The Holy Family: A Model of Love, Unity, and Forgiveness

Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph: December 29, 2024

Readings: Sirach 3:2–6, 12–14; Psalm 128:1–5; Colossians 3:12–21; Luke 2:41–52

To listen to the audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/r1D9-exNZ7I

Pope Francis says that family is “where we learn to live with others despite our differences and to belong to one another.” As we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family, our first thoughts go to the blessed family of Nazareth: Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. This day is dedicated to the family in our liturgical calendar. Our families are called to be as holy as the family of the Nazareth. We are called to draw inspiration from this family of love, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another.

1. Life as Pilgrimage of Faith

The passage of Luke 2:41–52 recounts a profound moment in the life of Jesus and His family, offering us a glimpse into the divine mystery of His identity and mission. It is the only Gospel account of Jesus' youth, highlighting His wisdom and the tension between His earthly life and divine calling. Often we become restless and angry when our children grow and choose the path which may not be to our liking. We might be unconsciously trying to control them or we might be thinking that they are not capable of choosing their career path.

Christmas 2024: Gazing at the Innocence of the Child

Christmas 2024: December 25, 2024

Readings: Lk 2:1-14

What kind of newness could this Christmas 2024 bring to us?

Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ - painting at Infant Jesus Church, Ernakulam

Christmas is not for faint-hearted and hopeless people. Christmas is not meant for people who do not desire to see great things in their lives. Christmas is not for those who are unwilling to embrace change, flexibility, and openness to newness. Christmas is not meant for those who are fearful, diffident, lost in the little things that worry them, or lost in their smallness. Christmas is not meant for those, who have low self-confidence, are lazy and lack imagination. In other words, Christmas is for those who are courageous and hopeful people. Christmas is for those who desire to see great things in their lives. Christmas is for those who are looking for change, dynamism and openness to the greater things that happen in their lives. Christmas is for those who are confident, hardworking and who can imagine greater things in their own lives and the lives of those who are around them.

1. Unforeseen Circumstances in Jesus' Birth

As we celebrate Christmas, we imagine, the Child Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Angels, Shepherds, cows and goats around them. Not just human beings but even animals participate in Jesus's birth scene. It is something uncommon for a Jewish family to give birth to a child in a cowshed. But this is what actually happens in the life of Jesus. If the Roman Emperor's diktat of the census was not in place, Jesus would have had a normal home for his delivery. Mary and Joseph now find the right place of a manger where the cows have their food and become a place for Jesus to be born and sheltered in that inopportune place.

Advent: Standing at the Threshold for God's Arrival

04th Sunday of Advent: December 22, 2024

Readings: Micah 5:1–4; Psalm 80:2–3, 15–16, 18–19; Hebrews 10:5–10; Luke 1:39–45

To listen to the audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/ytZBkzchCv8

As we arrive at the Fourth Sunday of Advent, we stand at a sacred threshold. The purple candles of our Advent wreaths flicker with anticipation, and our hearts beat in rhythm with Mary's journey to Bethlehem. In these final moments before Christmas, we are invited to contemplate what it truly means to be a dwelling place for the Divine.

1. Wonder at the incomprehensible mystery of God

St. Gregory of Nyssa, that profound mystic of the early Church, once wrote: "Concepts create idols; only wonder comprehends anything." As we ponder the mystery of the Incarnation, these words take on special significance. In our modern world of instant gratification and digital distractions, we often try to reduce everything to easily digestible concepts. Yet the wonder of God becoming human defies all our attempts at neat categorization.

The Joy of Advent: Rejoice, for the Lord is Near

03rd Sunday of Advent: December 15, 2024

Readings: Zephaniah 3:14–18; Isaiah 12:2–6; Philippians 4:4–7; Luke 3:10–18

To listen to the audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here:  https://youtu.be/nJXTnHwTayE

The Third Sunday of Advent, often called Gaudete Sunday, calls us to rejoice. The readings today proclaim joy, hope, and a sense of eager anticipation for the coming of the Lord. As we live in a world marked by uncertainty, conflict, and deep longing for peace, these scriptures remind us to root our joy in God’s presence and His promises. Living with this trust enables us to radiate joy and hope, even amidst life’s uncertainties.  As we await the coming of Christ, we are called to live as people of hope, joy, and justice, bearing witness to His presence in our midst. As we heed John’s call, we prepare the way for Christ, not only in our hearts but in the lives of those around us. 

1. Preparing the Way with Actions

We see in Luke 3:10–18, John the Baptist’s call to repentance is direct, clear, explicit and practical. He exhorts the crowds to live out their faith by sharing with the poor, practicing honesty, and avoiding exploitation. In a world plagued by inequality and corruption, John’s call is a summons to solidarity. To the wealthy, he says, “Give.” To those in positions of power, he says, “Do not abuse.” These words demand action. As St. Augustine writes: "True repentance is not just in words but in the reformation of life. What good is it to say, 'Prepare the way of the Lord,' if we do not walk the path ourselves?"

Advent - God's Action in Human History

02nd Sunday of Advent: December 08, 2024

Readings: Baruch 5:1–9; Psalm 126:1–6; Philippians 1:4–6, 8–11; Luke 3:1–6

To listen to the audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/Rz1D-EoMgpQ

The liturgical readings for the Second Sunday of Advent invite us to contemplate the historical and salvific reality of the Incarnation, as God enters human history in the person of Jesus Christ. It is a profound reality of God's intervention in human history. Hence we must understand the mystery of salvation from the historical context. By doing so, we might be able to deepen our relationship with God thus we celebrate Christmas in a meaningful way. Advent is a season of waiting, but it is also a season of remembering: the God who once entered history as the Word made flesh continues to shape our lives today.

1. Salvation Rooted in History

Luke’s Gospel situates John the Baptist’s ministry within a detailed historical framework: the reign of Tiberius Caesar, the governance of Pontius Pilate, and the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas. These specifics emphasize that the story of salvation is not an abstract idea but a real event within human history. This historical grounding is crucial because it reminds us that God's salvation is tangible and accessible. John’s call to “prepare the way of the Lord” resonates today, inviting us to recognize how Christ continues to meet us in the reality of our own lives and circumstances.