CHRISTMAS MEDITATION

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……You are breathing in the breath of life, the gift of God….breathe in all that is of God and from God and breathe out all that is not of God and from God……

Now I invite you to consecrate this day and all that come with this day….in your own way, in humble, simple, may be even inadequate words………..

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

Gently, prayerfully reflect on the following thoughts:

It is Saturday morning… We are together again…and this is a very special morning…it is Christmas……time to contemplate and celebrate the birth of Jesus! We made a quiet and prayerful journey through the season of Advent. We sang and prayed “O come, O come, Emmanuel” for four weeks during our Advent journey. Last week, we meditated on “gift-giving” and “gift-receiving” and we come now to meditate on the birth of Jesus.

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

Be grateful
for today and every day, for the miracle of life, for the amazing grace and blessing of your history, for the men and women who gave you spirit and tradition and for today, be specially grateful for the birth of Jesus and the hope that he proclaimed…….

Prophets and patriarchs and great spiritual men and women of history dreamed of the day of the Lord, when the Lord would break into history. They gave vivid and dramatic descriptions of their vision of God coming to save his people.

The Prophet Isaiah had a beautiful vision of the Lord’s house being established as the highest of all mountains, raised above all hills, to which all nations would came. On this mountain, he says, a sense of brotherhood, harmony and peace would come. The Prophet announced that all instruments of destruction would be turned into creative, life-giving instruments, “sword into plowshares…..spears into pruning hooks……..” From this vision came the call of Isaiah to “walk in the light of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:1-5)

The prophet again described the joy that would come when the righteous ruler reigns. In his day the prophet says, “the desert and the parched land will exult……strengthen the hands that are feeble, make firm the knees that are weak…the eyes of the blind will opened….mute will sing……they will meet with joy and gladness and sorrow and mourning will flee” (Is. 35:1-10). The whole cosmos will reflect the joy of a redeemed people. God will do what the world thinks impossible. We now celebrate and affirm the possibility of a world transformed by the coming of Christ, the juts one, the prince of peace.

The prophet Zephaniah called his people to rejoice because, “The Lord is in our midst”. “Shout for joy! Sing! Be glad! Fear not!”. Be happy! Because “The Lord is near”! (Zephaniah 3:11-18).

Our belief in the nearness of our God should remove all fears and anxieties while bringing true and abiding peace. God himself will rejoice and “sing joyfully as one sings at festivals”, says the Prophet. We rejoice with our God during this Christmas season because “God is in our midst”.

We celebrate Christmas, the birth of Jesus, the incarnation of God’s Word of love. We proclaim and affirm, once again, that we are a privileged people, a people blessed and graced by God’s unconditional love revealed in Jesus. Let us think, meditate, reflect and contemplate this mystery that we celebrate every year.

The birth of a baby is always an act of trust, much more so the birth of the divine baby. Any baby born into the world is an act of trust in the future of humanity. The birth of Jesus called forth even greater trust than could be imagined. The circumstances of his birth were extraordinary and even mysterious.

Mary had to trust, Joseph had to trust, Elizabeth had to trust, Zechariah had to trust – And God himself trusted! (If we could use this expression about God). Trusting the angel, trusting the dreams and trusting the Holy Spirit – all seem fantastic. But it’s all about trust, simple and pure. Trusting a young Galilean girl with a baby to be the messiah, savior is an amazing story of “TRUST”!

Reflect on being called to trust….trust God…..trust each other in your family and

Community….trust your children…..trust your elders…trust the wisdom of your church or your spiritual tradition…….

Reflect on creating a trusting climate in your home, neighborhood and country.

Jesus came among us as Emmanuel, “God-with-us”, God incarnate. Seek and find him “here and now”. He is “EMMANUEL”,

God-with-us NOW.

We often burden ourselves with thoughts of past failures and mistakes or fears about the future and future problems. If we feel alone in our struggles with such issues, it just may be because we have not come to know God as “Emmanuel”, here and now. God’s presence in power, in compassion and in love is available to us in the “here and now” of each day. This is especially important for us now in our own history as we face many urgent issues and concerns in families, communities and the world.

Emmanuel is God’s word that carries a power which no other word carries. This word has the power to change attitudes, convert minds, transform hearts and change the course of a person’s life. It can dispel fears, instill hope, awaken courage, and inflame weakening faith. Emmanuel, “God-with-us”, “I am with you”, carried people from Abraham to Paul through very difficult and testing times.

Today, we are called to experience this at every point in our life. We are blessed and “Graced” and privileged to know “Emmanuel”. When fears threaten to overwhelm us or keep us from being authentic witnesses of the Gospel, “I am with you” transforms our fears and failings into courageous faith. When doubts and depression set in, “I am with you” brings and nurtures hope and lifts our spirits.

When things seem impossible, “I am with you” enables us to trust and face the impossible. When friends are few and sometimes far away, “I am with You” assures us that we are never alone. When sickness set in, when death approaches, when it is difficult to see beyond pains, sufferings, and uncertainties, “I am with you” inspires us to trust and “hang-in-there”.

Throughout our lives, in good times and in bad “I am with you” is the song of God singing in our hearts. It is the song of redemption and salvation and Grace and Love and healing and…….It is the word, “Emmanuel” – “God-with-us” – “I am with you” that keeps us faithful on our journey of life and leads us to holiness, to perfection, to which we are called.

Reflect on God’s intimacy, God’s closeness to us and your closeness to God and to each other! Reflect on ways to nurture this closeness.

Be Grateful because Christmas Reveals:

• Love and life in all simplicity, purity and glory
  
• End of darkness and the dawn of light
  
• End of alienation and beginning of communion
  
• End of brokenness and beginning of healing
  
• End of absence and beginning of presence
  
• End of aloneness and beginning of God-with-us
  

As we celebrate Christmas, we contemplate the deepest and the most profound presence of God in our life. We contemplate the depth of God’s Love. We contemplate the heart of God in Jesus. I pray that you have a heart of Love and Compassion.

May God bless you and your family with the most profound experience of His Love and may that experience be your hope and your strength.

Fr. Gus Tharappel,msfs

JOURNEY THROUGH ADVENT (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……You are breathing in the breath of life, the gift of God….breathe in all that is of God and from God and breathe out all that is not of God and from God……

Now I invite you to consecrate this day and all that come with this day….in your own way, in humble, simple, may be even inadequate words………..

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

Gently, prayerfully reflect on the following thoughts:

For some people the season of advent the “holiday season”, for others it is Christmas season and for still others it is just the winter season…

Whatever one may call it, it sure is the season of “gift-giving” and “gift-receiving”. The season brings with it signs of joy – colorful decorations and lights, smell of pastries, music in the air, people busying themselves searching for gifts – lots of signs of joy all around. “Gift-giving” moves to center stage.

Many have become cynical about all the glitter and the glamour and the gift-giving and all other excitement because of what is considered “over-commercialization” of Christmas. There is a lot of truth to it. Sears and J.C. Penneys and Kohls and Macys and Sam’s Club and Wal-Mart and all other Marts make some money. Why not? They exist to make money while providing wonderful service to all of us. They provide us “stuff” that we use to show our love for one another because of the joy we share in the birth of Jesus. It is up to us to make choices that reflect our love for Jesus and for one another while others may find it an opportune time to make a living.

We also know that all the excitement brings tensions, anxieties, jealousies, resentments and other such slings and arrows. But, as in many situations, there is truth and goodness and love behind the bright lights, the colorful boxes, and the rush of shoppers bringing home their treasures, something precious that holds all the excitements together.

The gift of God in this season is His son Jesus, who came bringing the light of the world, forgiveness of sins, healing of brokenness and conversion of life through his death and resurrection. This gift is an enduring, everlasting and ever present gift.

The gifts that we give one another wear out. Remember the number of gifts that you received last year or any other year. Remember opening those gifts and the joy that came because someone loved and cared to show their love. You kept opening those gifts. There was always the last gift and no more to open. The gifts stopped with what you could play with, or wear, or eat or hang on the wall or whatever……the real gift that you could hang on to was the joy of knowing that someone loved and cared to show that love.

The gifts that came beautifully wrapped may or may not be there anymore…..but the love shared lingers. It is up to you now to let this lingering love grow and become more personal and intense. May all the gifts you give and receive during this season become powerful signs of your love for God and one another.

Many say: “I spent too much on gifts at Christmas that nobody really needs”; “I dread this time of the year because I am forced to spend time and money for people that I really don’t enjoy being with”; “I feel so bad that I can’t give to my children as much as others give” and so on…… You may add your own or other statements that you may have heard…..

May be, it is time, to BE A GIFT.

I have heard the story of a missionary, in a small village in Africa, who explained to the young students how Christians give one another gifts at Christmas as an expression of their love. One Christmas morning, one of the students brought the missionary a beautiful and unusual seashell. The missionary asked the student where she got this unusual and extraordinary shell. The student explained that she had walked many, many miles to a certain hidden inlet since it was the only place where such a shell could be found.

Touched by her thoughtfulness, the missionary said, “I don’t know how to thank you. It was just so wonderful of you to go so far to get this lovely gift for me”. The student simply replied, “Long walk, part of gift”.

Take a moment……dwell on this thought: “Long walk, part of gift”.

The gift the girl actually gave was something of herself, her “thoughtfulness”, the “long walk”, not the “shell”. However, the real gift, the “lasting”, the “enduring”, the “eternal”, the “profound”….. “The Gift” was “herself”.

Real “gift-giving” is giving of ourselves – not the things we possess, not the talents we have, not our knowledge and experience, not things tangible – but those intangible, enduring, invisible, immeasurable and eternal aspects of who we are in all the richest, the most profound and the deepest part of our life.

Our main focus today is that of the gift – gifts given and gifts received. Christians of many different cultures exchange gifts on Christmas Eve or on Christmas day or on Boxing Day or at Epiphany. We must take this opportunity to consider the many collective and individual gifts with which each of us has been blessed as well as the challenge of gift-giving prompted by that privilege.

The fact that you are now reflecting on Advent bears witness to the gifts of faith that you are nurturing well. You have been blessed with the gift of family, parents, children, brothers or sisters, wives or husbands, with the family of the faithful, whose shared prayers, mutual support and service are, in themselves, priceless gifts.

Most of us are properly clothed, have enough to eat, have a place to live and have the means of livelihood. All these are gifts that, unfortunately, many in this world do not enjoy, while others take them for granted. Even those circumstances in our lives that bring us pain and sorrow can be accepted as gifts because these unavoidable and inevitable sufferings can become opportunities for growing kinder, humbler, truer, as well as more understanding and compassionate toward others.

The giftedness that each of us is privileged to enjoy must generate a sense of gratitude in our hearts. This gratitude must necessarily be translated into generous gift-giving – not that we could ever adequately reciprocate for all we have been given – nor does God demand or expect absolute reciprocity. Rather, gifts-received are to be gifts-given and gifts-shared with others.

Take a moment…Reflect on possibilities of gift-giving:

The gift of good advice; the gift of being optimistic; the gift of being patient with the problems of life; the gift of hanging in there and holding on; the gift of spreading smiles around; the gift of knowing what’s wrong and doing what’s right; the gift of believing in your abilities; the gift of picking up the pieces and so on….

OR other gifts such as a kind word; a helping hand; the assurance of our prayers; the constancy of our companionship; the gift of our time; the gift of listening with undivided attention to another person’s conversation; the gift of our silence or support when gossip flies; the gift of forgiveness, freely given; the gift of forgetfulness of others’ past faults; the gift of not allowing the words, “I told you so” or “Will you ever learn?” or any other sarcastic, contentious or self-serving remark to cross our lips…..

These gifts, along with the gifts of our shared faith, hope, love and mutual support and service become practical and attainable possibilities in our lives because each is founded in and flows from the ultimate gift of God’s saving grace.

Today, we celebrate the gift and the grace present among us and within us in Jesus. Gifts received; gifts given!

Abundance and lack exist simultaneously in our lives.

When we choose not to focus on what is missing,

but on the abundance that is present – love, health, family, friends, work,

the wasteland of misery falls away and we experience daily joy.

Fr. Gus Tharappel,msfs

JOURNEY THROUGH ADVENT (2)

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……You are breathing in the breath of life, the gift of God….breathe in all that is of God and from God and breathe out all that is not of God and from God……

Now I invite you to consecrate this day and all that come with this day….in your own way, in humble, simple, may be even inadequate words………..

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

Gently, prayerfully reflect on the following thoughts:

The spirit of advent is a spirit of joy, of hope, of love, of gifting, of giving, of sharing, of preparing, of praying, of celebrating, etc. Signs of this spirit are all around us. Homes and shopping centers are decorated and Christmas music has begun to fill the air. As the pace of this season picks up, allow your senses to capture the spirit of Advent.

Look at the lights – all kinds of lights – see the beauty and the glory of the lights. Let the lights
remind you of God’s eternal word “Let there be light” and the command of Jesus, “You are the light of the world”.

Listen to the Christmas music, listen to the sound of the crowd in the shopping centers, listen to all kinds of sounds. Let the

sound you hear remind you of the cry of your children, the cry of the poor and the oppressed, the cry of the people for

peace….much more, the ancient praises of God, and the call of God that many have heard and responded joyfully.

This time of the year we hear Bible readings and sermons about the birth of Jesus. We hear all kinds of music, hymns, songs

about the birth of Jesus. In all this, let us hear words of God’s love. And let us speak words of God’s love.

We smell all kinds of food – cookies, cakes, pies, breads, pastries – all kinds of goodies. People do more baking at this time of

the year and do more sharing at this time. Let the smell and all the sharing spirit remind us of God’s compassionate love,

God’s mindfulness, God’s gift of Jesus and God’s gift of His Holy Spirit abiding in us..

People do more touching during this time – a hug, an embrace, a letter, a phone call, a gift, a kind word – so many ways of

touching others. Let every touch remind us of the loving touch of God. We have been touched by God. We have changed

because He has touched us. Let us learn to touch each other with His love. Let us allow our touch to be blessing, healing,

empowering, encouraging, supportive – life-giving.

This year our Sunday Scripture readings are from “cycle C” of the Lectionary. Thoughts of “justice and peace” permeate the Scripture readings of the four Sundays of Advent. Jeremiah, Baruch, Zephaniah and Micah call us to live a life of justice and peace.

The first Sunday of Advent reminds us of the prophesy of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 33:14-16):

God will raise a “just shoot” in the line of David, who will restore God’s people and who will establish justice and peace for all. Jesus came proclaiming “justice and peace” for all. We continue his mission…we dream of justice and peace…we work for justice and peace…and we live in justice and peace.

On the second Sunday, we listen to Baruch encouraging his readers to remain faithful to their sacred heritage and traditions (Baruch 5:1-9): God will bring all dispersed people home and their homecoming will happen “by the light of his glory and with his mercy and justice for company”.

On the third Sunday, we hear Zephaniah (Zephaniah 3:14-18) calling the humble and the lowly remnant of Israel to rejoice. He assures us: God himself will rejoice and “sing joyfully as one sings at festivals”, says the Prophet. Let us rejoice with our God during this season of Advent because “God is in our midst”.

On the fourth Sunday, Micah promises God’s justice tempered with God’s steadfast love. Despite the sinfulness of God’s people, God would send a ruler to shepherd his people because of his steadfast love and faithfulness. (Micah 5:1-4)

The season of Advent calls us to live a life of justice and peace which are integral parts of the reign of God. There is an urgency in our world for justice and peace. During this season of Advent let us keep this urgency in our minds, hearts and prayer.

The second readings of the four Sundays call us to be prepared and be ready to meet the Lord when he comes. On the first Sunday, we listen to Paul teaching the Thessalonian community to “live lovingly and blamelessly” as the way to prepare for the Lord’s coming (I Thessalonians 3:12-4:2). On the second Sunday we read about Paul encouraging the Philippian community to let their love mature, “ripen”. He prayed for them, “that your love may increase ever more…….that you may be pure and blameless….filled with the fruits of righteousness…..” (Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11)

On the third Sunday, we listen to Paul encouraging his readers and us today not waste time fretting or worrying. Instead, channel all energies into prayer, with gratitude. Paul says that those who call upon God in grateful prayer, will be empowered to endure anxiety……they will know God’s peace, which surpasses all understanding. This is the reason for rejoicing. (Philippians 4:4-7). On the fourth Sunday, the author of the letter to the Hebrews reminds us that God prepared Jesus and sent him to do what all the Jewish rituals could not accomplish and Jesus accomplished it through his saving sacrifice in obedience to the Father’s will. In this obedience we and the whole world are redeemed and sanctified. This is the reason for the joy of the season.

Reflect on the saving sacrifice of Jesus! Reflect on your call to let your life become loving, caring, giving and self-sacrificing.

Pray for each other: “may your love increase ever more….may you live blameless lives and be filled with fruits of justice”.

The Gospel readings of the four Sundays are from Luke. Luke tells us how Jesus encouraged the disciples to stand strong, alert, awake and continue to fulfill his mission in all situations. God will break in at the least expected moment, through least expected events, people and situations. So it is urgent to stay awake, alert and prepared. Jesus said to them, “Pray constantly for strength…” (Luke 21:25-28; 34-36).

On the second Sunday, we hear John the Baptist calling his people to fill what needed to be filled, level what needed to be leveled, make straight what was crooked and make smooth what was rough in their lives (Luke 3:1-5).Today, we are challenged to change what need to be changed and bring about a transformation of our life in Christ.

On the third Sunday, we hear John the Baptist challenging his listeners to repent and prepare the way for the Lord. John asked them to be faithful to who and what they were, to be faithful to their responsibilities as the way of preparing for the advent of the Lord. Do not abuse your privileges, do not abuse those you serve, give yourself in service – Be good and be faithful. Do your duties well. (Luke 3:10-18)

On the fourth Sunday, we read about Mary’s visit to Elizabeth bringing much joy and comfort and courage. (Luke 1:39-45). They truly became a source of blessing and Grace for each other as they shared how God was working through them and through the new lives they were nurturing within them.

Mary reached out to her cousin in need. Reflect on reaching out to others, even beyond personal concerns and needs.

Mary stirred up life in Elizabeth. “The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby stirred in my womb for joy”, said Elizabeth. Reflect on stirring up life in other.

Be alert and awake and be prepared to continue to fulfill the mission of Jesus in proclaiming the kingdom of justice and peace for all.
Justice means right relationship with all and peace is harmony in the universe, which results from right relationship.

Pray for each other: “may your love increase ever more….may you live blameless lives and be filled with fruits of justice”.

Fr. Gus Tharappel,msfs