Rakshakante Yathra - Way of the Cross - Meditations

Music for the Lent -Week 3

Listen Some more songs in this 3rd Week of Lent:

Sermon thoughts – 3rd Sunday in Lent – A – Joh 4, 4-42

Jews and Samaritans had a common origin.

But they have hated each other.

Then, the biblical land Samaria is the result of the elimination of the 10 northern tribes of Israel by King David in 926 BC.

Omri, the king of the northern kingdom,

built the city of Samaria as the capital of the northern kingdom.

The Samaritans rejected the exclusive cult of the temple in Jerusalem and built their own places of sacrifice on Mount Gerizim.

We know from history:

Political problems can be solved in time

but religious rivalries remain unhealed and often fiery.

The Jews hated the Samaritans, like all other gentiles.

The following saying is clear evidence to it:

”The blood of the swine is cleaner than the water in Samaria”.

Jesus speaks with a woman in / from this city: that what is not quite normal: either for a Jew or for a Samaritan woman.

There are several theological reflections on this Samaritan woman.

It says she went to the well in an unusual time. The people in that territory remain normally at home because as it is so hot during the midday.

But this woman is out there: then she wanted not to be noted.

She was probably unpopular or expendable to the society?

Jesus comes to the conversation with her:

And he asks water from her too.

This early mentioned “dirty” water from the pagan source?

Now, what tells us this passage in this Lent?

Jesus was weary. But he is willing to help others.

This conversation with the Samaritan woman proves his human love and concern. Jesus knew she had “five husbands” - but in reality not much considered according the number. Jesus takes her situation seriously.

He promised her the “living water”.

The woman, at first sees in the beginning nothing special in Jesus.

Only a deep conversation moves her to faith.

She takes Jesus as some one “sent” as a prophet and then confesses as the “Anointed One” – the Messiah.

Then she announces this conviction in her city.

She herself is now the “ambassador” and the “disciple” of Jesus.

One who avoided the public has no more complexes and fears at all.

Then it is God who healed her.

Dear friends,

Lent asks us exactly this mind-setting and growth in us.

Jesus teaches that those who have a lot in their life, and thereby loses the most important thing, live not real life at all.

We see this growth in Jesus- especially along with the Sunday Gospels in the Lent time.

Then in the first Sunday we have seen, Jesus overcomes the temptations in the desert.

On the second Sunday, he overcomes one more “temptation”;

he avoids the glory and security up there on Mount Tabor.

He gets down from the mountain and faces his life.

He's on the move. On the way Jesus meets the Samaritan woman:

Yes, my dear: Lent invites us all to action.

It invites us to come closer to God: come in to conversation with God.

In this relationship we can experience the “glory of God”.

There we recognize him as the Messenger and the Messiah of God.

This helps us to proclaim Him with our lives.

The Samaritan Woman enjoyed this special gift and she was blessed.

May God bless us too in the same way! Amen!

-

Fr Thomas Kalathil

Music for the Lent -Week 2

Listen Some more songs in this 2nd Week of Lent:

Sermon Thoughts – 2nd Sunday of Lent - Year A - (Mt 17, 1-9)

Today, we hear about the transfiguration of Jesus on the Mount Tabor.

There it is said that, the face of Jesus shone like the sun.

In the Old Testament, we read a similar passage:
The Prophet Moses had the same experience.
He remained forty days and forty nights on the mountain with Yahweh.
There he talked with God.
And when he came to the people, they could not look it,
because “his face was horned from the conversation of the Lord“.
We read so in Exodus 34, 29b.

Now in the New Testament, we see Jesus. But he had not a long time conversation with God. However, he experienced the same thing:
Then it is not the time but the intensity of the relationship with God, important: teaches the Gospel.

The evangelist describes: “and his garments became white as snow”:
We believe that the relationship with God works especially within the soul. But it also has some external effects.
Who inwardly so “shines”, can also outwardly “shine”.

We see Moses and Elijah, they speak with Jesus:
They were strong people, and had been so close to God.
They had had wonderful experience of God but it also caused to suffer much. Now they stand together with Jesus and give the moral support for his future suffering.
Then he should not, as Peter says, remain there at the top.
Yes, it was pleasant there;
they were protected in the height of Mount Tabor.
But Jesus did not come to live in the shelter.
His mission is down there.
Moses and Elijah encouraged him in his difficult time.

Last week we heard about the temptation of Jesus in the desert.
If we understand today's Gospel, then we can say:
that was not the end of the temptations.
Then here in today's Gospel, they are still continued: may be in another way.

Then this is also a temptation to search only for “the beautiful and pleasant places”.
This is also a temptation, “where one forgets his duties and looks for one’s own protection”.

Jesus overcomes this “temptation” just as before. He overcomes them with proper action. That is done by accepting the will of God. That was his will.
Yes, he descends to the hour of his suffering and death.

He is sure to climb once again a mountain ... the Golgotha;
but that is not for himself… But to help others...


The Gospel says clearly:

We too can undergo some “Transfigurations” in our lives.
Perhaps through our prayer life...
Perhaps through a good friendship ...

Then certain proximities and nearness can transform us.
Both internally and externally;
Both Spiritual and material…

This Lent is an invitation to this “Transfigurations”:
it invites us to come closer to God.
it invites us to receive his light in our lives ...
Let us make use of the blessed time.

God bless us all. Amen!
---
Fr Thomas Kalathil

Sermon thoughts- First Sunday in Lent – Year A – Mt 4, 1-11

My dear friends,

Jesus fasted 40 days and 40 nights in the desert. We read it in the Gospel so:

“Jesus was guided in to the Desert by the Spirit of God”. But as a surprise, it is not God whom he first meets, just after these days of Prayer and abstinence but it is Satan “the Tempter” and he had to conquer it.

Jesus was in the best condition to be tempted.

He was alone in a vast desert. The power of burning sun should have made Jesus thirsty and the 40 days of fasting of course hungry too.

He could have simply fallen in the temptation with out being noticed by any one.

The tempter comes to Jesus in a friendly manner with “necessary offers” any human being may need in that special setting of time.

Bread, water….these are natural urges of any Human.

And if it is offered in a friendly way, most of us cannot deny it.

The tempter makes use if this chance. But Jesus was powerful than the Satan.

My dear friends in Jesus,

Don’t expect “satan” as person in our life, bringing temptations in our life.

He comes in the forms of “very important and unavoidable natural needs”.

Jesus was asked to „command“, in his second temptation. The fun in it is, he had to “make bread from the stones” - for “his own need”. He could have done that, because he was the Son of God. But the question is whether God is a self-lover? He became man for others sake. He is not a narcissist to his own self. He may do wonders and sign, but they are for others. May be some magicians may perform some tricks to get fame and name. Jesus proves he is not in search of fame.

In the third temptation, the tempter shows Jesus the World and its Powers. Through this the tempter shows his real face: he proves to be the most dangerous liar. He claims the world belongs to him. This is a big lie. Then it is God, who created the universe. Everything „belongs“ to God. Not to the satan. He was trying to be equal to God, and if he is equal to God then he asks Jesus to „adore“.

The tempter reveals and unites to the words of Jesus, quite passive:

“God the creator, alone deserves the Glory, Honour and adoration”

My dear friends, we may face temptations through some beloved and faithful people, through the communications media and may be through wrong communications, today. Many “lies” cause many of us to be the prey of the tempter.

Jesus had all these temptations for his whole life, and even on the cross: “to save himself and save others”. But Jesus replied to them in his divine manner.

We too experience these kinds of temptations in our daily life.

They may have several other names such as food, drink, power, money, gossips, etc…

Jesus overcame his temptations and lies with the help of his spiritual power. His prayers and faith in divine providence helped him a lot.

We too will be able to overcome our daily temptations when we find time to be with God and to seek for his Power, in prayers and sacraments.

The only aim of the tempter is to bring split in the Man- God relation.

Our Lenten observation helps us much to go through in to a disciplined relation with God. It helps us to come closer and deeper in to his Mystery.

It helps us to attain Power in fight against the “lies and temptations”.

In that power we can say as Jesus said:

“go away from me, Satan!”

We need His Word as Guidance and Eucharistic Bread as Food and His Spirit as uniting power.

Let us look for this,

in the Church,

in the sacraments, and in our families.

God bless us all. Amen!

-

Fr Thomas Kalathil

Music for the Lent - Week 1

Sermon thoughts – Ash Wednesday (A)

We begin the so called Lenten Season of 40 days with the ceremony of the Ash Wednesday liturgy.


This day points us to an old custom, which shows the readiness to recollect and ponder on the self and the soul. It is more than a superficial observance. It is the sign of penance and repentance. And Jesus asks us to go deeper than our skins… yes we have to go deep in to our hearts. Then God sees the Heart…

What teaches me this yearly time for the “repentance of the Hearts”?

He wants to remind us to recollect on our ways of life.


He wants to ask questions regarding out life direction.


Whether it is directed to Men and God positively?


Are my ways under my will and is it guided by the Will of God?


The prophet Joel reminds us:


“Tear your hearts, not your cloths”.

If our directions are in terms with Jesus, then he has enough place to act. Both in external and internal way he, yes the divine, comes out from us.

Jesus invites us to have time for us.


To take time to control my ways…


To control my wishes…


To let bless my ways to both men and God…


If my ways are missing God as their aim, then this Lenten season is the chance to correct them.


„God will mercy, not sacrifice“ from us.

But to attain this mercy, we have to sacrifice some of our desires and wishes.


We need special power to overcome our daily temptations.

We get power for this through our participation in prayers and sacraments in this season.

Lent is not a time to hide ourselves with ash, but to open our hearts to God.

Lent is not the time to be sad, but it is an invitation to find the real happiness in God.

Lent is not the time to avoid all things,


But it is a chance to attain heavenly blessings.

Lent is not the time to be alone,


It is a call to stay together with the universal church.

Let these days bring us joy and happiness in God.


Let these days bring us back to our origins.

Let us make use of the chance given by God and his Church.

I will you and me a good time with God. Amen!


--


Fr Thomas Kalathil

Sermon thoughts – 9th Sunday in OT A – Mt 7, 21-27

Dear sisters and brothers
Today's Gospel passage is concerned with the will of God and justice, mainly.
God says, not everyone comes to heaven, to the happiness of the Lord. “But only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven, will enter the kingdom of heaven.”

And to some others he says:
"I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers!”

These two sentences give us an important message.

The gift of prophecy, and of doing miracles, may not be counted as the Work of God alone. Sometimes they can be performed even by bad men. We read in the Holy bible that even to Pharao and to Nabuchodonosor were revealed future events.

Proclaiming the Word of God and praying piously alone cannot make us God's children. These are important but are only a part of the proper faith.
The faith requires from us a living-testimony and that must not superficial.
God does nothing unrighteous.
His actions are always right.
And those who live according to the will of God is also known and recognized by God.
The Gospel is not something written or spoken word.
It is the way of life, it invites us to live in the shadow of God:
- In everything give God His worthy space.
- Honor God in everything.
Let's try to meet people and God in this motivation. Then we can experience heaven here on earth.

Our celebrations and merrymaking in these days (before the Lent time) may not be without meaning. They should bring us closer to the people and to God. God bless us in abundance. Amen!
--
Fr Thomas Kalathil