St Ignatius of Loyola: A Charming Soul in Contemplation of God

(Mosaic on the experience of St Ignatius of Loyola at the river Cardoner by Fr Marko Rupnik, SJ)

To listen to my audio reflections please click here 

Having learnt to pray in the manner of St Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), a gift to his followers, I am fascinated by the mystic saint as I try to follow him by being a member of his Order. As the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of St Ignatius of Loyola, on 31st July, which happens to be his 465th birthday into heaven, the pilgrim saint continues to inspire. I would like to place before you a few of my personal reflections in this context. 

1. Ignatius of Loyola: A man who saw all things new in Christ

Being a man of Renaissance St Ignatius of Loyola inculcated a culture that could embrace everything with passion and zeal. His experience at the sickbed did not make him lifeless or disillusioned instead he saw newness in life. It was pilgrims' way - living in "loving awe." By reading the "Life of Christ" of Ludolf of Saxony and the "Flowers of the Saints," Ignatius turned to things which, were earlier uninteresting but now engaging and special. His curiosity brought him to a new world of ideas and projects. He begins to think seriously that life is precious and valuable only if he lives such a one as those saints like St Dominic or St Francis of Assisi. This new change in his pattern of thought opens to enter into action by embracing the new reality. Even the shattered leg does not deter him from walking the unimaginable miles as well as distant paths. He walks and moves around that he did never before. Perhaps when you are broken your very brokenness puts together to walk more. Ignatius walks but with others now.

From the Fullness Flows Fullness

 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time: 25 July 2021

Readings: 2 Kings 4:42-44; Psalm 145:10-11, 15-16, 17-18; Ephesians 4:1-6;  John 6:1-15

Picture courtesy: Jean-Marc Arakelian

To listen to my audio reflections please click here 

1. Jesus, a prophet of abundance

When you pronounce the word "abundance" already you feel something positive and your mind begins to relax. Jesus was a man of abundance and from him flowed everything in abundance. The liturgical readings for this Sunday give us how both Elisha, the prophet and Jesus, the Son of God, performed major miracles of their lives. Such public performances changed the outlook of the persons completely. The last sentence in today's Gospel reading says it all: “This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world” (John 6:14) Jesus was a prophet of different kind and nature. Fullness flowed from him so easily that people recognized him, who he really is. Another sentence at the beginning of the narration of today's miracle sums up very clearly what kind of impression Jesus made in the public: "When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him" (John 6:5). 

Leading Rightly the Flock of God

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time: 18 July 2021

Readings: Jeremiah 23:1-6; Psalm 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6: Ephesians 2:13-18; Mark 6:30-34

(Picture courtesy: Jean-Marc Arakelian)

To listen to my audio reflections please click here 

The running theme in all the readings for this Sunday is "shepherding" or "leading." In Christian faith life the word "shepherd" is not only captivating imagery but also a meaningful metaphor. We may not have sheep or goats in our farms but certainly, we do own cows and many of our families make living by this livestock. When we take care of our cows well by providing good fodder and other necessary things for their well-being, they too in turn make our living possible.

1. God decides our destiny and not the leaders

Perhaps, we should use in our context the word "leader" instead of "shepherd." In the Old Testament, another title for prophets and kings is the shepherd. What good shepherds do? Basically, they take care of the sheep with utmost interest and strength. Prophet Jeremiah is upset with those who were called to take care of the people of God. Instead of being good and caring, the leaders have become corrupt, unjust and wicked. The leaders of Israel have been godless and fanciful in their teachings and misled and scattered God's people. Prophet Jeremiah says: "Their course is evil, and their might is not right. Both prophet and priest are ungodly; even in my house I have found their wickedness" (Jer 23:10-11). These strong words of the prophet tell us how ugly the situation of those who were supposed to take care of. The prophets and leaders of the time of Jeremiah were no better than what we have today in our country. 

Driving out Demons of our Lives and of this World

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time: 11 June 2021

Readings: Amos 7:12-15; Psalm 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14; Ephesians 1:3-14; Mark 6:7-13 

(Picture courtesy: Jean-Marc Arakelian)

To listen to my audio reflections please click here 

This week has been quite intense for us Jesuits as we lost one of our own in very sad settings. That is Fr Stan Swamy, SJ (1937-2021), a Jesuit for 64 years, a priest for 51 years in police custody (custodial death) in Mumbai, the financial capital of India. None of us would like to die in police custody at such a ripe age of 84 years after working for a cause which certainly a work inspired by the Spirit of God. In India, anything can happen. Fr Stan Swamy did not die in a concentration camp of the Nazies or in the gulag of the Soviet Union. Fr Stan died in the so-called free democratic India under a failed judicial system. Because Fr Stan was hounded like a demon by the legislative, executive and judiciary of India which unfortunately are drinking from the same cup of majoritarianism, manipulation and being blinded by the truth.

1. Following means getting involved

The gospel reading of today should be read from this perspective and keeping in mind what is going on in our country.  Jesus sends his 12 disciples on a mission of preaching, teaching and healing (Mark 6:7-13). The disciples were given a particular and specific task. A task hitherto Jesus himself was doing; a kind of mission experiment to his close followers. Their tasks brought good results: "So they went out and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them." (Mark 6:12-13). 

Divinely Strong though Humanly Weak

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time: 4 June 2021

Readings: Ezekiel 2:2-5; Psalm 123:1-2, 2, 3-4; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; Mark 6:1-6

(Picture courtesy: Jean-Marc Arakelian)

To listen to my audio reflections please click here

1. Seeing the ordinary in an extraordinary way

Often when we are too much engrossed with the ordinariness of everyday life, we fail to see extraordinariness in such things. One of the beautiful particularities that we can notice in the lives of saints and mystics is that they saw or did ordinary things in an extraordinary way. Jesus and other prophets belong to this category. Unfortunately, they are not recognized in their lifetime for being who they were and what they did. 

God is more Powerful than the Virus or Death

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time: 27 June 2021 

Readings: Wisdom 1:13-15, 2:23-24; Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 11-13; 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15; Mark 5:21-24, 35-43

Raising Jairus’s Daughter

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1. Breathing a new life in a world of fear

There are two phrases in today's Gospel Mark 5:21-24, 35-43 which sound like as if Jesus is addressing to each one of us. As we still grapple with the reality of uncertainty of tomorrow in the present context of Covid Pandemic, the words of Jesus must ripple in our ears again and again:  Firstly, “do not be afraid; just have faith.” and secondly, “Get up!” – “Talitha kum!” The first one is addressed to the synagogue official and the second one to the little girl of twelve years old who had breathed her last. If the first one rekindles new hope in the life of a synagogue official then the second one breathes new life into what must have seemed like a hopeless situation - the death of a little child. Both the words and the action especially taking the hand of the child and infusing in her life in themselves are truly motivating factors in our today's context. In fact, the evangelist Mark is recounting an event that led the disciples to understand Jesus’ authority and power over even the final enemy, death.

Be not be Afraid - God is with us

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time: 20th June 2021

Readings: Job 38:1, 8-11; Psalm 107:23-26, 28-31; 2 Corinthians 5:14-17; Mark 4:35-41

(Photo courtesy: Jan Brueghel the Elder, Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee - 1596) 

To listen to my audio reflections,  please click here 

1. Bold faith drives away fear

“Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” (Mark 4: 40). These words of Jesus addressed to his disciples on the rocking boat in the Sea of Galilee must encourage us in this time of great turmoil. It is not always the statements or assertions that strengthen us but the right questions when we are afraid and frightful. The straightforward questions from authoritative figures reassure us to fall back on the right path. 

Even in Little Things being at Home with God

11th Sunday in Ordinary Time:13 June 2021

Readings: Ezekiel 17:22-24; Psalm 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16; 2 Corinthians 5:6-10; Mark 4:26-34

(Picture courtesy: Jean-Marc Arakelian)

To listen to my audio reflections,  please click here 

1. Living in a liturgically rich month

In the liturgical calendar, the month of June is a significant one. In this month we celebrate a number of feasts either connected with the person of Jesus Christ - Corpus Christi, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Immaculate Heart of Mary, or the saints of our Church, like Boniface, Anthony of Padua Aloysius Gonzaga, John Fisher, Thomas More, the birth of John the Baptist, Irenaeus, Peter, Paul, etc. These holy men who gave their lives totally to the service of faith and their fellow neighbour tell us a most essential thing, that they were in their earthly life were "at home with the Lord" (2 Cor 5:8). 

Corpus Christi - God's Abundance Made Visible in us

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ - Corpus Christi: 06 June 2021

Readings: Exodus 24:3-8; Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16, 17-18; Hebrews 9:11-15; Mark 14:12-16, 22-26

(Veneration of Corpus Christi by the Angels)

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    Along with a relentless news cycle and the various stresses and worries that find their way into each day, the Corona pandemic is ravaging our lives, families and communities. In the midst of this, we celebrate the solemnity of Corpus Christi, a feast which so tangible and dear to us because of its symbolic and personal meaning. Hence, the feast comes as a soothing balm to us.  We can relate to this feast as closely as possible because of our utmost devotion and reverence to the body and blood of Christ which we venerate and receive at every Eucharist. The Feast of Corpus Christi – and every Mass – celebrates Christ’s gift of the Eucharist, which the Catechism calls “the source and summit of the Christian life” (CCC 1324). The pandemic has meant that some of us have been long separated from the sacrament, which may make the meaning of today’s feast feel somewhat distant. 

1. Creation and Incarnation as God's loving acts

In our liturgies and other church practices, we often use a phrase referred to God’s unconditional love for humanity that is ‘He gave Himself to us’. God as our creator not only allowed us to be what we are but he gave himself freely to us. If creation marks the beginning of God’s first visible sign of his love, then God’s incarnation through the person of Jesus marks another witness of God’s presence amongst us. Today we celebrate in a specific manner both these two acts of God: creation and incarnation.