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Enter the Kingdom!

29 Wednesday Oct 2014

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Reflection on the Gospel of Luke 13:22-30

Another question led to this teaching. The thematic connection with Jesus’ words implying the small beginning of the kingdom should be obvious. As elsewhere, Luke recorded Jesus teaching lessons and using illustrations and expressions, which the other Gospel writers recorded Him using in other contexts. Jesus’ repetition is understandable in view of His itinerant ministry and His great skill as a teacher. Luke employed similar geographical summary statements in Acts, too, to indicate divisions in his narrative (e.g., 12:25; 14:27-28; 16:4). They give a sense of movement and progress, in material that is essentially didactic. Jesus’ general movement was toward “Jerusalem” and the Cross, though He seems to have proceeded without haste and with many pauses for teaching. The goal is the important feature, not how Jesus reached it. He gave the following teaching on the way.

Luke did not identify the questioner, who could have been a disciple or a member of the ubiquitous crowd. The questioner evidently wanted to know if he or she was correct in concluding, from Jesus’ previous teaching (e.g., Mark 10:23-26), that only “a few” people would experience salvation. For the Jews, and probably for the questioner, salvation meant entering the kingdom as well as entering heaven. The identity of the people to whom Jesus responded is indefinite and unimportant. Jesus did not answer the question directly. Instead of giving an impersonal answer, He explained how a person could enter the kingdom. A “narrow door” pictured an unpopular and difficult entryway (cf. Matt. 7:13). Jesus meant the door was the way He taught, in contrast to the more popular way that the religious leaders taught. Striving referred to believing Jesus despite the intrinsic difficulty of believing and the opposition of others (John 10:9).

heaven's gate

“Many” people would “seek to enter” the kingdom through ways other than the narrow door, but would be unable to enter. One writer argued that the striving in view involves submitting to Christ’s Lordship. But submitting to Christ’s Lordship is nowhere a condition for entrance into the kingdom. Only faith in Jesus is. The revelation that God would soon shut the narrow door of opportunity—to enter heaven and the kingdom—should have moved Jesus’ hearers not to delay believing in Him. In one sense, anyone can believe as long as he or she is alive. In another sense, it becomes more difficult to believe as one procrastinates and as one grows older. However, in view of Jesus’ illustration of the banquet that follows, it is more likely that He was thinking of the beginning of the kingdom. When the kingdom began, it would be impossible for unbelievers to change their minds and be saved. Therefore, in view of the kingdom’s imminence—when Jesus uttered this warning—His hearers needed to believe without delay.

According to Dr. Constable’s Notes on Luke 2014 Edition, when the kingdom began, no amount of appeal—based only on friendship or familiarity with Jesus—would avail. Jesus had extended fellowship to His hearers, and had taught them the way of salvation, but they had rejected His offers. In Matthew, Jesus clearly identified the person who shut the door as Himself (Matt. 7:22-23). He will also be the person who will utterly forsake and pronounce judicial rejection on unbelievers for their lack of righteousness (Ps. 6:8). The phrase “weeping and gnashing of teeth” elsewhere describes eternal punishment in hell (Matt. 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30). There is no reason to conclude that it means something else here. “Weeping” expresses sorrow (Acts 20:37; James 4:9; 5:1), and “gnashing” or grinding the “teeth” pictures anger and hatred (Job 16:10; Ps. 35:16; 37:12; 112:10; Lam. 2:16; Acts 7:54). These feelings will arise in people outside the kingdom as they view others within it.

heaven

The judgment at the beginning of the kingdom is in view. Evidently God will raise dead Old Testament saints to life then, to enter the kingdom (Isa. 26:19; Dan. 12:2). The Old Testament revealed that Gentiles would also participate in the messianic banquet that will inaugurate Messiah’s earthly reign (Isa. 25:6-7; 60; 62:2-9; 65:13-14; Ezek. 34:12-14; 39:17-20). People coming from the four compass points would be Gentiles rather than the Jews, who lived primarily in Palestine. Jesus said that many Jews would not enter the kingdom (Matt. 8:10-12). Many of Jesus’ hearers were undoubtedly trusting in their Jewish blood and heritage to get them into the kingdom, so Jesus’ words would have shocked them. The people who are “last” in this context probably refer to Gentiles, whom the Jews regarded as least likely to enter the kingdom (Matt. 19:30; 20:16; Mark 10:31). The ones who are “first” were the Jews. They considered themselves to be superior to Gentiles in many ways. They were also the first and the foremost objects of Jesus’ ministry.

The Early Church Father St. Cyril of Alexandria in his sermons on Luke says, “For wide is the door, and broad the way that brings down many to destruction.” And what are we to understand by its broadness? It means an unrestrained tendency to carnal lust; a base and pleasure loving life; luxurious feastings, and revelling and banqueting, and un-resisted inclinations unto everything which is condemned by the law, and displeasing to God: a stiff-necked mind that will not bow to the yoke of the law: a life accursed, and relaxed in all dissoluteness, thrusting from it the divine law, and utterly unmindful of the sacred commandments: wealth and the vices that spring from it, scorn and pride, and the vain imagining of transitory boastings. From all such things must those withdraw who would enter in by the strait door, and be with Christ, and keep festival with Him.”

Stay, Watch and Remain with HIM

22 Wednesday Oct 2014

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Reflection on Gospel of Luke 12:39-48

My brothers and sisters, in order to better understand today’s Holy Gospel; let us explore the context of both, the Hebrews of the time in which Jesus was speaking, and, the wisdom of the Gospel for today and forever. The Hebrew term for slave, eved, is a direct derivation from the Hebrew verb, la’avÖd (“to work”), thus, the slave in Jewish law really only a worker or a servant. The eved differs from the hired worker (sakhir) in three respects: he receives no wages for his work, he is a member of his master’s household; and, his master exercises patria potestas over him – for example, the master may choose a wife for the slave and retains ownership of her and he has proprietary rights in him.

Our Lord talks about the servant: the servant who is obedient to his master’s wishes and whom his master will find busy upon his arrival. He also does not mince words while talking about the one who knows the master’s wishes but does not carry them out and that he will be ranked among those undeserving of trust. He is very clearly speaking to each one of us. Many countries around the world have witnessed slavery. It has a very negative connotation to it and rightly so [considering] for example, the way it was carried out in America. But there is another kind of slavery that is a freely chosen slavery. That is, a slavery that we choose to make ourselves obedient to another.

22-10-2014 - image

In today’s Holy Gospel, our good Lord Jesus teaches us that, preparation is very important for so many things. A wise person would not begin to prepare a recipe without making sure that they have all the ingredients at hand. It’s not different when it comes to the spiritual life. Spiritually speaking we prepare ourselves to meet the master by daily prayer, by acts of sacrifice and charity, by reading sacred scripture. Most importantly we prepare ourselves by receiving the Sacraments of the Church, fortified with Sanctifying Grace. So we prepare by going to Confession and receiving the Lord in the Holy Communion as often as possible. Spiritually we need to be prepared to meet our master, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus talks about the master of the house possibly arriving at the “second or third watch of the night.” Being faithful isn’t a fling or a flash in the pan. We know that there will be “ups and downs,” moments of two steps forward and one back. Through it all we are called to persevere. Going the distance is not easy, but how beautiful it is! Pope Saint John Paul II gave us an indelible example of perseverance. What treasure does the Lord expect us to vigilantly guard in this present life? It is the treasure of the gifts he has won for us – the gift of salvation purchased by his blood on the cross which has ransomed us from slavery to sin, Satan,and death – and the gift of his Holy Spirit who works in and through us to make us a a new creation refashioned in the image of God. The Father and the Son through the gift of the Holy Spirit come to make their home with us. But we can ignore their presence, close our ears to their voice, or reject them through pride and unfaithfulness.

Satan comes like a thief in the night to rob us of our faith and to draw us away from God. He works with the world (that society which is opposed to God) and with our flesh (our sinful inclinations) to make us believe that we can find treasure and happiness apart from God and his will for our lives. The Lord Jesus calls us to be vigilant in watching for his return and to be ready to meet him when he calls us to himself. The Lord gives us his Holy Spirit so that we may have the wisdom, help, and strength we need to turn away from sin to embrace God’s way of love, justice, and holiness. The Lord’s warning of judgment causes dismay for those who are unprepared, but it brings joyful hope to those who eagerly wait for his return in glory.  God’s judgment is good news for those who are ready to meet him. Their reward is God himself, the source of all truth, beauty, goodness, love and everlasting life.

Lord Jesus, you have captured my heart for you. Make it strong in faith, steadfast in hope, and generous in love that I may seek to please you in all things and bring you glory.  Keep me ever watchful for the coming of your kingdom.

 

Abba, Yithqadash sh‘mak

07 Tuesday Oct 2014

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Gospel, Luke 11:1-4

Today’s Holy Gospel illuminates not only the personal relationship man can dare to have with God the Father of all creation, but also laid the indestructible foundation of the eloquent summon “At the Saviour’s command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say…”, proclaimed by a Roman Catholic Priest during the Holy Eucharist.

Before contemplating on the crux of today’s Gospel, let us for a moment feed our minds and souls of an important aspect of the humanity and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ. Many believers and non-believers alike ask, if Jesus was God why did He have to pray? And even if He prayed, though being God, was He praying to Himself? To address these questions, we should not fail to omit the Catholic teaching about the Holy Trinity. The Apostolic Faith clearly teaches us that God is three persons in One being. Those three persons; ‘Godheads’ – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, are uniquely distinct in their individual essence, but One in Divinity. Because these are three distinct persons, it should not be difficult at all to comprehend that it is usual for one of the Persons to speak to one of the other Persons. In such a case, as with Christ praying to the Father, he isn’t talking to himself because he is talking to another Person.

fra-angelico-sermon-on-the-mount500x478

Further on prayer, during the Biblical times, Jews were noted for their devotion to prayer.  Formal prayer was prescribed for three set times a day.  And the rabbis had a prayer for every occasion. It was also a custom for rabbis to teach their disciples a simple prayer they might use on a regular basis. When Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them to pray, He lovingly taught them a prayer, which in essence is a pragmatic conversation of love and hope by ‘the children’ with ‘their Father’ in heaven. The “Our Father” is in the plural. While teaching this prayer, Jesus did not call upon as, ‘My Father in heaven’, or teach them to say ‘your Father in heaven’. Instead by addressing His Father as ‘Our Father’, He, by His love for all of mankind, authenticated and authorized us into full communion of His Divine Son-ship, as well as, Kingship, He being the only Begotten Son of His Father.

The ‘Our Father’ is a community prayer, where humanity as a whole is prayed for, whether in a group or in case of a single person praying it. It is a prayer that encourages and confirms confidence in us to call as our Father and converse with Him.

The Lord’s Prayer, as it is called, recognizes the presence of the Most High God in heaven, praises and glorifies his holy name, acknowledges the rightful submission of human will, to that of the Father’s most holy will; ‘as it is in heaven’. It is essential for the flesh and spirit to sustain, Jesus ensures to subscribe those needs to the care of Divine providence. To His vicious and inhumane persecutors, from upon the cross, He said “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” As a precursor to this confidence in His Father’s ever abounding Divine Mercy, He taught humanity; through His disciples, to be assured of that same mercy upon each and every one who desires for it with a contrite heart. In doing so, He consequently teaches each one to be as forgiving as His Father is, towards their wrong doers. Remember what He said in Matthew 18:22, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”

For the Saviour said, ‘When you pray, say, ‘Our Father.’ And another of the holy Evangelists adds, ‘who art in heaven’… ”He gives his own glory to us. He raises slaves to the dignity of freedom. He crowns the human condition with such honour as surpasses the power of nature. He brings to pass what was spoken of old by the voice of the psalmist: ‘I said, you are gods, and all of you children of the Most High’ (Psalm 82:6). He rescues us from the measure of slavery, giving us by his grace what we did not possess by nature, and permits us to call God ‘Father,’ as being admitted to the rank of sons. We received this, together with all our other privileges, from him. One of these privileges is the dignity of freedom, a gift peculiarly befitting those who have been called to be sons. He commands us, therefore, to take boldness and say in our prayers, ‘Our Father.
This is a quote from ‘The privilege and responsibility of calling God Father’, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).

When children speak with their parents they try to transmit, through their words and body language, what they feel in their heart. We become better praying men and women when our relation with God is more intimate, as that of a father with his son. By teaching the ‘Our Father’, Jesus himself left with us his own example, and conformity in the truth that He is the Way.

Gregorian chant & pregnant!

06 Friday Jun 2014

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In the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Verbum Domini of the Holy Father our beloved Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, he proclaims the following – “Para 70: As part of the enhancement of the Word of God in the liturgy, attention should also be paid to the use of song at the times called for by the particular rite. Preference should be given to songs which are of clear biblical inspiration and which express, through the harmony of music and words, the beauty of God’s Word. We would do well to make the most of those songs handed down to us by the Church’s tradition which respect this criterion. I think in particular of the importance of Gregorian Chant.” (Given in Rome, at St. Peter’s, on 30 September, the Memorial of St. Jerome, in the year 2010, the sixth year of his Pontificate).

In contemplating the emotional and physical state of mind which my dearest mother might have experienced while she carried me in her womb during this month in which I was born, I am led by the Spirit to dwell upon the bond which she would have shared with me then; being sacredly guarded and formed in her gentle womb – my first earthly abode. Science teaches us that during the last month of pregnancy, babies start test-driving some nifty skills like blinking and dreaming and regulating their own body temperature. By week 31 of pregnancy the baby signals from all five senses, perceiving light and dark, tastes of what the mother eats, and listening to the sound of the mother’s voice (I can hear you Mommy!). In week 33 alone of pregnancy they say, the baby grows by an inch, which is why the mom experiences some serious kicks and pokes in her gut!

Alright, now if you have started to think where this is all leading to, then I am glad that I have your attention, and that is for what I wish to share about how a mother could play an important role in transmitting an ancient and rich Catholic heritage, to her child in her womb, by using her body & mind’s exclusive dynamics, her unique & creative feminine nature so intricately & passionately designed by God. This antique yet rich tradition is the “Gregorian chant”.

gregorian chant notes

The Gregorian chant has always been regarded as the supreme model or sacred music. “Special efforts are to be made to restore the use of the Gregorian chant by the people, so that the faithful may again take more active part in the ecclesiastical offices, as was the case in ancient times.” Pope Pius X echoed the teaching of the Council of Trent and of many Popes who preceded him, who regard for the very special sacral character of the Chant. This is re-iterated by the Second Vatican Council in the decree on the liturgy – Sacrosanctum Concilium: “The Church acknowledges Gregorian chant as specially suited to the Roman liturgy; therefore other things being equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services.”

Carrying a baby in the womb is carrying the gift of life which is exclusively available only from God, for God alone; who is Spirit, is the ‘giver of life’. I once read from a post on facebook by the ‘society of Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen’, which referred to what he felt at the sight of a woman who was in her ‘family way’. He noted that a pregnant woman is the bearer of sanctity within her womb, and it is virtuous for a person to genuflect before that womb with child, for it is thus bowing in reverence before sacredness; that which is called life (who in person is Christ Jesus).

It is interesting to note that parents instinctively use a special low-keyed rhythm of speech to attract and keep their baby’s interest. Psychologists call this ‘motherese’. Your baby will further encourage you to speak in motherese by his/her intense response when you use it. Nevertheless, since the babies when are still in the womb, during the Third Trimester of pregnancy can listen to sounds that surround them, it is therefore a spiritual and serene experience to feed the baby’s senses with the spectacular nutrition of sacred music of the Gregorian chant. This chant which is as good to be compared to the imagination of the music of the choirs of heaven, is very natural to the human voice (this seems to transcend the East-West division in Christianity). Its intervals and patterns are easy to imitate – after a few tries – and the larger part of the repertoire is made up from stock phrases or ‘units’ rearranged in different patterns.

Researchers once asked pregnant mums to listen to various types of music through headphones and then measured their babies’ movements with ultrasound. Most babies became more active when the music was on, especially if their mum was listening to music she liked. What is fascinating is that though the music was not played for the babies themselves, they were yet responding to it through their mum’s emotional responses to the music. A baby in the womb has the sense of hearing formed in the 16th week. At this juncture I would like us to journey for a moment to the time when Our Blessed Mother – the Virgin Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth who was with child in her old age (Luke 1:39-56). While at the event of “The Visitation”, St. Elizabeth was already six months pregnant and scripture testifies that she was old at that time. Elizabeth who herself was filled with the Holy Ghost; she cried out with a loud voice, “Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. How have I deserved to be thus visited by the mother of my Lord? Why, as soon as ever the voice of thy greeting sounded in my ears, the child in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed art thou for thy believing; the message that was brought to thee from the Lord shall have fulfillment.” (Luke 1:39-45). At this moment in the lifetime of Divine Incarnation (birth of God in the nature of Man & God – Jesus), sprung forth from the lips of the Immaculate Mary; ‘The Magnificat’! In the womb of his mother St. Elizabeth, baby St. John (The Baptist) rejoiced and soaked his being with this Divine rendition of sacred testimony which the Holy Catholic Church till this day sings in worship of God. The handmaid of The Lord; now becomes the handmaid of her pregnant cousin beloved Elizabeth, and thus nurses the spirit of her nephew John in his mother’s womb with verses that are later adorned as sacred hymn by the Church.

pregnant woman with husband listening to music

Sacred music, my friends, plays an important role in a Christian’s life. How wonderfully Christian it is for parents, especially for a mother – the vessel of life, to mold her child’s heart and mind with the illustrious compositions of music which elevate even the angels’ desires of worshiping God for all eternity. By doing so, the child is given a unique dignity it rightly deserves of being a hand-made creation of God and to the sanctity which God Himself gives irrevocably to life. Finally, the Gregorian chant, whose position in the cause of worship and liturgy is so esteemed, should be a virtuous recommendation for expecting mothers, that they may listen to it during the course of carrying their child in the womb, and that therefore; their child receives the pristine sound of such glorious music, that which heaven so joyfully appreciates and sings in praise of God Almighty. Such sacred music transports the mother and child in the womb; spiritually from the realm of time & space, into an indescribable realm of the cosmic world which is out of time & space. Therefore, since a Christian family is a miniature Church, it is right and just to sing praise to The Lord with music of the pious Gregorian chant, as Father, Mother and Child, even if the child is in the womb.


 

Re-building the temple

04 Wednesday Jun 2014

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Man occupies a unique place in creation. “In the image of God” he is created and “in his own nature he unites the spiritual and material worlds; he is created “male and female”; God established him in his friendship.” – Catechism of the Catholic Church: Para 355.

The greatness of man’s creation by God has been made possible by the lowliest of all that we know as visible matter – that which we call dust. Contemplating on the symbolism of dust and the unique greatness of man’s being and dignity in God’s eyes, it compels my mind and heart to consider my kind; the human kind as a Divine revelation of humility. It is as though God created greatness within the mold of humbleness. This is also therefore symbolic to what it means to create or build a house of worship, or in other words, the temple of The Lord. This structure of worship, which we also refer to as the Church, where ‘the Church’ – the children of God; the flock of The Good Shepherd gather to worship and pray, is intended to be an embodiment of humility. The radiance of this humility is illuminated by the fact that it is one place where sinners and saints sit at the same table, partake in the same sacrifice, and dignify each other with the same heritage – the heritage of Divinity & holiness.

creation-of-adam-michelangelo

Consider this: the Holy of Holies whose nature is spirit and whose dwelling is above all comprehending reach, chose to create the most tangible, pure and sacred dwelling place such as the human person, for Himself to dwell, not in a way that a part or portion of His Divinity would be preserved in some other realm and that which the human faculty might bear would host the rest. Instead, God Almighty, according to His most Sacred and most loving being, chose to dwell within the being of a man, in all His fullness. The first man (and woman) was the virginal chalice in which the image of God (not to be misunderstood with Deity); was fearfully poured, embodied with all of His love, compassion, glory, purity and all those faculties which would have ensured eternal companionship and sharing in Divine sovereignty.

Towards the end of 100 Anno Domini, St. Irenaeus wrote, “….having become disobedient, [Eve] was made the cause of death for herself and for the whole human race; so also Mary, betrothed to a man but nevertheless still a virgin, being obedient, was made the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race….Thus, the knot of Eve’s disobedience was loosed by the obedience of Mary. What the virgin Eve had bound in unbelief, the Virgin Mary loosed through faith. …But this man [of whom I have been speaking] is Adam, if truth be told, the first-formed man….We, however, are all from him; and as we are from him, we have inherited his title [of sin]. …Indeed, through the first Adam, we offended God by not observing His command. Through the second Adam, however, we are reconciled, and are made obedient even unto death. For we were debtors to none other except to Him, whose commandment we transgressed at the beginning. (Against Heresies 3:22:4; 3:23:2; 5:16:3)

Sin, therefore, is that mark on our soul which reminds us of the depriving of our immaculate relationship with the one who is Most Holy and Above All, both that are visible and invisible. It is a visible stain in the holy vessel which the Divine potter chose to pour incredible grace & dominion. It is brutal defamation of the temple which hosts the Creator of the universe, the giver of life. Now, that which has been built by the one who is Most Holy, upon its desecration has to be re-built with a power that does not depend on any source or power which is conceivable by any human or supernatural understanding. God created this temple; the human creation, and it takes only God to mercifully re-build this temple. But how does God re-build this temple which has been overpowered by a force and power (Satan) which is fiercely perilous for both the mortal and spiritual being of the human soul?

It takes God Himself to interfere between the now mortal state of His once holy vessel (human person) and His Arch enemy – the Devil. God begins His merciful work of re-building this temple from the very root of its substance. God, through the incarnation of Christ His Son, chooses to once again purify and fortify man’s sacred being by sanctifying the source of His earthly admittance into the created world. His love first brought forth through Immaculate Conception of The Blessed Virgin Mary – the Theotokos (Mother of God); the Ark that would bear the Seed of eternal destruction of Satan. He then humbles Himself to be born in a cattle shed, therefore re-building the sacredness of humility. Then by His own will He blankets mankind with love and compassion through proclaiming the Word to the peoples, thus re-building hope for heavenly joy. He heals the wounds of the flesh and of the spirit, where-by He re-builds the authority of The Spirit of God, who desires to pour himself in abundance upon the human race.  By willingly and unconditionally submitting Himself to unthinkable cruelty, wickedness, disgust, impurity, treachery, betrayal, profanity and sacrilege, He re-builds the dominion of forgiveness. As a sacrificial lamb, nailed upon a tree, to be slaughtered for the sake of man’s salvation, Christ Jesus once and for all reconciles all of humanity (living and those who died before Him, right from the beginning of time) with the maker all – the one who is His eternal & merciful Father. Finally, Jesus; the master builder of this temple (man), by His glorious resurrection; destroys Satan’s rule over man’s soul, and thus re-builds the door way to eternal life, in the presence of the one who is God the Almighty, with the company of His Saints, Angels and all heavenly & holy beings. Amen.

 


 

What’s Catholic about Maleficent?

31 Saturday May 2014

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The quintessential war between good and evil has seen classic varieties of its display in motion pictures. We seen the battles waged for love, wars fought for peace, we’ve also seen superheroes saving the planet as well as weave a tale of love with a simple human kind. Then there is the world of fantasy where we have Princes, Princesses, Witches and Fairy God-Mothers. And in these stories the Princess though may not always seen charming, manages to defeat the villain and carry away his damsel in distress.

Maleficent is however, a unique telling of the story of “Sleeping Beauty”, or as the protagonist calls it – the actual story, never told as this before. With all her powers of being a fairy, Maleficent captivates the audiences with her magnificent wings, which is an integral part of the story. It becomes her life save in the end. Now, the story builds a rather fascinating character of this powerful, beautiful and charming fairy, which sketches a plot which compels the audience to think about the power of love, and it’s ultimate reign over hatred / vengeance. A heart which fanned the desire of love for a man, is scorned by the betrayal of her beloved who deprives her of that one power which to her is precious and keeps her almost invincible. Such a betrayal of trust and of hope in love leads her to vanquish her anger and hatred upon the sole seed of her estranged lover. However, as destiny would want it, that seed becomes the fire of love which melts the wax of hatred that had taken deep root within Maleficent’s heart. The hatred which was not just for her betrayer but more-so for true love – which now had no meaning in her life.

Maleficent

In the Gospels we learn, Christ Jesus had always shown compassion and love, especially towards those who hated him with their words and deeds. He displayed mercy by willingly forgiving even those who finally succeeded in murdering him on the bark of a tree. On the contrary, when the Most Holy & Almighty Trinity created the Powers, Dominions, Choirs of Angels, Cherubim, Seraphim, angels and all other supernatural beings, they were bestowed with invincible powers and authority. But pride in one of the most powerful of creatures – Archangel Lucifer, made him loose a beatific vision of what His creator had so lovingly desired to infill him with. His casting out of the realm of Divine Holiness, begot in him an everlasting lust for hatred towards love. The nature of the will of these supernatural beings compels them to live by their irrevocable choice of hatred over love. But it is not as such with us humans. By the love and mercy of God, our beings have been created fearfully in His image, and it grants us the liberty to exercise our will and choose between love and hate, time after time after time after time, until that moment when we would have another chance.

This will to choose love over hatred was possible by Maleficent, only because she experienced what it means to love without malice or pride. The princess ‘Aurora’ showed the innocence & compelling good that love is so full off, which ultimately commands her persecutor to become her ultimate protector, and infact the restorer of her life. My friends, only love compels the good of the other, it compels the better of the other even at the cost of sacrificing one’s own self. Love derives itself from the source of all that is good – God. Therefore being vessels of love is to be Godly. Hate begets anger, but love begets peace. Hate demands destruction where-as love fights for reconciliation. Hate blinds right judgement, love on the other hand defends justice. Hate rejects happiness, love forever brings joy. This why God said, “Love one another as I have loved you.” And how does God love us? Unconditionally and everlastingly. Everything else will perish in this mortal world, but not love, for only love will guide every man’s soul towards its creator, to dwell in His company and bask in the warm light of eternal love.

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