Syro-Malabar Mass

In order to have a greater sense of participation in our Eucharistic celebration, it would be immensely beneficial if we come to know a little bit about the history , the development and the structure of our Eucharistic prayer. Every Rite grows around its liturgy and the Liturgy of the Eucharist is the shaping force of the religious values and traditions of the people belonging to that rite. As one of the Fathers of the Church has put it, liturgy is the melody of theology.

It has to be pointed out at the outset that the faithful following the Syro-Malabar rite have lost that intimate link with the Liturgy that people belonging to other rites experience. Many historical reasons are responsible for such a disconnection.

The Christians of Kerala were following the East Syrian Liturgy from the 4^th C. But with the Synod of Diamper in 1599 A.D., there took place a great upheaval in the liturgical traditions of St.Thomas Christians. From that time onwards the faithful began to follow the traditions of the Latin rite, although the liturgical language remained Aramaic. When the liturgical reform took place with the introduction of Malayalam as the liturgical language in 1962, the faithful began to understand the meaning of their liturgical celebrations more clearly, but it caused again another disconnection. Also the revisions of the text of the Mass done in 1968 and in 1985 have made people more unfamiliar with the liturgy. It would take decades for the people to become accustomed to their liturgy and to establish a very strong and vital intimacy with it.

Once we grasp the nature and structure of the mass and begin to fall in love with that, we will develop the same attachment to our liturgy as other Eastern Rite Catholics have towards theirs.

One may ask why we should go back to the old instead of sticking with the one that we were accustomed to. The response is that it is in the nature of things that we keep to the original. We cannot use a truncated liturgical tradition. Either we use what we had before or create something new. It is not in the history of liturgical traditions that one creates a new liturgy. Moreover, the present liturgy is our patrimony , what our forefathers kept from the 4th C to the 16^th. This was the liturgy of the St. Thomas Christians of Kerala, before the community got divided into several denominations.

The Eucharistic prayer that we are using now developed in Edessa, a city of northeastern Syria, near the frontier between the Roman Empire and Persia. After the Council of Ephesus (A.D.431), Edessa became Nestorian and was later occupied by the Arabs.

It would be interesting to find out why Edessa was prominent in the historical development of different rites. We have to know first the political division of the world of that time. When Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman empire from Rome to the site of the ancient city of Byzantium in 330 A.D., Constantinople (Byzantium) assumed great political prominence. The see of Constantinople began to get prominence after the See of Rome. Other centers of prominence were Antioch and Alexandria. The Liturgical celebrations in these centers achieved great prominence and they began to be considered as different rites later. Of these, Edessa was the only Christian center outside the Roman Empire and this came under the Persian Empire. Edessa, thus, became a great center of Syriac-speaking Christians.

When the Portuguese came to Kerala, they found the Eucharistic prayer of Addai and Mari being used among the Christians of Kerala.

According to Louis Bouyer, the Eucharistic Prayer of the Syro-Malabar rite is one of the most ancient Eucharistic prayers in the Christian world. “Everything leads to believe that this prayer is the most ancient Christian Eucharistic composition to which we can we have access today. It is modeled after the pattern of the Jewish prayers over the last cup of the meal.”(Eucharist, p.147). According Lucien Deiss, another scholar on the Eucharist, this prayer is “very close to Jewish blessings and has a prodigious history”

Louis Bouyer points out the Semitic character of this Eucharistic prayer by showing that this follows very closely the prayers that Our Lord used at the Last Supper. What we find is that the words used in the Eucharist come from the Jewish prayer over meals. Like other people of his country, Our Lord has also used the Jewish prayer over meals. They are either known as Beraka( short prayers of blessings) or Berakoth( which are long ones).According to him, “The Eucharist of Addai and Mari remains based on the Jewish meal Berakoth, to the point that like them it is still composed not of one but three prayers.”(p.158).

The Development of the Eucharist in the Church:

It has been almost established that the prayer used by Jesus at the time of Last Supper was the common grace-Brikath ha-Mazon-the prayer of thanksgiving at the end of the meals. The three main topics in the Jewish prayer were the following: creation, revelation (giving of the Law), and redemption. “Prayer is based on thanking God for these things or blessing him for them. In the Birkath ha Mazon, God is blessed in the first paragraph for creating the world; in the second for giving his people food ; and in the third , prayer is made for the restoration of Jerusalem.”( Prayers of the Eucharist,Jasper and Cuming,p.7)

“These prayers that Jesus uttered at the supper are the origin and model of the Church’s Eucharistic prayer, or Anaphora. It was called a eucharistia , a Greek word that means thanksgiving and designates both the prayer and thanksgiving recited in imitation of the prayer of Jesus.

“At the supper of Jesus there were two separate and distinct prayers of thanksgiving, one for the bread and one for the cup, whereas in the mass there is only one, the Eucharistic prayer or anaphora which embraces both the bread and the cup.” (The Celebration of the Eucharist,Mazza,p.21)

“The ritual of Jewish meal was traced back to the divine command given in Deuteronomy 8:10. “ You shall eat your fill and bless the Lord your God for the good land that he has given you.”

“The purpose of the prayer is not to change the meal into a sacred meal, but to acknowledge the gift of God…Whenever there is a meal, provided it consists in something more than a medium-sized olive, the Birkat ha –Mazon is said.(Mazza,15)

There is no fixed model for these prayers as it was not customary to have the prayer written down. But some have made a tentative reconstruction of those prayers. Here is a model:

“Blessed are you ,Lord our God, King of the universe, who feed the whole world in goodness, kindness, and mercy. Blessed are you, Lord, who feed the universe.

“We thank you Lord ,Our God, who have given us as an inheritance a desirable land, that we might eat of its fruits and nourish ourselves on its goodness. Blessed are you ,Lord, our God, for the land and the food.

Have mercy ,Lord our God, on Israel you people and on Jerusalem your city and on Zion the dwelling place of your glory and on your altar and sanctuary. Blessed are Lord, who build Jerusalem”(Mazza,p.16)

The First Eucharistic Liturgies:

The Didache and the Apostolic Constitutions (Hippolytus) are the earliest records which show the beginnings of the eucharistic liturgy. In these early prayers, one finds the adaptation of Jewish meal prayers by the Christians for the Eucharistic worship.

The Didache whose full title is the Teaching of the Twelve Apostles was discovered in 1875.It is now generally accepted that it was most probably written in the first C. Syria. The work is the earliest known example of a Church Order. Chs.9 and 14 deal with Eucharistic celebrations(J&C,p.20).

Didache was incorporated into Bk. VII of the Apostolic Constitutions in a re-written form. The following is the ritual of the earliest Eucharistic worship:

“Concerning the Eucharist give thanks in this way:

First over the cup:

We give thanks to Thee, Our Father, for the holy vine of David, thy servant,which thou madest known to Thy servant,Jesus.

And for the broken bread:

We give thanks to Thee Our Father, for the life and knowledge, which thou madest known to us through thy servant ,Jesus.

As this broken bread was scattered upon the hills…so let thy Church be gathered together into Thy Kingdom.

The Apostolic Constitutions(Hippolytus) appears to have been written around 215 A.D. and hence gives another account of the earliest version of the Eucharistic prayer. It reflects the Roman tradition that was practiced some fifty years earlier. This is extant in Latin, Coptic, Arabic and Ethiopian versions.

Special Features of the Eastern Rite Liturgies:

The following are some of he special features of the Eastern liturgies and the Syro-Malabar Eucharistic liturgy too exhibits the same features.

1. The presence of an Icon Screen: this screen separates the sanctuary and altar from the nave where people gather. It may be viewed either as a link or a point of separation. From the former perspective, icon screen is the meeting place between heaven and earth. As point of separation, it emphasizes the transcendence of God. In the Syro-Malabar rite , a veil is used instead of the icon screen.

2. Offertory rite:

In the Oriental liturgies, the preparation of bread and wine occurs at a side altar before the public part of the Eucharist begins.

3.Epiclesis:

Oriental liturgies have always attributed the actual real presence of Christ on the altar to the particular action of the Holy Spirit.

The Structure of The Eucharistic Prayer of the Syro-Malabar Rite:

In our Eucharistic prayer we have four long prayers which the celebrant says with an inclined head .They are known as Gahanta and there are other prayers said by the priest in a low voice which are known as Kusappa. The celebrant recites these prayers (kusappa)silently in order to express his unworthiness before the Lord and the people. The long prayers or Gahanta are the prayers used by the Jews in their prayer over meals.

Syro-Malabar Mass—Parts and Organization

(Bp.A.D. Mattom)

The mass can divided into three sections

1. Introduction---also called Enarxis ----up to “Saklathiinteyum Natha…”

2.Mass of the Catechumens---until the washing of the hands.

3.Mass of the Faithful---From the washing of the hands until the end of the mass.

The Mass of the Faithful can be divided into three parts.

A. Preparation for the Anaphora. From the washing until the prayer: Njangalude Daivamaya karthave.

B. Anaphora—From the first Gahantha to the end of the Epiclesis

C. Post-anaphora---up to the end of the mass.

.

Introduction(Enarxis)

Begins with the song of praise sung by the angels at the birth of our Lord. Was in practice before 11^thC. The Our Father at the beginning of the mass was added by Catholicos Timotheos 1(821)

After the psalms, the blessing of the incense. Incensing indicates the prayers rising to heaven. Also refers to the sacrifice of the Old Testament.

Then the Prayer, Njangalude Karthave…

Before this prayer, the veil is drawn aside.

The veil: a symbol indicating respect for the sacrifice

Reminds us of the veil of the Jewish Temple, separating the Holy of Holies.

Only the Mass of the Faithful was done in the Madbhaha. The rest on the Bema—During that time, the offerings were arranged on the altar by the deacon---hence the separation.

Mass of the Catechumens:

The Jews used to read the Scriptures (the Law and the Prophets) on the Sabbath in the synagogues. The priests/elders would then interpret them…..The Mass of the Catechumens was the occasion to teach those who were preparing to receive the baptism.

The following are the parts of this Synogogal section:

1. Parisundhanaya Daivame…

2. The Epistle

3. Sumara—the Song before the Gospel

4. The Gospel

5. Karosoosa

6. Preparation of the hosts and the wine

7. Kaiveppu prayer(Blessing)

8. Dismissal of the catechumens.

Parisudhana Deivame:…This is known as Trisagion. Thrice Holy.Used in all the Oriental rites.Became part of the mass around 5^th c. The Holy Trinity is being referred to. In the Antiochian,Armenian and Coptic rites—this refers to the Son.

In ordinary masses, in the place of Sumara(partsof psalms), Halleluiah is being sung.

In the solemn mass called the Raza, two readings from the OT and a reading from the Epistles are taken.

After the Gospel(The Gospel is always carried in a procession), Karosouza---

Bread and wine are prepared at tables known as Bez Gaza placed on either side of the

altar.

Before the dismissal of the Catechumens, there is a blessing by the celebrant. In earlier days, the doors of the church were closed after this blessing as the next part of the mass is reserved only for the faithful.

Mass of the Faithful:

Preparation for the Anaphora:

Washing of the hands

Procession of the gifts

Oniza de Raza(Song sung at the time of the procession of the gifts)

Offerings placed on the altar

Creed

Karosouza

Procession to the altar

Silent Prayer(Kusappa)

Washing of the hands indicates the purity of mind that is required of the celebrant.

Oniza De Raza is the song sung at the time of the procession of gifts to the altar…..Karthavil Njan drudmayai saranappettu)

Then the offertory.

The song after this is the continuation of the Oniza de Raze(the Bl. Virgin Mary , the Apostles, etc are remembered.

The creed is recited after this.

From the 6^th C. onwards the custom of reciting the creed came into being as there were a lot of schismatic tendencies existing in the church. In the Latin rite, it was officially introduced by Benedict V111(1012-1024).

In the Karosouza by the server, prayers are offered for all.

Now the procession to the Madbahaha—the Bishop and the priests together…

Anaphora:

1.First Gahantha

2.The offer of peace

3.Incensing

4.Doxology—Nammude Karthavisomishihayude

5Ninglaude Bodhangal…

6.Second Gahantha and Doxology

7.Sanctus---karthavum Balavanumaya Deivam Parisudhan…

8.Third Gahantha

9.Words of Consecration

10.Anamnesis---Anjanusmarenam

11.Intercessory prayer

12.Fourth Gahantha

13.Epiclesis

Each Gahantha is accompanied by prayers before and after and hence is seen to be a cycle of prayers.

In the first Gahantha, the priest praises God for the graces received from Him and acknowledges the mercy of God in enabling him to offer the sacrifice.

The offering of peace is a symbol of the unity that should exist among the faithful.

The Sursum Corda dialogue---It was in existence in the Roman rite from the 3^rd c but was introduced in the Chaldean rite from the 6^th c.

The Second Gahantha ---praises the Trinity along with the multitudes of angels.

The response is Sanctus—Parisudhan , parisudhan…existing in all the rites. The first part is from Isaiah third chapter. Another part is from St.Matthew’s Gospel21,9.

Third Gahantha—the most beautiful prayer—the whole history of salvation is summarized in this prayer.

The words of Consecration:

Anamnesis—

Intercessory prayer---

Fourth Gahantha:

The Bl.Virgin Mary is commemorated.Prayers for peace and tranquility are made.

Epiclesis_--an important aspect of the Oriental Rite.

In many Oriental rites, prayers are offered to the Holy Spirit to change the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ.

It was the Council of Florence(1439) that proclaimed that the change into the body and blood would happen when the priest as the representative of Christ recited the words of Consecration.

Post-anaphora:

Prayers of repentance

Incensing

Breaking of the bread

Communion

Thanksgiving

Prayers of Repentance---Psalm 51.

The Structure of the Latin Mass

The Liturgy of the Word (the Synagogue service)

Preface (Father, you are holy indeed)—gratitude—(doing the function of a Gahanta)

Consecratory Epiclesis

Institutional Narrative-On the night he was betrayed---

Proclamation of faith

Memorial—anamnesis—Calling to mind the death..

Communion Invocation—epiclesis

Intercession

Doxology—Through him , with him…

The structure of the Syro-Malabar Mass

Eight Parts

Introductory Part—(up to the Uthana geetham)

Liturgy of the Word(from the Trisagion upto the readings)

Offertory(up to the grand entrance)

Anaphora-4 cycles of Gahanta—each one with 4 prayers

Reconciliation—preparation for communion

Breaking of the Host—(Death and Resurrection)

The Lord’s Prayer--Unity

Concluding prayers

Meaning of terms and symbols used in the mass:

Madbhaha: Sanctuary---the place of the altar—heaven kept hidden by a veil—dbhah= to sacrifice

Altar: The sepulcher of Christ---also the place of Resurrection

Hykala: the place of the faithful—symbol of the whole earth.

Bema: Jerusalem---the place of salvation ---the center of the world.

Procession from the Sanctuary to the Bema: a movement from heaven to the world---the mystery of the incarnation---the incarnation and manifestation of the Lord.

Approach to the Altar: Qurbana—Qreb—to come near

(Preparation for the approach

Dismissal of the unworthy

Prostrations on the Bema

Washing of the hands

Procession-entrance creed

Three times bowing)

= Entry to heaven

Liturgy of the Word: The procession of the Gospel—a preparation for the passion---solemn entry into Jerusalem

Also the advent of the Lord from heaven to Jerusalem.

The descent of the Gospel and its placing on the altar---symbolizes crucifixion.

The Gospel procession between the sanctuary and the Bema---the incarnation, the earthly ministry, the teaching of the Lord,the passion,death , resurrection and ascension.

Karosusa: Proclamation—all the readings and the homily are parts of this proclamation…

Raza:

The Eucharistic celebration is in the East Syriac tradition is known also Raza=mystery of Christ.

The whole Eucharistic celebration may be seen as a series of repeated commemorations of the paschal mystery of Christ. According to commentators, the preparation of the mysteries on the beth gezzas and their transfer to the altar ,placing on the altar and covering with veil symbolize the passion , death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Another title for the Eucharist is Quaddasa---It means sanctification, consecration or hallowing. The term Quaddasa has both the anabatic(ascending) and katabatic(descending) dimensions.In the anabatic dimension, this term is much similar to the term eucharistia—sanctification of God.

The anaphora of A&M contains the eucharistia which reflects the same basic structure of Birkat Ha Mason.

The term Quddasa in the Katabatic dimention means sanctification or consecration of the mysteries and of the assembly.

Easter,05

The whole Holy Week culminating with the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus is the high point of for our liturgical celebrations. As St. Paul reminds us, Resurrection is the corner stone of our faith. The Resurrection of Jesus is the indisputable proof of the divinity of Jesus and of what He has been for us all through these centuries. As Fulton J. Sheen has beautifully expressed in his Life of Christ, the other founders of religion came, taught and disappeared from the pages of history but there was only one person who rose from his death and asserted that he is alive. It is in this Jesus who conquered the forces of destruction and death that we believe.

We celebrate this Resurrection in the aftermath of one of the great natural disasters that has engulfed humanity. The tsunami disaster has taken thousands of lives away within the span of a few minutes or a couple of hours. People all over the world, all nations and nationalities, were affected by the tragedy. We saw how within no time all the plans and dreams that had been held dear to the hearts of many had crumbled and been shattered. We saw the fragility of life and how nothing could help the innocent victims in the hour of tragedy. So many cried out like Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb: “Where is my Lord?” The faith of so many was shaken. But the tragedy has brought humanity together; differences in race and culture were forgotten in the mad rush to help and heal. We saw the resurrection of the generosity of the human spirit and the willingness of many to sacrifice their time, talent and resources for the well being of those who were deprived of everything.

Easter is an integral part of our life. In times of suffering and sickness, we often forget how God is sustaining us. We forget the joyful moments that He has given us. Easter is a reminder to each one of us that suffering and sickness do not have the final say on our lives. The last word belongs to Jesus, to His Resurrection and not to suffering and death.

We have to ally ourselves, our sufferings and tragic experiences, with the Cross of Christ to experience the joy of a new life with Him.This celebration of the Easter should enable us to cry out with Mary Magdalene that “ I have found Jesus.”

Before we experience the joy of the Resurrection, the tomb of our life has to become empty. Jesus comes in when our life becomes emptied of selfishness and arrogance.

Time magazine has published an article in one of its recent issues dealing with the encounter between Ms. Ashley Smith and a criminal who barged into her apartment in the early hours of the morning. The young lady, recovering from her initial shock and fear, began to speak with the criminal and slowly tried to change his mind, succeeding in the end to hand him over to the police. Speaking about the event, the columnist writes the following: “The message of the Gospels is that God works with the crooked timber of human failure…Everyday, we have smaller, calmer chances to turn another person's life around, to serve and to listen. How often do we simply not see what is in front of ours? How often do we believe that the world’s evils—from terrorism to crime to emotional cruelty—are beyond our capacity to change?”

Easter gives us an opportunity to look at the world in a new perspective—a perspective that positive and hopeful. Easter is a reminder to each one of us not to be cowed down by disasters, defeats and failures. There is a new life, a new chance, a new opportunity waiting for us. With Jesus beside us, let us move forward with faith that the outstretched hands of Jesus will lead us through darkness and despair to the bright lands of hope and joy.

The following lines from a poet reflect the spirit of joy and hope that one should have during the Easter season:

Come, my friends

Let us walk over the greening fields.

Life is awakening from its sleep

And wanders through the hills and valleys.

Come, let us ascend the heights

And gaze upon the waving greenness of the plains below

Come, let us rejoice on this Easter Day

For death has folded up his tent and gone away.

Religious Education

Rev.John Powell, a theology professor at the Loyola University in one of his books mentions the conversation that he had with one of his students in the final class of the semester. The student told him that he doubted whether he would ever find God in his life. The Professor told him as he was leaving the class that even if he did not find God , God would find him. A few years later, hearing that the student had contracted cancer he spoke to him. The student then mentioned how the parting words in the final class had changed his life. Fr.Powell remarked in the class earlier that “ the essential sadness in life is to go through life without loving.” The student decided to open his heart to his parents and told them how much he loved them. His life from then on began to change and he added that “God does things in his own way and He found me even after I stopped looking for Him.”

All through our life we are in this search. We are sure that even if we don’t find him, He will find us. The loving Father will never abandon us. Even if the whole world turns against us, even if there are only dark clouds on the horizon, we are sure that the radiance of our Father will break through and envelop us in His warm embrace. It is about the radiance of this Love that we teach from this month onwards through our CCD classes.

Most of our parishes have begun C.C.D classes for our children. We take this occasion to acknowledge the splendid work done by our C.C.D teachers and greet our parents who have taken a great effort in enrolling our children for the classes.

At this time, it would be very opportune for us to reflect on the guidelines given by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the US through their National Directory. It enumerates the following elements as the criteria for the authentic presentation of the message:1. The Christian message should be centered on Christ,2.The message should be Trinitarian,3.The message has to proclaim the Good News of Salvation and liberation from sin,4.The Eccelsial and historical character of the message have to be brought out,5.The inculturation of the message has to be emphasized, and 6.The comprehensive hierarchical character of the message, the communication of the profound meaning of the person and the promotion of the common language of the faith are also to be emphasized. It is in the background of these criteria that we have to plan our lessons for various classes.

As Syro-Malabar Catholics, our children should absorb the heritage and the patrimony of our faith. It is through our Church —the Syro-Malabar Church-- that we received the faith . Our rite and our liturgy are the pillars of the heritage of our faith. They are to be transmitted to the young. Faith is not one aspect of our life as human beings. Faith is the air we breathe. That is the unique heritage of St. Thomas Christians. In our C.C.D classes, our children should see that their faith encompasses the whole of their lives.

At the same time we should also be aware of the fact that they live in the United States, in a culture that is very different from ours. Openness and mobility-- Freedom of space and movement—are some of the great features of the American culture. When we teach them, we have to bear in mind that we are teaching American children who grow up with the values from the culture in which they live. They appear like Indians but their attitudes and perspectives are molded by the culture in which they live. Some of the features of the American culture which a teacher should be aware of are mentioned in the National Directory: Religious Freedom, Economic Freedom, Pluralism, Pragmatism Interest in science and technology, Globalization, and Mobility.

In a recent issue of the America magazine on religious education, James Digiacomo urges the teachers of Religious Education to offer the children “ the presentation of the Christian message that is not only orthodox but also challenging and inspirational.” He tells them to “help students to ask religious questions before offering them the answers to the deepest questions we can put to human life.” He also warns against the spirit of consumerism that is part of their vision. He adds that “consumerism is not just buying things…It is a whole world view…it defines the human person in terms of material things owned and consumed.”

According to the Directory, the teachers should be given “the criteria and skills with which to evaluate the media and the culture that the media creates.” The teachers are encouraged to use all the modern resources available at their disposal to reach the young. Since most of them have email ids, and they watch you tube, we can also use those resources. “Catechists can hold lesson planning sessions via instant messaging, send the outlines of a catechetical lesson to a group of students by email…discuss the points of a lesson in a chat room.” These are some of the new ways in which we can communicate with the young who are very computer-savvy.

We are a in a new world and we have to present the Gospel in this new world. We know this is a difficult task but this is the task that is given to each one of us because of our life as Christians. We have to make Jesus known to all but more specially to our children. They are going to be the new ambassadors of Christ. It is their faith that is going to matter say twenty or thirty years from now. Whatever that is needed to make our faith palatable and acceptable to the young has to be employed.

Christmas,07

O’Henry, one of America’s well-known short story writers has a beautiful story highlighting the message of Christmas. In his story, the Gift of the Magi, he describes the love of a young couple and their intense desire to buy Christmas presents for each other. Both are poor and there is very little money left in their hands after their expenses. On the day before Christmas, Della, the young wife looked into her wallet and saw only coins worth more than a dollar. It had been her dream to buy a nice gold strap for the strapless gold watch that her husband had got from his parents as a present at his wedding. She turned to the mirror and all of a sudden it hit her that she could sell her beautiful golden hair and with that money she could buy a strap for her husband’s watch. She felt that it would be a total surprise for him. The husband too was thinking in what way he could surprise his wife. He thought of buying a pair of gold combs for her beautiful hair. So he sold his watch on his return home from his work and bought two gold combs. He was dreaming that this would be a great surprise for his wife. When the husband returned, the wife was all beaming with joy, thinking of the surprise she could spring on him. When he saw the bobbed hair of his wife, all the joy of his life was gone. He fell on the couch in total blankness of mind. The wife came with the strap and then she realized what her husband too had done .Both sold their great possessions to make the other one happy. What they found out was that they gave to each other their greatest gift in life….their love. Christmas is a time when we think of gifts and presents, forgetting the most important and basic gift that we can give at Christmas—love for one another.

The whole message of Christmas is summarized in St. John’s Gospel: “God so loved the world that he sent his only son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.” At Christmas, in the birth of Jesus, we see the outpouring God’s love for us .Jesus came to give us love, to make us the children of God, to enable us to call God as our Father. All the glitter and glamor of the celebration would be meaningless if this love were to be absent from our lives..

In our busy life, we forget the value of persons and give importance to our schedules and appointments. We forget how our actions and words, instead of comforting and strengthening people, are hurting them. We have become victims of our own artificial systems. How to get out of this rat race and to feel once again the experience our spiritual rebirth? Christmas invites us to go back to the manger and feel once again our innate littleness. “A short span you have made my days, and my life is naught before you; only a breath is any human existence.”(Ps.39)”.The Kingdom of God will be born in our hearts when we become like little children. “Unless you change and become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of God.”

We find among us a lot of intolerance and lack of sensitivity. We are Christians only in name but not in our hearts. We do not feel any pangs of conscience when we purposely ignore other people and keep them out of our circles of friendships. We carry our little jobs and responsibilities whether they are in the field of spiritual life or in the secular life with great authoritarianism and arrogance and ignore the feelings and sensitivities of those who work with us. What is Christian about us, then? . We need real inner transformation, the willingness to recognize the worth of people who live or work with us. “ Happy is he who has regard for the lowly and the poor”. Then only, we can really experience the joy of Christmas.

Let this Christmas be another opportunity for us to experience this inner transformation.

“Jesus ,be a guiding star before me.

Be a soothing wake behind me.

Be a rolling path below me.

Be a flaming hope within me.

Be all these things---now and forever.”

Easter,08

Easter always arouses in our hearts feelings of hope. Spring is around the corner. We see the day light and the blossoming of flowers. It brings in the season of flowers and leaves. For a long time, the nature itself , like us, was in hiding. Now everything is coming out. It is natural for all to feel exuberant and happy. Easter joins with nature to give us the sense of renewal, hope and joy.

It is very appropriate at this time to reflect on the passage in St. John’s Gospel(20:1-18) which is a marvelous account of the impact of the resurrection on the apostles and the disciples..

There is a feeling of emptiness, of helplessness, of sorrow, of having lost everything in the minds of the apostles after the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Mary Magdalene comes to the tomb to pay her final respects, to embalm the body of Jesus, if needed, and to see that He lies securely in his eternal sleep. There is not much thought about the Resurrection. The apostles also do not think that Jesus would arise. They just take the words of Jesus very casually. If Jesus were God, they might have thought, he would have stopped the Jewish leaders, Pilate and the soldiers from their cruel actions and would not have allowed Himself to die so shamefully. So they begin to get engaged in their usual tasks, but try to keep the company of one another for the time being. It is into this world of emptiness that Mary Magdalene appears at daybreak. She looks into the tomb .Jesus is not there. She feels that the body of Jesus has been snatched away by the followers of the leaders who were responsible for His crucifixion. He is gone. She rushes to the apostles and conveys the sad news of insult and injury. She does not say that He is risen but that they have taken Him away. They run to the tomb for another meeting with failure and disaster. But when they come they see the empty tomb, the clothes all neatly folded away. It strikes them all of a sudden that He is risen and not taken away. All the words of Jesus about His resurrection come alive in their minds. They now believe what was unbelievable, a few minutes ago, that Jesus is risen, that He is the Lord of life and death and that nothing can defeat Him. It comes into their consciousness very starkly that Jesus who walked with them and who died and is God.

Mary continues to stand there, crying and looking for Jesus. Then, Jesus appears and calls her by her name. That was enough for her to recognize Jesus. The same voice, the same love and the same tone. Oh, she could not stand the ground any more. Feelings of joy begin gushing out of her mouth: “ Rabbi.”

She carries the news whose stunning echo continues to reverberate across the Universe to the apostles:“I have seen the Lord.”

The empty tomb has become the womb of faith, the powerhouse of hope and energy, of renewal and vitality. The forces of death have lost their power before the empty tomb. Failures and tragedies can no more drag man into the abyss of despair. There is light at the end of the tunnel, there is joy in pain and there is life after death.

It is in emptiness, loneliness, and in suffering that we experience the Lord.

Our failures and our sufferings are the events that open the door of life to Jesus.

Through our failures, tragedies, painful and agonizing events and through situations when things turn bad for us, when others insult us, when we are not appreciated, and when we think that we are worthless and do not have talents, Jesus makes His appearance in our lives and calls us by our names. Failures do not matter any more. Sin has no power over us. We are the children of the Light. A new chance is always there.

As Daniel O’Leary points out in the “ Passion for the Possible,“The darkening sky over my head is a sacrament of the Lord’s protection…and the small birds flying home give me perfect delight.” He adds further that the Lord is telling him: “You are the rhythm of my breathing; the apple of my eyes. You are the lines of the palm of my hands. My love for you knows no bounds. There is nothing I will not do for you” He adds : “Wherever you go, and as long as life will last, there will always be a sudden moment in the middle of your busy life, when from the heart of everything in creation , from the tiniest insect to the epicenter of unexplored space, for a precious moment of wonder-filled pause,” the Lord will make His appearance and will call you by name and protect you.(P.34)

Easter is all that for us, a time of hope and of a renewed awareness of the constant protection of the Lord in our lives.

Sacrament of Charity

As we struggle with the problems, difficulties and hardships of life, we need moments to rise above them and to feel that these negative feelings and events do not have any sway over our lives. It is the Resurrection of Jesus that gives us this sense of freedom, of hope and courage. Easter reminds us very strongly that Calvary is not the end of the road but the beginning of a new life. As St. Paul reminds us, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in sins.”(1 Cor. 15:17).Easter is not just a memorial recollection of the Resurrection of Jesus but a reliving of the presence of Jesus daily in our lives. The words of Jesus addressed to the disciples at the time of the Ascension are always with us: “I am with you until the end of the world.”

With this hope in our hearts, we shall face the challenges and problems of our daily life. Sicknesses, financial disasters, personal failures, calumnious attacks will not have any power to take away the peace and joy from our lives as long as we believe in the eternally abiding presence of Jesus in our lives. As David Harrington has beautifully put it in his column in the magazine “America”: “Easter is not another spring festival…Rather, Easter means that physical death is not the end of us, that through Christ, life has conquered death and that we now enjoy a new creation inaugurated by the resurrection of Jesus and so a new way of looking at life (April12, 07, p.38.).”

We have also to mention in passing the importance of the Papal document “Sacramentum Caritatis”that came out just a few weeks ago. The Holy Father deals with the different aspects of the Eucharist, the central mystery of our faith, in this document. With regard to the Eucharistic celebration, the Holy Father adds that the Passover that Jesus celebrated was not only a “remembrance of the past but a prophetic remembrance---the proclamation of deliverance yet to come.” In Eucharist, he points out that Jesus “anticipates and makes present the sacrifice of the Cross and the victory of the Resurrection.”

The Apostolic Exhortation brings before our mind some of the important aspects of the Eucharistic celebration including the reverence and respect that are due to it. It points that all should “grasp ever more deeply the genuine meaning of the rites and liturgical texts and “that everything related to the Eucharist should be marked by beauty.”

Above all, the Exhortation points out the need for maintaining Eucharistic consistency which involves the consistency between our believing and acting. What more powerful a message can we have during this Easter season other than the following statement in the Exhortation: “Anyone who has not shared the truth of love with his brothers and sisters has not yet given enough.” Let this Easter season be another occasion for us to reawaken in us profound respect and love for our neighbor.

St.Alphonsa

As we greet the season of fall, of color and splendor in nature, we are also aware of the imminent arrival of the deep darkness and cold of the winter. As leaves fall and as the cold wind begins to blow, we become conscious of the transience of nature. As poet Shelley puts it, “O wind, if winter comes, can spring be far behind?” Hope is hidden the heart of Nature too. We, Christians, as believers in the Resurrection of Jesus, are people of hope too.

What we have seen in the past few weeks is the worst form of brutality that is hidden in the deep recesses of the human heart . It is the blatant exhibition of the winter in the heart of the human nature that is not touched by the grace of God. Thousands of innocent Christians were persecuted, hunted down and forced to flee to the forests just because they believe in Christ Jesus .Priests, nuns, lay men and women were attacked, burned and murdered. Churches, orphanages, convents and homes were wantonly destroyed. The majority of these persecuted Christians live in the forests or refugee camps. It is all because of their faith. The Christian faith that has transformed the world into a world of love and brotherliness, that gave the world the beauty and civility of the modern civilization is an anathema to the people of Orissa. Not a civilized soul in that State raised his or her voice against this brutal persecution.

There is a concerted attempt to wipe away the very trace of the Christian faith in the two districts of Orissa.

Some pundits have proffered lame excuses of conversion, tribal rivalry, economic advancement enjoyed by Christians etc as the cause of this violent destruction, burning , cruelty and looting. How can these be an excuse for killings?

Where is the Constitutional protection for the innocent? How can the Central Govt. of India remain a silent spectator of this atrocious cruelty?

More than any other community in the country, the Indian Christians have given all their talents and resources to give better education , health care and care for the poor to the people of India. They have participated in a vigorous and robust way, in spite of being a very tiny percentage of India’s population (2%), to accelerate the social and economic development of India.

Who have worked hard to lift the veil of poverty and deprivation from the poor of India than the Christian Churches? Is this the reward that the Indians give for the people who have spent their lives to uplift the poor and the depressed in the remote villages of India?

Gandhi has spoken very eloquently against such ill-treatments: “It has always been a mystery to me how men can feel themselves honored by the humiliation of their fellow human beings.” There is no modern Gandhi in India to raise his voice of moral condemnation of this atrocious cruelty that has been perpetrated against these hapless victims.

We strongly condemn these acts of brutality and appeal to the moral conscience of the International community to use its voice, power and influence to prevent this brutality and restore the Constitutional rights of these persecuted Christians of India.

In the midst of these dark clouds of persecution and oppression, Christians all over the world will experience the sunshine of divine grace in the canonization of Blessed Alphonsa within a few days. She is the beacon of hope to all those who are suffering and experiencing the pain and agony of sickness and hardships. She was a passionate lover of Christ. The cross of Christ was almost literally implanted on her life. Every waking moment of hr life in the convent was suffused with pain and suffering. But she transformed them into occasions of deep love and concern for other people. She prayed for more grace to accept suffering: “Jesus, Sun of Justice, send me your light, enlighten my understanding, clarify my thought, consume me in the fire of your love and make me one with you.”

She is a great intercessor before the Lord for those who plod through the walks of life in pain and agony. We shall draw strength from her life to face the challenges and difficulties we experience in our lives. As a Passion Flower, as the shining star of hope and love, we are sure , she will open the doors of human hearts to a new world of love and compassion.

The Catholic Church of Kerala has its first saint on the altar of world Christianity and a great intercessor of mercy and compassion before the Lord. Like our beloved Mother the Blessed Virgin Mary, we shall say with one voice “My heart rejoices in the Lord.”