Pentecost Sunday
Wish you all a Happy
Pentecost !!!
“ALL of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them
ability.” (Acts 2:4)
Christians all over the world is celebrating these days as Pentecost season.
Pentecost is not particularly a Christian holiday. It is one of the most important Jewish holidays. Acts 2:1-13, we read the
story of the Pentecost. There are three important Jewish festivals to which every male Jew within twenty miles of Jerusalem was bound to come to Jerusalem, the Passover, the Feast of Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles. Pentecost
fell on the fiftieth day after the Passover. The feast itself had two main significances for Jewish people. One, it commemorates
the giving of the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai.
(Leviticus 23:21) The other significance of this day is the offerings at the Festival of weeks. (Numbers 28:26) So many people
come to Jerusalem on Pentecost festival than other feast
days.
What happened at Pentecost we really do not know; certainly the disciples had an experience of the
power of the Spirit. After the resurrection they gathered together ashamed and astonished more faithful and may be thinking
about their safety and planning for the future may be waiting for the risen Lord; if so they did not disappointed on Pentecost
festival. “ALL of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them
ability.”
Holy Spirit is a word misunderstood by many Christian denominations today. Some have taken monopoly
on the God’s Spirit. Charismatic Movement talks about Holy Spirit as their monopoly. On the other hand organized Christian
denominations gave little or no importance to the word Holy Spirit or the presence of God. Certainly Holy Spirit is the presence
of the God Almighty. Holy Spirit is not only a power by which God once upon a time intervened in the world, God’s Sprit
or Holy Spirit is also the power and the force by which God intervenes constantly in new ways in the present world and makes
God self knowable to us.
There are two important things we should know about this passage. After the
resurrection, he appeared to them in Holy Spirit. Disciples returned to Jerusalem with great joy. Joy not because Jesus was gone from them but they knew that he was with them forever.
As members of the Christian church we can also have a great joy that the ascended Jesus was not gone from the world, he was
with the disciples, with us, with the church and with the world forever. We read that promise in Matthew 28:20 “And
remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Second important thing about this passage is that the ascension of Jesus together with
the Pentecost day gave us hope of the Second Coming. There is no need to speculate about how and when it will happen because
Jesus Himself said that not even He knew the day and the hour when the Son of Man would come. But we need to strive for the
coming of that day and to make ourselves ready for it, knowing that God has a plan for the world, mankind and for each one
of us even in our daily life.
The risen God was no ghost or hallucination; the risen God is real.
Christianity is a historical fact and we as Christian are waiting for that risen Christ. While we are waiting, it is also
our duty to be His witness in Jerusalem, in all
Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. As Christians it is not only a time to wait for God but also a time to work for God
because the most priceless thing is waiting for us in heaven. The book of Acts tells us that the Church carries on the life
of Christ. So it is our duty as Christians, to carry out the message of Jesus Christ.
May God almighty help each one of us to attain that joy of hope for the world to come and to be His witness to the end of
the earth. Amen.
Grace and Peace,
Fr. Mathew P. Idicula
Trinity Sunday
Christians all over the world are celebrating
today as (Sunday after Pentecost) as Trinity Sunday. Pentecost originally is a Jewish festival. In Christianity it is one
of the most important days. Pentecost day is the birth day of Christian Churches. We believe in a God in Trinity.
God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Trinity is also the basis of Christian faith.
The
main theme for these days for our reading is a God who loves us and a God who is with us because God is love. In the Gospel
portion (John 3:1-16) we heard an interesting, controversial and thought provoking story.
The famous story of Nicodemus. This story was played out as a passion play. In order to understand the story better; there
are certain things that we should know about Nicodemus.
Nicodemus must have been wealthy. We read
that when Jesus died he brought for His body valuable (myrrh and aloes) gifts (John 19:39). Only a wealthy man could
afford that at that time.
Nicodemus was a Pharisee. We may think that Pharisees are not good
people. It is not at all true. They believe that the Law, the first five books of the Old Testament, to be the perfect and
complete word of God. They worship God and observe the law word by word. The best example of that is their Sabbath Laws. Last
year when I visited Holy Land I saw that first hand.
On Sabbath days even elevator floors cannot be selected by human efforts. Due to Sabbath it was set on automatic.
Nicodemus was a ruler. He probably belonged to one of the most distinguished Jewish families. It is amazing that this
Jewish aristocrat; ruler of the Jews came to this homeless carpenter of Nazareth that he might talk to Him about his soul.
It was by night that Nicodemus
came to Jesus. He may not have wished to be seen by others by coming to Jesus. But there may be another reason also. Throughout
the day Jesus was surrounded by crowds of people. It may very well be that he came by night because he wanted an absolutely
private and completely undisturbed time with Jesus.
Nevertheless Nicodemus was a disturbed man; very
well be like many of us; a man with all the honors and yet with something lacking in his life.
When Nicodemus
came to Jesus he said to him “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs
that you do apart from the presence of God”. Jesus’ answer was that it was not the signs and the wonders that
were really important; the important thing was such a change in a man’s inner life; new birth.
When Jesus
said that a man must be born again he misunderstood Him.
In Jewish faith the idea of rebirth is nothing
new. When a man from another faith became a Jew; when he had been accepted into Judaism by prayer and sacrifice and baptism
he was regarded as being reborn. But when Jesus spoke of a man being born again Nicodemus misunderstood. Suddenly he thought
of the physical rebirth.
This idea of rebirth and the phrase born again; runs all through the New Testament.
Paul speaks of the Christian New birth throughout his writings. If any man is in Christ it is as if
he had been created all over again (2 Cor. 5:17). In Christ there is a new creation (Gal. 6:15). The new man is created after God in righteousness. (Eph. 4:22-24) The person who is at the first beginnings of the
Christian faith is a babe (Hebres 5:12-14). Christianity came to this world with a message of rebirth. What does
this rebirth means to us?
There are four closely inter-related ideas in the gospel of John.
There is the idea of rebirth. There is the idea of the Kingdom of God, into which a man cannot enter unless
he is reborn. There is the idea of son-ship of God. And there is the idea of eternal life.
In Matthew
also we have same idea but more simple. “Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter the
Kingdom of Heaven”.
Then what does Kingdom of heaven means? In Lord’s Prayer
we see that the Kingdom of Heaven is a society where God’s will is as perfectly done on earth as it
is in heaven.
To be in the Kingdom of Heaven is therefore to lead a life in
which we have completely and willingly submitted everything to the will of God. We fully and perfectly and completely accept
the will of God.
Let us take the idea of eternal life. Eternal life is not everlasting life in
this miserable world. Eternal life is the kind of life that God lives. We can only enter into that life with close communion
and fellowship with God; when we render to God that love, that reverence, that devotion, that obedience which truly bring
us into fellowship with God.
When that happens we are born off water (means cleansing) and the Spirit (means
power). We are born again.
To be born again is to be changed in such a way that it can only be described
as rebirth and re-creation. The change comes when we love Jesus and allow Him into our hearts.
Then
we become citizens of the Kingdom of God and we become sons and daughters of God. Then we enter into
eternal life, which is the very life of God.
In the Old Testament portion (Exodus 3: 1-6)
we see a different God. God the Father who called Moses to free Israelis. God spoke to Moses from an unexpected source; a
burning bush. Abraham saw the smoking firepot and blazing torch. (Gen 15:17) When the slaves were free from Egypt
God appeared before them as pillars of cloud and fire. Moses approached God who appeared in fire, with reverence and removed
his shoes.
In the New Testament portion (Romans 8:12-17) we experience another different relationship with God;
God the Spirit. Here Paul speaks of the Christian being adopted into the family of God. Because of what Jesus did there opens
out to the Christian a life which is no longer dominated by the flesh. But a life, that is dominated by the Spirit of God;
Holy Spirit.
Holy Spirit is a word misunderstood by many Christian denominations today. Some
have even taken monopoly on the word Holy Spirit or God’s Spirit. Charismatic Movement is considered to be the fastest-growing
religious movement of our time, talk about Holy Spirit as their monopoly. On the other hand organized Christian denominations
gave little or no importance to the word Holy Spirit or the presence of God in this world.
Holy Spirit
is not only a power by which God once upon a time intervened in the world. Holy Spirit is also the power by which God intervenes
constantly in the present world; in the Church; in our midst; in our personal lives.
When we live in
this world some times we wonder why? Why this; why that why me? The risen God is with us always. Holy Spirit is with us in
our homes, in our work places, in our Communities and in our churches. Remember the Spirit of God is with us when we are searching
answers for our personal problems.
We are born again when we love Jesus and allow Him into our hearts
and in to our day today life. Then we become citizens of that Kingdom; then we become sons and daughters of God; then we
enter into eternal life, which is the very life of God and life with God.
Will you follow that
risen Christ? God, the Father who called Moses to deliver His people from slavery. God, the Son who came down to this world
as Christ to save us from our sins. And the risen God; who is with us as Holy Spirit to lead us in our day today life
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but
may have eternal life” (John 3:16).
May God Almighty help each
one of us to attain that joy of hope for the world to come. Amen.
Fr. Mathew P. Idicula
Good Friday
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ!
After a long lent season;
finally another Good Friday is here. Christians all over the world are celebrating today as Good Friday. Good Friday is one
of the most important days in the Christian calendar.We
may see many similarities and comparisons with Christianity and other world religions. But only in Christian religion we will
see a God, who came down to this world and lived as one among us and died for our sins. What happened on Good Friday made
the difference in Christianity from other religions. As
we know, Jesus spoke very little and answered very few questions during his trials. But at the Cross he was not so silent.
Jesus’ seven words from the cross are important Christian values and also important for Christian faith. It reveals
the character of Christian life and teaches what Christianity is all about. These were also the last words Jesus spoke before
his death on the cross. Not all of the gospels recorded all of these words. Let us meditate on these words taken from different
gospels very briefly.
First word is taken
from Lk. 23:34, “Father forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” Dear brothers and sisters
in Christ, There is nothing so lovely, and there is nothing so rare, as Christian forgiveness. Jesus said many wonderful things,
but He rarely said anything more wonderful than, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.”
Others may have in their hearts the unforgiving
spirit; others may sin in ignorance; but we know better; we are followers of Christ, we are Christians and we must know better
we must forgive as Christ forgave.
(2)
“Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Lk. 23:43) The word paradise is a Persian word
meaning a walled garden. Jesus promised the thief the honored place of a companion of the garden in the courts of heaven.
Surely this story tells us above all things that it is never too late to turn to Christ. There are other things of which we
must say, the time for that is past or I am too old for that but we can never say that of turning to Jesus Christ. So long
as a man’s heart beats, the invitation of Christ still stands. For us it is literally true that while there is life
there is hope. The story also tells us repentance
not old covenant is the key to salvation. Jesus is a savior always for everyone. No matter who, when and where. If we repent
it is never too late for us to reach to Christ. Truly I tell you; today you will be with me in paradise.”
(3) “Woman, here is your son” “Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” (John 19:26-27) In
the end Jesus was not alone. At his Cross there were four women named Mary along with his disciples. Jesus’
mother, Mary, Jesus’ mother’s sister, Mary, Mary from Magdala who loved him and Mary the wife of Clopas, we know
little about. The presence of these brave women
at the Cross, a very dangerous place at that time was not due to the fact that they were so unimportant that no one would
recognize them. Their presence was indeed due to the fact that perfect love casts out fear. In this passage there is something which is surely one of the loveliest things in
all the gospel stories. When Jesus was at the Cross he never forgot the duties in this world. Jesus committed his mother Mary
to John’s care and John to Mary’s, so that they should comfort each other’s loneliness when he was gone.
To the end of the day even when he was on the
Cross, he never forgot the duties in this world that lay to his hand. Jesus was thinking more of the sorrows of others in
this world than of his own. Jesus cares for each one of us; and he is with us in our sorrows and troubles even if no one else
can be found around us.“Woman, here
is your son” “Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.”
(4) “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?
Which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34) There is a mystery behind that cry. Maybe it was like
this. Jesus had taken this life of ours upon him. In his human life; he had suffered all that life could bring. Jesus really
and truly identified himself with the sin of man. Until now Jesus had gone through every experience of life except one-he
had never known the consequence of sin. There is one thing sin does, it separates us from God. When Jesus experienced the
consequence of sin “Jesus cried out with
a loud voice, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (5) “I am thirsty.” (John 19:28) In this passage John brings us face
to face with his human sufferings. When Jesus was on the Cross, he knew the agony of thirst. Here John stresses the fact that
he was divine at the same time he was human (Jesus’ divinity and humanity) and really underwent the agony of the Cross
and all the troubles any human being can bear in this world.“I am thirsty” a sign of Jesus’ human life.
(6) “It is finished.” (John 19:30)
The other three Gospel do not tell us that Jesus said, “It is finished.” But they do tell us that he died
with a great shout upon his lips. He did not say it is finished in weary defeat; he said it as one who shouts for joy because
the victory is won. He accomplished his mission. A job well done! “It is finished.”
Last and seventh words Jesus spoke from the Cross: “Father,
into your hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46) Jesus died with a prayer on His lips. This is Psalm 31:5 with one word added-the word Father. This was the first prayer
that every Jewish mother taught her child to say last thing at night before sleep. “Into your hands I commend my spirit.”
Jesus made the prayer more lovely began it with the word Father. Even on a Cross Jesus died like a child falling asleep in
his father’s arms.
After a long
lent season finally another Good Friday is here. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ; is this going to be another Good Friday
for us or this is a special day in our life. If we truly believe that Jesus died for us; for our sins; it is a special, meaningful
Good Friday for us.Good Friday means to us
forgiveness, repentance, commitment, obedience, sacrifice above all Agape, unconditional love; love to our fellow human beings
and to God. May God give us wisdom and knowledge to make this a meaningful Good Friday for us. Amen.
Let us pray: God
of mercy, Lord Jesus Christ in love you sent your son so that we might be cleansed of sin and live forever. Bless each one
of us as we gather to reflect on your sufferings. Your passion and death is the sacrifice that unites earth and heaven and
reconciles us to you. May we who have faithfully reflected on these mysteries follow in your steps and so come to share your
glory in heaven where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit one God, for ever and ever. Amen
Fr. Mathew P. Idicula
Easter Sunday
Wish you all a very Happy Easter
!!!
"He is
not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples.”
(Matthew 28: 6,7), Matthew 28:1-10
After forty days
in Lent and a week of sufferings Easter day is finally here. Today we are going to rejoice because our Lord Jesus Christ is
raised from the dead. Resurrection day is the most important day in the Christian religion. There is no Christianity without
the resurrection. Risen God is the witness of Christian faith. Without an empty tomb there is no faith and no God and there
is no salvation. Empty tomb is the witness of Christian faith.
Today’s
gospel reading is about the empty tomb. The story of the woman at the tomb is narrated by all the gospel writers. Today we
have heard Matthew’s story of the empty tomb. Those ladies, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were the first to receive
the news of the empty tomb; news of the Risen Christ. They were with him all the way. When all the so called faithful brave
men were disappeared these ladies stood by him everywhere. Knowing fully the consequences they had been there at the cross.
They had been there when He was laid in the tomb again they were there in the early hours of the morning.
And now they are receiving their reward; they were the first to receive the news
of the Risen Lord. They were the first in the world who were confronted with the joy of the empty tomb; joy of the Risen Lord.
For their faithfulness along with the joy they were also given great responsibilities. Let us examine them very briefly.
They were the first to be given the responsibility to believe. As we know these things
were beyond belief. Too good to be true yet they were given the great responsibility to believe. The angel reminds them of
the promise of Jesus, and confronted them with the empty tomb; his every word is a summons to believe. Yet it is a fact that
there are many who feel that the promises of Christ are too good to be true.
We know Peter denied him three times. Judas betrayed him. Thomas did not believe the resurrection until he
physically felt it. We did not see any of his close disciples with him in this difficult time. All of them were unfaithful.
They were all afraid and may be they did not even believe it. These ladies had been with him every where. They were also at
the tomb first. They were also the first to be given the responsibility to believe. Without them believing how can they convince
others?
How many times we come across this empty tomb
in our life? How many times our Lord had comforted us; consoled us? How many times we have seen the joy of the empty tomb?
Yet are we able to believe? When we had the opportunity and responsibility did we believe? These women had been given the
responsibility to believe because they were faithful in their mission? We must be faithful in our mission.
Secondly; they were given the responsibility to share. When
they themselves have discovered the fact of the risen Christ, their first duty is to proclaim it to all to share it with other.
“Go tell!” is the first command given to them by the angel of the Lord.
It was the responsibility of these ladies to share the good news of the Risen Lord. As Christians we are
given the responsibility in this world to share this good news of gospel. It is our duty to be His witness in Jerusalem, in
all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. The book of Acts tells us that the Church carries on the life of Christ.
We are given the responsibility to share as members of the body of Christ. We must examine ourselves. Are
we faithful in our mission?
Thirdly, they were urged
to rejoice. First they were given the responsibility to believe, then they were to share only then they were urged to rejoice.
The word the risen Christ met them was “rejoice”. The people who met the risen Lord must live for ever in the
joy of the presence of Him; they were urged to rejoice. Nothing in this world can part them from the risen Lord any more.
These women were faithful in their mission. They overcame all the challenges. They stood by him all the way in spite of all
their troubles. Now they have their reward. They were urged to rejoice.
After forty
days in lent in this final week of lent: We see different images of Christ.
On Palm Sunday, we saw a courageous Christ
entering Jerusalem in spite of all the troubles
waiting for him there. On Maundy Thursday, we saw a humble Christ washing the apostles’ feet, fully knowing that he
is the king of king. On Good Friday, we saw a crucified Christ suffering on behalf of us, taking our sorrows and pains so
that we will have eternal life. Today we have seen that empty tomb; the risen Christ triumphant against the powers of evil
and death and promise of eternal life beyond. Are you able to believe? Are you able to share and are you
able to rejoice like the women at the tomb?
Life in this world is in the midst of sufferings. Life in this world we will always
come across many Passion Weeks. In the midst of the gloom and doom of daily life, in the midst of unpredictability and uncertainty
of this world, in the midst of the dreams that faded and the hopes that drooped we will see this Passion Week. We are urged
to believe the good news, urged to share the good news and finally urged to rejoice in the good news of gospel.
While we are preparing for Easter day we must
also examine ourselves. What is Lenten season to us; how is resurrection related to our personal life? Is it merely a ritual
every year in our church or it is a reality in our life? Can we see within our hearts and mind that our Lord Jesus Christ
died for us and he is raised from the dead. Are we able to witness Christ in our personal life? Are you able to believe? Are
you able to share and are you able to rejoice like the women at the tomb?
God’s promise on this Easter day we heard from the book of prophet Ezekiel. A new heart and a new spirit
(Ezekiel 36:24-28) God promised to restore Israel not only physically; but also spiritually. God would give them a new heart
for following him and put his spirit within them to transform them and empower them to do his will.
The new covenant was promised to be fulfilled in Christ. No matter how impure our life is now God offers
us a fresh start. If we accept God’s promise, we can have our sins washed away, receive a new heart for God, and have
his spirit within us. This is a new start. May the Lord of the impossible awaken our faith.
May God bless you all. Amen.
Fr. Mathew P. Idicula.
