Lenten Grace!

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” (1 Thes 5:28)

Grace? What is this grace?

We are in the season of Lent, and we call Lent a time of Grace. Let us use this month as a time to meditate on ‘grace’; reflect on how awesome and truly amazing grace is.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that ‘Grace is favour, the free and undeserved help that God gives us (#1996).’ All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself (2 Cor 5:19), by the ‘saving’ cross of Jesus; saving us from the powerful grip of sin and, more importantly, from the dire consequence of sin, i.e. death (Rom 6 : 23).

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found, Was blind, but now I see.

Unfortunately the world today continues to be increasingly blind to sin. As Pope Pius XII said, “The sin of the century is the loss of the sense of sin”. For too long, we have allowed evil to subtly dim our vision and blunt our consciences. But thanks be to God for His sanctifying grace. All we need is to hold on to Him; cling to His Word and the sacramental graces He gives us through the Church.

Through many dangers, toils and snares; I have already come;
‘Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far; and Grace will lead me home.

Home to the Father. To Abba, who waits for us with arms as outstretched as those of His Only Begotten Son on the Cross. O Holy exchange on the cross – my death in exchange for His life, my sin for His salvation, my shame for His glory. Epitomised in the exchange of Jesus for Barabbas. We (Barabbas stands for each one of us) who were guilty, were set free and He took our place (scapegoat – Leviticus Chapter 16). He took our punishment so we could become Bar-Abba (Son of the Father).

May we never trivialise the price paid for our salvation. The suffering and death of the Son of God. As sufferings came into human life through sin, it was the Father’s plan that humanity be saved from sin through suffering. May we detest sin therefore and desire a renewed and ever deepening relationship with the Father, Son and Spirit.

Jesus, Lord, I ask for mercy; Let me not implore in vain;
All my sins, I now detest them, Never will I sin again.

May Mary, our mother, the one “full of grace” (Lk 1:28), who stood at cross, stand by us as we venerate the Saving Cross, and accompany us as we come boldly to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb 4:6)

Let’s believe it: “Mumbai; light to the nations”

Wow! Halleluiah!

That is all I can say as I look (with disbelief at times, so forgive me Lord) and marvel (Ps 118:23) at what God is doing in our midst.

Watching barely half a month of the very first month of this year itself, I am hugely excited at what the Lord has in store for 2010. In my spirit I can see the wonderful way the Lord is putting piece after piece in place as His vast tapestry emerges for this beautiful city of Mumbai.

Truly, with our eyes of faith (2 Cor 5:7), we should see, and rejoice over, the fact that Mumbai is the Lord’s. And this is precisely, and prophetically, what the Archdiocesan Synod had as its Vision “The Church in Mumbai, light to the nations and the glory of God’s Holy People” – Vision Statement, Archdiocese of Bombay, Synod 2000.

In the past few days itself we have seen so many marvellous things taking place. The first-ever Catholic Apologetics Convention, the various ecumenical initiatives across the city during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, the Silver Jubilee of the SCCs, the inter-faith initiatives, all signs that the Kingdom of God is at hand, in Mumbai. So, let us catch this vision and press on (Phil.3:14) in faith, and in prayer.

Thus, this month we focus our prayer for the Church in the city – we pray fervently for the Archdiocese of Bombay, our shepherds, our priests, our families, our youth, the various programs, movements and associations through which the Spirit is at work in the Church.

We pray especially for our sisters and brothers in Bandra who are preparing for the 75th Anniversary of the Consecration of Bandra to Christ the King.

And as we await, with prayer and hope, the reign of Christ the King not only in Bandra but all over Mumbai; we bring to mind the call to “sanctify ourselves, for tomorrow the Lord WILL do wonders among us.” (Joshua 3:5; emphasis added).

May we thus, sharpen our focus on sanctifying ourselves - as individuals and as a body. We are privileged that we are blessed with the grace-filled season of Lent; let us not lose this time lent to us, but let us treat this time like a ta-lent. For which the Master, who we know is a demanding person (Mt 25:24), will demand of us an account. Let us focus on the Cross, so that from Him will flow our prayers, fasting and almsgiving as a loving response to God’s mercy and saving plan, rather than a selfish way of trying to ‘earn’ our salvation.

May we too take our place at the foot of the Cross – the only place where surrender is turned into victory; where death is turned into life. May Mumbai experience victory and life in Christ, because you and me have died to self and surrendered to His will. May Mary, our Beloved Mother, who journeyed with and stood by Jesus (Jn 19:25) during His way of the Cross, accompany us.

Looking back & Looking forward

2009. Annus horribilis. Or Annus mirabilis. Or something in between.

Each of us will fall into one of these three categories; possibly many of us may fall into the last one - somewhere between “horrible year” and “wonderful year”. But, irrespective of which category, to the person who walks by faith (2 Cor 5:7), a time to “praise the Lord”, for God’s Word encourages us to “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thes 5:18). So, we all say (I take the liberty on your behalf), “Thank You, Loving Father; Thank You, Precious Saviour; Thank You, Holy Spirit Our Constant Helper.”

Looking back, and counting our blessings there is indeed so much to thank the Lord for. So many miracles and answered prayers in the past year; listing just a few that we have prayed together “in on accord” (Acts 1:14) for in 2009:

- The success of the Indian Mission Congress
- The Hand of the Lord during the Proclamation effort at Mount Mary’s, Bandra (both for the weekly initiative as well as the outreach during the Bandra Fair)
- The secular Government in our Country and State

We also thank the Lord for protecting our Pope from any serious harm during the recent attack on him as well as protecting all 278 passengers aboard the Delta flight, from the terrorist attack just above Detroit. Both on Christmas Day. Glory to God!

Thus, with an attitude of gratitude we look ‘with hope’ towards 2010. We believe, with God’s grace, that it indeed will be a “perfect 10”. For with the Lord “all things work for the good” (Rom 8:28). May the Lord “direct our path” as we “acknowledge Him” and “trust in Him with all our hearts” (Prov 3: 5, 6). And so we say confidently, “Thank you, Lord, for 2010”.

And we can already see the Lord in control as we began preparing the intercessory diary for the month of January. We sensed the Lord directing us to pray for the Proclamation Cell of our Archdiocese as well as the efforts for Christian Unity with a greater appreciation for our own Catholic faith. You can imagine our joy when we realised that the Holy Father’s Missionary Intention for January is: That every believer in Christ may understand that unity among all Christians is necessary for effective proclamation of the gospel. A confirmation from the Holy Spirit of the need to immerse in prayer two key aspects - Proclamation and Christian Unity.

Toward this end, I commend to your prayers and wish to remind you of two important highlights this month
- the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Jan18-25th)
- the Catholic Apologetics Outreach being organised from Jan 29th -31st (7-9pm at St Peter’s Bandra). All are welcome. Entry is free.

I close with sincere wishes for God’s abundant blessings on you and your family. We consecrate this New Year to the intercession of our Blessed Mother and the saints. May the Lord sanctify and have His way in all the time He gives us in 2010.

We don’t know what the future holds, but we know Who holds our future. Halleluiah!

For Unto Us

Dear Brother / Sister in Christ,

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given” (Isaiah 9:6)

What an awesome privilege. Yet do we realize it. Unto us. Not only unto the Jews, not only unto the whole world, not only unto the entire humanity, but unto ‘us’ a child is born. For you and me. We could so easily lose this very ‘specific’ reason of the coming of our Lord in all the communal preparation and celebrations. He comes for us. And should we need even further confirmation (now from the New Testament), then the words of the angels are even more specific, “For to you this day, a Saviour has been born, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). To You. And Me. WOW!!!

And so this month, in line with the Church’s wisdom, in the season of Advent (ad venio: to come to) we focus on preparation for His coming. Preparing the only home the Saviour desires. The heart of humanity. Beginning with your heart and mine.

As we rush around our homes ‘spring cleaning’ for Christmas, we slow down and silence our hearts and souls to clean them for the ‘spring’ – “Lo, how the shoot is springing from Jesse” (Is 11:1) (Jer 33:15). And the manner we do this, is two-fold,
1. We seek the light and guidance of the Holy Spirit to clear out the dirt and grime from our hearts. Hidden sins, vulnerable areas, hurts, guilt, shame – all the mess and dung we have collected. Day by day we surrender to the Lord, through the intercession of Mary and Joseph who removed the dung and mess from the manger and replaced it with the warmth of love and adoration.
2. With the help of our Divine Helper, we forgive all the people who have hurt us and release all the anger and revengeful feelings we are carrying. We bless them and pray for them (Mt 5:44), with the love of Jesus. Truly, we can love God only as much as we love the person we love the least.

And while we transform our guilt-edged hearts into gilt-edged hearts, we decorate them with acts of love for the Christ Child. Each day till Christmas, we take step after thoughtful step, in reaching out to Jesus dwelling in our less-fortunate brethren. Thus, this December, our Intercessory Diary is different. Our focus this month continues to be prayer – but coupled with action. There is a suggested activity each day – sometimes as simple as sharing a smile or a glass of water. A ‘lived’ spirituality bringing to life the message of Christmas, “Peace to earth, Goodwill to Men”(Lk2:14). May we be the bearers of the light, amongst people “in deep darkness” (Is 9:2).

We also focus our prayers in the Christmas-octave on the family; that our Christian families be modelled on the Holy Family, rooted and grounded in love and nourished by the Word and the Sacraments.

As we come to the end of yet another year, I thank God for each one of you who have journeyed and laboured with us in prayer each day of this year. May we be assured that ‘in the Lord, our labour is not in vain’ (1Cor15:58). I once again assure you of the prayers of the Sanctuary Intercessors of the Fellowship of the Burning Bush and seek your prayers for us. With gratitude we thank God for the year that has been, and in faith, we thank him for the year to come. We wish you and your families a Blessed Christmas and a Spirit-filled and Spirit-led New Year 2010. God bless you.

We don’t know what the future holds, but we know Who holds our future. Maranatha.

A time for joy, a time for pain

Prabhu Yesu ki Jai ! Prabhu Yesu ki Jai !! Prabhu Yesu ki Jai !!!

As these cries rent the air during the Prabhu Yesu Mahotsav 2009, the first ever Indian Mission Congress, held in our very own city of Mumbai I couldn’t but be goose-bumpy as I was swept over with wave upon wave of joy, gratitude and awe at what the Lord was doing in our midst – truly, ‘a work of the Lord, a marvel in our eyes’ (Ps 118:23).

As the over-1200 strong gathering of clergy, religious and laity (including 107 cardinals and bishops) celebrated the True Light, in the midst of the celebrations of the festival of lights, we were challenged to reflect on what the Spirit is saying to the Churches (Rev 2:7). Sharing with you some of the key reflections below,

• “God is light in whom there is no darkness at all” (1 Jn 1:5). This aspect of God is seen at creation (Let there be light-Gen1:4) till the end of time when ‘the glory of God is its light and its lamp is the Lamb’ Rev 21:22.
• Jesus, the Light of the world (Jn 8:12), reminds us that we are the light of the world (Mt 5:14) and challenges us to let our light shine (Mt 5:16)
• The Holy Spirit, as chief agent of evangelisation (Pope Paul VI’s Evangelii Nuntiandi), equips and empowers us to bring the good news to our beloved country as Jesus is the answer to the ancient prayer of the Indian sages “Lead me from darkness to light”. However, we as Church and as individuals need to be re-evangelised first, to be true witness, so that our lives are not counter-witnesses to the Gospel. Each of us needs to become both the message and the messenger.

Truly, a time to rejoice and be glad (Ps 118:24). Halleluiah.

Halleluiah. Yet, how painful and heart-wrenching for me it was to say that word a couple of weeks ago – the 3rd of October to be precise. When in the wee hours of the morning, barely minutes after I reached home from a long and grueling business trip, I got a call saying my sister-in-law Gina had met with a tragic accident. And it was fatal.

Furious questions and faith-filled ‘blessed assurances’ jostled each other in my mind. …why Gina… God’s ways are high above our ways… why now (a woman in her 30s and prime of life and career)… Jesus I trust in you… why in this horrible manner… He makes all things beautiful… why couldn’t God prevent it (being the night of the Feast of the Guardian Angels)… how would my brother manage… how do I tell my mother and my kids (my 6-yr old being their God-child) that she is enjoying God’s glory. It was my Gethsemane experience. I wept. And surrendered. The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears.

I still grieve. And yet I believe in the resurrection of the dead. As we pray this month for our departed souls, I request you for your prayers for Gina, as well as my family – especially my brother. I also thank those of you who have been a rock of prayer support to my family over the past few weeks. Truly we are one body. 1Cor 12:26-27.

This month, in which we celebrate Children’s Day, we focus our intercession for our children – in our homes, city, etc. We are sure that Mary and all the Saints join us.

Let there be light!

Let there be light (Genesis 1:3) - four words.

But the result - total transformation.

Light - a symbol of life, goodness and virtue. Darkness, at the other end of the spectrum, is a symbol of death, evil and vice. Truly, the light is good (Genesis 1:4).

And so, enlightenment is sought after and the light is celebrated… Yet there are times the light is even shunned (“For everyone who does wicked things hates the light” – John 3:20). The majority in our motherland will celebrate the festival of lights this month. And yet the darkness of hatred, poverty, corruption and exploitation remain.

This month we focus on the Light of Christ, as we pray

Ø For our city - That the True Light of the world shines forth on Mumbai – the melting pot of great achievements and great inequality, great opportunities and great despair. Let us earnestly (James 5:16) pray for our city with full confidence as we “seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile; pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare” (Jeremiah 29:7). We pray for the light, wisdom and order of the Holy Spirit as our city and state face the upcoming assembly elections; that they be free and fair and focussed on real issues.

Ø For our citizens - That the Light of Christ will enkindle love and respect for life among our citizens, especially Christians. That we may be inspired by the example of Dr. Ernest Borges, Oncologist, whose Birth Centenary we celebrate this month - a man whose dedication to his duty and whose deep compassion for the suffering and marginalized flowed from his Christian faith.

Ø For our Church - That, truly, we may “Let our Light Shine”. As the Church in India prepares for the First Indian Mission Congress to be held in our city from 14th to 18th October, we pray, that the 1500+ delegates gathered there may be filled with the Holy Spirit, the chief agent of evangelization, and that He will orchestrate the proceedings and provide the direction as this event unfolds. That Prabhu Yesu Mahotsav may energise the whole Church to live out the theme: “Let Your Light Shine. Become the Message and the Messenger.” (Matthew 5:16)

Let me also share with you my joy, and give thanks to the Most Holy Triune God, for the awesome outreach at Mount Mary’s Bandra where thousands were introduced to the person of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. Equally amazing (and encouraging) was the fervour shown by the many volunteers from the various Prayer Groups/Associations, as they volunteered time and sweat to support the outreach conducted by the Proclamation Cell (incidentally called “PremJyoti” (love and light).

May this month be truly a time for Love and Light. That guided by the beloved Saints Therese (of Lisieux and Avila) we may be enlightened to live in the love of Christ.

We pray with our fellow countrymen “Tamasoma Jyotirgamaya”. Lead me from darkness to light. May Mumbai and indeed the whole world follow Jesus Christ - the True Light of the World, who “the darkness cannot overcome” (John 1:5); that peace and harmony may prevail. Fiat lux. Let there be light. (Genesis 1:3)

Celebrating Mother Mary’s coming to us

Why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? (Lk 1:43)

As a Bandra-ite, (the prominent suburb of Mumbai where the feast of Our Lady is celebrated every year with a “Bandra Fair”) and more importantly as a Christian, the month of September has always been special for me. And therefore the wonderful words of Elizabeth welcoming Mary, resonate with me, and I’m sure, find an echo in many a heart.

It is indeed a moment of great joy and blessing when Mary comes to us, as saints and Fathers of the Church have long contemplated. And the reason is so simple and yet so profound – she brings with her the presence of God. As Luke tells us, “when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting… Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit” (Lk 1:41). And the effects of an encounter with the Holy Spirit on Elizabeth are undeniable,
- the babe in her womb leapt for joy (fruit of the Spirit is joy – Gal 5:22)
- she called Mary “the mother of my Lord” (“No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.” 1 Cor. 12:3)
- her mouth was filled with praise saying “Blessed are you, blessed is the fruit of your womb”. (Lk 1:42). Praise bubbles forth when filled with the Holy Spirit.

Do we have the same effect on people when they meet us? Do they experience the presence of God? Do they catch the Holy Spirit when they meet us? We need to be an infectious / contagious people – giving Jesus to all whom we meet. The H1N1 / Swine Flu epidemic has shown us how infections spread. Can we remove the lids over our mouth and stretch forth our hands so that those around us can catch Christ?

This September, as we prepare for and celebrate ‘Mary coming to us’ during the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lady, let us pray especially for this grace. To bring Jesus to others. To be bearers of the Good News…Arcs of the Covenant. Let’s us pray that we model ourselves on Mary in “her complete adherence to the Father’s will, to his Son’s redemptive work, and to every prompting of the Holy Spirit.” (CCC 967)

We also pray for the many pilgrims that come to the various Marian shrines, that Mary will lead them to Jesus. In a special way we lift up the Proclamation Outreach at Mount Mary’s Basilica, Bandra, from 13th to 20th September. That the Holy Spirit who is the chief agent of evangelization (Pope Paul VI’s Evangelii Nuntiandi) will lead many to Jesus. That all who come to the Mount seeking answers to their sorrows and sufferings, may receive the Good News and experience freedom in Christ Jesus. That the Lord of the harvest (Mt 9:38) will send many volunteers to the Proclamation Outreach equipping them with the love and wisdom required to sow the seeds of the Gospel and protecting them and their families.

We also intercede this month for our teachers – that they may be aware of and appreciate the God-given vocation of developing the ‘whole person’ of the child under their care. We continue to pray for our children (especially the girl child) and our youth, that the Holy Spirit guides them in their choices.

In this Year for Priests we pray that they may receive the grace “for interior renewal for the sake of a stronger and more incisive witness to the Gospel in today’s world”. May Mary, our Benefactress and Mediatrix, “by her manifold intercession continue to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation” (CCC 969), in the Precious Name of Jesus.

For our Priests

“Take this, all of you, and eat it: this is my body”

Despite the numerous occasions one has heard these words; if rightly disposed, each time can be a truly awe-inspiring experience.

And if we can feel such a strong commune with the divine, we can only imagine what the priest experiences each day at the altar. In fact, a great saint spoke of the priesthood as if incapable of fathoming the grandeur of the gift and task entrusted to a human creature. He said, “O, how great is the priest! … If he realized what he is, he would die… God obeys him: he utters a few words and the Lord descends from heaven at his voice, to be contained within a small host…”.

This great saint was St John Marie Vianney, the Patron Saint of Priests. And it is in celebration of his 150th death anniversary, that, inspired by the Holy Spirit, our Holy Father inaugurated the “Year for Priests” – a year, in the words of Pope Benedict XVI, “meant to deepen the commitment of all priests to interior renewal for the sake of a stronger and more incisive witness to the Gospel in today’s world”.

And so this ‘august’ month, when we celebrate the 150th death anniversary of the Curé of Ars and Vianney Sunday we specially “pray without ceasing” (1Thes 5:17) for our priests. Our priests need our prayers. The priesthood needs our prayers. “How can we not think of all those priests who are offended in their dignity, obstructed in their mission and persecuted, even at times to offering the supreme testimony of their own blood?”, Pope Benedict XVI writes in his letter announcing this special year of grace.

The Holy Father adds, “There are also, sad to say, situations which can never be sufficiently deplored where the Church herself suffers as a consequence of infidelity on the part of some of her ministers.” “How can we forget, in this regard, that nothing causes more suffering for the Church, the Body of Christ, than the sins of her pastors, especially the sins of those who become “thieves and robbers” of the sheep (cf. John 10:1 ff.), lead them astray by their own private teachings, or ensnare them in the toils of sin and death?” he states in his homily while inaugurating the Year of Priests.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (#1589) quotes St. Gregory of Nazianzus, as a young priest, “We must begin by purifying ourselves before purifying others; we must be instructed to be able to instruct, become light to illuminate, draw close to God to bring him close to others, be sanctified to sanctify, lead by the hand and counsel prudently.

Let us this month truly cry out to the Lord. Let us this month stand in the gap (Ezekiel 22:30) for those who stand at our altar. Let us fast and pray to the Good Shepherd for our shepherds – especially our bishops who serve the Archdiocese of Bombay.

Let us take our rightful place as a ‘royal priesthood’ (1Pet2:9) since “the whole Church is a priestly people” (CCC 1591) and intercede for the ‘ministerial priesthood” (CCC 1592), along with Mary, Mother of Priests, in the name of Jesus Christ, the Eternal High Priest (Heb4:14), “asking God to grant the ordained the graces of the Holy Spirit required for his ministry” (CCC1597). Come Holy Spirit and fill our Priests. Amen.

For the martyrs..

This month you may be surprised with the monthly intercessory diary (well, as many of you know better than me, our Lord IS a God of surprises). Over the past many months we have prayed for our needs, our city, our country.

This time we were led to pray for our persecuted sisters and brothers, beyond our borders. We sensed, that while we were truly blessed (pampered in fact, with a strong, stable and SECULAR government at the centre), we should, rather than be complacent (and selfish), pray for our Christian brethren suffering for their faith in our neighbourhood – Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, etc.

You can imagine our surprise, AND DELIGHT, when we noted that our Holy Father’s prayer intention for the month of July reads “That Christians in the Middle East may live their faith in complete freedom and become instruments of reconciliation and peace.” Wow! What a God of surprises and confirmation we have.

“The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church”, wrote second century Church Father, Tertullian. We experienced it first-hand last August when the persecution of our sisters and brothers began in Orissa. And so, we pray this month to the Loving Father, in and through Jesus Christ “the first born within a large family” (Rom 8:29), to pray for the ‘members of own body’ for “as one suffers, all suffer” (1 Cor 12:26).

This month, as we pray together in ‘one accord’,
- we raise our hands and pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters,
- we raise our hearts, seeking mercy for the perpetrators of hatred and violence, especially against the harmless and helpless, and those missionaries doing good, and
- we raise our voices in victory, knowing that He “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or imagine” (Ep 3:20)

We pray that Christians be filled with grace and strength from the Lord in their persecution and that “the Church be the seed and soil of a humanity reconciled to be God’s one true family on earth” (Pope Benedict XVI’s Missionary Intention for July).

We continue to pray this month for our country and city – our leaders, authorities and “all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Tim 2:2).

As we continue in prayer for our Indian persecuted Church, through the intercession of St Thomas whose feast we celebrate this month, we especially lift up Faith Formation effort in our Archdiocese and our country and as he is the Apostle of India, we also pray through his intercession for the Anti-conversion Bill(s) of the various states.

Let me conclude with what I recently heard in a news clipping - that the government is planning to block all anti-Conversion bills from the states. Indeed, our God is an awesome God. [We thank and praise you in advance, dear God.]

Miracles this June!

Great indeed are your works, O Lord! Now and ever more!!!

At the outset, I wish to praise and thank God for the stable and secular government we have in India. It is truly remarkable that for the second time in a row, poll pundits were proved wrong. I do believe a lot of prayer and intercession across Churches and across the country has backed these elections, including our March monthly intercessory diary. May the Holy Spirit, the great unifier and our ‘parakletos’ (Jn 14:16), truly make us all one – in one accord and one mind (Phil 2:2).

I do wish to specially mention (and thank God especially) for the verdict in Orissa. I can only imagine the Lord saying, “I have observed the misery of my people… I have heard their cry… Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come to deliver them” (Ex 3:7, 8). Truly, “the Lord has done great things… holy is his name” (Luke 1:46-49)

As we continue to marvel at the Lord walking with us, we are also humbled by the responsibilities at hand as ‘people of God’. Are we truly living our Christian calling? The tasks are enormous, yet as we have oft heard ‘whom the Lord calls, He equips’. I would like to add a couple of more words and say ‘whom the Lord calls, He equips… with Himself’. We have just celebrated the feast of Pentecost, where the Lord Himself comes to dwell in us and in a two weeks time we celebrate the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). Truly the Lord desires to nourish and equip us with Himself. As beautiful prayer of St Francis of Assisi states,

O sublime humility! O humble sublimity!
That the Lord of the universe, God and the Son of God, so humbles Himself
that for our salvation He hides Himself under the little form of bread!
Look, brothers, at the humility of God and pour out your hearts before Him!
Humble yourselves, as well, that you may be exalted by Him.
Therefore, hold back nothing of yourselves for yourselves; so that
He Who gives Himself totally to you, may receive you totally.

Let us approach the Holy Eucharist for what it truly is, the source and summit of all Christian life (CCC1324). This month we reflect on John 6:35-51 and the various parts of the mass, that help us prepare to receive ‘the body, blood, soul and divinity’ of Christ in a worthy manner.

It is also a matter of great joy to note that Pope Benedict XVI will declare on June 19, the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the commencement of the “Year of the Priest”. The pope said he was calling for the special year for priests in an effort to foster the priest’s yearning “for spiritual perfection, upon which the effectiveness of their ministry principally depends.” We commit our prayer warfare this year for our priests, especially in August - the 150th death anniversary of St. Jean Marie Vianney.

As the new academic year begins, we pray for our young people. May they grow in excellence in a Christ-centred life and be led by the Holy Spirit in their career choices.

As we reflect on the in-dwelling Most Holy Trinity, whose feast we celebrate in June, I borrow from St Paul to end by praying that “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.” (2 Cor 13:14)

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