BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.

Be in your prayer space, follow the usual steps and settle into silence.

Sit still…..Relax…….Do not rush………

Take a couple of gentle, slow and deep breaths…becoming aware of your breath going in and out… stay focused on this breath of life……

Now from the depth of your heart begin to wish your mind well……….

Take a moment. Bless your day. Let your day Bless you……Take another moment. Bless your world. Let your world bless you……

We continue our meditation on being Easter People…..

Prayerfully, reflectively read the following……Dwell on the thoughts that speak to you in this moment……

We made a journey with Jesus through Lent and have come to experience Easter. It was a great journey. The mystery of following Jesus can not be put into simple words. The mystery of dying and rising with Christ is an experience at the depth of our hearts which no word can describe. We will continue to meet testing times – may even fight a few demons. We will have our periods of fatigue and despair, fear and anxiety, doubts and frustrations. We may make wrong turns and “U” turns……But we will journey, we will move on, we will stay focused and we will rely on his presence with us on the journey…

We made a journey with Jesus from Ashes to fire and have come to experience Easter. We may not look different – we may not even feel different. Yet deep inside of us, we are different because we met him in life and in death – we have risen with him – we are new persons and a new people because the one who died and was laid in the tomb is alive. He now lives and holds out to us the hope of a new life.

We celebrate Easter – new life – new beginnings – to new presence. We celebrate our call to be an Easter People, a People of the Resurrection, a people transformed by the death and resurrection of Jesus, a people who must continue to journey in faith, in hope and in love……….

We must move on and meet Jesus, alive, where we are, now, at this point in our history………

We read the moving story of Mary of Magdala (John 20:1-9) going to the tomb of Jesus early in the morning and running to Peter and John to tell them that the tomb was empty.

Peter and John went to the tomb and found everything as Mary had described. This excerpt concludes by saying that they believed without understanding the scripture “that he had to rise from the dead”.

Real faith is born of relationship. It is not an affirmation or acceptance of doctrines or acceptance of details of an event that can be verified scientifically or otherwise. To believe is to relate…to believe is to trust…to believe is to be intimate…to believe is to be in communion. Our belief in the resurrection and our commitment to live a resurrected life is the result of our communion with the risen Christ.

The early Christians had new insights into all the things Jesus said and did while he was among them when they recognized that Jesus had risen from the dead. The resurrection of Jesus was an act of love by which God had transformed everyone and everything. This enabled them to understand the meaning of the cross and why Jesus had to die.

The resurrection of Jesus offered new possibilities of forgiveness, peace, faith, hope, love……. Even the reality of doubt has gained a new meaning and value. The reality of doubt began to be seen as an integral part of our journey of faith. Thomas stands out as a source of encouragement for all believers. As a questioning person, Thomas moved from skepticism and disbelief to a firm and committed faith (John 20:19-31).

May the Holy Spirit bless and transform your disbelief and all your doubts and all your fears and empower you to respond to God’s call in faithfulness and love!

Easter changed everything! Men and women experienced transformation of their lives. Frightened men became fearless proclaimers of the good news of Jesus and ministers of God’s forgiving and healing presence among his people. Denials were turned to affirmations of love and dedicated service as in the case of Peter and doubts were changed to confession of faith as in the case of Thomas. Men who were hiding in fear were empowered to move freely and proclaim their joy in the risen Lord.

Easter did change everything! Transformation of people did happen! Be open to the transforming power of the resurrection of Jesus!

We read about two disciples on the road to Emmaus, discussing all the events surrounding the death of Jesus (Luke 24:13-35). Jesus came along and began to walk with them. The disciples did not recognize him. They were preoccupied with the events and failed to see anything beyond.

Look beyond what you see and what you hear………the disciples had to learn to look beyond to see their Savior and Lord.

Jesus and the disciples entered into a deep conversation about the events surrounding the death of Jesus. Jesus explained to them about how the Scriptures were fulfilled in his death, stayed with them and shared their bread. He opened their eyes and they saw and they believed. And they said, “Were not our hearts burning inside us as he talked to us on the road and explained the Scriptures?” There was a longing, an urgent longing in their hearts…there was a passion and they became aware of it and their hearts were set on fire and they returned to tell the others their experience………

Learn to listen to your heart…..listen to the gentle whispers of the Spirit…..get in touch with the longing in our heart…..the Spirit of God moves us from within.

We read the story of Peter and his friends fishing all night without success. At daybreak, they found Jesus on the shore. At the word of Jesus, they cast their nets again and had a great catch (John 21:1-19).

The unsuccessful and disappointing night is turned into joy because they listened to the word of Jesus. Trust in the word of Jesus helps us rise above failures, disappointments, etc.

The disciples, who worked hard all night without success, were asked to try again and take a different approach, “cast your net off to the starboard side”. They tried again without complaint, they were open to try something different and they had a great catch.

Try again….and again! Take a different approach………a new approach….try something that has not been tried before……. Never give up!

They came ashore and found that Jesus had prepared breakfast for them, fish and bread. They broke bread again and recognized Jesus for the third time after the resurrection.

He met them again and again bringing them comfort and deepening their faith in the resurrection. Jesus did not give up on the disciples who had difficulty understanding the Scriptures and understanding all that he had told them while he was alive.

Reflect on the compassion and patience of Jesus. Be compassionate! Be patient!

“Do you love me more than these?” Jesus asked Peter…..more than the fish, the net, the sea, the career, all knew and all he had! Peter simply said, “You know that I love you” and made no comparisons. The Lord knew him and trusted him with his mission.

Do you love me more than all you know, all you have?………this is a good question for our reflection today……take time to prayerfully reflect and respond to the Lord’s question.

Fr. Gus Tharappel,msfs

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.

Be in your prayer space, follow the usual steps and settle into silence.

Sit still…..Relax…….Do not rush………

Take a couple of gentle, slow and deep breaths…becoming aware of your breath going in and out… stay focused on this breath of life……

Now from the depth of your heart begin to wish your mind well………

Take a moment. Bless your day. Let your day Bless you……Take another moment. Bless your world. Let your world bless you……

Prayerfully, reflectively read the following……Dwell on the thoughts that speak to you in this moment……

We began our Lenten Journey with a cross traced in ashes on the foreheads of all who came to Church on Ash Wednesday as a declaration of the necessity of repentance, of change of heart and of faithfulness to the Gospel values.

We met Jesus in different situations during our journey through lent. We heard his word and saw the way he interacted with the world around him.

On the first Sunday of lent, we met Jesus (Luke 4:1-13) being tempted in the wilderness, rising above the temptations to a new power and strength and coming to call people to repentance and new life in the Kingdom of God. We met Jesus making a deliberate choice of method to fulfill his mission and rejecting methods contrary to God’s Will.

On the second Sunday of lent, we met Jesus (Luke 9:28-36) and heard the voice of God declaring Jesus as the “beloved Son” and calling all disciples to listen to him.

On the third Sunday of Lent, we heard Jesus talking about (Luke 13:1-9) the suddenness of death and the need to be prepared and ready, to repent, to reform and change our ways!

On the fourth Sunday of lent, we read (Luke 15:1-3, 11-32). the story of a young man running away from home, turning around in repentance, and being embraced by the forgiving love of his father. We met a father who let his son make his own choices and regretfully let him go his way and welcomed him back, without conditions, on his return.

On the fifth Sunday of lent, we read (John 8:1-11) the Story of Jesus forgiving the woman caught in adultery and calling her to new life. We heard Jesus calling us to repentance, conversion and transformation of our life. We heard Jesus calling us to let go of the past and live a new life, a life of Grace and truth and walk in forgiving love.

On Palm Sunday, we remembered Jesus entering Jerusalem to face rejection and eventual death. We remembered his passion – passion for his father’s will, passion for humanity, passion for you and me and suffering and dying out of that passion.

On Holy Thursday, we remembered Jesus transforming bread and wine into his life and giving his life to us as food and drink. We remembered him washing the feet of his disciples and calling them to follow his example in gracious and self-sacrificing service.

On Good Friday, we remembered Jesus being betrayed, tried, judged, condemned and crucified. We remembered him dying on a cross. We remembered Jesus giving himself totally in life and in death. We remembered the cross, sign of shame and punishment, becoming the symbol of sacrifice, healing, unconditional love, total giving, redemption and salvation. We remembered and relived the passion, the cross and the death of Jesus.

The journey that we began in ashes brings us now to the fire – unlike the fire of terror, we encounter a purifying, life-creating fire that gives light to a dark and despairing world. It is the fire that lights the Paschal candle which proclaims: “the light of Christ”. It is the fire that brings us into the light of Christ and lights up our own path……….

Our Lenten journey brings us to Easter – to new life, to new beginnings, to new presence. We celebrate our call to be an Easter People, a People of the Resurrection, a people transformed by the death and resurrection of Jesus, a people who must continue to journey in faith, in hope and in love. We must move on and meet Jesus, alive, where we are, now, at this point in our history.

We now take a moment to reflect on the different stories of the resurrection of Jesus…

The Gospel of Mark (Mark 16:9-15) tells us that Jesus rose from the dead and first appeared to Mary Magdalene, but the followers of Jesus refused to believe her testimony. The disciples did not expect Jesus to be visiting Mary of Magdala after his resurrection. After all, her past was not that great and she was not one of the specially chosen apostles….she did not fit the common criteria for a visit from the world beyond…

Be open! The Lord has his own way of surprising us! He comes to us through the most unexpected people, events, places and situations! No one expected to find the messiah in a manger or on the cross….that is just the way God revealed the power of His unconditional, unconquerable, benevolent love for us.

Two of the disciples on their way to Emmaus had an experience of the risen Jesus, while they were on the road. The disciples did not believe them either.

The Gospel of Luke (Luke 24: 1-10) speaks of two young men in white robe at the tomb of Jesus. They said to the women of Galilee who came to visit the tomb: “He is not here, but he has been raised……and they (the women) returned and announced all these things to the eleven and to all others”.

HE IS ALIVE! He goes ahead of us into our Galilees…..He will meet us where we are and we must move on and meet him where we are….in life and in death……

In the Gospel of John, we read the moving story of Mary of Magdala (John 20:1-9) going to the tomb of Jesus early in the morning and running to Peter and John to tell them that the tomb was empty. Peter and John went to the tomb and found everything as Mary had described. This excerpt concludes by saying that they believed without understanding the scripture “that he had to rise from the dead”.

Real faith is born of relationship. It is not an affirmation or acceptance of doctrines or acceptance of details of an event that can be verified scientifically or otherwise. To believe is to relate…to believe is to trust…to believe is to be intimate…to believe is to be in communion. Our belief in the resurrection and our commitment to live a resurrected life is the result of our communion with the risen Christ.

Finally, Jesus appeared to the eleven disciples and rebuked them for their disbelief. Then he sent them with the mission: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the good news to all creation”.

Jesus surprised them again by sending them with his message to fulfill his mission. Men of weak faith……..men who could not see beyond their disappointment………men, who did not grasp all that Jesus said to them about his death and resurrection while he was among them, were sent to proclaim the good news of the resurrection!

Don’t wait and don’t hesitate to share and announce the good news of God’s love till you have fully matured in faith!

I wish you Peace – God’s Peace – the peace that Jesus promised, the kind of peace the world can not offer. Peace in your hearts, peace in your homes, peace in your community, peace in your country, peace in the world. I pray for you that you may have peace in your hearts, you may think peace, feel peace, speak peace. You may have a word of peace for your family, your friends, your neighbors and for all……You be men and women of peace. May your presence proclaim God’s peace.

I wish you a very happy and joy-filled Easter. May the risen Lord bring you the richest and the finest of His blessings during this wonderful season and keep you safe in the center of His love. You are in my prayer especially during this season.

Fr. Gus Tharappel,msfs

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.

Be in your prayer space, follow the usual steps and settle into silence.

Sit still…..Relax…….Do not rush………

Take a couple of gentle, slow and deep breaths…becoming aware of your breath going in and out… stay focused on this breath of life……

Now from the depth of your heart begin to wish your mind well………

Take a moment. Bless your day. Let your day Bless you……Take another moment. Bless your world. Let your world bless you……

Prayerfully, reflectively read the following……Dwell on the thoughts that speak to you in this moment……

Last week, we reflected on the different stories of the resurrection of Jesus and the responses of the many who heard the story. One thing in particular stood out for us in our reflection, it was the way the women and later the disciples raced to the tomb of Jesus.

This meditation invites you to reflect on what it means for you to race to the tomb of Jesus with the women and the disciples.

Racing to the Tomb:

Easter comes after the race to the tomb! Imagine if you can, visualize compassionate women racing to the tomb, early in the morning, wondering what they will do when they get to the tomb, how they will roll the stone away from the tomb, how they will get around the guards……

Let us join Mary of Magdala and the other women of compassion and start racing to the tomb!

Racing to the tomb is a way of moving through doubts and fears and uncertainties and embracing the emptiness of the tomb……this must happen if we are ever to understand life.

Racing to the tomb is a way of moving into the unknown….not knowing what awaits you on arriving at the tomb…..compassionate women found that death and the emptiness of the tomb have been changed into life.

Racing to the tomb means losing life…it also means finding life! It means wheat falling into the ground and dying only to rise again.

Racing to the tomb means life dug out of death, joy born out of sorrow, light breaking out of darkness.

Racing to the tomb means taking a risk of looking into the tomb to see if Jesus is really there!

Racing to the tomb means being alert, awake and sensitive even in our moments of confusion and like Mary, remember to check with the gardener…mystery of life and death would get unraveled.

Racing to the tomb means being blessed, like Mary, to run into the gardener….in the gardener she found the one she was looking for! God does have ways of surprising us!

Racing to the tomb means being ready and willing to remove all the stones from the doorways of the tomb, however huge the stones may be, if we wish to find the hidden life in us.

Racing to the tomb means moving with confidence…..The women moved to the tomb wondering who will roll the stone away from the tomb…they moved with uncertainty….but they moved all the same!

Having arrived at the tomb, let us look into it to see if Jesus is really there. The mystery of hope unfolds before the tomb – only an eye of faith can see it as it unfolds. The Cross and the tomb call us to wait in Hope for victory/glory beyond understanding.

We can withdraw from the tomb……… OR look deep inside and find it empty…… OR look around and find HIM alive and moving and calling us.

Remember…Jesus stepped on death, stepped into the tomb, leaped out of it, moved out into the world….life to its fullness is his gift to us! Embrace it!

We will be racing to the tomb as long as we live. We will be looking into the tomb to see if Jesus is really there!

We now take a moment to contemplate on racing from the tomb…ON BEING and becoming Easter People……

We become Easter people as we continue to race from the tomb. Imagine if you can, visualize Mary of Magdala racing from the tomb, early in the morning, wondering how she would break the news to her friends……Let us join Mary of Magdala and the other women of compassion and start racing from the tomb!

Racing from the tomb is a way of moving into the unknown trusting in the promise: “I will go ahead of you into Galilee”.

Racing from the tomb is a way of announcing the good news of God’s love even when you know you have not fully matured in faith!

Racing from the tomb is a way of reaching out and forming community with others.

Racing from the tomb is reaching across boundaries, breaking down barriers and entering into fellowship with all people.

Racing from the tomb is reaching out, with hope, to those who are afraid, lonely, skeptical, or disappointed.

Racing from the tomb means I have a reason for striving to be good, remaining faithful and being hopeful.

Racing from the tomb is a reminder that Christ gives new power and strength to be His witness to the world.

Racing from the tomb is taking time to discern a situation before acting on impulse.

Racing from the tomb is seeing the power of God’s Kingdom in seemingly simple acts.

Racing from the tomb means being positive.

Add your own:

Fr. Gus Tharappel, msfs

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