BEING EASTER PEOPLE (5)

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. Our last meditation was on being people of hope, being positive and optimistic. Our hope is grounded in the words and deeds of our master and on his promise to be with us on our journey. Today’s meditation calls us to dwell on some of the most important words and deeds of our master, Jesus, before his death.

Jesus had his last supper with his disciples (John 13:16-20). Great things happened during this meal. He had washed the feet of his disciples and called them to follow his example in gracious and self-sacrificing service. Jesus also wanted the disciples to know that redeeming the world would cost him his life and that he was choosing death and that it was his chosen act of “surrender” to the will of his Father. He was accepting death in fidelity, in loyalty, in love, in total giving.

Learn to surrender to the will of the Father! Pray for wisdom and courage to accept the cost of self-surrender!

Jesus and the disciples were around the Passover table (John 13:31-35). Tension mounted among the twelve disciples as Jesus told them that one of them would betray him. Questions about who the betrayer was, suspicion of each other…….many such factors created confusion. It is amazing to know how Jesus tried to help the disciples become aware of what was happening and what was going to happen to him. They just failed to understand. They were too preoccupied with themselves and their ambitions.

Jesus made a final and special appeal to the heart of Judas. For the host to offer a special morsel from the dish was a sign of special friendship. When Jesus handed Judas Iscariot the “bit of food”, the “dipped morsel”, it was an offer of “special friendship”, a final appeal to the heart. But the heart of Judas was unmoved, full of greed, darkness, hate and didn’t see the light or the love that was offered. Judas left never to return!

Jesus told Peter as he affirmed his loyalty that even he would deny him ‘three times before the cock crows’. This was a tough time for Jesus and his disciples.

Be alert! Stay awake! Be sensitive to those around you and their concerns, needs, struggles, etc. Learn to see beyond yourself! Listen to the heart of those around you! Be compassionate!

After Judas left, rejecting the love that was offered, Jesus told the disciples that they were to love and love as he did: “love one another as I have loved you”. The standard of life and love went far beyond what they had known. It was no more, “love your neighbor as yourself”….it became, “love one another as I have loved you”.

The disciples were to love as the master loved…..not as others love them, not as they wish to be loved and not as they love themselves, but as the master himself loved! This is unconditional love…love unconquerable, invincible. This is love without competition, comparison, control and discrimination. This all embracing love…the way God loves…love of all people, the rich and the poor, the proud and haughty, the humble and meek. This is self-sacrificing love, “no one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”.

May your love transcend competition and control…May your love transcend ill feelings, jealousies, hatred, etc….May you reach out in selfless and generous service!

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you;

Abide in my love. (Jn. 15:9)

The secret of the life of Jesus was his contact with the Father. Again and again, he withdrew to quiet places to be alone with the father. He knew what it meant to “abide” in the Father’s Love. His disciples must do the same.

To “abide” is to be in close contact; to be in touch; to be intimate; to live an intense, personal relationship.

I am the vine, you are the branches.

He who lives in me and I in him, will produce abundantly, for apart from me you can do nothing (Jn. 15:5)

That they may all be one, as you Father are in me and I in you;

I pray that they may be one in us, that the world may believe that you sent me (Jn. 17:21)

Love is patient; love is kind. Love is not jealous, it does not put on airs, it is not snobbish. Love is never rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not prone to anger; neither does it brood over injuries. Love does not rejoice in what is wrong but rejoices with the truth. There is no limit to love’s forbearance, to its trust, its hope, its power to endure. Love never fails. (I Corinthians 13:4-8)

Love must transcend competition and control…

Love must reach out in selfless and generous service…

Love must transcend ill feelings, jealousies, hatred……

Love goes beyond the call of duty……

Love walks the extra mile……

Be transformed by God’s love…let that love be visible, be present, be the roots of all that you are…

Jesus called his disciples to be with him and to go forth from him to fulfill his mission. He gave them his message, his power, his lifestyle, his presence and a community to love and serve.

The disciples were commissioned to go out with the master’s message – not with their own agenda, but with the master’s word. They were to speak his word, in his name. They were to stand with him, in him and for him.

Be faithful to the WORD of Jesus!

Today, you are called to carry on and complete his mission…

Be strong! Stand fast in the Lord! Be rooted and growing in the Lord!

All of us carry the treasure of this loving Jesus, dwelling within us and working through us, fragile human beings – earthen vessels. We cannot expect to witness perfection. But, we must be willing to stand up and be counted among the saints who struggled, suffered, sacrificed, prayed, loved, and served as they tried to follow their master………..

I must be able to proclaim – may be in imperfect words and actions – as best as I can that Jesus has touched my life. Jesus has made a difference in my life. I must let His way, his truth and his life transform my way, my truth and my life.

Day by day……Day by day……

      Oh, dear Lord, three things I pray…

To see thee more clearly…

            To love thee more dearly…

To follow thee more nearly…day by day…

Fr. Gus Tharappe1, msfs

BEING EASTER PEOPLE (4)

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 continue our meditation on being Easter People……Easter people are people of Hope. People of Hope must remain optimistic about themselves and their world. In this meditation, we reflect on being optimistic.

Optimism is a dynamic, creative and empowering attitude that creates conditions for success by doing the best that is possible under the given circumstances. An Optimist focuses on looking at the constructive, creative and open aspects of life.

Optimism goes far beyond certain positive outlook or attitude or disposition toward life, the world and the future. It implies personal commitment to a way of life, a way of thinking and acting.

Optimism rises from our faith in the unconditional love of God for each human being and for the universe that he created. God never gives up on us or on our world. God’s love is everlasting, steadfast, unconditional, invincible.

Optimism is not wishful thinking…..it is confident and faithful walk into the mystery of tomorrow.

Be optimistic about yourself! See the good that you already are doing, appreciate moments of integrity and self-sacrifice however small or insignificant they may be; be grateful for the past deeds of God in your own life that have enabled you to do more than you ever imagined possible; rejoice in the memories of God lighting your path with periodic glimpses of his presence even in the desert and trying times of your life……

Be optimistic about those around you! There are many signs of hope in those around you, your family, your church community, your friends, your colleagues: their faith and their persevering commitment to live a decent, noble and Christian life despite the many obstacles they encounter………

Be optimistic about the world! There are many signs of hope in the world: stories of heroic men and women in your own country and elsewhere, people who embody the message of Jesus; stories of various countries working together to organize food drops to isolated villages revealing great concern for the starving people all over the world; stories of liberation movements of oppressed peoples and so on.

There are many stories of hope…you need to look for them and be encouraged by them and allow them to enable you to be optimistic!

You need to be able to rejoice in small victories and to concentrate on the good already being done rather than lament the absences. This disposition leads us to hope and enables us to work for further change with optimism.

It is important to realize that you are a sign of hope for others when you are optimistic about life and the world around!

So, look within and around…see signs of hope, capture images of hope…keep them in your heart…….cherish them……let them bless you and challenge you to be men and women of hope…be optimistic!

Optimism is not an idea or a doctrine. It is an attitude, an inner disposition. It is a way of seeing life and the world, a way of seeing the past, the present and the future, a way of seeing realities beyond the accidentals and the trivia, a way of looking beyond the immediate…

Optimism is a dynamic force that enables you to see possibilities where the world sees impossibilities.

Optimism is a dynamic force that gives you power in the face of powerlessness and keeps you moving through the trials and difficulties of life.

The optimist knows that the difference between difficult and impossible is that the difficult is outside and the impossible is inside….it is an attitude that says with God all things are possible!

Be optimistic. Optimism makes stepping stones out of stumbling blocks!

When burdens come, the optimist remembers that God gave him/her shoulders.

The optimist is unafraid of doubts and questions because he uses doubts and questions as vehicles to come to the truth.

Be optimistic! Light your candle. All the darkness of the world can not put out the light of one small candle.

Be optimistic and do all things as if it were impossible to fail!

Be optimistic and get up one more time when you are knocked down!

Be optimistic! No matter what your situation may be in life, build something on it.

Be optimistic! Obstacles are things you see when you take your eyes of the goal. Stay focused on the goal!

Remember, no one ever injured their eyes by looking at the bright side of things.

I pray that you continue to be optimistic……

• when you are afraid and lose confidence in you, in others and in God…….
• when the busyness and schedules of your day press upon you and you become tense and nervous and doubtful…..
• when you doubt yourself in difficult moments in your life…..
• when you lose sight of God’s grace and blessings in your life…..
• when emptiness, loneliness and other such slings and arrows come your way….
• when you struggle to be good and share your goodness with others….

   

Next time your morning seems to be going wrong and you can’t seem to  find the car keys and you hit every traffic light, don’t get mad or  frustrated……Be optimistic! Praise God instead because God is at work watching over you. You are where God wants you to be!

Be positive! Think positive! Be a remarkable sign of hope for the world!

Fr. Gus Tharappel,msfs

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BEING EASTER PEOPLE (3)

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 what it means for you to race to and from the tomb of Jesus with the women and the disciples.

We continue our meditation on being Easter People……Easter people must remember and bless themselves with the gifts of their master. The master’s farewell gift was “Peace” and his first gift on his return after the resurrection also was “Peace”. Today’s meditation is on this gift.

Jesus gave his disciples his farewell gift: PEACE. He said that this was not the kind of peace the world would give. It is enduring peace, lasting peace, eternal peace. The word for peace used in this context is “shalom” and shalom means “total Well-being”, “the highest good”, “that which befits God”. It is not the absence or the end of war or conflict. It is the presence of shalom, even in the midst of tension. This is the kind of peace, shalom that Jesus experienced in loving and fulfilling the Father’s will.

Peace I leave with you, My Peace I give unto you. (Jn. 14:27)

Blessed are the peacemakers. They will become sons of God. (Mt. 5:9)

On the evening of the first day of the week, when the doors were closed….Jesus stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you” (John 20:19).

Peace is God’s gift, the divine resource, as it were, waiting to be tapped into, experienced and enjoyed. The Peace that lives within empowers us to go on in hope, even when storms of life disrupt relationships, incredible tragedies happen, mega-companies lie and cheat the public, ministers of God sin and abuse their privileges and so on.

The Peace that lives within remains an ever renewable “wellspring of courage” because that Peace is of God and that peace is God himself.

“Seek what you seek, but not where you seek it. Your heart has been made for God and it shall be restless until it rests in Him”.        (St. Augustine)

Remember……..Deep down in every man, woman, and child, is the fundamental truth of God, of the Sacred Presence, of Sacred Love, of Sacred peace. It may be obscured by many things, but it sure is there for us to touch, to feel, to experience, to celebrate – to dwell, to rest, to abide………

Let us re-call and re-member our earlier reflections on peace as the quality of our inner being, as a state of being in harmony with all, as an attitude that brings us into communion with God and all that is of God and from God……

In Hebrew, the word for Peace is “Shalom” and it does not refer to a negative state – it does not mean the absence of trouble. Peace – Shalom – always meant everything which constitutes the highest good of man, the total well-being of man.

In the east when one says to another, “Salaam”, or shalom, he does not mean that he wishes for the other person the absence of evil things – he wishes him the presence of good things. In the Bible, Peace is not only the absence of or freedom from trouble – but the presence and enjoyment of all the good that is of God and from God.

The Peace that Jesus spoke of comes not from evasion of issues – it comes from facing them, dealing with them and conquering them.

The Peace that Jesus offers is not passive acceptance of things – but active, creative, dynamic facing them, dealing with them – the making of peace, even when the way of peace is a struggle.

Jesus said, Peace-makers will be called “Sons of God”, God-like persons, doing God-like work. The person who works for peace is engaged in the work which the God of peace is doing (Rom.15:33; 2Cor.13:11; I Thess.5:23).

Shalom, Peace means everything which constitutes the highest good of “man”. It means making the world a little better place to live in, lifting others a little more, lifting the world a little further on.

“Die when I may, I would like it to be said of me that I always pulled up a weed and planted a flower where I thought a flower would grow.” (Abraham Lincoln)

The Jewish Rabbis held that the highest task, which a man can perform, is to establish right relationship between man and man – peacemaking, the force that binds/unites – the force that brings harmony.

Peace is the most human dream of all….Peace was the dream of the Jews…….Peace was always the dream of Christians…Peace was the dream of all sages….. Peace is the dream of all religions…humanity has a common good which belongs to all: Peace.

The dream of peace lives in the heart of humanity even when they are living within the most atrocious wars….Peace stands firm as a faith, as a hope, as a love, as a passion……

A great Russian mystic, St. Seraphim of Sarov used to say: “acquire peace in you and thousands around you will find it”. We must never underestimate the force of that peace that comes from the heart!

Re-member our reflections on “peacemaking” and dwell on them for some time……

Blessed are the peacemakers: they will bring forgiveness and healing.

Blessed are the peacemakers: they will bring wholeness and integrity.

Blessed are the peacemakers: they will bring harmony, unity, and purity.

Blessed are the peacemakers: they will bring their best to the world.

Blessed are the peacemakers: they will bring the best out of others.

Blessed are the peacemakers: their presence brings joy.

Blessed are the peacemakers: they bring no harm to others.

The heart of peacemakers is like the heart of God – LOVE, pure and simple.

A great Jewish teacher Hillel taught, “If you find yourself in a situation where there are no human beings, strive to be a human being”. In the same manner, if you find yourself in a situation where there are no peaceful persons, strive to be peaceful person and if you find yourself in a situation where there are no peacemakers, strive to be a peacemaker.

My Prayer for you:

May you fearlessly dream, speak, stand and work for justice and peace!

May you make no peace with oppression, injustice, violence or war!

May you strive to be a shining witness of reconciliation, harmony and peace!

May you reach across boundaries and barriers to form community with all people!

And may God who has loved you without measure fill you with blessings and grace and the experience of joyful communion of the saints of God……

Fr. Gus Tharappel, msfs