Saint Peter: Pillar of Faith and Action

Statue of St Peter at the Piazza San Pietro, Vatican

The Month of June is liturgically rich one. On the 29th of June, the Catholic Church celebrates the solemnities of two important saints of the Church - St Peter and St Paul. According to St John Henry Newman their shared feast reflects the importance of organic development. Both the saints founded the churches and built the emerging communities of disciples incorporating the creative tension between tradition and creativity, dogma and praxis. In this blog post, I would like to concentrate on St Peter and in the next one on St Paul and do a bit of comparison. As Luke's Acts of the Apostles suggests both Peter and Paul are the central figures in the expansion of the church from Jerusalem into the Mediterranean world in spite of their flawed characters.

Jesus chose Simon Peter specifically to lead his Church, and at first glance this would seem an odd choice. Even though he may not appear to be our first choice but for Jesus he was his beloved, worthy and right choice. Jesus works out a strategy through Peter to continue the mission right up to our times through his successors. Being ever impulsive, ever withdrawing from his initial commitment, Peter could be compared to a candle in the wind. However, inflaming with the Spirit, Jesus, before and after his resurrection, makes Peter fisher of men. 

Saint John the Baptist: A Prophet and more than a Prophet

Even though our Church celebrates in the month of June the feasts of St Justin the martyr, St Boniface, St Barnabas, St Anthony of Padua, St Aloysius Gonzaga, Sts Thomas More, John Fisher and other English saints, St Cyril of Alexandria, Sts Peter and Paul, among them St John the Baptist stands out as a man of great boldness and veracity. He is a prophet with difference.  He is one of the major figures of our Church whose feast we celebrate with solemnity not once but twice. First being his birthday on the 24th June another being his beheading on the 29th of August.

However, there are a number of lessons that we can draw from him.

The Virgin and Child with St John the
Baptist by Sandro Botticelli probably
about 1482-98

John the Baptist – the John the Baptizer. John was a figure of transition, precursor of the Lord “the caesura between the Period of Israel and the Period of Jesus.” He belongs to both: to the Period of Israel by circumcision and incorporation into the Israel of God; to the Period of Jesus because he inaugurates the age when salvation was to be accomplished.  John’s whole life, John’s short life, was spent going before Jesus to prepare his ways. 

Gabriel had told Zechariah to give his promised son the name John (Lk 1:13). An appropriate name, for in Hebrew it means “Yahweh is gracious.” This child would “filled with the Holy Sprit, even from his mother’s womb,” would become an ascetic of Israel, would walk “in the power and spirit of Elijah,” would turn many Israelites to their Lord. (1: 15-17)

Sacred Heart of Jesus: Make Our Hearts unto Yours

                     Original painting on Sacred Heart of Jesus with Saint Ignatius of Loyola and Saint Louis Gonzaga, circa 1770, José de Páez, Mexico, 1727-1790

I

Devotion from our Christian Tradition
Heart is the seat of emotions. The devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus which was encouraged by the mediaeval mystics and promoted by St Gertrude, St Margaret Mary Alacoque, St John Eudes, St Claude de la Colombiere and others, represents a devotion to Jesus in his human nature. In recent times,  Jesuit theologian Father Karl Rahner and the Servant of God Father Pedro Arrupe had keen devotions to the Heart of Jesus. Moreover, they promoted the devotion to the Heart of Jesus post World War II  and post Vatican II through their roles as theologian and Superior General of the Jesuits.  All these people call out for us to reconcile our life with that of the Lord’s promises.  It is a symbol of God's perfect love for all humanity, which is part of the mystical tradition of the spiritual theology in our Christian Tradition. Even though the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus suffered cardiac arrest in recent decades still it is relevant and important to pump fresh life into our spiritual and mystical life. 

The Sacred Heart was a powerful devotion that combated against the French Revolution, Communism and threats to family life. Pope Pius IX made it a feast of the universal church in 1856, and Pope Leo XIII consecrated the entire world to the Sacred Heart in 1899. The devotion reached its peak in Pius XII’s 1956 encyclical Haurietis Aquas (You Shall Draw Waters), which placed God’s passionate love for humanity at its center.

Corpus Christi: Cosmic Christ is All in All - Living and Sharing

The Solemnity of Corpus Christi: Readings - Deuteronomy 8:2–3, 14–16; Psalm 147:12–15, 19–20; 1 Corinthians 10:16–17; John 6:51–58

The Disputation of the Blessed Sacrament, by Raphael (1583-1620)

I

Human body as vulnerable, communicable and sacramental

The feast of the Corpus Christi enshrines our devotion to the Holy Eucharist. The feast of the Body and Blood of Christ manifests our personal experience of that God-Man who gave himself to us wholly and totally. Moreover, it is the same Lord who gave us a reason to remember and celebrate that holy mystery of his life, passion, death and resurrection. Without the Eucharist, we have no Jesus; without the body and blood of Christ there is no Holy Eucharist. Therefore the feast of the Corpus Christi brings us one with him as a global Catholic Community. Our human bodies struggle with life and death. Nonetheless, God embraced the human body to bring salvation, thus became flesh and lived among us. Interestingly, God chose human vulnerability of the body as way of communing with us, communicating with us and finally that same body He gave us sacramentally that we integrate with him completely. By consuming Jesus who spoke words of Spirit and life, the words of eternal life, we too might inhale them. (John 6:63, 67).

Blessed Trinity Labouring in Us with Love

The Most Holy Trinity Sunday - Readings: Exodus 34:4–6, 8–9; Daniel 3:52–56; 2 Corinthians 13:11–13;  John 3:16–18

(The vision of St Ignatius of Loyola of the Blessed Trinity at La Storta, Rome, painting by Arul Anthony, SJ, 2018)

Holy Trinity is our God

The God whom we Christians worship is Holy Trinity. When I say that I pray to God means I am praying to the Blessed Trinity. When I say that I am praying to Jesus means I am praying to the Blessed Trinity. When I tell others that I am praying to the Holy Spirit, that means I am praying to the Blessed Trinity. The question of the Most Holy Trinity intrigues all of us because of the composition of this word "Trinity" itself: Three in One and One in Three. By virtue of its very difficult and complex composition often we find hard to grapple with this mystery. Fortunately, God is a mystery and not a puzzle or myth. Our scriptures give us ample evidences to tell us who that Triune God is. Jesus in the Gospel of St John speaks at length on God the Father and Holy Spirit. Jesus also speaks about his relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit (John, Ch 14 -16). The very moment of his Baptism at river Jordan we see the Holy Spirit resting on Jesus in a form of dove and the voice of the Father from heaven speaking, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased” (Mt 3:17).  Even  though intricacies are involved in understanding the concept of the Holy Trinity, however down the ages Christian faithful have grappled with this holy mystery. Moreover, it is the Holy Spirit who has helped in understanding the Triune God (Rom 8:26; 2 Cor 2:14). 

Come, Holy Spirit and Renew the Face of the Earth!

Pentecost Sunday: Readings - Acts 2:1–11; Psalm 104:1, 24, 29–31, 34; 1 Corinthians 12:3–7, 12–13; John 20:19–23

(Pentecost, Juan Bautista Maíno created between 1615-1620)

The Meaning of "Spirit"

One of the names referring to God is the "Holy Spirit." God is three in one - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is not a myth but a mystery. St Paul would say to us that the Holy Spirit makes us to call God as  Abba. "And because you are sons/daughters, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” (Gal 4:6). Therefore, there is an external divine support in us which makes us children of God. Both in Hebrew ruach and Greek pneuma the words for "spirit" are the same as the words for "breath" and "wind." In fact in English word "spirit" comes from Latin meaning "breath". For example, "the spirit left him" or "he breathed his last".  "Inspiration" and "respiration" have the same root. There is interconnectedness between breath and active life. When a person’s body stops breathing, it also becomes inactive and dies. Breath is the outward manifestation of activity and life. There is intimate connection between breath and active life.

Ascension: Go and be Jesus to All

The Ascension of the Lord: Readings - Acts 1:1–11; Psalm 47:2–3, 6–7, 8–9; Ephesians 1:17–23; Matthew 28:16–20

Ascension of Jesus, by John Singleton Copley.

On this Ascension Sunday, the Church commemorates an important event among the Easter narratives that is of Jesus being taken up into heaven. At the first instance this event tells us that the story of the empty tomb does not end with Jesus' appearances to his apostles and close friends and relatives. Jesus now meets his dear one's in a community. Secondly, Jesus is taken up when they were together and from their midst he is taken up into heaven, to the place which belongs to him permanently. He ascends to His Father and our Father. Therefore there is a community dimension to this feast of Ascension of the Lord. As someone said, that the Resurrection, like the Ascension, is into Heaven, or to put it boldly the meaning of the Ascension is to show us that the Resurrection is into Heaven. All the Easter narratives are fascinating, challenging and intriguing. Because of their nature, character and description. 

Presence of the Holy Spirit in the physical absence of Jesus

Ascension of our Lord is a precursor to the anointing by the Holy Spirit.  “In a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:5), says St Luke.  Without the Ascension the Holy Spirit will not come down upon the apostles and later on to us as well. One leads the other.  Two things happen here. Firstly, in order to live that divine life we must receive the Holy Spirit. Secondly, we will receive the Holy Spirit provided we are purified by the Baptism. Jesus says,  "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Mt 28:19).  The scriptures tell us how the Ascension took place in Jerusalem. Both St Luke in the Acts of Apostles and St Matthew in his gospel tell us. But it's very difficult to grasp what this Ascension is all about.  I would say this way: Until the ascension Jesus appeared to the disciples both human and divine form. However, after his Ascension, Jesus is no more seen as human. In other words, Jesus does not appear to anyone as a human person. Interestingly,  the Gospel discourses on Easter narratives tell us that Resurrected Jesus is there and not there. Take for example: Jesus appearing to Mary of Magdeline. She recognises him first as gardener and then Rabbouni, Teacher (John 20:11-18). For the disciples of Emmaus Jesus appears to them as fellow walking companion, then interpreter of scriptures and finally as priest, while breaking of the bread (Luke 24:13-35). Jesus appears to his disciples while fishing as a man who knew very good fishing, stranger, then as a cook and finally their master (John 21: 1-14).  Resurrected Jesus appeared also to his disciples when they were together in a room  as a ghost, then hungry man, finally as their master. (Lk 24:36-48).

Ascension of Jesus becomes all in all
Ascension of Jesus tells us very poignantly that once he is taken up, Jesus become all in all. His divinity is manifested completely, wholly and fully. Jesus is no more in human form here. During the apparitions of the resurrected Jesus the space of his manifestation was limited especially in and around Jerusalem and Galilee. Jesus' movements and presentation happens only in limited places. Between the resurrection and the Ascension, Jesus appears to specific people at specific places and times. Now, with the Ascension, Jesus becomes present to all in a profound and deeper way. With the ascension of Jesus he becomes completely accessible to everyone and anywhere. There is no more constrains of space and time. He is beyond any sort of limitations that the human mind can think of. In the words of St Paul to the Colossians, "Christ is all and in all" (Col 3:11). The Ascension reminds us of our trinitarian baptism, an acknowledgment of God above (Father), with us and by our side (Son) and within us (Holy Spirit).

Jesus goes high and becomes visible to all. 
"They were still staring into the sky when suddenly two in white were standing near them..." (Acts 1:10). The disciples were always accompanied even when their master Jesus was taken up very high. Always comfort is given when you look for it. Grace is handed down to you when you seek it.  Interestingly, until Jesus was taken up into heaven he was visible only to select number of people and territorial boundaries were restricted. However, with the ascension, we see the more Jesus goes high, he becomes visible to all by breaching the territorial boundaries. This happens that he might share in the life of God fully, and so that in him, we too could share the life of God. In our life too, the more far we are from our loved one's with physical distance often they become close to us!

Farewell brings out deepest emotions and the memory is solid and lasting.
Jesus spends precious moments with his close one's for the last moment before he would be taken up. In Acts of the Apostles, Luke mentions of Jerusalem but in gospel he mentions about Bethany, where as for Matthew on a mountain in Galilee, for Mark not on a particular place. Mountain is a place of revelation, a place of meeting God. Jesus often prayed on the mountains whether it is Mount Tabor or Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives (Matthew 14:23, Mark 6:46, Luke 6:12, John 6:15). In fact, Jesus calling his disciples on the mountain means he is calling us to experience something different, someone who is divine. He is calling us to go up and choose higher things. These last moments are very precious to them because they would carry his message to the ends of the earth. Even we when we bid farewell to someone who is close to us, we become emotional and sad. We remember after sometime how the person bid farewell to us. Usually, we remember the first and last memories  of meeting very vivid and become attached to us!

Go and be Jesus to all.
The event of Ascension is not an end in itself. But a new start. The risen life is not only without the misery and pain, without sickness and death but of peace, joy and truth, with a new entirety. In other words, with resurrection and ascension of Jesus tell us to start with a new beginning not just an “afterlife” but a real life, which would be greater and more intense and more joyful life than we have ever lived here on earth.  It is a new creation; a new beginning. Jesus gives a new mission of preaching the good news to all and to the ends of earth. In other words, to be Jesus to all. To imitate his words and actions not only in one's life but also in the lives of others.

- Olvin Veigas, SJ
24 May 2020

Fr Adolfo Nicolás, SJ: A Man of Wit and Wisdom - A Tribute

Fr Adolfo Nicolás in Novosibirsk in 2010, photo by Don Doll, SJ

There are a few individuals who leave a mark in your life or in your institution. Fr Adolfo Nicolás, S. J., (1936-2020), is one of them. He was the 30th Superior General of the Society of Jesus from 2008 to 2016. His eight years at the helm of affairs of the Jesuit Order was marked with significant events in its history. Under Adolfo's Generalate we saw a first Jesuit Pope.  No one thought that a Jesuit would become a Pope. In its more than 480 years of history, no Jesuit had become a Pope. Unfortunately, until Jorge Mario Bergoglio became the Pope in 2013, many of our Jesuit brothers were either censored by the CDF or were under its scanner.  Adolfo handled this new situation in the Church and in the Society of Jesus very well by keeping a close contact with the Pope and welcoming him to the Jesuit curia a number of times.

The first time that I met Fr Adolfo was in Novosibirsk, Russia at our Russian Region's assembly in 2010. After the terrible killing of two of our Jesuits in Moscow in 2008, Adolfo was with us to encourage and strengthen us in our resolve to continue the work of God. I was his translator (Russian to English to Russian) for few sessions and other informal gatherings. He was very gentle and calm in every way, moreover he had a great sense of humour and wit. Few of us would spend more time with him at the breakfast table.

As translator for Fr Adolfo in Novosibirsk in 2010

I saw often  Fr Adolfo in 2015 at the Jesuit Curia and at the Canisio infirmary in Rome, while I was recovering from a serious health bout. One day at the garden party of the Canisio we were on the same table and he had a piece of advice for me on my health. He lamented that often we Jesuits do not take care of our health. Anyway, he wished me well. In fact, both of us would crisscross at the infirmary room of the Canisio as he too was undergoing some medical treatment.

I saw in Fr Adolfo a man of clarity and vision. He was a man of character, indeed. During his tenure as Superior General we saw all his letters were short and to the point. He even said that nobody likes to read long letters today. He used a lot of images and metaphors in his expressions. Perhaps his life in Asia must have had an impact on his thought processing. He said to us that we Jesuits should be like a giraffe. Fascinatingly this animal has a large heart. Because giraffe has a long neck it needs a large heart as well. Moreover, this unusual creation of God has a long neck. Thus, it can reach very high. So too we should be like.

Fr Adolfo often quoted the words of Jesus, Jn 14:6, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life". Adolfo said, Europe has the truth, Asia has a way and Africa has life. Therefore, as Jesuits we need to integrate all these three things in our faith and practice, mission and collaboration.

The often quoted words of Fr Adolfo were, we as Jesuits need to be men of prayer, depth (both spiritual and intellectual, go deep into the issues and deep into discernment ) and creativity. He repeated this idea in many of the Jesuit gatherings around the world.  He also said that there are three kinds of Jesuits, extra ordinary men, mediocre and sick Jesuits. He called us to be available and ready to go for missions. Himself being a missionary in Japan and Philippines, Fr Adolfo had grasped the sense of interculturality and interconnectedness very well. This came out when he spoke or wrote. Talking about our Jesuit life he used a beautiful imagery, when a tree falls it makes more noise than other 100 trees standing.

Fr Nicolás was a very humble man. He said among Jesuits we must address each other "tu" you (singular). The sense of equality and brotherliness that we need to practice was indeed a big step Fr Adolfo took as Superior General. Therefore, he didn't like the so called "protocols". He was very much on online education and he himself enrolled into a few courses. There was no age bar or a position to stop one from learning something new.

Fr Adlolfo believed that the Spiritual Exercises should transform us. Therefore, he called us to be in silence. He thought often we are distracted people, overloaded with too many or multiple activities.  His often quoted phrase “globalization of superficiality” should not influence us. Therefore only through silence we can enter deeper into the issues of the day and address them adequately.

Fascinatingly, this following little prayer that Fr Adolfo wrote in 2011 after an eight-day retreat with General Council summarises the kind of person he was and his spirituality. It is a prayer , which arose from the personal meditation of Father Nicolás on the miraculous catch of fish narrated by Saint John in chapter 21.

Lord Jesus,

What weaknesses did you see in us that made you decide to call us, in spite of everything, to collaborate in your mission?

We give you thanks for having called us, and we beg you not to forget your promise to be with us to the end of time.

Frequently we are invaded by the feeling of having worked all night in vain, forgetting, perhaps, that you are with us.

We ask that you make yourself present in our lives and in our work, today, tomorrow, and in the future yet to come.

Fill with your love these lives of ours, which we put at your service.

Take from our hearts the egoism of thinking about what is “ours,” what is “mine”, always excluding, lacking compassion and joy.

Enlighten our minds and our hearts, and do not forget to make us smile when things do not go as we wished.

At the end of the day, of each one of our days, make us feel more united with you and better able to perceive and discover around us greater joy and greater hope.

We ask all this from our reality. We are weak and sinful men, but we are your friends. Amen.

For more information on Fr Adolfo Nicolás please click here,

- Olvin Veigas, SJ

21 May 2020

Jesus is the Safest Way

Fifth Sunday of Easter (A) Readings: Acts 6:1–7; Psalm 33:1–2, 4–5, 18–19; 1 Peter 2:4–9;  John 14:1–12

(Heaven’s Protection by Henry John Stock, ca. 1896.)

Listen to my audio homily

The scriptural readings in today's liturgy are full of wisdom. They are timely during this time of Covid distress.

I

Fix your problems at the earliest. The first reading from the Acts of Apostles 6:1–7 speaks about how the first Christian community is making in roads in those places and people who were not part of Jewish tradition. When the Word of God enters into a new culture the differences become very vivid. We see the Christianity taking roots in the Hellenistic culture, among the Greeks.  The Greek lands accept Jesus as their saviour. The meeting between Greek and Hebrew culture leads to some sort of differences, deceptions and divisions. Greeks feel that their widows are being neglected in the daily distribution of food. Even though it might not be a big problem to such a growing and enthusiastic, vibrant and intellectual community the apostles make a note of it and take a quick decision to fix this problem. Moreover, they select "seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and wisdom" as deacons. In other words, these men would look into daily running of the services of the community, e.g. distribution of food. When a problem or an issue arises in a Christian community or in an institution, there should be a quick decision to solve it. Thus harmony and peace is established.

II

Jesus is the safest way and there are no short cuts. The Gospel reading from St John 14:1–12 is central in Jesus' preaching ministry. Jesus communicates to his disciples who have a number of questions which are close to their heart.  Jesus answers the questions of Thomas and Philip from his heart. They are very intimate and leaves them in no perplexity. In all its certainty, Jesus tells his disciples that he is "the way, the truth and the life (Jn 14.6). He is the safest way to the Father in heaven. There are no short cuts in life moreover in our spiritual life. Hence our way to God is often, a narrow way. The way is open to everyone. Are you ready to follow that way?

III

In Jesus is our true and authentic identity. Through this Gospel passage, John the Evangelist brings home the true and clear identity of Jesus. When you know things are clear then you may follow boldly. Jesus has a great confident in his disciples because they know his voice. They have travelled with him in his public ministry. They have heard him preach, pray, teach, heal, touch, raise the dead, condemn the wicked, speak for God in every moment of his life. Jesus could communicate with his disciples very personal things of him because he had a great trust in them. You cannot speak something very personal or intimate with someone who is a stranger, enemy or not trustworthy. Even in our daily life all our mundane things that we do depends on the confidence and trust in the other, including business, health care system, etc.

IV

Jesus is the answer to our existential questions. By answering the queries of his disciples, Jesus is answering some existential questions of our life. The existential questions deal with life, here and now and afterwards. As intellectual beings we cannot run away from the questions that we have. They may come to us at any moment or anytime of our life. Who am I? Where am I going? What will happen after my death? etc., all  are part of our inquisitiveness which are real questions. In other words, these questions are about our life, about truth of our life. We cannot get truth from history books or science books. We get narration or opinion from such books. If history is written by the conquerers then scientific inquiries are done by a mind which in finite, limited and incomplete beings. Therefore, a theory like geocentric to the heliocentric and now the relativity, as the years passed we have moved from one to the other. Probably even the theory of relativity will be replaced with some other better theory in the future. With Jesus no other theories on God have replaced. Because Jesus is the truth. Jesus and God the Father are one.

V

The voice of Jesus is an authentic one, a real one. We are living in a world of fake news, hoax news. Telling lies have become order of the day from the Prime Minister to a peon. To be loud means to be lying. Unfortunately, same lie is repeated in our television/radio news channels, news papers, social media, twitter, facebook, and everywhere. Aa a result we too are becoming part of this conundrum. During this time of Covid turbulence, we are called to remain intentional, truthful, graceful and hopeful. In this time of helplessness, we should be hopeful; too many myths are being created. So that people can climb the ladder of power. It may be either in political and  secular life and even in religious and ecclesial life. Looking at Jesus we need to stop belly gazing attitude in our personal and social life. Just as the scriptures call us to be the imitators of God, so too, in our life we have to become Alter Christus, Another Christ.

VI

Let not your hearts be troubled. In John 14:1, Jesus said to his disciples "Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me." Heart is the center of our being. Jesus speaks corde et corde, heart to heart. In the theology of the Fathers of the Church and especially St Maximus the Confessor notes that heart is the innermost core of our being; it is the root of our existence; the place where we are most ourselves. Therefore, the human person is microcosmos. In our ordinary langauge we have many expressions connected with the heart. We often describe people in terms of their hearts; people can be cold-hearted, hard-hearted, warm-hearted, great-hearted or half-hearted, stone hearted, pig hearted, etc!

What Jesus says here about heart is not in biological or physiological sense but in symbolic sense. The heart that Jesus refers is something that is whole, that connects and combines both temporal and eternal at once once and always.  Follow your heart means follow your conscience. In the First book of Samuel, we are told that ‘Man looks on appearances, but the Lord looks to the heart.’ (1 Sam 16,7)   The penetrating gaze of God cuts through the deceitful defences that we build around us and our heart. The Book of Proverbs puts it straightaway: ‘My son give me your heart and let your eyes delight in my ways.’ (Prov. 4:30)

During this time of different kind, we will have to develop more of God consciousness. The kind of assurance that Jesus is trying to instil in the lives of his disciples should be ours too. They were worried because their master began to speak of his departure from their midst very soon. In fact, we can learn from our Lord Jesus to fix our gaze on that right way, real truth and eternal life while we walk in turbulent waters of our fears, darkness and anxieties.  

- Olvin Veigas, SJ

10th May 2020