Palm Sunday

Praises to God

"Say to Daughter Zion, “Look, your king is coming to you, humble and riding on a donkey, and on a colt the donkey’s offspring."      -Zechariah 9:9

 "Now a large crowd spread their clothes on the road. Others cut palm branches off the trees and spread them on the road.  The crowds in front of him and behind him shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
                                                     - Mathew 21:8-9

When Jesus entered Jerusalem,people shouted praises and showered honor and praises out of excitement. Jesus rode on the donkey through the street of Jerusalem hearing all theses praises, but all this time He knew that what was going to happen to Him after a while. But He received everything peacefully and calmly.

From this incident we must realize that, the praises and comforts that the world showers on us are just momentary. After a while the same world will crucify us with its revenge enveloped in luxuries. Hence like Jesus, we must walk through the streets of this world without loosing our mind to it. The world may try to make us feel like a king upon its fantasies. But we must always realize its just false.

In between the extravaganzas of this world we must only look to the hope in our dear Father in Heaven,just like Jesus did. Jesus always wished the Fathers Will to be done. We must focus on the hope of resurrection and the eternal prize of it and run our race.

" So then let’s also run the race that is laid out in front of us, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us. Let’s throw off any extra baggage, get rid of the sin that trips us up,  and fix our eyes on Jesus, faith’s pioneer and perfecter. He endured the cross, ignoring the shame, for the sake of the joy that was laid out in front of him, and sat down at the right side of God’s throne."
                                                                            -Hebrews 12:1


Prayer

 Lord God Almighty Father, help us to realize the emptiness of the worldly things and set our eyes and heart upon you alone each second of our life and run our race setting hope on Resurrection and the eternal gift for us in heaven.

In the name of the Father Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

A Deeper Relation to God

Life of Padre Pio gave a different dimension of relation towards Jesus. Quoting one of Padre Pio's words;

"When Jesus wants to make me happy, He fills my heart with that spirit which is all fire, and speaks to me about His delights; but when He wants to be consoled, He speaks to me about His pains, and invites me in a manner that is both a request and a command, to offer my body to alleviate His sufferings."

The reflection that struck the mind was, "...when Jesus wants to be consoled, He speaks about His pains and invites me in a manner that is both a request and a command, to offer my body to alleviate His sufferings."

When do Jesus feels to be consoled? What are His pains? Jesus feels painful when His dear ones fail to recognize Gods love. He cries for the souls that are getting lost without realizing the way of salvation. Our Father did the maximum extent of sacrifice that He can by offering His only son to suffer and trample underfoot of the world to kill the sin and evil by resurrecting over the worldly flesh and death.

When we bring to our mind, the trial of Jesus, He is beaten, He is insulted, He is being spit and pierced with nails, His flesh scattered and blood flowed covering the face of the world. How much more can we imagine, a man could suffer and sacrifice himself for the salvation of we sinners?

Jesus says "When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to me.”-John 12:32

Yes He was lifted up from the earth and resurrected from the earth, now it is us who should respond to what is attracting us to the Cross, the love of God. It is now the overflowing mercy of Our God that is helping us and finding us and guiding us in the life of this world. When we realize this mercy, we are carried by God and in His name we are saved.

"Salvation can be found in no one else. Throughout the whole world, no other name has been given among humans through which we must be saved.”-Acts 4:12

But still people are failing to realize this, there is no more sacrifices that God can make to save people. Only if they absorb the living word in their heart and believe in Jesus and Father and look upon the cross, they can be saved. But the evil is exhibiting a fabulous fleet of panoramic experiences in the world that Gods children are getting distracted and trapped from the way of cross. This Pains our Lord. Jesus feel strained, what more He can do?

This is were God calls us, those  who realized His mercy, to console Him and help Him. How can we help Him and console Him? By reducing His pain in loosing His children.God calls us to share His pain, the pain that He still is suffering to save the children who are getting destroyed.

"This is how we know love: Jesus laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters."- 1 John 3:16

" No one has greater love than to give up one’s life for one’s friends."- John 15:13

This is what the extent of our relation with our Savior should be. To share His pain and console Him by joining with Him in helping to save a child of God by bringing them to the Cross of everlasting hope and purification by the blood of Christ. This is the joy in heaven. We are called for it and once we submit us for this mission, it is God who gives us the power,' alone we can do nothing...because He lives, we live

" 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' "I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance."    -Luke 15:6-7

If we are only looking for our salvation, it is a mere selfish and is a waste. Because our salvation lies in our brothers salvation.

 ‘I assure you that when you have done it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done it for me.’-Mathew 25:40

Let us join with Jesus and share His pain in true love, because this what He said,

"He replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, and with all your mind.   This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: You must love your neighbor as you love yourself.  All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”
                                                                                                                 - Mathew 22:37-40

We can do this by submitting ourselves for God, sharing the good news to everyone, making a lifestyle in us to stand for God each day and every time we are in this world, never going away from our Lord and always giving our heart for the voice of the Holy Spirit and living according to Our Lords wish, by helping and loving each other without corruption and guiding our fellow beings to Jesus by reflecting Jesus through us.

Let us Pray,

Thank you Lord for giving us the depth of our relation to you. Help us to understand you and feel the pain that you suffer for our sake and for our fellow beings. Let us realize our duty to share the pains with you and thus helping to guide all the souls unto You and aid in building up of Gods Kingdom. In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit Amen.


Let us submit ourselves unto His hands to spread Gods love to the world and to lead our fellow beings unto His cross.

God is Love.

"Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east); and the water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. Then he brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me round on the outside to the outer gate, that faces toward the east; and the water was coming out on the south side. Going on eastward with a line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water; and it was ankle-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water; and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water; and it was up to the loins. Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen; it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through. And he said to me, "Son of man, have you seen this?" Then he led me back along the bank of the river. As I went back, I saw upon the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other. And he said to me, "This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah; and when it enters the stagnant waters of the sea, the water will become fresh. And wherever the river goes every living creature which swarms will live, and there will be very many fish; for this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing."-Ezekiel 47:1-9,12

This bible verses revealed the flow of Gods love. The flow of water can be equated to the flow of mercy and love from Gods heart to the each human. Ezekiel was asked to to follow what the man said. As he followed the man, he observed the flow of water, each time he proceeded the water got deeper and deeper until Ezekiel was fully immersed in the love(water) from God. It was at this stage that the water enters the stagnant waters of the sea inturn making the sea water fresh.

Only by the immersion of Ourselves in the love of God, will make it overflow from us and enter the stagnant lives of our fellow beings, thus making their spirits fresh. We can find that by remaining in the banks of the river of Love from God, our spirits will never wither nor we will fail to bear fruit of the gospel. We will be successful in producing good fruits every time of our life "because the water for us flows from the sanctuary of God and the fruit will be for food, and their leaves (spirit) for healing"

Let us Pray,

 God we thank you for helping us reveal the extent and flow of Your Love from Your sanctuary to our lives and to the lives of others. Let us follow all that You ask from us and thus get filled and immersed in Your love so that it overflows to our brothers and sisters bearing fruits of spirit all of our life. In the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit Amen,

Can You Suffer with Me?

The Sorrowful Mysteries of Rosary is piercing our hearts reflecting the pain and suffering that our dear Jesus underwent during the last hours of overflowing love of God for us.

The Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane- the first mystery,

        Jesus prays, "My soul is sorrowful unto death."Jesus sees the sins of all mankind, whose guilt He has taken upon Himself.He sees the wrath of the Father which His sufferings must appease.So great is his anguish that His sweat becomes as drops of blood falling to the ground.An angel appears to Him from heaven to strengthen Him."Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet, not My will but Yours be done."Finding the disciples asleep: "Could you not watch one hour with me?"

While chanting this mystery, Jesus asked a question, "Can you Suffer with Me,Could you not watch one hour with me ?"

Thinking deeply about the question, we realize it is hard for us to say a full proof yes. Jesus invites us to His sufferings. Are we ready to suffer for Him? or to stay with Him.When we think of sufferings, most of us are scared of the consequences. The pains that it can bring, the loss that it can cause , it is thought to squeeze us of our life. We doubt our submission for the invitation of Jesus. Why cannot we give us for Jesus to take part in His sufferings?

As we stand by thinking this, Jesus speaks to us saying that, you cant join me in my sufferings because you love yourself more than anything. The love of our self is dominating in our hearts that we cannot afford the pains upon our life. Our heart is full of our love towards our life and comforts. We can give Jesus a compromising submission, that will not bother our life much. Is this the right kind of dedication to our Lord?

When our mind sways in confusion, Jesus clears it off by asking a question, 'What if I would have thought like you during My time in this world?" This question opens our spirit.  The after effect of Jesus's question would have been terrible. We will all die in our sins without a hope in everlasting life and a home in heaven.

But let us reflect in our mind what Jesus did. Jesus never did anything in favour of Him to save Him, but everything He did was for us for our salvation;

"Though he was in the form of God, he did not consider being equal with God something to exploit.
But he emptied himself by taking the form of a slave and by becoming like human beings.
When he found himself in the form of a human,he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,even death on a cross"-Philippians 2:6-8

But we are not able to do this, because we are selfish in ourselves. We are not able to submit our selfish love to God and cleanse ourselves to fill our hearts in Gods love. It is during this replacement of our love with Gods love, that help us to submit ourselves to suffer for Christ and also to sacrifice for our fellow beings. Jesus says, as long as you love yourself and your possessions of the world ,you cannot love me perfectly and sincerely nor can suffer for me. For this to begin, we must abandon our selfish love and fill us with Lords love. Let us not compromise anything for His everlasting love.

Let us think deep in our heart to find the sincere perfect love to our God. Even if this sincere love is so tiny as the mustard seed or even if it is not at all there, let us submit our state of love to our Father and Jesus, He will transform this love and increase it magnanimously. What ever we have let us submit unto Him.

Prayer

Lord God, thank you for giving us the realization of the nature of our love and the eternity of Your love. Help us to remove our selfish love from our heart and clean it to fill it with your love. Let our hearts fill and overflow with Your love oh God so that we love you with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind, and with all our strength,suffer for You and love our neighbor as ourselves. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen

Reading 
Mark 12:28-34
Romans 5:6-9
1John 4:9-11