipping Him. As Jesus would say: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24)

Our first reading today contains one episode of the account of Paul’s travails for the sake of spreading the Gospel. In truth, the only thing that kept Paul going was his ever-burning love for God.

Let us pray: Come Holy Spirit and enkindle in us your Sacred Fire. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Friday of the 7th Week of Easter. Bible Study: Acts 25:13-21, Psalm 103 and John 21:15-19).

Take Courage: God Never Abandons His Own

Thursday 28^th May 2020. 

Read Acts 23:6-11, Psalm 16 and John 17:20-26.

“And when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid that Paul would be torn in pieces by them commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them and bring him into the barracks. The following night the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Take courage, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also at Rome.’ ” (Acts 23:10-11)

At the beginning of Christianity, Israel was just a colony of Rome. Paul who once fought Christianity became its great evangelist. Even Paul did not find it easy but God was with him through his trials and tribulations. Once, God miraculously freed Paul and Silas from prison, this time, God spoke to him in captivity: “Take courage, you will bear witness at Rome.”

Paul went to Rome as a prisoner but fast forward two thousand years, Rome has become the headquarters of the Church. What does this teach us?

1. God knows how to write straight on crooked lines. We do not know why God allows certain things to happen, but God has a plan. What looks like your valley of the shadow of death may eventually become your podium; your launchpad for success.

2. Never be afraid of defending your faith. The fact that the world (despite its hatred) has not been able to destroy Christianity is a testimony; a miracle happening before our very eyes; a proof that God is with His Church. No one can battle with the Lord.

3. Always allow God to do your fighting for you. Just as no one can fight God and succeed, you cannot win unless God is on your side. Seek first God’s kingdom and God will do the rest for you. Just as there was commotion between the Pharisees and Sadducees, God can make your enemies fight themselves while you watch.

4. There is power in unity. Jesus prayed in today’s Gospel passage “may they become perfectly one so that the world may know that you have sent me…” (John 17:23) By all means avoid division, fights, blackmail, hatred etc., in the body of Christ. As St. Paul would say, it is better to be wronged and suffer injustice than hold lawsuits against your fellow Christian. (1 Corinthians 6:7)

Let us pray: Come Holy Spirit and enkindle in us your Sacred Fire. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. 

Thursday of the 7^th Week of Easter. 

Bible Study: Acts 23:6-11, Psalm 16 and John 17:20-26.

How to Survive as Sheep among Wolves

Wednesday 27^th May 2020. 

Read Acts 20:28-38, Psalm 68 and John 17:11-19

“I have given them thy word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  I do not pray that thou should take them out of the world, but that thou should keep them from the evil one.” (John 17:14-18)

The prayer of Jesus in today’s Gospel passage carries a lot of deep-seated messages. In fact, this prayer is both prophetic and instructive. Firstly, Jesus highlights the hatred of the world. St. Paul in today’s first reading mentions the fact that “fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock…” (Acts 20:29). It shouldn’t surprise you to know that there are many so determined to crush Christianity that they go to the extent of pretending to be members of the flock yet manifesting their hatred.

Secondly, Jesus does not pray that we should be taken away from the world but He prays for protection from the evil one. We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers. (Ephesians 6:12). Nevertheless, we wrestle not as victims but as victors because as Jesus himself says, “I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). The devil (the evil one) is real; we see all he does but God who is stronger protects us.

Thirdly, Jesus defines the Christian life as a missionary enterprise. “As thou didst send me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” (John 17:18) To be a Christian is to be on a mission: to preach the Gospel. We are not here to become successful as the world sees it. St. Paul in today’s first reading mentions the fact that during his stay, he did not convert anyone’s silver or gold or apparel but worked with his hands to meet his necessities. The love of money is the root of all evil. (1^st Timothy 6:10). This is particularly true with regards to those of us (ministers) in the shoes of St. Paul today.

Fourthly, Jesus says “they are not of the world even as I am not of the world.” This world is not our home. We are only passing through. We cannot have it all and we can’t expect everything to be perfect in this side of existence. We only need to be content and grateful. The book of Hebrews says: “Be content with what you have; for he has said, ‘I will never fail you nor forsake you.’ Hence we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.’” (Hebrews 13:5-6)

Finally, Jesus prays that we should be sanctified in the truth. What is the truth? Jesus answers: “Your Word is truth.” (John 17:17). Soak yourself daily in the Word of God.   

Let us pray: Come Holy Spirit and enkindle in us your Sacred Fire. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Wednesday of the 7^th Week of Easter. Bible Study: Acts 20:28-38, Psalm 68 and John 17:11-19).

Finish the Race, Fight the Good Fight.

Tuesday 26^th May 2020. 

Read Acts 20:17-27, Psalm 68 and John 17:1-11)_

“And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name, which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.” (John 17:11)

Both our First Reading and Gospel passage today are set in a tone of departure; Paul is leaving the region of Asia and he is giving a Farewell Speech. Jesus nearing the time of his arrest was and knowing his time to return to the father was close said a prayer of departure.

In truth, whatever has a beginning must have an end. It is a matter of wisdom to always keep the end in view. We are not born to live in this world forever. Moreover, a fulfilled life is not measured by the number of one’s days but the quality of those days.

As a minister, a father, a mentor, a teacher etc., can I say like St. Paul that I am innocent of the blood of my congregation, my children, my employees, or those under my care? Can I beat my chest to say that I never led any one of these little ones astray?

Ordinarily, death is something very good; a moment to look forward to as it affords us the opportunity to enter into the arms of the true love of our lives. Death gives us the chance to experience true bliss safe in the presence of God who made us.

However, we dread the very thought of death, we hate to hear about death and we even consider it a bad omen to dream about the death or see a dead body. Why are we so scared of death? Simple answer: The quality of our lives – Regrets for not living well or not accomplished enough.

Paul was not afraid to die, he said: “you will see my face no more.” At only 33 years old, Jesus prayed: “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work which you gave me to do… I have manifested your name to the men whom you gave me out of the world…” Jesus was too young to die but there was no point living having completed His assignment.

Imagine you died but God gave you a second chance to return to this world. How would you live your life? Let your answer guide your life from this moment. The best time to die is not necessarily at old age, it is when your time comes; when you have finished the race and fought the good fight. Stop procrastinating. Just begin!

Let us pray: Come Holy Spirit, and enkindle in us your Sacred Fire. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Tuesday of the 7^th Week of Easter. Bible Study: Acts 20:17-27, Psalm 68 and John 17:1-11).

Be of Good Cheer, I Have Overcome The World

Monday 25th May 2020. 

Read Acts 19:1-8, Psalm 68 and John 16:29-33.

“I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

It is not God’s will that we should be sad and miserable in life. In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus says to us: “Cheer up, I have overcome the world.” In other words, tribulations may come, but victory is assured. As children of God, the battles we fight have already been won on the Cross of Calvary. So we fight not as victims but as victors.

To be happy when everything is going well with you is normal. But to be cheerful and happy when things are not going well is extraordinary – it requires faith in God. Being cheerful may not change the situation immediately, but it changes us first. We begin to see open windows where we thought there were only closed doors.

Like Paul and Silas who were locked up in prison, being cheerful in the midst of crisis gives us a reason to sing instead of crying. In the end, our cheerfulness brings about a manifestation of the Spirit. Dear friends, regardless of what you are facing, be cheerful. Smile!

Do you know that one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is joy? There is nothing spiritual about being moody or annoyed or depressed. Do not go about with a gloomy appearance carrying past hurts and pains. Learn to forgive and let go immediately. St. Paul would say: “Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil” (Ephesians 4:26-27).

In our first reading, we encounter another fruit of the Holy Spirit which is the ability to speak in tongues. We are told that as soon as Paul laid his hands on the people of Ephesus, the Holy Spirit came upon them and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. Note this, they did not simply speak gibberish, they spoke intelligibly in other languages; they spoke words of prophecy. It was because people could understand what they were saying that they knew these were prophetic utterances.

Speaking in tongues is not something we learn, it comes from the Holy Spirit. Speaking in tongues is not the deliberate pronunciation of sounds that do not make meaning to us. Be careful, do not fake it. The gift of speaking in tongues I believe helped the early Christians spread the faith to many lands and people whose languages they did not understand. It is not the only sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit in a person.

Let us pray: Come Holy Spirit, enkindle in us your Sacred fire. Amen. 

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Monday of the 7th week of Easter. Bible Study: Acts 19:1-8, Psalm 68 and John 16:29-33).

The Power of the Upper Room.

Sunday 24^th May 2020. Read Acts 1:12-14, Psalm 27, 1 Peter 4:13-16 and John 17:1-11

“When they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying … All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer.” (Acts 1:13-14)

Our first reading today sets the tone for our liturgy today. It tells the story of the Upper Room; the place where the apostles gathered immediately after the Ascension of Jesus Christ and dedicated themselves to prayer in the company of Mary the Mother of Jesus. What was so special about this upper room? Where can we find our own Upper Room today? What lessons do we learn from life in the Upper Room? These are some questions that will guide our reflection today.

Lesson 1: The Upper Room is a Symbol of the Holy Eucharist.

The first time we hear a mention of the term “upper room” in the Bible is where Jesus instructed his disciples saying: “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the householder, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I am to eat the Passover with my disciples’ And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” (Mark 14:13-16; Luke 22:11-14).

It was in this large upper room that Holy Mass was celebrated for the first time. Jesus gave His disciples His body and blood in the form of bread and wine adding: “Do this in memory of me.” After witnessing the Ascension, the apostles must have felt a vacuum in their hearts and as they missed Jesus, they returned to the Upper Room to “do this in memory of me” – to celebrate the Holy Eucharist.

Dear friends, every time we celebrate the Mass, we literally join Jesus and His disciples in the Upper Room; the place where God comes to meet ordinary humans. It is important to mention that it was in this same Upper Room that the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles on the day of Pentecost. When next you are present at mass, know that you are in the Upper Room; the most powerful room on earth.

Lesson 2: Take Refuge in the Upper Room When Afraid or in Trouble.

Another reason the Apostles gathered in the Upper Room was because of fear. John gives us a hint of this when he said: “On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’” (John 20:19).

There is every possibility that Jesus appeared to them in this same upper room; a place where they sought refuge in a time of trouble. In today’s second reading, St. Peter acknowledges the fact that being Christians does not make us immune from suffering. If suffering comes to us just because of Christ (not because we did anything wrong), then we should rejoice and not be ashamed for God.

At a time like this, the enemies of Christianity are busy mocking the Church, several jokes and comedy skits are viral on social media regarding the church’s sacraments, we cannot deny that we are facing a form of corona persecution targeted at destroying the faith. Hence, we must return to the upper room to hide our heads in prayer more than ever before.

Lesson 3: The Upper Room is a Place of Prayer.

Our Gospel passage today contains a prayer Jesus addressed to God towards the end of His public ministry. In teaching his disciples to pray, Jesus did not just give them words, he also taught by example. On several occasions, Jesus spent whole nights at times in prayer and he always encouraged His followers to pray constantly. As we read in today’s first reading, the apostles devoted themselves to prayer in the upper room.

We would not be out of place to say that what made this room an upper room is the fact that it was dedicated to prayer. Prayer unlike other human activities uplifts us, takes us beyond the realm of the flesh and raises us up into the presence of God. The Apostles did not leave the upper room; they prayed all day and all night like Jesus who for forty days and forty nights remained in the wilderness praying and fasting in preparation for His public ministry.

For the Apostles, the upper room became a place of preparation for ministry; a place of prayer; a place they could be without worldly distractions; a place of profound communion with God. When the Holy Spirit eventually came on Pentecost Day, the upper room became the womb of the Church; its place of birth. Indeed, the upper room is a place of great miracles.

In Acts 9, we read the story of Tabitha (or Dorcas), a woman full of good works and acts of charity. She fell sick and died and the Christian community decided to wash her corpse and place it in an upper room. Then they sent for Peter who was in nearby Lydda to come and when he came, he went to the upper room where he knelt down and prayed then turning to the body, he said: “Tabitha rise.” The dead woman opened her eyes and sat up. (Acts 9:36-40).

Conclusion

Dear friends, where is your upper room? Have you dedicated a corner in your home or an entire room for prayer? When last did you visit that place? Have you been taking care of your upper room or has it just become a sort of decoration in your home? Something to show people that you are Christian? Do you walk into your upper room with faith trusting that whatever you do there works?

Perhaps, you do not even have an upper room. Why not create one today. If you consider prayer important, then just as you have a room in your house dedicated to cooking (the kitchen), you should at least dedicate a space for prayer, call it your upper room. Make use of your upper room. As we anticipate the Holy Spirit, spend more time in your upper room. Prayer is the master key!

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, may I be fully prepared to receive the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Happy Sunday. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (7th Sunday of Easter. Year A. Bible Study: Acts 1:12-14, Psalm 27, 1 Peter 4:13-16 and John 17:1-11).

Have Confidence in Prayer

Saturday 23^rd May 2020. 

Read Acts 18:23-28, Psalm 47 and John 16:23-28

“Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.” (John 16:24) 

It is one thing to pray but a different thing to have confidence in God. Think of this, almost everybody you know prays if there is a church close to your house, they are probably at prayer right now, people have no problem praying but the real question is: “How many of us believe in the power of prayers?”

I used to think we are a religious nation but this pandemic has proven otherwise. The same persons who while aspiring for political office visited the various prayer houses seeking for “Divine Favour” have forgotten the power of prayers in dealing with this crisis.

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus tells us: “If you ask anything of the Father, he will give it to you in my name … ask and you will receive, that your joy may be complete.” The problem is, after asking, we refuse to drop our burdens completely with Jesus. We rise to our feet with heavy hearts as though we wasted our time praying. If prayer does not leave you joyful and happy, it means you haven’t prayed. Start all over again!

If you do not believe that your prayers are capable of changing anything, then you are yet to understand the meaning of prayer. The deeper your confidence in the power and effectiveness of even a single line of prayer, the more you see the result in your life. Make sure you reflect on every word you utter during prayer, know that whatever you say is heard by God; know that prayer really works, prayer changes things.

Our first reading today talks about a Jew named Apollos. He was an eloquent man well versed in the scriptures even though he was not properly catechised. Thanks to Priscilla and Aquila who took it upon themselves to teach him more. He was able to refute other Jews in public using the Scriptures.

Apollos displayed a willingness to learn from Priscilla and Aquila and it paid off. Sometimes, when we are gifted, we could easily fall into the trap of pride, refusing to learn and refusing to grow. There is nothing as bad as being ignorant and yet arrogant.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, transform my prayer life that I may remain forever joyful and peacefully. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saturday after the Ascension of the Lord. Bible Study: Acts 18:23-28, Psalm 47 and John 16:23-28). 

Your Sorrow Will Turn to Joy

Friday 22^nd May 2020. 

Read Acts 18:9-18, Psalm 47 and John 16:20-23.

“When a woman is in travail she has sorrow because her hour has come; but when she is delivered of the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for the joy that a child is born into the world.” (John 16:21)

Our short time on earth is like the nine-month period of carrying a pregnancy. It always tough for any woman but the joy of eventually carrying her child relieves all the pain. The joy of joining in the heavenly banquet after our short time on earth will be so much that would forget whatever pain we have to go through for the sake of God at this moment.

Surely, there would be some moments of joy right here on earth. Being a Christian is not a condemnation to pain. Even Jesus had his moments of joy. For instance, when the seventy returned after accomplishing the work of mission, Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit. (Luke 10:20). As St. Paul would say to the Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4).

For a whole year and six months, Paul went about the city of Corinth preaching the Good News of salvation freely. God told him in a vision: “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no man shall attack you to harm you.” But this time was limited.

Happiness on earth is always limited. Let’s face it, no matter how hard we try, we cannot really rejoice “always.” Certain events will definitely make us cry. And again, there is no amount of joy we experience now that can equal even a little bit of the joy we shall have in heaven.

As Jesus puts it: “So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. In that day you will ask nothing of me.” (John 16:22-23). In other words, as long as we live on earth, happiness remains fleeting but when that day comes - the day we shall be united to God; no one will be able to take our joy from us.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, fill me with holy joy. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Friday after the Ascension of the Lord. Bible Study: Acts 18:9-18, Psalm 47 and John 16:20-23).

Why Did Jesus Ascend?

Thursday 21^st May 2020. 

Read Acts 1:1-11, Psalm 47, Ephesians 1:17-23 and Matthew 28:16-20

“Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven.” (Luke 24:50-51)

Today makes it forty days since the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and on this day, Jesus ascended into heaven. In the Scriptures, the number ‘forty’ represents wholeness, preparation and cleansing. For instance, it rained forty days and forty nights when Noah built the Ark. The Israelites spent forty years journeying to the Promised Land. Jesus spent forty day and nights in the wilderness fasting just to mention a few.

By ascending after forty days, Jesus was passing on a deep message to us: My work in the flesh is now complete; prepare to receive the Holy Spirit. “It is not for you to know the times or seasons... But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be my witnesses.” (Acts 1:7-8)

Like these disciples gazing up at heaven, we too may be gazing and wondering why Jesus would ascend into heaven. “Wouldn’t it have been nice if Jesus remained appearing and disappearing to us every now and then?” This question would be valid only if it can ever be established that Jesus is no longer with us today. Have we forgotten that Jesus said: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20).

Jesus is still with us. Jesus can never abandon us for we are His bride. He remains the Vine while we are just the branches. So was the ascension just a show? Not at all. Jesus really ascended into heaven and as St. Paul teaches us in today’s second reading, Christ has united humanity with God. It was necessary that Jesus entered heaven with our human flesh and by so doing redeem human nature.

By going up to heaven, Jesus did distance Himself from us rather He points our attention to heaven; our final destination. As Jesus ascended to heaven, so must our thoughts constantly ascend to Heaven. As St. Paul would say: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:1-2) 

When an aged parent knows that death is fast approaching, he or she would gather their children to leave them with some last words. In the Ascension, we celebrate the last words of Jesus: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20). We must cherish these last words of Jesus; they define our faith.

As we heard Jesus say, though He ascended, He remains with us always – and to the close of the age. How? Where two or more are gathered in His name, Jesus is there. In the Holy Eucharist, Jesus is there. In every mass, Jesus is present as the Priest, the Altar and the Lamb of Sacrifice. In the poor and lonely, Jesus is present – “whatsoever you do to the least of these, you do unto me.”

Soon after the Ascension, the disciples entered a mood of prayer in expectation of the promise of the Holy Spirit. Like these disciples, we too must begin to pray more that we may be found worthy of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.

Let us pray: Come Holy Spirit, fill my heart and kindle your fire within me. Amen

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Solemnity of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. Year A. Bible Study: Acts 1:1-11, Psalm 47, Ephesians 1:17-23 and Matthew 28:16-20).