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Dear Friend, Thousands of stories,
poems, songs and movies are all taking about love and how wonderful it is to
be in love! Usually love is portrayed as a warm cozy feeling of being special
to some one and of possessing someone as one’s own. This kind of ‘love’ is centred
on ‘I, me, myself’, It believes is getting and grabbing as much as I can,
whenever I can. Jesus came to show us a new way of loving, other-centred,
where one wants to give and give and give. Christians are called to live the
new commandment - (Maundy) to be ‘under the new management’! Have a loving
weekend being touched and served by Jesus! Fr. Jude Botelho |
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Today’s first reading from the Book of Exodus
describes in detail the ritual for celebrating the Passover meal. The
Passover, seen as permanent feast was meant to recall God’s fidelity to his
covenant and be an assurance that God would look after his people. It was at
one and the same time a looking back with gratitude for God had done for his
people and a looking forward to the many blessings in store for his faithful
ones. This Passover meal would prefigure the Eucharist celebrated today in
the Church, a memorial that looks back at the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross
at Calvary and looks forward to the resurrection. In the second reading from
St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians we are made aware of the tremendous
generosity of the Lord shown to the point of death. Paul passes on the
tradition which he asserts goes back to Jesus himself. In fact he is passing
on an established liturgical formula. But the command to repeat the action ,
‘Do this in memory of me,’ does not
refer merely to celebrate the Lord’s supper but to keep alive the memory of
Jesus by living as he did and spending our lives in fruitful service. Giving Generously John
carefully sets the last supper in the Passover context. Jesus is about to
pass over to His Father. He leaves his disciples a significant example by
washing their feet. This parable in action indicates Christ’s servant role.
Jewish slaves were exempted from this menial task. Peter is shocked and
refuses to let Jesus wash his feet. He has to learn that to be washed by
Jesus is to have a part with him. Humble service goes well with the exercise
of Christian authority. An exemplary act of humility precedes his institution
of the priesthood. The association is inseparable. John’s is the only gospel to describe the washing of the feet
and the new commandment that Jesus gives his disciples. It is fitting that in
place of the narration of the last supper we have the narration of the
washing of feet. Both are acts of love and service done in a spirit of
humility. Jesus is about to give his disciples a supreme manifestation of his
love and by this act of humble service he clearly indicates what he wishes to
communicate to his disciples. “If I then your Lord and master have washed
your feet, you should wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example so
that you may copy what I have done to you.” As has been indicated in the
second reading –Philippians’ hymn, the journey of Jesus from and to the
Father involves a supreme act of humility, the word becoming flesh. He lays
aside and takes up his garments as he speaks of laying down his life and
taking it up again, his death and resurrection. The disciples are called not
only to imitate this supreme gesture of service but to model their lives
after his own, ready to serve rather than be served. To live his life they
have to be part of him, and they are made part of him by his act of
cleansing, washing their feet. Hence true union with Christ in the Eucharist
is possible only if we are ready to humbly serve his brothers and sisters,
the community. To share in the Eucharist is to commit ourselves to the lowly
service of the brethren under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, who is
never absent from the Eucharistic celebration. Sacrifice for Love A Duke’s diamond-studded snuffbox had vanished. After the
customary dinner for some of his old officers, he had handed it around for
inspection. Now it was not to be seen. There were no servants in the room at
the time, so the guests agreed to turn out their pockets. But one officer
vehemently objected to the proposal, even to the extent of leaving the room.
Suspicion naturally fell on him, especially since nobody seem to know much
about him. The following year, putting on the same coat as the year before, the
Duke discovered the lost snuffbox in his inner pocket. He hunted up the old
officer who had been suspected, found him in a miserable garret apartment,
and apologized. “But” questioned the Duke, “why did you not agree to what the
other officers suggested, and thus save yourself from the terrible
embarrassment and suspicion?”
“Because,” explained the venerable old gentleman, “my pockets were
full of broken meat scraps I had saved from the table to feed my wife and
family who at that time were almost dying of starvation!” The Duke wept with emotion at the
officer’s love for his family and saw to it that the old officer never was in
want again! Percival Fernandez in ‘100 Inspiring Anecdotes’ A fitting memorial Vishweshwar Dutt Saklani has planted 20,000 trees in and
around his village Pujargaon, fifty kilometers from Dehra Dun. It all started
in 1948 when Saklani lost his brother whom he loved dearly. Incidentally, his
brother was a lover of trees and had begun planting trees before he passed
away. Grief-stricken, Saklani used to roam the hills to seek solace. It was
during one of these meanderings that he got the brainwave to create a truly
fitting and lasting memorial to his dear brother. Now 74, Saklani has been at
it the last 48 years, covering over 100 hectares of land with oak,
rhododendron, cedar and walnut. He has thus brought back life to the area in
myriad forms: the once-denuded hills have become green again; soil erosion
has been arrested, dry streams have begun to flow again, the traditional
sources of fodder and fuel for the villagers have been restored and birds
have returned to the area. In the process Saklani has found peace of mind. He
had to face a lot of opposition from the villagers and officials when he
started his project. His transparent sincerity has won the people over. In
fact many have joined him in planting and growing trees. - Ganesh Saili May our lives be patterned on Jesus who loved to serve! Fr. Jude
Botelho |
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Other Sunday Homily Websites Daily Reflections Immaculate Heart Retreat Center Gospel Commentary from Ireland Daily Scripture |
Recent
Sunday Reflections Fifth Sunday of Lent 09-March. 2008 Second Sunday of the Year 20-Jan. 2008 First Sunday of the Year 13-Jan. 2008 Feast of the Epiphany 06-Jan. 2008 Feast of Holy Family 30-Dec. 2007
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