The Light and Darkness

 

Part XXXXVI

Lord, let Your Light brings us the uprightness and uplift our faith in You

  Jesus' act of passion and death on the Cross had a profoundly redeeming impact that we cannot comprehend. When I read these verses, I have a wonderful experience of his magnificent trip to sacrifice himself on the Cross. The audience that followed him consisted of people from all walks of life, both physically and spiritually. On his route to Calvary, Jesus stripped and paraded all of the ruling forces to demonstrate how he would bear the sacrifice on the Cross and bring salvation to all humanity. Jesus transformed the shameful crucifixion into the triumphant cross of his death. He has wiped  all our debt to the Law and nailed everything on the Cross which none can do either in heaven or on earth. Colossians 2:14–15 (NJB): He has wiped out the record of our debt to the Law, which stood against us; he has destroyed it by nailing it to the cross; 15 and he has stripped the sovereignties and the ruling forces, and paraded them in public, behind him in his triumphal procession. 

  Lord is telling us through Apostle Paul about the life of darkness and light to distinguish them. ‘Do not harness yourselves in and uneven team with unbelievers; how can uprightness and law-breaking be partners, or what can light and darkness have in common? How can Christ come to an agreement with Belial and what sharing can there be between a believer and an unbeliever? The temple of God cannot compromise with false gods, and that is what we are—the temple of the living God….’ (2 Cor. 6: 14- 16) There is no compromise between light and dark. Those who live in sin are in darkness; they are simply worldly folks who know nothing about Jesus and his Kingdom. They are unaware of the genuine Truth (Jesus is the Truth). We shouldn't associate with them. They are ordinary individuals who lack understanding of God and His wisdom. How can we collaborate with them on any beneficial works in God's Kingdom. They worship false gods and have no knowledge of the actual God. When we believe in one God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we are unique. The secular doctrine misleads the majority of Christians, as does ecumenical collaboration with false religions, communities, and heretics. Br. Victor taught us about the actuality of the Spirit, which lives in the Catholic Church. We should seek the truth from God's Holy Spirit. We can wait patiently for the Holy Spirit's response to get real guidance. He will teach us what to do and what not do. ‘And so shall it be also when you separate the sacred from the profane, the unclean from the clean.’ (Lev. 10: 10) We cannot compromise with them or any kind of collaboration with them. They have no knowledge of what is holy and unholy things. Br. Victor told in one of his talk: ‘If you start business with any pagan or any non believer in Christ, your business will snatched away from you in few years and they will take over you and will loose all your money and wealth.’ St. Paul again says about such peoples: ‘In other words, since they would not consent to acknowledge of God, God abandoned them to their unacceptable thoughts and indecent behaviour. And so now they are steeped in all sorts of injustice, rottenness, greed and malice; full of envy, murder, wrangling, treachery and spite, libellers, slanderers, enemies of God, rude, arrogant and boastful, enterprising in evil, rebellious to parents, without brains, honour, love or pity. They are well aware of God’s ordinance: that those who believe like this deserve to die—yet they not only do it, but even applaud others who do the same.’ (Rom. 1: 28-32) Our lives should not be like this, and we should not disobey the Law of our Lord. Heretical doctrine and deceptive doctrines will reach us, including from close Church associates. But we are endowed with the best, which was bestowed upon us by our Spiritual Founder, Br. Victor, and his companion Br. Shaji. Their teachings were the undiluted Word of God, as imparted by our Brothers.  ‘At least we do not adulterate the word of God, so many do, but it is in all purity, as envoys of God and in God’s presence that we speak in Christ.’(1Cor. 2:17) 

The Light and Darkness

Part XXXXV 

Lord,  May the words of my mouth always find favour, and the whispering of my heart, in your presence. 

  We should have:‘the power of distinguishing the spirits.’ (1Cor. 12:10) This is the strongest foundation of our congregation and our charism, which Br. Victor passed down to us through his followers (our Brs) through his unwavering faith, conviction, and love for Jesus, a true apostolic grace. Lord, teach us the experiences of darkness and bring us into His light. If we do not understand the work of darkness, how can we resist it when it comes? After we have experienced the work of darkness, we will come to the light of Jesus. We must hold firm in our faith, which requires complete separation from the world and attachment to our Lord alone. We have to learn and begin praying continually and constantly. We must examine our conscience in order to atone for our failures. We must never be afraid to seek for forgiveness from others, and we must begin forgiving our enemies. Then we will begin praying for our adversaries. As a result, we shall be free of animosity and filled with the joy and peace of Jesus Christ. We will gain a clear conscience, as St. Paul says: ‘My brothers, to this day I have conducted myself before God with perfectly clear conscience.’(Acts 23: 1) 

   We should not have any ambitions of this world and we should not seek any pleasures of this world. All the ambitions of this world guide us to the natural inclinations and wealth of this world and it will lead us to do sins. Only Lord can reveal our hidden sin, and who can detect our sins. ‘But who can detect his own failings? Wash away my hidden faults. And from pride preserve your servant, never let it be my master. So shall I be above reproach, free from grave sin. May words of my mouth always find favour, and the whispering of my heart, in your presence, Yahweh, my rock, my redeemer.’(Ps. 19: 12-14) Once start experiencing the light we start to know the work of darkness by the grace of Jesus our Lord. Then He will show us the treasures of darkness. ‘I shall give you the secret treasures hidden hoards of wealth…’(Is. 45:3) Br  Victor always says that, we should understand the work of evil and then only we know value and depth of the Kingdom of God. Evil has many secret ways of darkness which will makes us imprisonment to work for Satan and his kingdom. Watch and ward of each of our steps and it is very easy to fall into that dungeon that is call Gehenna, the hell. 

The Light and Darkness

Part XXXXV 

Lord, lead us to the uprightness and holiness of Your Truth 

   Here, St Paul emphasizes that we should not live as gentiles do. We are getting the blessings and teachings of Jesus through his Apostles and Evangelists to comprehend the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. When we ignore the Church's doctrines and traditions, we become detached from God's life. When we disobey God's Commandments, we lose our senses and find it difficult to maintain self-control, potentially leading to a sinful life. Then we will have closed minds, think logically rather than spiritually, and engage in every type of uncleanness.  Ephesians 4:17–24 (NJB): 17 So this I say to you and attest to you in the Lord, do not go on living the empty-headed life that the gentiles live. 18 Intellectually they are in the dark, and they are estranged from the life of God, because of the ignorance which is the consequence of closed minds. 19 Their sense of right and wrong once dulled, they have abandoned all self-control and pursue to excess every kind of uncleanness. 20 Now that is hardly the way you have learnt Christ, 21 unless you failed to hear him properly when you were taught what the truth is in Jesus. 22 You were to put aside your old self, which belongs to your old way of life and is corrupted by following illusory desires. 23 Your mind was to be renewed in spirit 24 so that you could put on the New Man that has been created on God’s principles, in the uprightness and holiness of the truth.

   We should comprehend the distinction between good and bad, or good and evil. We should seek for the truth found in Jesus and read the Holy Scriptures to get clarity of mind, then we will realize the distinction between darkness and light. Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call what is bad, good, and what is good, bad, who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness, who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Lord, we do not know how to distinguish the light and the darkness and we are in misery. Lord, the fear of darkness is haunting us  day and night. Bring your light to overcome the fear ness. 1Thessalonians 5:4–7 (NJB): But you, brothers, do not live in the dark, that the Day should take you unawares like a thief. 5 No, you are all children of light and children of the day: we do not belong to the night or to darkness, 6 so we should not go on sleeping, as everyone else does, but stay wide awake and sober. 7 Night is the time for sleepers to sleep and night the time for drunkards to be drunk, We should live in the light of Jesus rather than in the darkness of evil. We are not the children of night or darkness, but of the light, Jesus Christ. St Paul reminds us to rise up at night to pray; night is for sleepers and drunkards to drink. Let us offer the following prayer to Jesus, our Lord:

A prayer from heart……...

Lord, teach me how to pray to you with all my heart

Lord, let your Holy Face shine on me,

to do your will, with your Love and Mercy. 

Lord, cleanse me with your Precious Blood, 

and make my heart like yours. 

Lord, let me have the spirit of prayer, 

through pondering, your Holy Word. 

O’ Lord, let me know your will,

and make me a humble servant of your Holy Garden Amen!

The Light and Darkness

Part XXXXIV

Jesus said: ‘I have power to take it up again; and this is the command I have received from my Father.’

  When we are in darkness, we become blind, and without Jesus' light, we cannot perceive spiritual things or experience God's Kingdom. We know that Peter rejected Jesus three times before the cock crowed, as Jesus had warned him before his Passion. Perhaps it was one of the lowest points in St. Peter's spiritual life. Then we must decide how much we want to change our attitude towards Jesus. Perhaps we deny Jesus in our minds many times in a day ‘Then he started cursing and swearing, ‘I do not know the man.’ And at once the cock crowed’ (Matt. 26: 74) Peter denied Jesus because he was scared of the crowds and the authorities. He was disregarding the love and care that Jesus had given him. But Jesus never abandoned him, forgave him, and forgot what he had done to him. 

   It was Jesus’s divine mercy that he forgive and forget our sins. Jesus never gets away from his own flocks. ‘No one takes it from me; I lay it down of my own free will, and as I have power to lay it down, so I have power to lay it down, so I have power to take it up again; and this is the command I have received from my Father. (Jon. 10: 18) He never allows anybody or any powers in the universe to take away His flocks from Him. The Father in heaven has given each souls to His own Son to take care off.  

   We should prepare ourselves to approach our Lord and His Heavenly Kingdom. Otherwise in the Judgement Day we will be rejected from His Kingdom. Jesus tells us about the Last Judgement in Matt. 25: 31- 46: ‘When the Son of man comes in his glory, escorted by all the angels, then he will take his seat on his throne of glory. All nations will be assembled before him and he will separate people one from another as the shepherd separates sheep from goats. He will place the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left.’ Jesus will separate the people of Light and Darkness. The work in the Light will enlighten our mind, body and soul. Jesus is the real light which empowers us to do all good things according to His will. Matthew 25:34–38 (NJB): Then the King will say to those on his right hand, “Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take as your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you made me welcome, 36 lacking clothes and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me.” 37 Then the upright will say to him in reply, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and make you welcome, lacking clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we find you sick or in prison and go to see you?” 40 And the King will answer, “In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.” 41 Then he will say to those on his left hand, “Go away from me, with your curse upon you, to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. When we do good for others, especially the poor and weak in society, Jesus will always remember it. Lord, all we have are your gifts. ‘What made you so important? What have you got that was not given to you? And if it is given to you, why are you boasting as though it were your own?’ (1 Cor. 4:7) There is nothing of our own; whatever we are having is the gift from God. Then why we are in greedy, because of our pride and it is a mortal sin against God our Father. 

  A Prayer: Lord, I am unworthy, unholy, and unfit to accomplish any useful service in Your kingdom. But one thing I don't understand is why you love me so much and think I'm overly affectionate.  This is solely because your Love and Mercy were considered in your eyes. I don't have the words to express your love for me because the words are in your hands and belong to you alone.: ‘for we are in His hand, yes, ourselves and our sayings, and all intellectual and all practical knowledge’ (Wis. 7: 16) 

The Light and Darkness

Part XXXXIII

Lord, give us Your spirit of grace and prayer to enlighten our heart.  

  Lord, You rescued Prophet Lot from the darkness of the night, and your angels led him and his family out of the gloom and horror of God's retribution. Lord, Your angels warned them not to look back and run away from the destruction, but Lot's wife looked back and was transformed into a pillar of salt. ‘But Lot’s wife looked back, and was turned into a pillar of salt’ (Gen. 19: 1-29) (A similar pillar of salt is still there on the bank of Dead Sea which we have seen while we visited the Holy Land) God is speaking to us to follow the light and to get rid of darkness everyday, we may not hearing His voice  because our mind is full of darkness and the pleasures of this world. Jesus is very patient and gentle and he is waiting at the door of our heart. We may always to keep the oil ready for the lamp, that is the constant prayer and to endure in the presence of God. Zechariah 12:10 (NJB): But over the House of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem I shall pour out a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look to me. When the Holy Spirit comes into our midst we will get away from the darkness of the evil. The world is going after the sins, because the world is belongs to Satan and we are the children of light. Like the five of the wedding attendants, we have to keep the lamp alighted. ‘Ten wedding attendants took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were sensible: the foolish ones, though they took their lamps, took no oil with them, where as ‘sensible ones took the flasks of oil as well as their lamps. The bridegroom was late, and they all grew drowsy and fall asleep. But at midnight there was a cry, “The bridegroom! Go out to meet him……………Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding hall and the door was closed. The other attendants arrived later. “Lord, Lord” they said, “open the door for us” But he replied “In truth I tell you, I do not know you.” So stay awake, because you do not know either the day or the hour.’ (Matt. 25: 1-13)

   We must be like the five prudent ladies who were praying vigil for our Lord while keeping the lamp alight with enough oil till the bridegroom arrives to accompany him.The other five attendants were asleep rather than carrying out the duties assigned to them by the Master of the Ceremony. They could not withstand the light of Jesus and fell into darkness.

 Let us pray: Lord, we are weak and lame without courage and strength. Oh Lord, come and strengthen us to be united with you in sublime prayer and contemplation. Lord, let us  sustain in You and to follow You till we reach Your eternal glory.Lord, show us the way of light to follow you. Lord: ‘Your word is lamp for my feet, a light on my path’ Ps 119: 105(NJB) Lord, Give us the Word of light to enlighten our soul.

The Light and Darkness

Part XXXXII

Jesus said: “Do not work for food that goes bad, but work for food that endures for eternal life.”

  Jesus fed the multitude by multiplying the loaves and fish. Then they approach again for this material food, and Jesus knows that these people are not looking for something spiritual, but rather for material things. John 6:27 (NJB): Do not work for food that goes bad, but work for food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of man will give you, for on him the Father, God himself, has set his seal. When Jesus began to talk about the eternal food, the Eucharist, which is the center of eternal life, they all disregarded him. Jesus said to them: ‘Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I shall raise that person up on the last day.’(Jon. 6: 54) They all left, even most of his disciples except the apostles.  

(Jon. 6: 60, 65-66 NJB)  ‘After hearing it many of his followers said, this is intolerable language. How could anyone accept it? How can we hear and follow the truth by giving attention what Jesus is speaking to us. In the human way it is difficult to understand the mystery of the Eucharist, but those are loving Jesus will understand this heavenly mystery.  Jesus again told them. Jn 6: 65-66 NJB ‘He went on, ‘This is why I told you that no one could come to me except by the gift of the Father. After this, many of his disciples went away and accompanied him no more.’ Knowing the Kingdom of God is the Father's gift, and no one can see Him without His mercy and grace. After the Eucharistic talk, these disciples abandoned him and did not return. They never turned back to Jesus. Satan blinded their eyes and threw them into the darkness, instead of the true light, Jesus. We should come closer to Jesus and pray to him to strengthen our faith. 

  While in the Holy Land, we all traveled to the Synagogue of Capernaum, where Jesus revealed the Eucharist. When our priest, Fr Eugiene, read John Chapter 6, we were deeply moved and amazed by Jesus' revelation of salvation. We are so blessed because our Charism is built on studying and living in God's Word, as we hear the Scriptures read and taught by our Brothers each week. For the spiritual person, yesterday, today, and tomorrow are all the same, with no difference even after two thousand years, and Jesus Christ is the same. ‘Jesus Christ is the same today as he was yesterday and as he will be forever.’ (Heb. 13: 8). He asked the apostles whether they wish to leave him: John 6:67–69 (NJB): Then Jesus said to the Twelve, ‘What about you, do you want to go away too?’ 68 Simon Peter answered, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life, 69 and we believe; we have come to know that you are the Holy One of God.’  Then Peter was answered  that Jesus is the Son of God.  This is the faith that enables us to hold the same belief as St. Peter: that Jesus is the divine Son. In a speech, Br. Shaji questioned the audience, "Are we the apostles? We certainly possess the apostolic grace and are apostles. If we answer His call with faithfulness, then each of us is called into this apostolic grace. Give us the ability, Lord, to trust You completely until the end of our lives.  

The Light and Darkness

Jesus, The Light in Darkness 

PART XXXXI

Lord, deliver us from the evil ways of this world, which are darkening our minds. 

  St Peter giving an advice here to invoke Holy Spirit to do the things spiritually not by our human intelligence. Human beings are nothing in front of God’s glory but are mere creatures. But we can be valuable in His eyes when we obey His commandments. 2 Peter 1:19–21 (NJB): So we have confirmation of the words of the prophets; and you will be right to pay attention to it as to a lamp for lighting a way through the dark, until the dawn comes and the morning star rises in your minds. 20 At the same time, we must recognise that the interpretation of scriptural prophecy is never a matter for the individual. 21 For no prophecy ever came from human initiative. Our minds are darkened by the god of this world but when Jesus comes in our midst his light will enlighten our path towards his kingdom. There are many prophesy about Jesus in the Old Testament and in the Psalms. We have to pay attention to these revelations by meditating through the Scriptures 

  God is leading and guiding us through His mercy and grace, this is the way He is making us to repent and come back to Him. ‘Or are you not disregarding his abundant goodness, tolerance and patience, failing to realise that this generosity of God is meant to bring you to repentance? (Rm. 2: 4) Yes Lord, we were disregarded of your goodness, tolerance and patience. Lord, very often the evil thoughts come into our mind instead of Your Holy Word. Let us pray to our Lord to have that Godly repentance which He reveals to us through the Scriptures: ‘I am glad now, not because you were made to feel distress, but because the distress that you were caused led to repentance; your distress was the kind that God approves and so you have come to no kind of harm through us.’2 Cori. 7:9  There is no time to wait or waste and it is very appropriate to come back to Him with repentance and with full conviction. The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the gospel’ Mk. 1: 15. Jesus is inviting us to come back to him by true repentance through meditating his Word of God by faith in him.  

Mohny Mathews

Community of Grace