Most of the cultures or traditions have definite ways of educating their people. For example, in ancient India, there were sages or gurus who mastered a certain kind of ability to give spiritual counsel to the seekers. Russian history boasts about Starets or elders who have reached a stage where people run to them seeking spiritual advice.
The feast of Epiphany that we celebrate today symbolizes God’s public manifestation in a concrete way to the three wise men of the East. They have become known most commonly as Balthasar, Melchior, and Gaspar. The child that was born on Christmas is revealed to be the long-awaited king of the Jews. Most of the Orthodox Christians including our Byzantine rite Catholics celebrate Christmas today (Jan. 07th) as the manifestation of the Lord for humanity. So if you meet any Orthodox Christians today or tomorrow you can wish them happy Christmas. There is a discrepancy between the Julian and Gregorian calendars of 13 days.
Simeon, the man of God, who was a righteous and devout man prophesized about the baby Jesus: “Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel” (Lk 2:34). In the same temple there was also a prophetess, Anna, who was eighty-four years old, also knew who this baby Jesus going to be. It is very essential to note right here that the role of the prophet was not assigned only to men but also to women. I have seen often the neighbours or relatives who come to see the new baby express their feelings towards the lowly child with joy. They say the child looks like its mother or father; it has beautiful eyes, nice cheeks and so on. I have also heard people say about the child and what it may become; just like its father or mother or someone else. In a similar way, both Simeon and Anna incidentally prophesize about this newborn child in a temple in Bethlehem.
As we sing this beautiful popular Christmas hymn on this day, we must raise our hearts and minds in praising the Lord for this wonderful feast that we celebrate, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. This feast which is so familiar and so dear to us in this special year of suffering should not dampen our hearts and spirits in rejoicing. Because Jesus came into this world when things were not so good to the Israelites. People lived under Roman rule, social and religious problems made the life of ordinary people difficult and dangerous. Those who were haves had too much and those who had too little survived with minimum things. Perhaps we are living in such precarious conditions today as we celebrate this Christmas.
“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God" (Luke 1:30). Perhaps we would like to hear again and again these beautiful words of angel Gabriel addressed to a young virgin of Nazareth. They are so much comforting, soothing, fulfilling, encouraging and energising. We need these words as we end this calendar year with so much anxiety and uncertainty. For our good fortune, we have tremendously encouraging words on this Fourth Sunday of Advent. As we inch closer to celebrate the birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ, certainly God has something very concrete to say to us. Our God is full of hope and courage. In Him and through Him we can do anything to find a future of certainty and unambiguity. God in our midst is like a rock; for He is our salvation and strength. “Rejoice, you who enjoy God’s favour! The Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28) must ring in our ears as we put our trust in Him. Perhaps with the things of this world, we can get caught up in the busyness of our lives, or so overwhelmed by all that is going on around us. As a result sometimes it can be so hard to find joy or recognise God's favour. It is easy to feel like we have been abandoned. We can question where God is in the world today. Therefore, sometimes we need to stop, and take the time to look around, we can spot the little things that remind us that God is with us and filling our empty selves with so many favours too.
We are in the middle of the Season of Advent. The liturgy of this Sunday invites us to rejoice. Therefore, the third Sunday of Advent is traditionally called the Gaudete Sunday. In Latin, Gaudete means "to rejoice." Just like Lent, Advent is also a time to practice some sort of mortification and penance. Even though this kind of penitential elements might not be practised in Latin Rite Catholic Church but is very much prevalent in Byzantine Rite Churches (in Slavic countries like Russia, Ukraine, etc.) where people abstain from taking meat and other diary products. In the midst of such a dry and penitential atmosphere Gaudete Sunday or the Rejoice Sunday brings a little reprieve, a note of anticipated delight in the mid-way of Advent. Hence, the readings of this Sunday brighten us up especially Prophet Isaiah and St Paul amply describe the theme of joy in a very vibrant way asking people to rejoice because "God has clothed us with garments of salvation" (Is 61:2). We can rejoice because our Messiah did come. God kept – and continues to keep – promises. Rejoice!
On the 03rd of December every year, the Catholic Church commemorates the memory of Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552), one of the most illustrious missionaries of the second millennium. No sea was dangerous for him, no nationalities were foreign to him, no language was a barrier for him, in fact, Jesus Christ was his compass, boats were his vehicles which carried him from Rome to Lisbon to Goa - India, to Moluccas - Indonesia, to Yamaguchi -Japan and finally to Sancian - China. All this Xavier did in the 16th century, that too, in just 11 years from 1541 to1552. In his 10 years of life in Asia as the first Jesuit provincial of Goa he did the unimaginable work by planting the seeds of Christianity in so many parts. Here is a short description on his life and work.
It is Advent. We sing ‘O Come O Come Emmanuel.’Today, the first Sunday of Advent, marks the beginning of the Church’s annual cycle of prayer. With this we start the countdown to Christmas. On this day we undertake our liturgical journey towards Bethlehem where Christ was born 2000 years ago. It's the time to prepare to celebrate Christ's birth. When we prepare something for the future, we await with hope and expectation and here, it is for the Christ who is to come. God visits us in the person of Jesus Christ. “Oh that you would tear open the heavens and come down,” the prophet Isaiah (64:1) exults in today’s First Reading. God is looking down upon the humanity from the heavens because He has heard the anguished voice of Israel. Therefore God is coming down to us, to our level to save and shepherd His people.
