to generate a renewed conscience

The Church must prioritize its efforts to generate a renewed conscience in humanity to be united in one heart facing the coming catastrophic events. Let us say, such disasters may hit us from five years from now, but preparations for such calamities are to be taking place now. It is gradual and deep process to form a conscience, and to break the existing boundaries is not an easy task.

 
Governments in their part, may have to rethink of policies to ensure necessities for a simple living of everyone. Their lives and livelihood do matter. Though always the rich are ensured lifeboats, they cannot find safety anymore. The time for annual gimmicks of planting trees is over. Corporates succeeded in downplaying the impacts of their 'development' on our habitat. Now the trees cannot take roots, water cannot find its freshness.

 
Fake faces of religions act very powerfully in society though we might say that religions have gone away. If at all religions have to make a relevant contribution, they need to have a metareligious role to play now at the depth of human heart. We may expect a miracle like exodus. But in reality, we will have to walk through fire and water. Only a humanity walking together in compassion and solidarity shedding all the barriers can pass through the crisis.

 
How do our congregations, youth movements, organizations ... bring into their planning the 'mission' of motivating the generation of renewed conscience formed with fraternity, love, compassion, solidarity ... Are we still comfortable in the safety of an imperial system continuing to make plans for its survival and control of others?

Hope is active

Hope is not a pleasant feeling about the future. It is active and alive. It is not a mental compromise to adjust with present struggle and crisis. Hope generates a dynamism sprouting from the grace within. It gives us the way to walk. In times of miseries, hope enables us to be bonded in solidarity and empathy in order to walk together. 

Climate, war, intolerance ... are on the rise. Disasters should not be a time of horrible destruction in an inhuman mode. In the time of disasters, only hope can help us to be humans of heart, compassion, sharing, solidarity, and cooperation. 

Assumption

The whole creation is striving for/ waiting for its fruition in union with God.

Mary, one among the creation, one among us,
waited, brought its fruit, found its completion.
It was the work of God.

It was fitting that she was born immaculate,
God may have prepared many generations to break the clutches of sin,
that gracefulness was all that was there when she was born.
It is to be contemplated that she preserved it in a graceless world,
a world fought for power, wealth, and transcendence.
To spend grace in a graceless world is harder than death,
so, a thousand swords may have pierced her heart.
Yet she held her heart full of grace.

In life, or in death, when was she not in grace?
She was always in heaven.
Grace was there in her, life was there in her, God was there in her,
all the while she was a wife, she was a mother, she worked, sweated, wept.

If assumption is seen as a liberation from material world, it collapses the whole meaning of incarnation and redemption.
Her life itself celebrated the liberty in bringing forth the Messiah.

Mary seen as the type of the church,
seeing what was granted to her,
are we assumed to grace to be grace-bearer in a world whose powers become self destructive?

Preaching for the re-discovery of souls

Following the preaching ministry St Dominic, Dominicans have defined their charism as 'preaching for the salvation of souls.' They were committed to make the encounter of God with humanity being within their shaky 'holy grounds.'

In different moments of history, people were losing souls because of the distortion of faith, often by those taking advantage of the misery of people. These interpretations distorted the image of God and humanity in their interesting spiritualties. At times they also gave images of exalted power of God or human.

Today, we have fragmented selves, societies, and so even fragmented divinities. The crisis today involves unbearable power to control and to transcend. At the same time, the same power tears us into pieces. A huge number of people are at the same time alien to this world of power achieved by some privileged.

So the world cries out for justice, and seeks compassion from those who have heart. What is the truth of economic policies, environmental challenges, wars, medical marketing etc? How does humanity face the alarming disasters, especially the children today? What about the indigenous people thrown out of their habitats? There is the crucified God, humiliated and abandoned. "What will become of them because of our 'social, political, and environmental' sins" must be a constant painful cry within us. Dominican preaching must evoke conscience to these concerns.

Contemplation of truth which does not turn to be an assurance of justice, neither contemplates truth, nor does it form a face of God in one who is contemplating. It does not produce fruit, nor does it carry the seeds of salvation.

Contemplation and preaching today is for the re-creation of truly human soul - not a wretched human nor a transcended superhuman. It is to find the true roots of humanity, and place it in its proper place. God brought forth humanity within the community of creation assuming its interior self from the bond with the community. We thought that it is something wrong with us to have that identity. If we find the roots again we will heal the fragmentation of our souls. Preaching for the rediscovery of our souls is a common effort which also includes the preaching given by other than human community of creation.

My soul ...

If one understands the many dimensions of one's soul, one can only illumine it with gratitude and pour itself out in generosity. It is exactly in a different direction the foolish rich man addressed his 'soul,' 'Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.'

Jesus taught us to have confidence, not in the grain in our barns, but in the providence of God. His call for seeking justice and ensuring the kingdom of God is this providence in human actions and work of grace.

The man who came to Jesus with the request to settle the matter of property was probably denied the just portion that he deserved. His brother may have been greedy and powerful. Jesus probably was sad on the emptiness of that greedy person. This emptiness is also reflected in the sadness filled in the heart of rich young man.

The question is not only about how we handle riches, but what is our richness and what is the sense that it generates in us. We are in a time even crisis is made opportunities for profit at the cost of common welfare. Many lost lives and livelihood to Covid, but during the struggle there emerged many super rich people. Many died and fled due to Ukraine- Russia war, but it became an occasion for weapon sale. People die due to hunger, when we have surplus of food grains.

Greed is connected with the craze for domination. After possessing wealth and ruling over the world, what is the nature of 'soul discovery' within us? If the world is in misery and conflict, that reflects our 'souls.'

Psalmist has a beautiful expression: "Bless the Lord, my soul, let all my being bless his holy name." It is not a verbal jubilation, it is the orientation of the soul for action having found the manifold roots of one's soul.

Penitential Pilgrimage

"Pope meets the indigenous"

Pope is in 'penitential pilgrimage."
Wow! Beautiful headlines!

The same publishers had blamed Pope for supporting the 'destructive' nature of Amazon Synod. Even the very feather headdress was scorned at. Then, the synod was defending the habitats of the indigenous which challenged the interests of the corporates. So the 'Pope was wrong.' Now, it is simply an apology, and it does not matter to us.

But it should matter to us.
The indigenous voice, songs, dance, and forms of prayer do have the Word element, they deserve recognition. After all who is anyone who is to offer recognition other than Christ himself.
This penitential pilgrimage also should matter to us, because of the injustices caused by categorizing and humiliating some as low cast and outcast.

Rise again

Advanced warplanes cannot fight the heat waves, and hurricanes,

Yet we are getting for space wars.
Economy of greed, fraud and revenge,
never cares for life on the planet.
The few superrich are assured of life life-savers,
as others struggle for survival.
But, their money cannot stand,
the fire is so hot,
the storm is so strong.
Turn to the dust with gratitude,
see the soul of humanity,
we might rise again.

Sanctuary of the Lord

Moulding a heart for justice, kindness and peace, we can come to the door of our hearts and say, here is the sanctuary, the sanctuary of the Lord.

It is not one moment effect or a day's effort. Growing goodness and the deprivation of the good remain with us. The thorny nature formed from our deficiencies will turn harmless. The orientation for goodness treats them within.

Empty images of God

We are stressed because of availability of too many alternatives. We choose the best one,
and immediately there is a feeling that some other choice would be better.
Even God, we prefer the best image suitable for our state of mind,
still we find many others.
We hunt behind these images
in familiar religious imageries,
at the cost of the real one,
ending up loving empty images of God.

Blind eyes

God cannot open the eyes or ears, 

if one has blinded or deafened oneself.
They never grasp the values of the Good News.
They abandon the source of life giving waters, and prefer broken cisterns.
The prophets follow things with no power in them,
not because following any strange Gods,
but by following power and money covered in the very name of God.

Hyper-piety and rigid traditions blind and deafen us.
Truly open ears and eyes recognize the light of the gospel in the very lives they live.
God is gracious.

Jonah's sign

Jonah stands for anyone, especially the zealous ones,

who applies divine justice exclusively to themselves as the chosen ones,' 

acts with pride,
and condemns all others wrong,
and desires their destruction,
and fails to have tender love.

Christ acted justly,
loved tenderly,
and walked humbly before the Lord.

Who deserves justice according to our judgments?
who deserves our tender love?
are we comfortable to walk humbly or do we need a defenses that pride offers?

Reception for Jesus

Was there someone for talking to the man who was carried by the good Samaritan to the inn? Was there someone to prepare food for him? We don't know. After all it is a parable. Religion and customs could not receive him, but the stranger could.

Jesus faced rejection from many.
The reception at the house of Martha and Mary was consoling, comforting, and strengthening. They came near to him, poured wine and oil, talked to him and served him. Son of man did need a place to rest and be comforted.

Whether the 'reception' is given or not is not at all a matter for us now. We go to buffet, have food, and return home. But 'reception' does matter whether it be in a family, or society, or in the church. Our comfortable belonging depends on the hearty reception. We must receive it, and offer it.

Rest for your soul

 "My spirit in me seeks for you."

The spirit is a thirst to grow into what we are meant to be.
The spirit of God touches this thirst, comforts, consoles, strengthens.
The yoke is easy, for it is supported by divine life,
and strengthens our being.
Gradually and slowly, the rest may be felt,
moment of fulfilment, fruition, and passing on.

Preferring Christ

Having Jesus is not about changing one's belief system. It is a radical choice to be a human so fully that one lives not just for oneself alone but for all humanity and the whole creation. Gifts of the Holy Spirit is given to us to enable us to live this choice.

Until this desire becomes the essence of our worship, Christ will continue to be in a deity form in our imaginations. He will not be experienced as the messiah, and his incarnation will never be experienced as a reality.

Until it is brought to our conviction, the Eucharist will be a bread ritual invoking supernatural power to the bread. God's question to the Israelites will be repeated, "What are your endless sacrifices to me?" The Eucharist is about living in Christ entering into communion he established with God. This communion includes a living sacrifice, reconciliation and fraternity.

Having Jesus necessarily involves sacrifice, communion, a life of gratitude, deeds of love without boundaries. Any attempt to extend the boundaries is sensed as a threat to a community, religion or culture in a cocoon safety. That is the challenge of having Jesus. Preferring one's loved customs, traditions, liturgy, religious leaders and their 'powerful' ministries above Christ is not worthy of Him.

true sacrifice

God abandons the altars,
even the God imagesthat are symbols of pride and arrogance.
Seek steadfast love,
act with kindness,
there is the altar of God,
and true sacrifice.

fruits

Dream of the young as their eyes begin to see,

and the insight of the elders as their sight begins to fade,
both give light to a living community.
A romance, fight, dialogue, search, even abandonment,
is in the Way to Truth and Life.
Light in the young, and the brightness of the elders,
point to the wounded healer risen.
"My God, and my Lord."

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Bridegroom's presence (of the gospels) and the rejoicing is like a spring time;
new sprouts, new flowers, new fruits,
the life of grace.
Even in wilderness, streams begin to flow.
celebrate life, celebrate grace, celebrate your fruits.

A renewal is for fruition,
new signs of life for new seasons, perhaps a strange season,
renewal is not a revival or restoration of the old.
Feel that flower, the fruits, the life within,
the presence of the bridegroom.
Celebrate!

Fasting for pleasing the bridegroom is like the fig tree without fruits.

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His job was to look after sycamore trees,
He preached because he received a message,
He saw the word of God in an innersight.

Preaching as a profession and preaching as a charisma are different.
The former adapts to the political currents and wills of the powerful,
truth, justice, and compassion are neglected.
The latter seeks the will of God,
life and peace of all, good in totality.

Righteousness as a profession, and righteousness from the freedom of heart are different,
The former justifies oneself and condemns all others,
condemns even goodness in others,
the latter acts on the freedom of heart,
shares the compassion and justice that bring life.

The Son of Man had no place

They were wanderers,

and they felt that God was guiding them.

They settled in a promised land,

nowhere to move forward, they settled,

preserved their land,

time and space became static.

God was tied to it.

God was not expected to move beyond their land and time.

Even later generations thought

that God was standing in the space and time of their fathers.

There came unaltered temple and traditions.

They called it security, fidelity, and holiness.

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The Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head...

he prefers to lay his head among those who are on a pilgrimage with him.

In the past he lived in tents, movable with the cloud,

not in temples, stuck to a place.

if only the people of God were to be willing to move with the Messiah,

and not try to tie him down!

It is not God or religion that has gone away,

it is the sense of justice that has disappeared.

Voice at the depths

There is a voice at the depth of everyone,
a voice, reaching to the roots of our being,
roots that drinks from the fountain of life.

This voice is silenced by our preferred voices,
speeches that gather power, and throne.
Upon those voices we attempt to build our self, church, and kingdoms.
They have silenced the voice at the depths.

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Mary treasured all these things...
it was not her voice, but the voice that she heard in the depths.

Going to the Father

The purpose of Christian life is to be in God. Jesus teaches us to remain in God. Being in God happens through Jesus. That is why he is the way, and prepares a ‘place’ for us in God. Jesus is not like a tourist guide or a gate keeper letting us go to God. Perhaps, we imagine that Jesus passes us in if we go to him and acknowledge our belief in him. ‘He’ is the way. His incarnation, life, death, and resurrection hold us in union with him. Christ with us together we have the total Christ. Through a similar life of lifegiving sacrifice we live that way and be in Christ. Then we are sure that he is the way to God, and we have found ourselves in God. The image of the gatekeeper Christ as the way deceives us. That is the folly of politicized 'personal saviour.'

Going to God is a transformation, a transformation into the image of Christ. It happens in our life and attitudes through the work of the Holy Spirit. This transformation also places us fittingly into the body of Christ. Christ with the whole humanity 'go' to the Father. The difficulty here to see Christ like is probably because we are too familiar with the image of the self as an isolated individual. We are not just what we are. We find ourselves seen as someone towards Christ together with the whole of creation.

If the purpose of Christian life is to establish a Christendom where it is an exercise of power, we are losing ourselves by building our power structures in the name of Christ. Often we even risk losing Christ to maintain power and security. We might find ‘salvation’ in powerful governments and superhero kings and prophets, but there we cannot remain. The wind blows and flood comes, and great is the fall.

Liturgy

Liturgy is to involve us in the reality it desires to represent (using symbols, rituals, and the myths that supports them). If this involvement does not happen liturgy has failed. It becomes an idol rather than symbol. One good example is the Eucharist. Eucharist first holds the life, sacrifice and communion of Christ (communion with the father and all of us. secondly it holds all of us, our life, sacrifices, faith, and communion (communion among ourselves and communion with God through Christ). The above two are administered by the community in the coming together, offering, and praying. Here the community gathers together as the body of Christ, and it is Christ who prays and offers sacrifice. We, being in Christ, worship God who is among us his people. Priest is the minister of the sacramental administration of this mystery. We cannot limit these things into a bread and wine ritual. Often our focus goes to the bread as though the whole meaning of Eucharist is focused on the bread. it impoverishes us from our full involvement in the reality we are to participate.