Celebrate Faith - Olvin Veigas, SJ Olvin Veigas, SJ

As the Easter season progresses, there's a jubilant celebration of Christ's resurrection and the anticipation of Pentecost. As we reflect on the readings and teachings of the Fifth Sunday of Easter, we are called to reevaluate our priorities and attitudes, striving to embody the love and grace of Christ in our interactions with others. The readings on the Fifth Sunday of Easter insist that our faith is not meant to be passive but rather active and engaged, expressed through acts of kindness, reconciliation, and service to those in need. Moreover, they invite us to deepen our relationship with God, renew our commitment to love one another, and embrace the abundant life that Christ offers to all who abide in Him.

In spite of the technology and development in science, human life is fragile and vulnerable. We need protection and look for safety when we travel in vehicles or while we walk on the roads. We, always, feel a need for something or someone that is beyond us, in fact, of our control to protect us and save us. We need something or someone to console us when we are sad, someone to be with us in times of crisis and suffering, someone to accompany us when we are lonely or feel threatened, someone to pat on our back with words of encouragement when the road ahead of us is tough and difficult, someone to fight with us when we are loosing, someone to comfort us when we are weeping, someone to strengthen us when we feel terribly weak and difficult to walk. The list goes on. On this 4th Sunday of Easter which is also known as Good Shepherd Sunday, we have in Jesus our good Shepherd. Because he is the way, truth and life. In him, we find everything for our life from safety to eternal glory.

When things get blurred, we would like to clarify them.  However, when anxieties and expectations are on our way, we need someone to encourage and support us. If we do not find such people in our life journey, we might get into frustration, unhappiness or sorrow. The resurrection narratives bring both anxiety and expectation to the disciples of Jesus. They are all troubled by the outcome of Jesus' crucifixion and death. The disciples are uncertain about the resurrection of their master. They are greatly troubled. But Jesus' very presence amidst them not only gives them hope but also the courage to proclaim his resurrection even more boldly. The liturgical reading for this Third Sunday of Easter brings together a lot of hope and expectations at the new life of Jesus. Moreover, the disciples of our Lord are encouraged and energized beyond any measure to preach him to the ends of the earth. 

The steam of election heat is rising as the temperatures here in Karnataka. It is paradoxical to see that creativity and human ingenuity are always at the rescue when something old has to be said in a new form. When national elections become the main news in our country, each political party is trying its best to put forward the assurances and promises to the public. Unfortunately, none of us demand any kind of balance sheet or practicability of the election promises from these political parties including our institutions of education or service and even by those best brains of our country. In fact, even our Church leaders are sterile to the political process of our country. Hardly, do we see any collective efforts from our Christian community leaders to encourage our brothers and sisters to engage and participate in the electoral process of our country actively as we as minorities live in turbulent times. The Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ created not only uproar in the religious life of Jews but also political turmoil in the entire Roman empire. And later, we see, in 312 AD, the entire Roman Empire accepted Christianity as the state religion. 

The Christian religion is a religion of life. It believes in eternal life. The resurrection of the dead is one of the fundamental and dogmatic truths of the Christian faith. The foundation for such a belief rests upon the person of Jesus Christ Himself. All four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John speak vividly about Christ's passion, death and resurrection. Even though the resurrection narratives of Jesus are short and fast-moving and yet they are vibrant and fascinating. The urgency and immediacy are felt very much inviting the believers to be convinced that they too will partake in the resurrection of Jesus once and for all.

"Behold the wood of the Cross, on which the Salvation of the World, come, let us adore." With these very emotional words, we venerate the Cross of our Lord today.  When we think about the Cross, very quickly to our imagination comes the Cross in our Church altars, homes and in our own threads that we wear around our necks. Jesus never looked for the Cross in his life, but it came on his way. Jesus never longed for Cross but it was imposed upon him by the secular rulers of this world. So why then the Cross of our Lord has become such an awe-inspiring, symbol of our salvation in Christian religion.