LIVING IN A FRATERNAL COMMUNITY

II EASTER SUNDAY - Acts 2:42-47

In the Acts of the Apostles, at the end of chapter two, Luke presents, in a summary, the idealised traits of the Christian Community, which must serve as a model to our communities. The ideal may seem too high but we should strive to live according to that ideal. On our own, we will never achieve that which is proposed to us. That’s why Jesus bestowed the Holy Spirit on his disciples, as he entrusted them with the ministry of reconciliation (Jn 20:22-23).

According to Luke, the life of the Christian Community moved around four main axes:

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” (Act 2:42)

Some exegetes interpret these four axes as the basic structure of the Eucharistic celebration as it was done in the first Christian generation:

1. the teaching of the Apostles represents the liturgy of the word, which is essential for a valid Eucharistic celebration.
2. the fellowship represents the meal taken together - that is the table fellowship which went with the Eucharist. From Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, we know that this table fellowship caused problems (1 Co 11:33) and, due to those problems, ended up disappearing.
3. then, it followed the breaking of the bread, in which they repeated Jesus’ gestures and words in the Last Supper.
4. finally, there were prayers, which have always constituted an important aspect of the Eucharist.

However, most of the experts understand this passage as referring to the community life of the first Christians, presenting us with the essential aspects that must be present in any community that calls itself Christian.

The teaching of the Apostles is paradigmatic, setting up the norm of what we believe. Throughout the history of the Church, There have been always people who make their doctrine and establish their own rules and teaching. The Church is called apostolic because it stands rooted in the teaching of the Apostles. More than in the past, nowadays we find people who pretend to have their church in accordance with the prevalent ideologies of the moment. However, to remain in the Church of Christ, we must be faithful to the teaching of the Apostles.

Even though, the table fellowship is no anymore connected with the Eucharist, fellowship is essential for a Christian community. There must be coming together and sharing. We must live and behave like the family of God.

In the breaking of bread, Jesus invites us to his table and gives us the bread of life. for us to be partakers of his body and blood. The Church has never stopped celebrating the Eucharist, obeying Jesus’ command: Do this in remembrance of me. In the Eucharist - which includes the Word of God and the breaking of bread - we have a foretaste of the heavenly liturgy in which God’s love is celebrated by singing together God’s praises.

The prayer life is another indispensable element of community life: “They went as a body to the Temple every day”.

Let us pray to the Lord that he may fill us with his Spirit who makes possible reconciliation and guides us towards the family of the children of God.

O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY?

EASTER SUNDAY - John 20:1-9

John stresses that the disciples recognised Jesus’ resurrection “on the first day of the week”. Other proclamations of faith speak that Jesus “was raised on the third day” (1 Co 15:4; Act 10:40). The first day of the week is the first day of a new beginning. The resurrection of Jesus marks a new creation or a new world order built upon a new covenant - a covenant sealed with the blood of Jesus Christ, shed for the remission of sins. This new beginning came as a surprise, even for the closest of the disciples. 

Early in the morning, while “still dark”, Mary of Magdala went to the tomb. For us, it sounds a bit strange. Why did she go to the tomb? Was she alone or with others? Jesus had been buried in a hurry, leaving no time for all the funeral rites. Maybe she wanted to pay her last respect to Jesus. How was she going to do that, since a heavy stone had been rolled to the entrance of the tomb? We may remember that it was a tradition by then to visit the tombs of the prophets. Arriving at the tomb, Mary had a big chock: “She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb”. Who would do such a thing? Tomb robberies were common by then. Or were the enemies who wanted to dispose of the body of Jesus? In no way did she think that Jesus had risen from the dead. Indeed, “Till this moment they had failed to understand the teaching of scripture, that he must rise from the dead.” Thus, in big alarm, she run to inform Peter and the beloved disciple that the Lord was taken out of the tomb. Immediately, they ran to the tomb to verify the veracity of Mary’s information. The tomb was empty, and that was verified by three qualified witnesses.

Mary of Magdala, Simon Peter and the beloved disciple represent the new community, born of the ministry of Jesus, but a community confronted with Jesus’ death and then with an empty tomb. They are at a loss, scared and alarmed. Despite Jesus’ announcement that he would rise from the dead, his real resurrection was beyond their dreams and expectations. Peter and the other disciple run to the tomb and, when they went in, they found no signs of robbery. Everything was in perfect order: They “saw the linen cloths on the ground, and also the cloth that had been over his head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself.” As soon as the beloved disciple saw that, he understood and believed. That harmony was a clear sign of Jesus’ victory over death. And we may sing with St, Paul:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”

“O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, 

and the power of sin is the law. 

But thanks be to God, 

who gives us the victory 

through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Co 15:54-57)

May the Risen Christ fill all of you with his blessings.

JESUS’ PASSION

PALM SUNDAY - Matthew 26:14-27:66

With Palm Sunday, we begin the Holy Week that ends with the Pascal triduum, when we celebrate the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. On this Sunday, during the three-year cycle, we read the passion narrative of one of the synoptic gospels. And so this year, we read Saint Matthew’s passion, which deserves an attentive reading in an attempt to grasp some of the major themes. 

It begins with the betrayal of Judas. It surprises us that he belonged to the group of the Apostles. How could he sink so low and betray Jesus for a few coins - 30 pieces of silver, the price of a slave (Ex 21:32). And we may ask: Was it only for the money? Probably, there were other reasons. Was he disappointed, because Jesus did not fulfil his expectations? Maybe, he thought that Jesus did not recognise his value. Holding a grudge against Jesus, he decided on revenge. Jesus was well aware of his machinations and made it known during the last supper. However, Judas ignored the warning and went ahead with his treachery. Even though, he had not thought about the consequences of his acts. Thus, Jesus‘ sentence to death by the Council of the Jews came as surprise. He didn’t desire such an outcome. His sense of guilt was so deep that, in despair, he put an end to his life.

Among the disciples, another major figure during the passion was Simon Peter. He had been chosen to be the leader of the Apostles and had always shown a deep attachment to Jesus. Being the most outspoken of the Apostles, he gave expression to his thoughts and his feelings. He could not understand how Jesus was intent on going to Jerusalem and how he could accept (or even desire) to be killed at the hands of the religious ruling class. Warned by Jesus that he would deny him, he answered: “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” Those were the words of a braggart who overestimated his courage. Once put to the test, he was not able to stand by Jesus and quickly denied him. All the other disciples run away and went into hiding. Indeed, the sheep of the flock were scattered because the shepherd was cut from this world. 

Judas and Peter are examples of two completely different attitudes: Judas despaired of salvation and committed suicide, while Peter shed tears of repentance and, confessing his sin, showed his confidence in the loving mercy of Christ. He had made with Jesus a deep experience of love and mercy that filled him with hope, leading him back to Jesus.

We may look as well at Caiaphas and Pilate, the two most important figures in Jesus’ trial. As the high priest, Caiaphas presided over the Sanhedrin and conducted the religious trial, formulating the big question that would decide the fate of Jesus: “… tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus’ answer - “… you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” - led to his condemnation. Behind Jesus’ condemnation, there was a religious ideology that felt threatened by his actions and decided to protect itself by getting rid of Jesus. And they were ready to commit injustice in the name of God. Pilate, the roman governor, did not care about justice and truth, but about his power and the roman empire that he served. He condemned Jesus on trumped-up charges, just for political expedience.

In Matthew’s passion, we are invited to look at Simon from Cyrene who carried Jesus’ cross, at the roman centurion who recognised Jesus as a son of God and then at Joseph of Arimathaea who buried the body of Jesus.

As we meditate on Jesus’ passion, let us bring before the Lord the passion of all those who suffer injustice.

I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE

V SUNDAY OF LENT - John 11:1-45

We end the last Sunday of Lent with Jesus raising Lazarus from death and proclaiming himself as the resurrection and the life. There were three brothers, Lazarus, Martha and Mary, who lived in Bethany, near Jerusalem. In a way, they represent the Christian community. They are brothers and the members of the Christian community call themselves brothers. They know Jesus and they are his friends, welcoming him in his house and preparing food for him. With them, Jesus felt at home. Then, they were struck by suffering and death. In distress, they sent for Jesus, appealing to kindness and friendship. And Jesus seemed not to be in a hurry to answer the call of distress of his friends. How many times, do we have that sensation, feeling that Jesus has ignored our request and abandoned us to our fate?! However, Jesus looks at his friend’s death as an opportunity for God to manifest his glory “so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” God has his plans and his ways, which may become comprehensible when they come to completion.

Jesus referred to Lazarus’ death as falling asleep and that he was going to awaken him. The disciples did not understand and Jesus had to speak clearly: “Lazarus has died,” The mood of the disciples was one of uncertainty and fear. They could not understand why they should go again to the area of Jerusalem when the leaders had threatened to arrest Jesus and stop his movement. Thomas the Twin had to encourage his fellow disciples: “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” In the eyes of God, death is to fall asleep, waiting to be awakened by Jesus to a better life.

Hearing that Jesus was near, Martha went to welcome him and express her regret that he had not been there in their time of need. She expressed as well her confidence in Jesus, since he had a special relationship with God: “But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” But it was beyond her dreams that her brother might be brought back to life. She believed in the resurrection of the dead at the end of times as most Jews did. It was then that Jesus revealed himself as the resurrection and the life. And that revelation allowed Martha to proclaim her faith, which is the faith of the Church, in Jesus Christ: “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

With Martha, we must proclaim our faith: We believe, Lord, that you are the Christ, the Son of God. Without that belief, we will not pass through death to life. Martha believed and then vacillated in her faith. Jesus had to remind her: “if you believe you will see the glory of God”. And at Jesus’ command, Lazarus came out of the tomb. May Jesus’ voice of command be pronounced over us when the time comes, so that the glory of God may be manifested in us.

LIVE AS CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT

IV SUNDAY OF LENT - John 9:1-41

Jesus came for those who recognise their blindness and are in search of the light so that they may see.

“It is for judgement

that I have come into this world,

so that those without sight may see

and those with sight turn blind.”

We may be surprised by Jesus’ declaration that “those with sight turn blind”. The Pharisees understood the words as being addressed to them. “We are not blind”, they said, convinced that they have good sight, that is, they have a deep understanding of God’s ways and they keep faithful to them and so they are ready to judge others. They are blind and refuse to look for the light. Sooner or later they will end up at the bottom of a very deep pit.

Jesus is the Light of the world. He is the true sun that dissipates darkness and makes it possible to walk in the light. The physical healing of the blind man was the beginning of a journey of faith in which the darkness of unbelief gave place to the light of faith. We can see the blind man coming closer day by day to the recognition of Jesus as the Messiah, the Saviour. From total darkness, he came into the light and found meaning in his life. It seems that Jesus met him by chance, although even that is part of God’s purpose. Then Jesus healed him. The healing was the result of Jesus’ action and then the man’s walking to the pool to wash his face. He had to put in his effort and his trust in the word of the one who told him: “Go and wash”. Questioned about his healing, he stated the obvious: a man called Jesus had given him sight. The insistence and the disbelief of those who questioned him led him to put in cause their sincerity and their honesty and to affirm that the Jesus who healed him is a prophet. Because of this statement, he was expelled from the synagogue. Those who follow Jesus and become his disciples pass through the same path of rejection. He started suffering because of Jesus. It was then that Jesus came to him, revealing himself as the Messiah, the Saviour of the world. His answer must be the answer of all disciples: “The man said, ‘Lord, I believe’, and worshipped him.”

In the second reading of this Sunday liturgy, St. Paul tells the Ephesians that they must live like “children of light” (Ep 5:8). They should not have a share in the deeds of darkness; on the contrary, they must expose them by their presence and their attitudes.

The call of Paul to the Ephesians is addressed to us today:

“Wake up from your sleep,

rise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you.” (Ep 5:14).

 IS GOD WITH US, OR NOT?

III SUNDAY OF LENT - John 4:5-42

In their long journey through the desert, time and again, the people of Israel put God to the test. And God had to put up with them until his patience reached a limit. The place where that happened was called “Massah and Meribah because of the grumbling of the sons of Israel and because they put the Lord to the test by saying, ‘Is the Lord with us, or not?’” (Ex 17:7).

This same question echoes through the centuries and is repeated in our own times. Is God with us or has he abandoned us? Maybe, we were mistaken and our trust was in vain. Maybe, there is no god to rely upon. Maybe, we are left alone in the wilderness of life. We must struggle and find our own way. Massah and Meribah remained forever as a symbol of suspicion and quarrel with God, which left God very annoyed with the people. This lack of faith and trust was insulting after all that God had done for them. It is during the hardest and difficult times that God is specially with us. Because of the pain, anguish and despair, we go through, we lose the sense of God’s presence and loving care and instead of crying to him in our suffering, we turn our backs on him and insult him. In Bemba, they address God as “Shimwitwa pakakala” - the one who is called in difficult times.

Remembering the episode of Massah and Meribah, psalm 95 advises us to listen to the word of God and put our trust in him:

O that today you would listen to his voice!

  ‘Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,

  as on that day at Massah in the desert

when your fathers put me to the test;

  when they tried me, though they saw my work.’

People could not bear anymore the thirst and Moses, at God’s command, gave them water from the rock. In the gospel, Jesus presents himself to the Samaritan woman as the rock from which we can get the water of life.

The episode of the Samaritan woman presents on one side the spiritual journey of faith towards the acceptance of Jesus Christ as the Saviour and on the other the important role of the woman in evangelisation. If the woman stands for the Samaritan people, then the passage presents the evangelisation of that people, carried out by simple and common people who give witness to Jesus Christ, who is recognised as the Saviour of the world.

OUR JOURNEY OF FAITH

II SUNDAY OF LENT - Matthew 17:1-9

This Sunday, in the first reading, we are presented with the calling of Abraham and the promise that goes with it.  God’s call sounded like a command: “Leave”. He had to leave his country, his family and his father’s house. He had to leave his past behind and break the ties that had him bound to a way of life. Obeying God’s command, he was going to make a new start and move into the unknown. That is only possible when there is a deep trust that someone will guide and protect you along the way while preparing at the same time a warm welcome at your arrival. God’s command was accompanied by a promise for the future: “I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name so famous that it will be used as a blessing.” (Gn 12:1-4). Life, all life, is always a call, which we accept to answer, moved and strengthened by a promise. Life always comes pregnant with a promise of a better life, a new life. However, for that promise to be fulfilled, we must embrace life with trust, certain that we do never travel alone but always have with us the Lord of life. So strengthened by faith, “Abram went as the Lord told him.”

In the history of religions, the experience of Abraham is considered the beginning of a new relationship with God based on faith. All those who live by faith go through the same basic experience as Abraham. Our way of life is put into question by a call that forces us to leave behind the home where we feel protected and at ease and move towards the unknown, strengthened only by trust and confidence in the One who calls us. The acceptance of the call becomes a source of blessings that will lead us to blissfulness. 

Faith is a journey - the journey of life done in the company of the Lord. Interestingly, the ministry of Jesus is presented, mainly in the gospel of Luke, as a journey from Galilee to Jerusalem, a journey that will lead him through suffering and death to resurrection and glory. The scene of the transfiguration, read in this Sunday’s gospel, stresses the theme of the journey. Jesus had informed his disciples that he had to go to Jerusalem, where he would be arrested, tortured and sentenced to death, and then raised on the third day. This prediction was incomprehensible to the disciples and Peter reacted in alarm, saying that such a thing could not happen. Then, Jesus took with him Peter, James and John and went up a high mountain where he revealed all his glory as the beloved Son of God. All of us are called to go up the mountain with Jesus. That is the goal set for us by God. However, to reach the top, we must go through pain and suffering. That is, we must carry the cross with Jesus. Such a journey is only possible when we are guided by faith. That is what Paul told Timothy in his second letter:

“With me, bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News, relying on the power of God who has saved us and called us to be holy – not because of anything we ourselves have done but for his own purpose and by his own grace.” (2 Tim 1:8-9).