Easter - brings to our mind thoughts of New Life!
On Easter eve, I have sets of news items - good and bad - relating to life. There is the news of Sr. Merin Paul CHF, a nun retiring from the post of headmistress, donating a kidney to one Mr. Shaju, belonging to some Hindu community. Re-affirming the claim of Christians as resurrection people. Shaju is getting new life, thanks to the bold decision of Sr. Merin Paul.
One practical step of being a resurrection people is to be a conscious and willing donor. A parish where everyone has pledged one's organs to promote life. Not necessarily now, but at least after our death, which has to happen some time or other.
On the other hand, we have before us various communities facing threat of life - Syria, various pockets of middle-east, Kashmir, Afghanistan, Egypt... there is Fr. Tom who is still under the custody of terrorists.
We repeatedly pray during the holy week about Jesus redeeming the world through his suffering and cross - വിശുദ്ധ കുരിശാലെ വീണ്ടു കൊണ്ടു . Are we willing to be co-redeemers with Christ in offering our very many sufferings, some of which cannot be wished away? Some of which still remain in spite of our prayers and efforts and pray with our Lord, 'not my will, but thy will be done'? Can we take a cue from the lives of Sts. Teresa of Lisuex and Alphonsa of Bharanaganam, who rose to sainthood by means of their suffering which they dedicated to the redemption and conversion of many?
It is a feast of Joy. Hence with St. Paul in Phil 4:4, we echo, Rejoice in the Lord. I say again, rejoice. Jesus speaks of a joy that no body will take away. Jesus says in Jn 16:27 When I meet you again, you will rejoice.
When you meet Jesus again - we meet Jesus typically in the Holy Qurbana, in our community sacramental celebration. But are we able to meet him again? Especially when we step out? In the sacrament of our fellow beings, in the sacrament of other beings of the planet. If and when we are able to 'see him again', 'meet him again' in such presences, as did John, at the sea shore, saying that 'It is the Lord!', then we will rejoice, and our happiness cannot be taken away. For that we require such a vision.
Our community celebration, our christian fellowship, our communion should help us to see Christ in the most unexpected contexts.
Thirdly, Easter brings us 'peace' as the risen Lord's gift. In the letter to Philippians, it is said, 'offer your needs through supplications, prayers and praise' and then the Lord's peace which transcends all y our imaginations shall be yours.
In the holy mass, this experience is given to us in 3 stages - as the abiding presence in the word of God; just after we have offered ourselves together with the Lord in the symbols of bread and wine and finally after the rites of reconciliation - with God, humans and planet - we are made ready to call God our Father.
Fourthly, this Easter experience is a challenge and a call for each of us to 'rise up' and to 'rise above'. Rising up, everyday and everytime, from our falls and failures; rising above our petty thinking, petty minds to the realm where the Lord reigns, and the Lord lives. Hence the call during the mass, 'Let your minds be on high' or 'Lift up your hearts'. This going beyond is symbolised in the mass, by the initial 'removal of the veil' and the singing of resurrection hymn which reminds us of Jesus' victory on the cross, where at his death, the veil preventing our entry to the Lord's place, was torn, and Jesus went beyond the earthly boundaries to the realms of the Hades and is said to have liberated the souls imprisoned there.
Lastly, Easter reminds us again of 'life and life in abundance' (Jn 10:10). It is Christian call to maintain life, the gift of God, and all that supports and sustains life. While we laud people who donate blood and organs, and perhaps, start feeling bad that we are going about with two kidneys, we ignore the more basic duty of ours to maintain life and prevent those situations that lead to the destruction of life - that is a call to preserve, protect air, water and soil, greenery.
When we learn that 9% of Kerala population is under stress and is likely to be victims of depression, we have to rethink about the life-styles we live and ensure that we are there to change our lives for the better; we are there for others and for life. We are there to listen to one another and support them
May Easter be truly a feast celebrating life, promoting its abundance by being ready to spare or at our end, donate one's organs, by raising our minds and hearts to God's own realm, by rising above our narrow limits daily, by rejoicing in the Lord, and meeting Lord again and again, everywhere and in everything and by finding and realising God, our peace!
Happy Easter!
On Easter eve, I have sets of news items - good and bad - relating to life. There is the news of Sr. Merin Paul CHF, a nun retiring from the post of headmistress, donating a kidney to one Mr. Shaju, belonging to some Hindu community. Re-affirming the claim of Christians as resurrection people. Shaju is getting new life, thanks to the bold decision of Sr. Merin Paul.
One practical step of being a resurrection people is to be a conscious and willing donor. A parish where everyone has pledged one's organs to promote life. Not necessarily now, but at least after our death, which has to happen some time or other.
On the other hand, we have before us various communities facing threat of life - Syria, various pockets of middle-east, Kashmir, Afghanistan, Egypt... there is Fr. Tom who is still under the custody of terrorists.
We repeatedly pray during the holy week about Jesus redeeming the world through his suffering and cross - വിശുദ്ധ കുരിശാലെ വീണ്ടു കൊണ്ടു . Are we willing to be co-redeemers with Christ in offering our very many sufferings, some of which cannot be wished away? Some of which still remain in spite of our prayers and efforts and pray with our Lord, 'not my will, but thy will be done'? Can we take a cue from the lives of Sts. Teresa of Lisuex and Alphonsa of Bharanaganam, who rose to sainthood by means of their suffering which they dedicated to the redemption and conversion of many?
It is a feast of Joy. Hence with St. Paul in Phil 4:4, we echo, Rejoice in the Lord. I say again, rejoice. Jesus speaks of a joy that no body will take away. Jesus says in Jn 16:27 When I meet you again, you will rejoice.
When you meet Jesus again - we meet Jesus typically in the Holy Qurbana, in our community sacramental celebration. But are we able to meet him again? Especially when we step out? In the sacrament of our fellow beings, in the sacrament of other beings of the planet. If and when we are able to 'see him again', 'meet him again' in such presences, as did John, at the sea shore, saying that 'It is the Lord!', then we will rejoice, and our happiness cannot be taken away. For that we require such a vision.
Our community celebration, our christian fellowship, our communion should help us to see Christ in the most unexpected contexts.
Thirdly, Easter brings us 'peace' as the risen Lord's gift. In the letter to Philippians, it is said, 'offer your needs through supplications, prayers and praise' and then the Lord's peace which transcends all y our imaginations shall be yours.
In the holy mass, this experience is given to us in 3 stages - as the abiding presence in the word of God; just after we have offered ourselves together with the Lord in the symbols of bread and wine and finally after the rites of reconciliation - with God, humans and planet - we are made ready to call God our Father.
Fourthly, this Easter experience is a challenge and a call for each of us to 'rise up' and to 'rise above'. Rising up, everyday and everytime, from our falls and failures; rising above our petty thinking, petty minds to the realm where the Lord reigns, and the Lord lives. Hence the call during the mass, 'Let your minds be on high' or 'Lift up your hearts'. This going beyond is symbolised in the mass, by the initial 'removal of the veil' and the singing of resurrection hymn which reminds us of Jesus' victory on the cross, where at his death, the veil preventing our entry to the Lord's place, was torn, and Jesus went beyond the earthly boundaries to the realms of the Hades and is said to have liberated the souls imprisoned there.
Lastly, Easter reminds us again of 'life and life in abundance' (Jn 10:10). It is Christian call to maintain life, the gift of God, and all that supports and sustains life. While we laud people who donate blood and organs, and perhaps, start feeling bad that we are going about with two kidneys, we ignore the more basic duty of ours to maintain life and prevent those situations that lead to the destruction of life - that is a call to preserve, protect air, water and soil, greenery.
When we learn that 9% of Kerala population is under stress and is likely to be victims of depression, we have to rethink about the life-styles we live and ensure that we are there to change our lives for the better; we are there for others and for life. We are there to listen to one another and support them
May Easter be truly a feast celebrating life, promoting its abundance by being ready to spare or at our end, donate one's organs, by raising our minds and hearts to God's own realm, by rising above our narrow limits daily, by rejoicing in the Lord, and meeting Lord again and again, everywhere and in everything and by finding and realising God, our peace!
Happy Easter!
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