Mary, Mother of God Christ revealed to simple people
Jan. 1, 2006

Jesus: We begin the New Year 2006 with a Sunday celebration in honour of our Blessed Mother who is acclaimed as the “first Christian.” Mary is given this title because she responded best to the call of the Gospel. Thus she is a model for all Christians particularly in the depth and generosity of her self-giving to God. To be able to respond as Mary My mother did, spend the first few minutes of your prayer time in deep silence and stillness – and then tell Me how you fared in the last hectic Christmas week. Were you able to be a messenger proclaiming My presence to the people you rubbed shoulders with and celebrated with?

[Time for silent prayer]

Jesus: For today read the Gospel passage as if the shepherds themselves were speaking to you: “We hurried away to Bethlehem …” Dialogue with them about the reaction of the people who heard their message – they were all astonished. Why would that be? There could be several reasons for this astonishment. First, that God has come so close to us humans, that he has become one like us. This already places a huge challenge before all people – to accept God in every person we meet – whether we like the person or not. Generally we find a lot of prejudices in ourselves which prevent us from recognizing the presence of Jesus in others. Sometimes these prejudices come from our previous experiences which might not have been the best. But because one ‘black person’ is bad, that does not make all black persons evil. Spend some time in prayer, marveling at God’s creativity and generosity in giving us himself in such a simple, easily accessible form.
The second reason for astonishment could be that in coming so close to us, God shows us that he has forgiven us all our sins and wants once again to share life with us. Many people find it difficult to accept that God has forgiven them their sins and failings, especially if they haven’t done severe penances in payment for these sins. I came to tell people that God forgives you irrespective of whether you repent or not. However, if you wish to receive God’s forgiveness into yourself, then the only way to do that is to ‘repent’ which means that you acknowledge first of all that you have sinned, made a wrong choice, and that you do something to reverse the situation. As long as you are ready to acknowledge your failings and change, there should be no reason to remain distant from the Father.

A further reason for astonishment: that simple people and not those educated in theology and so on, are now proclaiming spiritual truths. It is not necessary to be a great theologian in order to proclaim the good news. What is most important is that you live out all that you learn. As I said to My hearers: ‘It is not those who say, Lord, Lord, that will enter the kingdom of God but those who do the will of My Father.’ Notice how the shepherds carried out God’s message to them through the angel. “Come, let us go and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” They were ready to exert themselves and that is why they met up with the Saviour.

Notice, further, that the shepherds returned home glorifying and praising God. Having met the Saviour their lives are changed - they can now live in happiness and praise. Certainly there would be many unpleasant things happening in their lives, but having seen the Saviour of the world, they knew in their hearts that My coming provided them with reason enough to look at these things in a new way. As you reflect, recall some of the new approaches that you have undertaken in the last month or so because of your regular prayer. Even if nothing great happens in your prayer, yet your very presence there regularly allows the Father to transform some basic attitudes in you – which then make a big difference in your dealings with others. Thus, your very life becomes a living proclamation of the message of salvation.

There were also other people for whom My coming made no difference at all – their life would continue as before. They choose to remain in their sins and difficulties, perhaps until someone shows them what a difference it makes when a person chooses to follow me. If you happen to know some people who have made this kind of a choice in their lives, bring them into your prayer and place them before Me …

As usual, towards the end of your prayer, gradually move into total silence and stillness and remain that way for as long as you can. It is in these moments of stillness that God is closest to you and most effectively at work. As you emerge from this stillness, spend a few moments interceding for others – reaching out as far and wide as you can. Conclude with a hymn or mantra that you can repeat during the week.

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Epiphany of the Lord Unless you become like a child…
Jan. 8, 2006

Jesus: We begin our session of prayer in the usual way: a few minutes of deep silence and inner stillness … add a few comments about the last week – a kind of review of your spiritual effort of the week. Remember that what is important is not so much the time you spend in prayer as the effect this has on the rest of your life.

[Time for silent prayer and reflection]

Jesus: You begin by reading the Gospel passage as: “When I was born in Bethlehem … … read the entire passage and then pursue some of these reflections. You can also read the passage again with the Magi speaking to you: … “we came to Jerusalem … Generally in your spiritual search for God, you will notice that it is He who takes the first step, inviting you to come closer to him. When you respond, even with the greatest enthusiasm and eagerness, pretty soon you will experience big obstacles and hurdles in your way – you seem to come to a dead end. This is a crucial moment – and several people end their search and response there itself. This can happen because of a wrong understanding that your following of God will actually make things lighter and better for you. It doesn’t, for you will remember what I told My disciples: “If you wish to follow Me, take up your cross and come after Me.”

The Magi too experienced a sudden and inexplicable difficulty – they seem to have got lost. The external guidance (star) they relied on disappeared and they were thrown back on their own resources. Yet, they didn’t give up: they used whatever resources are at hand, viz. their common sense and humility – they ask for directions. Here we meet with another important truth: in your following of Me, your sincere efforts will always be rewarded, even if it takes time and effort. The Father will never hide himself from those who seek him with a sincere heart - but you need to make the initial effort and then wait – for in his own time and in the way he thinks fit, the Father will reach out to you.

Ironically, Herod points out to the Magi the road they should take to meet Me, but he doesn’t travel the way himself. Even if the person you consult is not really interested in following Me, yet don’t avoid consulting him, as he could have the truth you seek. Don’t go by externals only. Even the atheist can lead you to the Father: ‘do what they tell you, but don’t do what they themselves do!’ But then you will have to discern your actions very carefully. Herod had asked the Magi to report back to him – it would have been disastrous had they done that! They had to listen to their inner voice guiding them at each step. Some times, you will be favoured with the external guidance you had earlier, or even from a fresh source – at other times that may not be available. It is the inner light of faith that must keep you moving forward relentlessly.

And finally, the Magi came prepared to give – basically they were giving themselves, but through their symbolic gifts. What do you bring when you come to the Eucharist and what do you consciously give to the Father? And do you follow up that symbolic gift with a real giving that endures through the week? Then again, notice that the Magi went back by another route – their life had changed. And they were ready for the unexpected; they were not creatures of habit enslaved to only one way of doing things. They were flexible and adaptable and hence their encounter with God became part of their lives.

Stay with any of these considerations and remain in silence before Me allowing these insights to penetrate your life. As you draw near the end of your prayer, stay in total silence without any thoughts in your mind – these are precious moments of intimacy with God and the beginnings of real contemplative prayer. As you emerge from this deep silence, reach out to others in intercessions, sharing with them your closeness to the Father – let them also share in the blessings you have received. Conclude with a bhajan or hymn or a mantra …
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2nd Sunday of Year B Recognizing the Saviour
Jan. 15, 2006

Jesus: Once again we gather to spend some time by ourselves – to benefit from this time together, first try and quieten yourself, mind and heart. Place all that worries you into My hands and leave it there in safe custody for the time of this prayer. Once you feel yourself more calm and settled, tell Me something about the past week – let us review it together and see if there is anything you need to learn from it.

[Time for silent prayer and reflection]

Jesus: Today again, you can read the Gospel passages from two points of view: John the Baptist’s and Mine. By now you are aware of how to do this, and so we won’t spend more time on that matter. For your reflection, first of all, allow Me to draw your attention to the symbolic language used here. To say that I am ‘the lamb of God who takes …’ immediately puts you in touch with Old Testament imagery. It refers to the practice involved in celebrating the feast of Yom Kippur, Atonement. A lamb or goat was placed in the Temple and all the people filed past it placing their hands on its head – thereby indicating that they transferred all their failings onto this animal. It was then led out into the desert and left there to die – thereby taking away the sin of the nation. But even in those times, it was understood that a person could not have his/her sins taken away unless they really repented and were prepared to change their sinful life-style. Unfortunately today, the seriousness of this change of life-style can most often be questioned – it hardly seems to exist and so even My presence in your midst won’t make too much of a difference.

Notice that I turned round and asked the disciples who came after Me: ‘What do you want?’ To follow Me must be a personal and conscious choice you make – and it must be because you really want to change your previous life-style at least in some measure. [Reflect: Is this what you really mean when you celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation?]

The disciples’ answer was: ‘Master, where do you live?’ This might sound strange to your ears, but it is their way of saying, ‘Lord, we want to share life with you, to enter into Covenant with you and thus experience God’s closeness to us.’ In other words, they showed their readiness to allow Me to be the master of their lives, they acknowledged that they were prepared to obey Me in everything and in this way find the happiness that they were looking for. I am sure you also said the same, but is this a living attitude that you carry with you, or do you obey only when it suits you or when you feel like it?

My answer: ‘come and see’ expressed God’s readiness always to welcome the sinner the moment he decides to return. On his part, the Father will not place any obstacles in your path to return to him. Rather, he makes every effort to welcome you back into his loving embrace. Remember that even when the people of Israel were in exile, it is God who took the initiative to ‘make a straight path in the wilderness’ so that his beloved people though still sinful could return without too much difficulty or strain. Spend some time appreciating the tremendous love of the Father and then give him your response – Are you ready to obey him in your life?

Notice again that the moment a person really lets himself fall into God’s loving hands, he becomes an ambassador, a missionary for God. He has to share this Good News with others and draw them also into intimacy with the Lord. We see further that there is a real transformation in the lives of those who follow Jesus. Andrew was the one who followed Me and stayed with Me that entire day – but when later he brought his brother Simon to Me, I chose to make him the foundation of My little group. Yet, Andrew does not feel jealous or sulk or react in any way. In the Kingdom all work together for the benefit of the entire group … How is it among you today? Can you work with others in a team?... in a spirit of collaboration, or does it have to be competition and rivalry?

As you near the end of your prayer time, move into the silence and stillness mode and remain in that attitude for as long as you can. This is the period in which you allow Me to transform you and so approach it very seriously. As you move out of this stillness, intercede for others, reaching out far and wide to all who are in need. And finally end your prayer time with a hymn or prayer mantra that you can repeat often during the week.

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3rd Sunday in Year B Jesus’ New Approach
Jan. 22, 2006

Jesus: Once again we meet for our weekly session of exchange. I am eager to hear how you have fared in the past week. But before that, quieten yourself thoroughly as you remain in silence and stillness for a while.

[Time for silent prayer and reflection]

Jesus: Read the passage from My point of view as: “After John had been arrested, I went to Galilee …” What Mark seems to indicate by the opening statement is that now the period of the Old Testament is over with the disappearance of John the Baptist: he was, as it were, the climax of that period. But what characterized that period was an approach to God filled with fear, awe and distance. I was sent by the Father to inaugurate and usher in a new era, a fresh beginning in which all would be invited to come much closer to God. The Kingdom (relationship with God) is close at hand – it is there for the asking. You have only to accept it within yourself, it is given free and without cost. But there is also a responsibility attached, viz. that you live out its demands and through your very life, invite others to share in the Kingdom as well.

However, to do this, you would first have to throw away everything that is connected with the old – a process which in the New Testament is called ‘repentance.’ Having given up the old approach you then accept the new one, which is what you do by ‘believing the Good News’ of God’s generous gift to you. Notice, however, that these are two diametrically opposed approaches and one is not to be mixed up with the other. Unfortunately, that is what most people do: try to patch the old garment (which means that they basically hang on to the old one) with a piece of cloth torn out of a new garment – and in doing that they literally destroy it, picking and choosing only what they think is best! Again, St. Luke mentions that ‘anyone who has been drinking old wine doesn’t want the new [‘the old is good, they say’].’ Against this background it would be good to see what is your approach to the following of the Lord? Levi, when called, ‘left everything, rose and began following Jesus.’ Do you notice the dynamic: he left everything (not just a few things he didn’t care for, but everything). Next he ‘rose’ (no more association with the old level of life) and then his following of Jesus was meaningful.

The same dynamic is visible in the calling of Simon and Andrew, James and John. One pair leaves their nets and means of livelihood, the other even their parents and source of security and well-being. Allow these two different approaches to really sink into your consciousness so that you see in practice from which of the two approaches your actions flow.

Then move into deep silence and stillness and remain there for as long as you can. As you emerge from this profound silence, spend some time in intercessory prayer and conclude with a hymn or bhajan or prayer mantra.

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4th Sunday in Year B Jesus heals and teaches
Jan. 29, 2006

Jesus: We meet again for our weekly appointment and we enter into this prayer in the usual fashion – with a few minutes of deep and intense silence. The deeper this silence, the more likely it is that your prayer will be fruitful. And so the more you work at it the better results can you expect from your prayer. Well begun is half done! Don’t forget to add a brief report on your spiritual efforts of the last few days. This reviewing helps to check whether your prayer has any effect on your life after all.

[Time for silence and reflection]

Jesus: We continue with the Gospel of St. Mark and this Sunday we take it up where we had left off the last time. Begin by reading it in the first person as if I Myself were reporting the story to you … “We went to Capernaum and when the Sabbath came …” Notice that I began my mission in the synagogue where the Jews assembled each week to read and meditate on the Word of God. The reason is obvious: these were God’s chosen people and they were already familiar with the message of the prophets and wise men. So, it would be a lot easier to connect with their mentality and background and from there take them to the “Good News” that I came to proclaim. Yet, this work wasn’t going to be easy at all. First, because people in general don’t easily change their ideas – they prefer to stay well within their established comfort zones. Basically I would be calling people to a more personal relationship with the Father – one that would bring them great blessings. Yet, it would also demand a much more difficult response from them, accustomed as they were to the mechanical and impersonal way in which they related to God.

Already here you could check what is your general attitude even today – are you ready and enterprising to take on a new approach to God, one in which the boundaries are not clearly specified but in which you respond as best you can to every situation. All it asks of you is to listen to the Lord’s voice within you: ‘what would you have me do, Lord?’ and then you respond as the situation requires. Dialogue with Me over this in the next few minutes and when you feel you have said all you want to say, move on … You might read the paragraph several times, pausing at different places according to what strikes you …

How much have you imbibed the Christian way of praying and living – which is spontaneous yet filled with a deep awareness of the “new” situation in which God is now present in every person. ‘In him we live and move and have our being,’ as even the philosophers used to say. Notice that My leaving the synagogue was not out of anger or in disappointment. The people had completed their time of worship and so all retired back to their homes. So, therefore, it is not as if the Old Testament period was wrong, or bad – it is just that it had played its part and was now being replaced by another, a newer approach to God. The genius of a religious leader is to know when this happens – when one approach gets outdated and another one is to be espoused. This calls for constant alertness and an awareness of God’s ways. His ways are in fact mysterious and generally do not follow the beaten track.

The Father is the God of surprises and just when you are getting comfortable in one line of response, he will call you to another one – different, not necessarily higher or better. The reason for this seems to be that once a relationship gets into a rut, it becomes stale and lifeless. And I came ‘that you may life and have it to the full.’ Thus, the Father could call you to a life of prayer – and after a while thrust you into a situation in which it is action more than quiet prayer that is the order of the day. If you can adapt to the new situation without nostalgia and complaining that you want a return to ‘Egypt’ – happy are you, and you certainly are on the right track. Pause again and check whether you follow this consciously and wholeheartedly … dialogue with Me about this for as long as you can,

Then, as usual, move into deep silence again and remain in that mode for a fairly long time. Keep just the one thought in your consciousness – I follow the Lord, come what may, but always attentive to his voice and discerning of his ways. After spending a fair bit of time in silence, as you move out of it, pray for the needs of others and conclude with a hymn or ejaculatory prayer.

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5th Sunday in Year B The true Christian attitude of service
Febr. 5, 2006

Jesus: Begin this prayer session as you usually do with a period of intense silence and stillness in which you allow yourself to settle down – gradually if needed. You will require to exercise a lot of patience with yourself and sometimes, this quietening can be pretty difficult to achieve. After you have mastered this, spend a little time reflecting over the past week – is there anything you need to learn from that experience? How can you make your prayer more effectively in changing your life-style? How are you to gauge the effectiveness of the time you spend in prayer?

[Time for silent prayer and reflection]

Jesus: As you begin your reflections after reading the text in the first person, notice that on leaving the synagogue (a sign that I gave up the Old Testament approach and the people who subscribed to it), I entered the home of Simon. In the New Testament period, especially of the early Church, the home in general, refers to the Christian group who met in those early times in their homes for the Eucharist, since they did not have any set place for worship. So, now we are in a Christian situation. Notice how no sooner we gathered, the Christian community immediately told Me about one of its members who was sick. That is the typically Christian attitude of concern for those who are ill. A Christian is one who lives not for himself but for others. And in that period, the Christians gathered together precisely to exercise their love for one another. They did not come to the Eucharist to pray for themselves or to receive specific favours from God – they were quite sure that the Lord had blessed them in innumerable ways and if there was anything further they needed, he would not deny it to them. Thus, they were interiorly free to pick out the needs of others and pray for them spontaneously. This is what I would love to see today too, especially among the traditional Indian Christians; somehow among them the concern seems to be primarily about oneself and one’s own needs; and mostly these are material needs, not even spiritual ones. When and how will they begin to believe that the Father loves them personally and grants them everything they need (not necessarily what they want)!

Genuine concern and prayer like this cannot fail to touch God’s heart. And so I proceeded to ‘raise her up and restore her to the community.’ Marvel at the way the community and the individual show their gratitude: ‘she began to minister to them.’ The spontaneous attitude of a real Christian is to share, to give whatever he can to others, particularly to the community. Thus you see Simon’s mother-in-law functioning as a good Christian; besides it was her home and so she had to play the role of ‘host.’ But, don’t forget that in God’s house, all are hosts and all are guests too. Christians don’t wait to be asked whether their help is needed or not – they generously offer their services, for like Me, they too have come to serve and not to be served. Being free from within, they look around and pick up what they see as the needs of others, and what will be good for the entire community – that becomes the subject of their prayer to Me. They don’t often come with a pre-determined agenda for prayer… unless again it concerns others, their neighbours and friends – or even people of other faiths.

Thus, on that occasion mentioned in today’s Gospel, they brought all those who were sick and interceded for these unfortunate people. And notice that all of them were cured – if not physically, at least spiritually. Through the concern and active involvement of the Christian community, these sick people experienced the care and concern of the Father and that sent them back home, strengthened in their faith that they had not been abandoned in their sickness and misfortune. If their illness was a result of sin or negligence (as when a person contracts illness because of bad habits like smoking, drinking and so on), they would ensure that this attitude or habit would change. Their gratitude for God’s blessing was always something practical and effective – a constant improving of themselves, a rising to a higher level of life each time. Today business people talk in terms of ‘kaizen’ – improving the quality of a product one tenth of one percent each day. They need to do this so that they can continue to lead in the market – else their products would not sell. But the Christian is committed to this constant improvement not for the sake of commercial gain, but as a sign of the new life of the risen Christ that he now has.

Against this background, you can see how different the situation is in our days. Christians are generally still self-centred, even if it be in a spiritual manner – they pray largely for their own needs and seem to be preoccupied only with their well-being in this world. Their belief in the Father’s love too needs deepening to include even unpleasant situations as an expression of that love. If a person can see God’s love only in favourable situations and not in difficult ones, that doesn’t speak of a very deep faith. Remember the prophet Habbakuk who said: ‘Even if all the crops fail and the stalls stand empty of cattle – even if all I see is doom and destruction around me, yet I will rejoice in the Lord…’ Let your prayer today revolve around such faith – in yourself and in the others close to you: your family, friends and colleagues. Keep yourself and your needs last – don’t forget that the Father will never abandon you, especially when you give of your best (time, energy, love and so on) for others, and that too habitually.

Before moving out of prayer, spend some time in intense quiet and stillness – learn to relish this part of your prayer as being the most important – it is during this time that I can freely work out whatever transformation I need to, in your life. As you come out of this silence, remember a few others explicitly in petitionary prayer. Conclude with a hymn or a brief ejaculatory prayer.

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6th Sunday in Year B Genuine appreciation is irrepressible
Febr. 12, 2006

Jesus: Once more we meet for our weekly encounter. Begin with the usual time of deep silence and stillness, making every effort to quieten your mind and heart. Pay particular attention to your ‘heart’ – the desires, the unfulfilled wishes, hopes and ambitions, as these can disturb you quite a bit. Listen deeply to the ideas that keep recurring frequently and almost incessantly. Before you wind up this section, I would like to hear also something of how you fared during the past week.

[Time for silent prayer and reflection]

Jesus: Today too you begin by reading the Gospel passage in the first person: “A leper came to Me begging …” Notice that by now My reputation had spread and people were beginning to be a lot more comfortable in My presence. Normally, no leper would come to a whole person and ask for something. They were expected to remain distant and cry: ‘unclean, unclean!’ You can imagine how happy I felt to see that this leper did not recoil from approaching Me, but was confident that I would do something for him. Has your weekly prayer made you to be more comfortable in the Lord’s presence, especially when you have failed him, perhaps in the same area in which you habitually fail? Do you realize clearly that when you come into God’s presence, he sees more YOU rather than what is missing in you? Of course, God does notice that you are minus this, that or the other – but this doesn’t make the slightest difference to him. What warms his heart, as it were, is that you still have the confidence to approach him.

What is important, however, is that you acknowledge that you are in need of healing and sincerely want to do something about it. Also, that you recognize that only the Father can do something to heal you completely and make you a new person. If you could approach him more often in this manner, your life would be quite different. Could you spend a few moments right now doing just that – with a faith like that of the leper, ask the Lord for a change of heart. Even though you ‘feel’ no different after the prayer, go back confident that you are changed. Begin to act and think in the new way and see the difference. Notice also the humility of the leper when he says: ‘Lord, if you choose to, you can make me clean!’

Besides taking the part of the leper and praying as he did, you can also take My part today because you are Jesus in flesh and blood. When you take this stance, the challenge for you is to set people free. Even if you cannot take away their physical and external ailments, you can certainly relate to them as brothers and sisters, showing no difference. This calls for a completely new frame of reference. For the Jews, a person suffering from physical defects was seen as being cursed by God because the wo/man had sinned. And as a sinner, not even God was expected to care for him. The only way he could come back was to offer an atonement sacrifice. But in order to buy the lamb or goat, he would need money, and all ‘his’ money would be seen as tainted because he was a sinner, through and through. So, there was no way out for him except if someone gratuitously offered to bail him out. That is what you can do even today, even if you do not subscribe to that way of thinking characteristic of the Jews.

The point is that when you relate to such people, you don’t just pretend as if there is no obstacle! You genuinely believe there isn’t anything that makes this person different from all others. For some, this can be very difficult, while for others it is relatively easy. But, whatever be your instinctive reaction, you can “put on the mind of Christ” and learn to regard such people in a Christ-like manner. Can you begin now itself, in your prayer with regard to someone who has hurt you badly in the past. Think of such a person not as an evil-hearted person, but one who is ‘sick’, one who lacks the normal quota of love, decency, patience or whatever. Approaching the person in this way, you will notice an immediate difference in your line of action. No longer does the person become offensive, but rather is seen as someone towards whom you can show compassion. However, even here, it should not be a one-up one-down relationship, but rather a relationship of equality. All are graced sinners, and as such equally lovable in God’s sight. When you reflect such an attitude, you make the Father himself present to the other – and God’s kingdom cannot but come in the life of such a person.

Did you notice that the healed leper could not repress his gratitude but went about telling everyone about how he had experienced God’s love and acceptance? How wonderful it would be if everyone who meets you also does the same. Soon there would be a chain of praise going around, with everyone so happy and contented. If God is for us, who can be against?

At the appropriate time, move into profound silence and stillness and remain in that stance for as long as you can … as you emerge from this deep silence, remember others around you who need the Lord’s love and care. Conclude your prayer with a bhajan or hymn that you will repeat often during the week as you continue your praise and thanks of the Father.

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7th Sunday in Year B Genuine faith moves the heart of God
Febr. 19, 2006

Jesus: We enter into this fresh session of prayer with the usual period of stillness and silence. By now you are fully aware of the importance of this procedure and so I take it that you will do it well so as to benefit from the greater inner peace you experience. Don’t forget to include a brief report of your efforts of the last week.

[Time for silent prayer and reflection]

Jesus: Begin by reading the passage in the first person: ‘When I returned from Capernaum, it was reported that I was at home …’ For this Sunday, you could begin dialoguing directly, taking the passage line by line. By way of a suggestion you could begin with something like this: ‘Lord, Jesus, how eagerly must the people have waited for your return, because they knew that as long as you were with them, they would be able to face any difficulties and trials. Sometimes, I too feel like that, but often I get so caught up with the matter on hand, that I forget after a while of my keen desire to meet you. What can I do to keep focused on my urgent need of you? …

Next Lord, I notice the four men carrying a stretcher and I see them desperately trying all possible ways of placing the sick man in front of you. The determined looks on their faces speak of a deep inner conviction that if they can only manage somehow to get this sick person to you, all would be well. I see them discussing whether they should postpone their rendezvous; some seem to be for it, while the others protest violently… they must get the paralyzed man to You by whatever means possible, and straightaway. They suddenly seem to hit on a bright idea and I see their faces light up – but I can’t understand that they have in mind. Little by little I understand their strategy: it seems brilliant but foolhardy. Imagine them disturbing your teaching for their selfish purposes. But they don’t seem to be bothered about that aspect. After much noise and confusion, they manage to make a hole large enough to let down the stretcher right in front of you. Rather than get angry at the disturbance, You seem to be happy I can guess why. Lord, I marvel at their faith which wasn’t going to take No for an answer. I don’t often have that kind of a determined faith – a faith that can move even mountains.

[Continue dialoguing with the Lord in this fashion – listening every now and then to what he has to say to you in reply]

Next look at the reaction of the four helpers as the paralytic gets up and begins to go home. Try to recapture what they would have been saying among themselves and to their healed friend when they finally caught up with him. In their conversation, where would the focus have been? Would they have been peeved because the healed man did not show his gratitude to them for all their ingenuity and hard work in getting him to Jesus? Would they have gone about boasting about how ‘they’ had got the sick man before Jesus, even when he himself was diffident about the worth of their strategy? Try and imagine what their lives would be like after this incident … dialogue with Me about this.

Look for a while at the reaction of the Pharisees and others and their utter shame and confusion when I ordered the paralyzed man to get up and go home – and he did it with ease. Start up a conversation with one of the Pharisees and try to get underneath their vicious antagonism towards Me and the good I did to sick people … what makes them behave like that? Were does their insecurity come from? They hang on to the teaching they had received from their elders, that God does not favour the sinful (and this man was definitely sinful – even Jesus first forgives him his sin!) Do you also suffer from the same malady? Notice that through this attitude of hostility to all that I taught, the Pharisees and others were only depriving themselves of the very happiness and peace they were looking for deep down in their hearts. Because they hardened their hearts, they themselves would be the losers. That is what happens when you fail to take My word seriously. See how the paralyzed man humbly obeyed my order – he did not counter My command saying: ‘I’ve tried that many times, but I can’t.’ He took My word at its face value and did what he was commanded – and look at the difference. Is there any area in your life in which you need to act like the paralyzed man: with deep faith in My word?

After you have dialogued in this fashion, move into silence and stillness in which you allow Me to work on you and heal you silently as I did for the paralyzed man. Remain in this stillness for as long as you can. As the time for concluding your prayer draws near, reach out in intercession to as many persons as possible. End with the usual hymn or bhajan – recall it several times in the week thus keeping alive the theme of your prayer.

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8th Sunday in Year B Jesus’ teaching is new and different
Febr. 26, 2006

Jesus: Once again we begin our session of prayer with an effort to quieten the mind and feelings. Pick out the feelings that keep recurring as this will tell you what really disturbs you at the moment – it could be a misunderstanding you’ve experienced with someone close to you… Once you sense that you are reasonably calm and receptive, begin telling Me something about the past week: how did you put into practice some of the things you learnt in prayer…?

[Time for silent prayer and reflection]

Jesus: Once again begin by reading the Gospel in the first person – as you go along, you could pick up themes that you would like to dialogue in - e.g. Is there need of fasting in our day and age? What does fasting do for the human person? Let Me recall first of all that I Myself fasted for forty days before launching into My public ministry. Food is a very basic human need and if one remains hungry for a reasonably long period, the body itself reminds one of this need. Without nourishment, it cannot repair the daily wear and tear it sustains, nor build up resistance to attacks on all fronts. Again, proper nourishment is needed for the functioning of all the different organs in the body. In short, no food – no life, quality life, at least. Now, reasonable periods of fasting judiciously chosen remind us that ‘man does not live on bread alone’ but that a deep personal relationship with God is also part of what contributes to the well-being of persons. It forces you to look at the quality of your relationship with God, the intensity of the efforts you make to deepen your links with the Lord, to check whether there is growth in more spiritual aspects of your life. All this can help to restore the lost balance in your life.

But, if fasting does not produce these spiritual benefits, then one can question its profitability. For example, if fasting only makes a person more irritable, self-centred, duty-conscious in the superficial sense, then it doesn’t seem to be doing much good. Fasting to be fruitful must arise out of a sense of deeper union with God and others. Our attempts at fasting should make us less self-conscious, self-preoccupied and self-absorbed, more other-centred and aware of others’ needs. Now, the Pharisees and others fasted regularly and religiously – but their fasts weren’t producing the proper results. In fact, they ended up being more self-righteous and ego-driven. Now, through My very presence among the disciples, I kept inviting them deeper and deeper into relationship with the Father and with one another – so My presence and teaching was doing much more effectively what the fasting of the Pharisees should have done. Hence, there was no need of this external help as long as I was with them. But the time would come when I would not be physically or visibly present to My disciples and that is when they could profitably used this tool of fasting. However, when they began to use this help, My disciples too would need to beware of falling into the trap of externalism – satisfied only with the externals, and not with the internal fruit or result that should follow.

Against this background, it would be helpful to review many of the practices which form part of your life today – even the question of celebrating Eucharist every Sunday. Are these practices making you more other-centred, other-conscious, more humble and ready to serve, more forgiving and accepting of others and their failings? You might like to dialogue with Me over some of these.

As you approach the end of your hour of prayer, move into deep silence and stillness allowing Me to work on you and make you more like Myself. Don’t omit the few moments of intercession as you prepare to wind up; end with the usual hymn of praise which you will repeat often during the week.

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Season of Lent

We offer our readers a few challenging insights on Lent which can be used throughout the season. Lent is a time of preparation for Easter, a concerted effort to enter into the dynamics of the Pascal Mystery. Jesus accepted death not because it is something desirable, but simply because it was part of the Father’s plan for the redemption of people. Lent trains us also to accept God’s will lovingly and cheerfully in our daily lives. One way of checking whether the Lenten season has achieved its purpose is to see how much more Christ-like you have allowed the Lord to make you: more patient, trustful, kind, loving, joyful, forgiving, peaceful, ready to help, other-centred, more self-giving and committed to your duty in the home, place of work, among friends. Also check to see how much more lovingly or grudgingly you accept God’s will in your day-to-day life.

One general suggestion: Please do not undertake any penitential practices like fasting, extra prayers and so on, unless at the same time you mean to become more Christlike. Let your biggest penance be to love, serve, forgive – especially in the home, community. Helps to gaining a Christ-like outlook include: reading Scripture prayerfully, sharing in a spiritual discussion, attending talks and recollections on spiritual topics, maintaining silence on purpose for reasonable lengths of time, avoiding needless talk, gossip, harmful conversations

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1st Sunday in Lent – B Intense preparation for ministry
March 5, 2006

Jesus: In this season of Lent, your prayer sessions become all the more important and meaningful as you seek to enter more deeply into the dynamics of the Paschal Mystery. This is the law of all fruitful living, and so, to benefit from this prayer even more than otherwise enter into it with a deeper silence and stillness. Don’t forget the brief report of last week.

[Time for silent prayer and reflection]

Jesus: For this year the Gospel of Mark is read on the Sundays in Lent; in Mark’s Gospel there is very little said about My fast and temptations. Nevertheless, begin by reading the text in the first person. This week, we shall reflect on the meaning and value of temptation. Temptation is basically a testing – a checking whether everything is in the right place. Before a new car, ship or plane is launched, before these vehicles can be put out on the road, sea or air, they are tested out. Every detail is minutely and methodically checked for correct operation. You can see immediately how important this testing is – it is meant to reveal any hidden defects that could be fatal once the vehicle is launched. Mid-air or the middle of the ocean would be too late to check out these defects and besides no help would be available over there. Similarly, before I launched into My public ministry in which I would be representing the Father and revealing him to people, I needed a thorough checking out. This was particularly important because the message I was sent to convey was diametrically opposite to what the people were accustomed – precisely as coming from God. And so, if My preaching were to have any impact on people it would have to be not only clear and unequivocal, but also backed up by My way of life.

Notice further that all the three temptations are regarding my ‘sponship’ – “If you really are the son of God …” Just as I had to make sure that I understood the fatherhood of God and My own sonship correctly before facing the crowds, so also the Christian has to be tested. Further, the testing is not a once-and-for-all procedure – it is an ongoing affair. Especially before important occasions or turning points in one’s life, there has to be at least a routine check-up. This enables us to set right what needs to be corrected and have a safe journey to our destination. Thus, temptations are important and valuable.

But what is also important is the way we handle and learn from temptations. At no point should a Christian be afraid of temptation, just as no student who studies conscientiously needs to be afraid of examinations. So, the fact that you are tempted does not necessarily require you to give in. You can stand by your principles and commitments and thus emerge victorious. And when you are victorious you can say that you have in fact internalized these principles sufficiently, so that they are now a part and parcel of your life. To overcome temptation, therefore, one must be very clear in his/her mind about his priorities. The more clearly this is seen, the easier it is to face temptations. Usually people succumb to temptation because their understanding of their commitment is not clear and precise enough – there are several grey areas, areas of doubt or areas in which there could be more than one kind of response. Lent is meant to point this out to you, so that you can choose whether you wish to eliminate these shady areas and re-dedicate yourself more conscientiously to the Covenant and God’s kingdom.

This will involve a new level of dying and rising and can at times be painful, especially if it involves another person – and this will be your Lenten penance. You will find that it is much more demanding that the usual physical penances you do like giving up ice-cream, movies and so on. Changing your life-style is far more difficult than giving up a few goodies. I’d like you to dialogue with Me about what you plan to do during this Lent. You will need to also listen very deeply and carefully to what I have to say to you.

When you have done this sufficiently, remain in silence and stillness – as long as you can. Finally, on emerging from this silence, reach out to others in prayer for their needs. Conclude with the usual hymn of praise, or an ejaculatory prayer or a prayer mantra.

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2nd Sunday in Lent – B Suffering welcomed with love transforms
March 12, 2006

Jesus: As you enter into this prayer, keep still and silent for a while – put aside all distracting thoughts and feelings. You could place them for safekeeping in My hands while you attend to all that I have to say to you. Be sure you also tell Me something of what you did based on the prayer of last week. For Me, this is important, because the ultimate test of your prayer is not what you feel and do within the prayer itself, but what happens outside, during the rest of the day or week. Your prayer must help transform your life.

[Time for silent prayer and reflection]

Jesus: Begin today’s prayer too with a reading of the Gospel in the first person : “Six days later, I took with Me …” Notice that if you wish to experience God at some depth, you first have to distance yourself from your everyday situation. The more thorough and complete this separation, the greater chance that you will encounter Me at some depth. Generally, most people live only at the surface of their lives. Like the sea, your life too is pretty turbulent at the surface – the deeper you go, the more calm the situation becomes and the more you are able to appreciate God’s qualities. Or again, if you take the example of a mountain the closer you are to base, the more disturbed, noisy and self-preoccupied your life. But if you can withdraw from these disturbances, these qualities of God will strike you with greater force because now you see them in better perspective, more clearly and objectively, as it were.

Secondly, you have to be ready to pay the price for so great a gift. Climbing up a high mountain requires great effort and not everyone is ready for that. If a person is prepared to go through the exertion of climbing, then we can say that he is ready for any sacrifice. He would be open to receive the gift of greater intimacy with the Lord and make the best use of it. If you have entered wholeheartedly into the spirit of Lent, which is basically a death to ‘self’ then there is every reason to believe that you will be favoured with a sharper awareness of God’s presence. The Word of God will mean a lot more and you will most likely apply that Word more effectively to your life. The needs of your neighbour will become more clearly apparent to you and you will reach out to do something about them. In short, you will be more fully alive at all levels – and that is another way of expressing the purpose of Lent. For, I came ‘that you may have life and that too in abundance.’

The events ‘on Mount Thabor’ reflect a spiritual experience which generally takes place during times of intense prayer. But here again, for a person to enter into the higher experiences of prayer, a lot of dying to self has to take place. For the more self there is in your life, the less room there is for God. At these higher levels of prayer, we notice that silence forms the bulk of one’s prayer. The person (self) is predominantly silent and still and it is God who does all the action. Ps. 131 is a good example of this – ‘like a weaned child on its mother’s breast, so is my soul quietened and at peace.’ God reveals the greatest secrets of his life to such a person, both because he is more receptive (there are less obstacles) and also because he is keen and eager to attend to God (less preoccupation with self). In all your Lenten effort, therefore, make sure that the ‘ego’ in you diminishes well below the danger level. Learn to be more silent in all situations, more focused on the matter at hand, whatever it be. Pay more keen attention to the needs of your neigbour and do what is possible to make him happy and at peace. Search for how you can be ‘a part of the solution, rather than a part of the problem.’

Review your life against the background of these reflections and dialogue with Me in the remaining time. Towards the end, move into total silence and stillness. Do you realize now how important that silence and stillness is? Sometimes the Lord makes you experience your inadequacy, but at other times Life itself thrusts you into situation in which you find yourself totally helpless. Regular practice in being still in your prayer will help you tremendously on these occasions. So, remain as long as you can silent and still … then as you come out of it, remember to pray for the needs of some others around you. Conclude with the customary hymn of ejaculatory prayer.

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3rd Sunday in Lent – B Son, give me your heart
March 19, 2006

Jesus: Once more we begin our prayer session with a few minutes of deep silence and stillness in which you consciously try to put away all extraneous thoughts and feelings. Imagine the Gospel scene of today’s reading where I cleanse the Temple chasing out all the buyers and sellers. Picture Me cleansing your mind and heart in that way – and then remain still and silent for a while. Before moving into the prayer, I would appreciate a brief report of how you put into practice what you learnt in the last prayer session.

[Time for silent prayer and reflection]

Jesus: Begin by reading the Gospel in the first person : “… I went to the Temper and …” This event of cleansing the Temple is a classic case of people forgetting the initial purpose for which they began doing things in a certain way. The project generally starts off well and the intentions are good and praiseworthy. But gradually, without even the people concerned knowing what is happening, the motives change into something basically self-centred - and God is slowly but surely put out of the picture altogether.

The Jews of My time initially had to bring their offering (the animal that would be sacrificed) from the market-place. But this involved quite a procedure and it was always a hassle to bring the animal along to the Temple for the sacrifice. So, they began to sell such animals nearer the Temple and finally within the Temple precincts, in the ‘outer court.’ This was not really the section reserved for prayer, yet one can imagine how business affairs were conducted there – what with competition, cut-throat prices, touting and the rest. Besides, the Temple officials would also be parading about to ensure that no one cheated them of their dues. All this led to a lot of noise, disturbance and negative feelings – not the best kind of preparation for a session of intimacy with God. Thus, the whole spirit of the sacrifice was lost right from the start – and that is what I objected to. Besides, in view of the convenience provided to the people, they were charged a fair bit more than the normal price for what they bought. Again, as there would always be some Jews from the diaspora (Jews living abroad), there would be need of Exchange Bureaus – and of course, they too would seek to make the maximum profit. All in all, it was a pretty messy affair.

The care and attention given to these commercial details far exceeded the devotion with which the people prayed. Anyone could see that a visit to the Temple was more a matter of obligation than of real devotion and prayer. Thus the whole purpose of the sacrifice was being defeated in favour of personal gain. So, what I was asking for was a more real and authentic devotion in which God is given his rightful place. The Temple was meant to be a ‘house of prayer’ and not primarily a place for making profit.

How would all this apply today? I do not refer to special occasions like a big feast to which is attached a fair and entertainment. That such situations come very close to what I have described above, needs no special emphasis. But what about even your daily/weekly trips to the Church for Eucharist or other purposes: do you go there primarily to “give” something to God, or rather with a commercial attitude of getting some benefits for yourself?

The whole idea of a sacrifice is that you give yourself in thanksgiving into the hands of God and promise to do his will. From then to God has to be the centre of your life. But, if you go to Church with the sole idea of getting benefits for yourself - who is really the centre of your life? Isn’t it yourself? Don’t you then need some kind of cleansing? A change of attitude, a new heart is what is then most needed. But do realize that this new attitude of wanting to give more than to receive can develop in you only if you have genuinely experienced the unbelievable love of the Father for you personally. Once you have tasted his love, you will not want to hoard, to fear for the future and so on.

I would like to hear you dialogue on this point now – so feel free to pour out your mind and heart in such a way that you take up this question from every angle. It would be great if you could see the benefits of a new approach before you finish this prayer …

After this dialogue, remain quiet and still so that the vision of a new approach can sink into your heart and operate in your life now from that depth … Before you leave, spend a few moments in quiet intercession for others and end with a short ejaculatory prayer.

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4th Sunday in Lent – B Raised together with Jesus
March 26, 2006

Jesus: We begin our prayer today also in the usual manner: with a few minutes of deep personal silence and stillness. Seek to be entirely focused on one point only – My presence to you and all that it can do. Imagine the rays of the sun being passed through a magnifying glass and concentrating at a given point – you know what happens: a piece of paper placed at that particular spot will catch fire. Similarly, My love can do marvels if you allow it to be concentrated in your life at the right spot.

[Time for silent prayer and reflection]

Jesus: Read the text as follows: “Just as Moses … so must I, the Son of Man, be lifted up … The whole point of Moses placing a bronze serpent on a pole and the afflicted persons looking at it to gain relief, consists in this: if you wish to be rid of your failings, the first thing you ought to do is to take responsibility for them. By looking at a similar object (the serpent, in the case of Moses) you are reminded of your failings and that is your opportunity not to take off blaming others, giving excuses and so on, but to simply acknowledge that it is you who have sinned. Once you do that in all humility, the failing has no more hold on you – you can then release it into My loving hands where it is will be dissolved into nothing, leaving no trace or record. Thus you are totally free of it in the future. But as long as you refuse to acknowledge your guilt, it will persist in haunting you (Read Ps. 32 where David reports exactly the same experience – that as long as he hid his faults they plagued him; but once he acknowledged them before the Lord, he found peace and a new life!)

Dialogue with Me about some such experience in your life …

Next consider the truth that I was sent by the Father precisely that anyone who believes in Me might find eternal life. To believe in Me is to be a ‘living Jesus.’ This happens when you place your entire life into My hands and let Me be the master of your life and activity. After all, it is the Father who created you and as your maker he knows best how you function, which are the special problems you face and so on. So, if you allow him to be the master of your life, you cannot but function at your best – and the sign of this is precisely the peace and contentment that you experience … read Gal. 5:22ff. Your Lenten effort is precisely that you learn to trust Me more – and so as you do that more and more generously in your day-to-day living, you cannot but be transformed into a living Christ.

Dialogue now with Me over this point – are you ready to entrust your life completely into My hands. If so, from now on you will have to consult Me about everything you plan to do: ‘Lord, what will you have me do?’ It would be good if you could actually practice this letting-go into My hands right now in your prayer itself. Do that as you seek to remain in silence and stillness. Then as you near the end of your prayer, reach out to others in need as you remember them before the Father. Conclude your prayer with the usual bhajan or short mantra-like prayer.

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