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6th October 2007 John 20:24-29 Job 42:1-6 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28) Of the twelve disciples Jesus chose as His apostles, we generally draw up a hierarchy where Peter, James and John are at the top, followed by other disciples. At the bottom rung is Judas Iscariot, who betrayed his master for the sake of money. He does not deserve our sympathy for. Other disciples also noticed the money mindedness of Judas. John specifically states that it was Judas who was appalled at the waste of the expensive perfume that Mary applied on Jesus' feet. Said he, "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?" (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) (John 12:5-6). The name of Thomas may possibly be ranked just above that of Judas Iscariot. History has called him 'doubting Thomas' because he did not believe the testimony of his fellow disciples about Jesus having risen from the dead. I, for one, am truly grateful that Thomas was not a gullible fellow who could be taken for a ride. Thomas wanted to be sure of his facts. His doubts vanished as soon as he encountered Jesus. Then a great statement of faith came forth from his mouth, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28). I am proud that this Thomas is regarded as the Apostle of India. He is the epitome of faith based on personal experience. His faith led him to undertake the long journey to India, where he finally laid down his life for the sake of the Gospel. His labours were not in vain. We can boast of having some of the oldest churches in the world. God give us grace to follow in the footsteps of our patron saint, St. Thomas, Apostle of India. Prayer: O Lord Jesus, we thank you for the life and ministry of St. Thomas, who is the patron saint of our country. Help us to be ready to go wherever your call may take us, and to do our work faithfully, because you are "our Lord and our God!" (John 20:28) Amen.
7th October 2007 Luke 16:19-31 Amos 8:4-10 "If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead" (Luke 16:31). Each one of us has some ambition or other. If children are asked what they want to be when they grow up, you will get answers like - a pilot, doctor, teacher, engineer, scientist, cricketer, businessman, prime minister, etc. They would want to earn a lot of money and to have all sorts of things that money can buy to live a comfortable life. No one will ever say that his/her ambition is to become a poor person! Yet the fact is that there are a lot of poor people in the world. Why so? Did they choose to be poor? Surely not. Are they poor because they were born of poor parents? Possibly, but that is not a compelling reason. Some are poor because they received no education or perhaps they had some physical disability or other, or, because no one gave them a job. (Read the parable of workers in the vineyard, Matt.20:1-16, esp. vs. 6-7). In today's parable we are told about Lazarus who was covered with sores, and there was nothing else he could do except to beg (not very successfully though, even though he had chosen to be at the gate of a very rich person.) That rich person must have observed this poor beggar many times, but hardly thought of doing anything for him. He let him continue to be a beggar and a sick person. That is his karma, he may have said. Though he could have done a lot for Lazarus, he chose to do nothing. He tolerated poverty. That was his sin. And that is the sin of most of the peoples and nations of the world. They tolerate the social and economic systems that make for poverty. The rich man in the parable realized his mistake only after he had died and was in hell! He wished he could have put the clock back, but that could not be. Let us take heed, lest we also fall into the same trap. As Abraham told him, "If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead" (Luke 16:31). Prayer: O loving and caring God, we thank you for all the gifts you have given us- life, health, job, caring relatives, economic security. Help us so to work that we may provide life's necessities to the have-nots in the world. Amen.
8th October 2007 1 Cor. 14:1-19 Ezek.36:1-1 ..since you are eager for spiritual gifts, strive to excel in them for building up the church (1 Cor.14:12). St. Paul lists the manifold gifts of the Spirit in this chapter. He encourages the Corinthians to strive to have as many of them as possible. But he is careful to state the purpose of having these. These gifts are not for believers to show off, to impress on others how great Christians they are! If they fall to this temptation, they will be no better off than the Jewish Pharisees whom Jesus condemned so vehemently! Rather they should be humble and use these talents 'for building up the church' (1 Cor.14:12). Many Indians think that religion is a strictly private affair. Others have no business to interfere in their religious matters. That is true only to a certain extent. The individual is free to choose what religion to follow. For a Christian, however, religion has a social dimension; it has to be lived out in the setting of a fellowship of believers. A Christian must relate to others, and work for their welfare – spiritual as well as temporal. An individual's spiritual growth is nurtured by the group he belongs to. William Temple, a former Archbishop of Canterbury, used to say that the church is the only society meant for non-members. It is not a club meant for 'members only'. Judged by this yardstick how are our churches rated? Are our churches full of activity reaching out to 'non-members', 'non-Christians'? Some modern churches think that if they organise evangelistic rallies, it's a big deal! Some churches offer scholarships, provide school books to students, and/or offer food packets to the needy at Christmas time. But are our churches earmarking a sizeable portion of their income for outreach activities? Are they engaged in a holistic mission of the church? Is there personal involvement of church members in any social activity? 'Unity, Witness, Service' is the motto of the Church of North India. How well do we meet this objective? Prayer: Thank you, God, for the gifts that you have given to each one of us. Help us to use our talents and resources for the good of all. Amen.
9th October 2007 1 Cor. 14:20-end Ezek.37:1-14 When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up (1 Cor.14:26). It appears that Corinthian Christians had an abundance of talents and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Each one seems to have had something worthwhile to share with the others. They were not content just to sit in the pew, and enjoy the worship show conducted by a priest and his assistants! Today's younger generation gets frustrated with the routine type of worship in established churches, leading them to seek an alternative in other churches. Charismatic type of worship appeals to many of them. They are happy singing and dancing, speaking in tongues within the context of a Pentecostal service. But perhaps this also becomes stereotype. Then they may think wistfully of the orderliness and dignity of a liturgical type of service. What St. Paul is advising the Corinthians (and us) is that there is a place for self-expression in a community worship setting, but it has to be properly controlled and organised. The purpose of a worship service should be to see that whatever is done is helpful to all. 'Let all things be done for building up,' (1 Cor.14:26) he says. A believer need not get carried away when he/she prophesies or speaks in tongues. Considerateness for fellow-believers is very important. The preacher also should remember this, and not prolong his sermon to such an extent that people doze off or hardly can suppress a yawn. 'The spirits of prophets are subject to the prophets,' reminds St. Paul, and ends up by saying, 'for God is a God not of disorder but of peace' (1 Cor. 14:32-33). Prayer:
Thank you, God, that you have made us part and parcel of your church,
the community of believers. Thank you also for the manifold gifts that
you have given to each one of us. Help us to use these gifts wisely, so
10th October 2007 1 Cor. 15:1-11 Ezek. 40: 1-4 & 42:15-43:11 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me (1 Cor.15:8). The Resurrection of Jesus Christ was such an unlikely event that it was difficult even for the closest of his disciples to accept it as a fact! Only after repeated personal experiences of encounter with the risen Lord that they could accept it as true. But once they were convinced nothing could stop them from becoming bold witnesses of Jesus' resurrection. Even St. Paul was one of those who could not accept Jesus' Resurrection as true until he personally met the risen Christ on the road to Damascus. He was already aware that Jesus had appeared to his disciples a number of times. He mentions the various incidents in today's reading; but it was all 'hearsay' for him till he himself met the risen Lord. Then he adds this incident to the list of Christ's post-Resurrection appearances. 'Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me' (1 Cor.15:8). Jesus had said to Thomas, 'Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe' (John 20:29). It is one of the traits of human nature not to believe anything as true until you are convinced yourself. Children do take the words of their parents, teachers as true. But as they grow older, they ask questions. Unless satisfactory answers are given they may discard old beliefs, including religious beliefs. To lay emphasis on having faith is okay as long as it does not militate against reason, against science, against one's good sense. So how then can we believe that Christ is risen and place our faith in him? The following lines may help you find an answer : I serve a risen Saviour, He's in the world today; I know that He is living, Whatever men may say; I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer, And just the time I need Him He's always near. Prayer: Grant, O Lord, that I may seek you diligently, and may experience your uplifting Presence in my life. Assure me that you are my living Lord, and that you have my destiny in your hands. Amen.
11th October 2007 1 Cor. 15:12-34 Job 1 If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied (1 Cor. 15:19). Death is an inevitable fact of life. We all know that, and also that it will overtake us sometime or the other. In spite of that we often continue to live as if death is a long way off for us! So we set our ambitions and goals in life. We want to earn lots of money, and gain positions of power and authority. We do not mind working hard in order to achieve these goals. That's fine as far as it goes. But I shall ask just one question. Do we take time to reflect on the meaning of life, of human destiny? Why are we in the world? Where shall we be after we die? Is there or is there not life after death? Why should we follow the voice of conscience? Why should we do what is right braving all sorts of difficulties if death ends everything? The Sadducees in Jesus' day did not believe in life after death; so they put a poser to Jesus regarding a woman marrying seven brothers. (Read Mark 12:18-27). Jesus' answer to them was unambiguous. He emphatically endorsed life after death. St. Paul says, 'For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain...my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better' (Phil.1:21,23). His belief in resurrection was based on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. 'If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain...If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied' (1 Cor.15:13,14,19). What do we really believe? How do we live? Our priorities will show what our values are; and what our hope is for the future. 'No more we doubt Thee, Glorious Prince of life! Life is nought without Thee: Aid us in our strife; Make us more than conquerors, through Thy deathless love; Bring us safe through Jordan to Thy home above.' Prayer: Make my faith real, O God. Let me live for eternity even while treading this earth. May peace and joy be mine, now and always! Amen.
12th October 2007 1 Cor.15:35-end Job 3 It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body (1 Cor.15:43). In the Apostles' Creed we affirm our belief in 'the resurrection of the body' and 'the life everlasting'. The use of the word 'body' may create doubts in the minds of some. Are we thinking of our body as it was when we were children, or youth, or grey-haired persons with the disabilities that come with old age? Which body do we want in the resurrection? St. Paul answers that we shall get a spiritual body, and not a physical one. That spiritual body will have a connection with the once physical body. What is that connection? It is a connection of identity. In the spiritual body we may not have sex differentiation (Read Mark 12:18-27). We may also not have the limitations of a physical body (Jesus appeared to his disciples even though they had tried to secure themselves by bolting doors for fear of the Jews. He could appear and disappear at will, and be in different places at lightning speed. He had no limitations of space and time.) But we are assured that we shall retain our identity, our personality. This, I believe, is what is meant by 'resurrection of the body'. The next phrase in the Apostles' Creed 'life everlasting' is used to show that the life after death is not a static one, but a dynamic one. There is no stoppage of growth. No one can achieve perfection on earth; the process of growing must continue. Our goal is to reach 'maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ' (Eph.4:13). Our interaction with others will be there, but on a different plane. This is the message of hope we try to convey to the bereaved when somebody they love is taken away by the harsh reality of death. This is not a sentimental feeling, but a truth supported by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. As Jesus said to Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25). Prayer: O living God, let me truly experience life eternal here and now; and when it is time for me to leave this world for the next, may I be reassured by your continuing presence that all is well, and will be well wherever I may be, since you are my Guide. Amen.
INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR NATURAL DISASTER REDUCTION 13th October 2007 1 Cor. 16 Job 5 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put aside and save whatever extra you earn, so that collections need not be taken when I come (1 Cor.16:2). The Jews are very particular in the matter of giving tithes – 10% of all their income to God. Christians also inherit this heritage, but there is an added dimension. They consider themselves as stewards of all they have. They believe that everything belongs to God, and their duty is to use all income and resources judiciously, for one day they will be called upon to give an account of all that has been entrusted to them. They surely can use for themselves whatever is needed, but the rest they must use for the cause of the Kingdom of God, for charity to help the poor and the needy. This may or may not work out to 10% of their income; but it certainly is a standard they can have in mind. Says St. Paul, 'Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work' (2 Cor.9:7-8). Says St. James, 'If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill," and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?' (James 2:15-16) If we do not help people in need, they will be under no obligation to help us when we are in need. Thousands of people every year become victims of disaster – natural and/or man-made. We may have drought conditions or floods, earthquakes or tsunami waves, fires or accidents, riots and terror strikes, etc. Should we not respond if those who are affected may not be related to us or belong to our community? Prayer: O Lord, help us not to be self-centred, but always to remember that our good lies in doing good to others, in caring for their needs. Help us to be good Samaritans. Amen. (Read Luke 10:25-37).
14th October 2007 Luke 17:11-19 Deut.26:1-11 "Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" (Luke 17:17-18) Jesus' fame as a healer had spread so much that people from all over the country used to bring the sick to him for healing. The diseases varied. Some patients were believed to be possessed with demons. Some had incurable diseases. Some were crippled, blind, deaf and dumb. Yet all these felt a ray of hope when they heard about the ministry of Jesus. They came or were brought to Jesus. Jesus did not disappoint them. He healed them, and they went away with joy in their heart and praise on their lips. Jesus considered his mission to be primarily to the Jews. So when a distressed Canaanite woman came and pleaded to Jesus to heal her daughter, he did not respond immediately. She then went to plead with his disciples to prevail upon their Master to attend to her request. The pestered disciples came to Jesus to plead her cause. Jesus' reply to them was, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matt.15:24). This reply seems hardly in keeping with the magnanimous character of Jesus. The story develops in an interesting way with the Canaanite woman emerging as victor! Through her humility and her ready wit, she won Jesus' heart. Her demon possessed daughter was healed by Jesus. Leprosy was a dreaded and incurable disease in Jesus' time. Those contracting it were treated as outcastes and untouchables. Jesus had no such inhibitions. He healed many lepers, by his word and by his touch. St. Luke tells us of how Jesus healed ten lepers, but only one of them, a Samaritan, returned to express thanks to Jesus. Jesus is touched by his act, but immediately asks, "But the other nine, where are they?" We, too, have received many blessings from God. Are we grateful? Or are we part of "the other nine" category? Prayer: O Lord, forgive us for being concerned only about getting blessings from you, and for forgetting to express our gratitude to you. Give us a grateful heart, and may our being be filled with your praise. Amen.
15th October 2007 2 Cor. 1:1-11 Job 7 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation... (2 Cor.1:3). What is prayer? What is worship? Is it presenting to God a list of all that we want? That becomes a self-centred prayer; whereas true prayer is God-centred. Worship is ascribing worthship to God for what He is, and what He has done for us and for the whole world. Praise, adoration and thanksgiving are, therefore, integral parts of worship. Petitions and intercessions have their place also; but usually we focus only on these. In contrast look at St. Paul's writings; he always placed thanksgiving first in his writings. A story is told of Scottish minister Alexander Whyte, who was able to look at the bleakest situation and yet find something to be thankful for. On a dark Sunday morning when the weather was freezing, wet, and stormy, one of his deacons whispered, "I am sure the preacher won't be able to thank God for anything on a day like this. It's absolutely horrible outside!" The pastor began the service by praying, "We thank Thee, O God, that the weather is not always like this." When we are down in the spirit and despondent, it might be a good exercise us to reflect on what blessings we have received in the past. One of my favourite hymns has these opening lines: 'WHEN upon life's billows you are tempest-tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost. Count your blessings, name them one by one; And it will surprise you what the Lord has done; Count your blessings! Name them one by one! Count your blessings! See what God hath done. Count your blessings! Name them one by one! And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done. Prayer: O Lord, teach us to be always thankful, and to praise you for all that you have done for us, and continue to do for us. Amen.
WORLD FOOD DAY 16th October 2007 2 Cor. 1:12-22 Job 9:1-31 For
in him every one of God's promises is a "Yes." For this
reason it is through him that we say the "Amen," to the glory
of God It is mentioned in the Mahabharat that when the war between Pandavas and Kauravas was going on, a report was conveyed to Dronacharya, the great archery guru, that his son Ashwatthama was killed in the war. He was very upset, and had no heart to continue to fight the battle (he was on the side of the Kauravas). But in order to be sure as to what was the fact he sent an emissary to Dharmaraj (the eldest of the Pandavas), who was known always to tell the truth. When Dharmaraj heard the question he replied, "Ashwatthama is dead (and then in a softer, almost inaudible voice he said), but are you asking about a man or an elephant? ( An elephant with that name was killed, and not Dronacharya's son). But the emissary did not wait to hear the softly spoken words. He immediately went back to convey the news to Dronacharya. That was the turning point in the war, which swung the battle in favour of the Pandavas. They say that half-truths are more dangerous than lies. Ambiguity is dangerous! Sometimes we give ambiguous answers in order not to cause hurt to the listener, or to protect ourselves. Whatever our motive, we refrain from telling the stark truth. God's dealings with us are not of that type. When we sin, God warns that we are inviting trouble upon ourselves. But if we repent, he is ready to forgive us; to shower upon us his blessings. 'For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord' (Romans 6:23). Let us then without hesitation say "Yes" to life, and experience the joy and beauty that comes from God. Let us say goodbye to ambiguity, and follow him who is 'the Way, the Truth, and the Life' (John 14:6). Prayer: Help me, O Lord, to be always straightforward and truthful in my dealings with others. Let me follow in your footsteps, for you are the Way, the Truth and the Life. Amen.
INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ERADICATION OF POVERTY 17th October 2007 2 Cor. 1:23-2:11 Job 11 I urge you to reaffirm your love for him (2 Cor.2:8). When we are wronged, our instant reaction is to retaliate, to give tit for tat. We follow the adage : 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' (Matt.5:38) Superficially this principle sounds fair. When we consider the reaction of Lamech, who told his wives, 'If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-seven fold' (Gen.4:24). This reaction is not a level-headed one; it springs from anger. Anger makes one take leave of his senses, and to take an action that may be regrettable. That is why the writer of Proverbs says, 'One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and one whose temper is controlled than one who captures a city' (Prov.16:32). One of the characteristics of God described in the Bible is that he is 'slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love' (Ps.103:8, 145:8, etc.). If God were to penalise us for our sins, to punish us for our wrong-doings, there would be no hope for anyone. But God is always ready to forgive (if we repent) and to give us a second chance. Not just the second chance, but the third, the fourth, the fifth...ad infinitum, limitless as explained in one of the parables of Jesus (read Matt.18:23-35). The only condition is that we, too, must be ready to forgive – "Not seven times, but... seventy times seven" (Matt.18:22). St. Paul urged the Corinthians to forgive the repentant offender, and to affirm their love for him. In the context of the church, punishment has the dual purpose of making the offender realise his/her mistake, and to reform himself/herself. Parents do punish children, but surely they do not hate them! They love them, and want them to be spared from greater harm. God deals with us in much the same way. His punishment is always tempered with love. Prayer: Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought and word and deed, We have not loved you with our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbour as ourselves. We ask you in your mercy to forgive what we have been, to amend what we are, to direct what we shall be; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways' (Book of Worship, p.12). Amen.
LUKE, EVANGELIST 18th October 2007 Luke 10:1-9 Isaiah 42:1-9 "Cure the sick who are there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you'" (Luke 10:9). St. Luke, who wrote two books which are included in the New Testament – St. Luke's Gospel and Acts of the Apostles – was a companion of St. Paul, and accompanied him in some of his missionary journeys. He was a doctor who is fondly called by St. Paul as 'the beloved physician' (Col.4:14). Medical doctors are supposed to treat patients, get rid of their diseases and to make them healthy again. But in order to do that they need to win the confidence of the patients, to have a sympathetic understanding of their problems. Quite a few diseases are psychosomatic ones. To have a healthy body, it is essential to have a healthy mind too. St. Luke knew this. He was very observant. He listened to the patient, examined him, judged the symptoms and then decided on the therapeutic action he would take. This same principle he applied when writing the gospel. He wrote an orderly account of the ministry and teaching of Jesus 'after investigating everything carefully from the very first' (Luke 1:3). Let us today thank God for the great contribution of St. Luke in the ministry and mission of the Church. In his ministry Jesus' focus was not just preaching the message of the Kingdom of God, but also healing the sick, curing the deaf, the dumb and the blind, and others having incurable diseases. He even brought to life some who had been dead (Jairus' daughter, widow's only son, Lazarus of Bethany). Healing was an integral part of his ministry. He healed those having physical illnesses as also those having mental illnesses (demon-possessed). Forgiveness of sins was sometimes necessary before physical healing could take place (Read Luke 5:17-26). Jesus' approach was a holistic one. He wanted people to be healthy in body, mind and spirit. This same mission has been entrusted by Jesus to the church, to his followers. Prayer: O Jesus, the great Healer, come into my life and make me completely whole. Give me the grace to share in your holistic mission to one and all. Amen.
19th October 2007 2 Cor. 2:12-3:6 Job 13 ...you are a letter of Christ...written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts (2 Cor.3:3). Christ and Christians – is there an antithesis between them? Why is it that people in our country have a great respect for Jesus Christ, but strongly oppose conversion to Christianity? Barring examples of great Christians like Mother Teresa, C.F. Andrews, Sadhu Sundar Singh, Pandita Ramabai, etc., do our countrymen find anything attractive about us? In other words, do they find our lives to be Christlike? 'Deeds speak louder than words.' The Church has been given the Great commission to 'make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit' (Matt.28:19). This cannot be done just by conducting large evangelistic meetings, broadcasting on TV or radio, and/or using various sophisticated means of communication. The transformation in the lives of Christ's followers is the most important factor of all. As St. Paul reminds the Corinthian Christians '...you are a letter of Christ... written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts' (2 Cor.3:3). He also uses another example – the example of fragrance. Says he, 'God... spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him (Jesus Christ). For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved...' (2 Cor.2:14-15). Who can be equal to this task? By our strength alone it is not possible. But 'nothing will be impossible with God' (Luke 1:37). St.Paul's own testimony is: 'I can do all things through him who strengthens me' (Phil.4:13). Let us give it a try. Let us strive to reach 'to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ' (Eph.4:13). Prayer: O Lord, let me not be a nominal Christian, but one in whom people can see your image. I am far from perfect, but give me your spirit and strength to grow into your likeness. Amen.
20th October 2007 2 Cor. 3:7-end Job 15:1-16 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Cor.3:17). Who has seen God? People though the ages have tried to understand God, and they have drawn pictures or word images of him. They have even created three dimensional idols to represent him. Yet it remains true that 'no one has ever seen God'. Is God unknowable then? Not so. The Bible's witness is : 'It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known' (John 1:18). The nature of God is not physical – he is beyond space and time. He is the Spirit, who is ever present everywhere. We can observe the effect of his activity. In talking to Nicodemus about birth from above, Jesus gave him this example: 'The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit' (John 3:8). The disciples of Jesus underwent a unique experience on the day of Pentecost. They heard 'a sound like the rush of a violent wind... and (saw) divided tongues, as of fire... and a tongue rested on each of them' (Acts 2:2-3). This imagery witnessed the fact of their being filled with the Holy Spirit, which brought about a remarkable change in their lives, their attitudes, their abilities. They did not need outward religious rites to guide their spiritual life. They experienced total freedom. That is why St.Paul reminded the Romans: 'But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we are slaves not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit' (Rom.7:6). How are our actions guided? Do we follow a set of dogmas, a fixed code, the rules laid down by tradition? Or do we follow our inner voice, the guiding of the Spirit of God? Do we truly experience the freedom and inner peace that God gives us? Prayer: Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me; Break me, melt me, mould me, fill me: Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me! Amen.
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