30th Sunday Homily Religion without compassion is terrorism

Today's gospel parable of Pharisee  and tax collector is very relevant in today's world. It's not something that happened 2000 years ago. It's something that still happening today.  We see so many people holding on to religious beliefs, traditions and faith without loving one another. In worst case, we see terrorists killing people in the name of God and religion. These kind of people believe that thy are righteous in the eyes of God and believe that they follow right religion. 

Pharisee in the parable is one of them, he believed, he is not like the rest of humanity. He thought he is following right religion he says of himself, He is not — greedy, dishonest, adulterous — or even like this tax collector. He even compares himself with others. He continues, he fasted twice a week, and he payed tithes on his whole income.’ According religious practices he is a good practitioner but he lacked love for others and his life was centered around himself. He lacked love, mercy and compassion for others. He was self praising to God. 

Once I was in India with Bellarmine students and we visited a Jesuit Ashram and one of the teachers there told us, religion without love and compassion is terrorism. That was an aha moment for many. 

We may find people like this Pharisee  in work places, parishes, religious life. They are full of themselves, despise others saying sentences like, I am the only one who hard work here, I am the only one knows things better. My prayer life is better than you. My poverty is better than you. My religious practices are better than you. They are full of themselves and they forget others and to be kind to others. And not only that they are constantly judging others. Jesus asks us Catholics not to be like this Pharisee being full of oneself and judging others. 

 I might have shared this story I like to share it once again. Lady and 7th station of the cross. What she does is the good practice of the religion but that didn't turn her to love others. 

In the second story, Jesus shows us the tax collector, he is bad man in the society, he cheated his own people collecting money for Rome. But this tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ Jesus says he went home justified. This is one thing important in religion and faith humbling yourself. Humility is beginning quality to understand God and others. 

Dear brothers and sisters, this parable of Pharisee and tax collector teaches us that the entire point of religion is to make us humble before God and to open us to the path of love and compassion. 

Liturgy, prayer, the precepts of the Church, the commandments, sacraments, sacramental—all of it—are finally meant to conform us to the way of love. 

I am giving you two questions for your thoughts and reflection. 

1. How often we use knowledge and practices of religion to put others down? 

1. Does my practices of religion turn in to loving and not judging others?

29th Sunday- Your Prayer in emergency

Your Prayer in Emergency…

Luke 18:1-8. Today, we can have access to any emergency services just by ‘dialing’ a few numbers on our telephone. In the UK, it is 999; in the European Union it is 112,  in India 100 and in some countries it is 911. There are also separate numbers to call the police, fire services, or medical assistance.   The first emergency number system to be used in the world was in London.  It was on 30 June 1937 that ‘999’ was first dialed and a special red light flashed on the telephone operator’s table.  Thus began the system of emergency services. Have we ever called an emergency number in our life?  If ever we called an emergency number, I am sure, it now brings to our mind some traumatic experience. In any case, the emergency number is not the most frequently dialed number on our personal telephone.  The most dialed number in your phone.is may be that of your lover, spouse, child, parent, friend, or business partner?  And what does that frequently dialed number say about your own priorities in life?

In the gospel today we have a reminder on making frequent calls to God. By the parable of the unjust judge and the persistent widow, Jesus emphasizes the “necessity of praying always and not losing heart.” Constancy in prayer is Faith in action.  Now, here is a more important question:  how would you describe your own acts of calling on God!  Are they emergency calls, or are they frequent calls?
-When you are facing danger, call on Psalm 91. Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”  Look at some the emergency numbers in sacred scriptures.

-When you are worried, call on Matthew 6:25-34 The Heavenly Father feeds everybody.
-When you are sad, call on John 14. Jesus Comforts His Disciples
-When you don’t feel loved, call on Romans 8:38-39. Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God
-When you feel no one is on your side, call on Romans 8:31-39 who shall separate us from the love of Christ
-When you are suffering, call on Romans 8:18-30 Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness.
-When you need courage, call on Joshua 1. Never rebels against to the word of God. Be strong and courageous!
-When you are seeking peace, call on John 14:27. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
-When you want to live a happy life, call on Colossians 3:12-17. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, we are called to peace.
-When you don’t understand what God is doing, call on Isaiah 55:8-9. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Jesus tells us that we should pray, pray a lot, pray often, and be untiring in turning to God. Consistency, perseverance, steadfastness, along with continuing courage, is needed in our lives. When we are facing great difficulties along with emotional and spiritual crises of various sorts we may say: “I’ve tried everything. Now the only thing left to do is to pray.” Prayer should be our normal way of life, not just a last resort in times of difficulty. Stay always connection with God.

We live now in a world that offers us quick answers to our problems along with quick responses to our needs. All of our needs and wants can be fulfilled these days in no time at all. Most of our days are crowded and blocked with things to do. Within all of this,  we need prayer, meditation, and time with God.

- Personal prayer is of great importance in our life of prayer. Talking to God in our own words, praising Him, thanking Him and presenting our needs before Him -- transforms our whole life into prayer. Bring all our successes and failures, joys and sorrows, highs and lows to God in prayer.

- Never expect to get whatever we pray for. A loving father may refuse or accept our requests. God is like that. He knows what to give, when to give and how to give it. Only God knows what is good for us in our life.

- To make our prayers effective, be consistent. Our prayers do not change God's will. Instead, they bring our minds into line with God’s reasons.  Sincere and persistent prayer makes us ready to accept His will.

There is a way to pray with the heart, which God can hear, and answer. To speak from the heart is to speak to the heart. God can read our heart, and that is more important than any words we might say. Prayer is not an isolated act – it is a way of life. We need each other’s prayers. We need each other’s strength.

Fr. George Munjanattu OFMConv.

October 9, 2016 - 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

TWENTY EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

2 Kings 5: 17-17|2 Timothy 2: 8-13|Luke 17:11-19

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Jesus Christ,

There is a story about one of our friaries in India. The Friary is named after St. Francis of Assisi and we call in our language Assisi Snehalaya- House of Love. This is a house set apart for the care and cure of the HIV affected Patients. It was erected as a religious house around the year 2000, when in our society HIV-AIDS was considered something like God’s curse for one’s wrong doing; therefore, those who are infected must be expelled from the society. I remember, reading the circular letter of our then Superior, addressing the need of the society. He compared the situation of 20^th century with the situation of Francis’ time. “Francis, seeing the need of his society took care of the lepers. In the same way, we (Franciscans) are called to respond to the needs of our society and this is our responsibility to take care of the modern day lepers-the AIDS patients[i]. AIDS is no more a threat in our society and therefore, they are no more lepers. But I think the name is still so important. More than a physical ailment, it can well describe the attitude of a society on people who lives in the margins of it.

The ancient world was terrified of leprosy, which is a contagious disease, and having no cure they banished lepers from society.  Lepers became outcasts, required by the law to stand at a distance from people, and to shout ‘Unclean, unclean!’ when they saw anyone near (Leviticus 13:45f).  The Samaritan leper in our today’s story was doubly isolated, for there was deep religious hatred between Jews and Samaritans.

What kind of lepers that we identify in our modern world? St. Bonaventure brings up with four kinds of spiritual leprosy that is possible in the background of this Gospel in his Commentary on Luke. There is a possibility of the leprosy that develops from the evil fear, there is a possibility of the Leprosy that arises from carnal desires, there is a possibility of leprosy that develops from the evil intensions of the sight and there is a leprosy that is the outcome of our pride.  Bonaventure develops these spiritual ailments from the observations of St. Augustine on the theme of Fear and Love. For St. Augustine says, “Love and Fear lead to every deed done justly. In the same way, love and fear lead to every sin. In order to do good, we love God and fear God. But in order to do evil, we love the World and fear the world.”[ii]

Fear and Love of God leads to an inclusive spirituality where nobody is alienated no matter what they are. On the other hand, fear and love of the World build exclusive agenda where narrowness of mind dominate everything.

Every society, every group, has outsiders.  How a group sees and treats outsiders is the clearest indicator of the values the group is based on.  Is there any possibility of an open society where all are welcomed? We might expect that all religious societies, since they claim to be in the service of God, would be open societies; but some of them shrink into cults, and many develop cult-like qualities.  There is always a war between inner and outer.  If the outsider is regarded only as an enemy, then we can be sure that the inner life is diseased in some way.  This is how we estimate the life of an individual; it is also how we can estimate the life of a society.  An individual who only knows who he or she is against, has no positive identity at all; likewise a society. 

A Christian society that is deaf to the outsider and that marginalizes some of its own, can hardly be described as Christian.  Pope Francis, in his very first week as pope, spoke about a tendency in the Church to “self-referencing.”  A Christian community of any kind is not a group of likeminded people who confirm one another in their narrowness, but a group that reaches out to those whose lives are in chaos, whose voices are not heard, whose presence is not welcomed.[iii]

Brothers and Sisters, what kind of leprosy that we faces in our day to day life? Does my Christian identity allow me to welcome everyone and accept them as they are? Or am I afraid of my society and anxious about my social status which leads me to take an exclusive position in which the other is my enemy and outcaste? This is the challenge the Gospel gives us today.

May the Eucharistic Lord, heal our troubled conscience and society. May we have the light to see everyone as God’s child. Amen

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[i] J.CILIA, Circular Letter to the Provincial Custody of St. Maximilian Kolbe, India 1999.

[ii] St. Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter XVII, Vol.3

[iii] http://frnick.com/weekday/today_s_good_news

Twenty Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

TWENTY SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Amos 6: 1-7|1 Timothy 6: 11-16|Luke 16:19-31

Let us be Merciful to One another

Schindler's List is a 1993 American epic historical period drama film, directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg and scripted by Steven Zaillian. It is based on the novel Schindler's Ark by Thomas Keneally, an Australian novelist. The film is based on the life of Oskar Schindler, an ethnic German businessman who saved the lives of more than a thousand mostly Polish-Jewish refugees during the Holocaust by employing them in his factories. When the war started, he saw it as an opportunity to make money. He made friends with some of the German officials and worked out a deal with them to use Jewish prisoners as free labor for his weaponries factory. Since he didn't have to pay his workers, he was able to rake in a handsome profit. But little by little his eyes opened to the horrors of the Nazi regime. His heart changed, and he started using his factories and his connections with German officers to save his Jewish workers from the Holocaust. He used the money he had made during the early part of the war to "buy" more and more Jewish workers, just so he could save their lives. By the end of the war he was as broke as he had been at the beginning, but he had managed to save hundreds of Jews from being murdered. In the last scene of the movie, the Germans are fleeing as allied troops approach the town where the factory is located. We see Schindler surrounded by the workers whom he had saved, and they are thanking him.

But then Schindler starts to cry. He looks around at the faces of the people he saved, and he tells them, "I could have done so much more." He holds up his gold watch, and he says, "This could have bought someone's freedom." He cries out that if he had started sooner he could have saved twice as many. Every face he sees makes him think of another face that he could have saved if he had been less self-centered. He is completely troubled. Schindler had experienced firsthand the destructive power of the sin of omission.[i]

Once again, we are reflecting the story of Lazarus and the rich man. We have heard about this story number of times and I believe that this is more meaningful to reflect in the year of Mercy. The Story is about the sin of lack of Mercy and we can say it was merciless indifference.

The rich man in Jesus’ story did not commit any serious sins in our concept. It doesn’t speak about it. He did not kill anybody; neither was he a Mafia king nor involved in human trafficking. He was a pretty good guy in our definition of holiness. And yet he failed to enter into eternal life. Why?

St. Bonaventure in his commentary on Luke says, “[ii]the circumstances of the poor man shows that he was worthy of Mercy and consequently that the rich man was merciless and impious. For the poor man was sick, abandoned and he was a man dear to God and Just”. But the rich man was so self-centered and he closed his heart to a neighbor who desperately needed his help.

Indifference is becoming an iconic quality of our time. Why should I enter into others business? Why should I bother about other’s life? I don’t have to waste my time for you? I am sorry, I am not the right person to help you, and I have something else to do… These are the often quoted comments that we hear now a days. Indifferent to life and society is now fashionable and we have no problem to accept it. I am happy as far as my life is safe. I have no problem whatever happens around me.

My mind makes me to think with Marin Niemoller, a German Lutheran Pastor and theologian, he says:

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me[iii]

Brothers and Sisters, Self-centeredness and individualism kills the goodness in us, Kills the society and the nation. It is not our riches and wealth that is evil but it is our attitude and the love towards them make it sin. Whenever we hear about the story of the Lazarus, we point our finger to all the rich people around us and consider ourselves in the position of Lazarus. Is the money only the wealth? Don’t we consider our other resources like, time, energy, health, knowledge etc. as part of our wealth? I believe that we all are blessed with different talents and those are our wealth. Therefore we are rich enough to share it with others. We can no longer say that I am poor and sharing is someone else business. The gospel is so clear we can never be indifferent to others’ life.

Let me conclude it with a wonderful quote that appeared on our freshmen T- Shirt this year: Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.

Let us be merciful like the Father. Amen

Tony Friar Vattaparambil

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[i] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schindler%27s_List

[ii] Works of Bonaventure, commentary on the Gospel of Luke Vol VIII, Part 21523.

[iii] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came_...#Author

23rd Sunday Homily

Today the whole world is in happiness, the mother of everyone especially the poorest of the poor, is canonized  by Pope Francis. I am proud as an Indian that she is the fourth Indian Saint. There is no one like mother Teresa who loved the poor, who dedicated the whole life for the poorest of the poor of Calcutta in India. We may not see another icon like mother Teresa in our life time again. She is something beautiful for God.

Mother Teresa’s life began in Yugoslavia in 1910 and ended in Calcutta India on September 5th 1997. She served 69 years the poor people. Received 127 awards and Nobel price of 1979. 4500 followers working in different parts of the world. You may know mother Teresa received Bellarmine Award in 1981 and visited Bellarmine 1982. Her speech is so beautiful and inspiring. 

By this canonization Pope Francis is highlighting the merciful side of the church  in the jubilee year of mercy. 

Father Brian, the priest who campaigned for her sainthood says,“Even in popular culture she’s identified with goodness, kindness, charity,” 

In her words, I took vow of poverty to understand the poor and their life better. 

One day a journalist saw mother caring a man in the street who had wounds all over his body, she told motherTeresa, mother, I wouldn't have done this work if I was given a million dollars. Mother Teresa replied, I also wouldn't have done this work if someone has given me a million dollars, I do this just because of Jesus and I see Jesus in them. 

Mother Teresa says, to understand the poor 1. we have to have a life of prayer and 2. we have to have to have relation with Jesus. Mother Teresa many times in her speeches reminded us in the speech she gave at Bellarmine the story in the Luke's gospel where mother Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth. According to her this is a story of outreaching to needy. She says, the moment Jesus came to Mary's womb she hasted to help her cousin. She went there to help her washing, cooking and cleaning. Small things but with love. She knew Elizabeth needed her. 

Mother Teresa says, every time we receive Jesus we must have that joy and haste to give Jesus. We should have haste and joy to help others. 

In the city of Calcutta, her sisters receive Jesus in the morning in the form of the Eucharist and the whole house is moving to give Jesus to others. What a beautiful concept. Our celebration of mass  shouldn't end here it should move us to give Jesus to others. 

Dalai Lama asked Buddhists to follow the path of mother Teresa. He said mother  is the incarnation of Maha Karuna (immeasurable compassion)and Dalai Lama says, she represents love without distinction and compassion for all humanity and her love expressed through humble service.

Arch bishop was talking to students at St. X and sharing a an experience, someone in America asked mother Teresa how can I serve poor people? To serve poor, She said,  you do not have to go to India, they are on your door steps. Yes, they are here around us. They may be one of your siblings, Neighbors, co workers, friends
They may not be hungry for a piece of bread but they may be hungry for love, they may not be naked for a piece of cloth but they may be naked because they lost human dignity. They may not be homeless for a room but they may be homeless for human love and touch. Yes, they are on our door steps. The alcoholic man you meet in your street is Jesus, the homeless man you see on the street is Jesus. She said give them a smile and from smile you start your love.

She says, love is not a luxury of few but it is a simple duty of everyone. She asks, give your smile to everyone. 

Today's gospel teaches us 'If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple" We may feel our religion is odd, Jesus asking to hate? It's not Jesus asking us to hate but asking us to give priority to God and things of God. That's what mother Teresa did, she gave priority to love God and to do what he wants us to do. Mother Teresa is a great example of discipleship explained in today's gospel. She left everything for the sake of the gospel. 

Pope Francis said in his canonization homily, Mother Teresa, in all aspects of her life, was a generous dispenser of divine mercy, making herself available for everyone through her welcome and defence of human life, those unborn and those abandoned and discarded.  She was committed to defending life, ceaselessly proclaiming that “the unborn are the weakest, the smallest, the most vulnerable”.  She bowed down before those who were spent, left to die on the side of the road, seeing in them their God-given dignity; she made her voice heard before the powers of this world, so that they might recognize their guilt for the crime of poverty they created.  For Mother Teresa, mercy was the “salt” which gave flavour to her work, it was the “light” which shone in the darkness of the many who no longer had tears to shed for their poverty and suffering.

One thing mother Teresa taught me personally and all Christians in India to open our hearts and love people beyond their religion. In my country 97% of people are other religions( that's billions of people) and she taught me they are also children of God and they too will receive heaven if they do good. Her words always inspired me. She said once when asked about conversion, she said, this is my point view of conversion, if you are Hindu be a good Hindu, if you are a Muslim be a good Muslim, if you are a Protestant be a good Protestant, if you are a Buddhist be a good Buddhist. She wanted people to come closer to God (however they understood Him) and believed that in this way they would also come closer to each other, love one another, and ultimately create a world that is better for everyone to live in.


You all know that I am from India where mother Teresa worked as a missionary.  I wished but unfortunately I could ever see  Mother Teresa but I have received a blessing and signature from Mother Teresa! I am so happy Tomorrow this signature will turn in to a relic. 
I receive this blessing and signature when I was a philosophy student in 1996. I was editing a handwritten magazine for the seminarians. I had crazy idea of getting mother's signature for the magazine. I asked one of our Friars to paint her picture on a letter size card and I posted mother Teresa with covering return postage. I was eagerly waiting and the next day we heard she fell sick and was in ICU. I lost hope but she recovered and the first thing she did after her recovery is to send her blessing to us. We keep this as a precious memory( the picture is on the top).  She put a card with it and it said: 

fruit of SILENCE is Prayer
The fruit of PRAYER is Faith
The fruit of FAITH is Love
The fruit of LOVE is Service
The fruit of SERVICE is Peace

Let us celebrate mother Theresa loving everyone and giving our joy to every one 


Fr. John Pozhathuparambil

July 24 The Lord's Prayer

We Christians are called to be experts in prayer.  In today's gospel disciples ask Jesus to teach us to pray. What is prayer? Catechism of the church says, prayers is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of Good things from God. If you google, Google gives you an answer. Google says prayer is a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God. Then What's prayer for you and me? I would like to think prayer is a communication and this whole process called prayer has to become our life. We can't separate prayer from our life. 

I will start with a story from St. Francis of Assisi. A student Friar asked Francis, can you teach me how to pray? Francis and this particular student friar went to a mount to pray. Francis said, let us pray the prayer our father. Francis gave a bucket to the friar And said when you finish one our father you will put one stone in the bucket and I will do the same. They started prayer and spent the whole night. When sun raised student friar saw his bucket is full but francis is still holding his first stone. He waked francis and francis said to the brother, sorry brother, when I started thinking of our father I couldn't pray anything other than thinking of him. For francis prayer is everything even his life. Franciscan thinkers say that Francis became prayer himself. 

There are many stories about prayer. 

John viani used to see a farmer every morning in the church, before he goes to work. He asked what are you praying? He said, I look at Jesus, Jesus looks at me. That was the prayer of the farmer.

Whatever is our prayer form we are all called to be people of prayer. 

Today we are too busy and sometime our work become intoxicating or exhausting that we can't  find time in prayer. Jesus was highly wanted or sought after people but he found time to hide in the mountain to pray. The disciples must be also feeling overwhelmed and intoxicated by ministry. That's why they asked teach us to pray.  

Jesus taught our father the prayer we call as Lord's Prayer. This prayer is said by every Christian. What does this prayer means?

The prayer starts with 'Our father'. Jesus is not calling my father, he calls our father. it's a community prayer. It talks about our new family and new relationship. We are brothers and sisters in one God the father. This father is father of everyone, Asian, European, American and African. Secondly, God is addressed in great intimacy. The word 'Abba' means Pappa, dad. And this father is in heaven and His name is holy. What does this mean ? It means heaven is our destiny and God must be highest value in life. Only God be praised by me. Your Kingdom come.  What's the kingdom teaching by Jesus? Peace, compassion, non violence, healing etc. when God become central value of everyone's life the kingdom is here on earth as in heaven. We wish God's kingdom on earth. 

Give us this day daily bread- the word used in Aramaic is epi usione. This word is not used much in Aramaic. It means 'super substantial bread'. What are we praying? For daily bread, yes. But we are praying for more than that- food that feeds the soul. We need that bread. 

Forgive us - it's the central teaching of Jesus. When we pray think about broken relationship, people who did hurt us. And this prayer reminds us of God's forgiveness and call to forgive others. Jesus did many things but the main purpose of his coming is to forgive our sins. We are called to be agents of forgiveness. Then finally do not lead us to temptation but deliver us from evil.  We are in a midst of spiritual struggle and this prayer is asking the Lord to deliver us. 

A disciple asked guru why I can't feel to pray?

He said its because you are afraid to look in to yourself. 

Mother Teresa worked day and night in the street of Calcutta. Indian express one of the leading news papers wrote about mother Teresa:

'The wonder worker of gutters of Calcutta begins her day with one hour adoration. 

Dear brothers and sisters, let us be people of prayer'. And let us find time to be with the Lord. 

Fr. John Pozhathuparambil

July 10th Good Samaritan

Everything is on the bible; parables, miracles is about Jesus. Today's story is about Samaritan- Samaritan means some one who helps the stranger. We have heard and reflected this passage many times and encouraged us to be Good Samaritan to others.We are going to see this story in a different way as the fathers of the church teaches us. According to them this story is of God's love- how Jesus saves a fallen human being. This story explains what happens when we sin. When devil robs us from the love of God, we loose senses of Truth, proper functioning of our will and has very dysfunctional spiritual life.

This man in the story is traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. Jerusalem is God's city, symbol of ordered life, spiritual growth. Jericho is city of sin, symbol of dysfunctional soul and spiritual life. This man is traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho means he is going away from the friendship of God, going away from religion, spiritual life. This story is of all men who fall from the friendship of God to a dysfunctional spiritual life. On the way he fell in the hands of robbers.

Who are the robbers? They are evil spirit. This man is attacked by evil spirit. There is something humiliating about every robbery. More than loosing our valuable things, we feel humiliated, we feel we lost our security. It's the same with someone who looses friendship with God. He feels humiliated, ashamed and Insecure. 

Three ways of attack- laziness, bargaining, evil personification.

Not only he is attacked, this man is stripped off which means he lost his even his dignity. Stripping off in the biblical language is loosing one's dignity. When slaves were taken one place to another, they were naked, this action was telling they are stripped of their dignity. When evil spirit attacks he tries to take off our dignity, dignity as sons and daughters of God. One more thing follows after this: they beat him and went off leaving him half dead. When we loose friendship with God, we are half dead and we are Helpless. He is beaten up by sins and he is helpless.

A priest  and Levite came. They symbolize the religion of the time. They are also going from Jerusalem to Jericho. It's showing the fallen religion. They are also going away from God. Religion is good  and I have given my life but if it looses its spirit, it's not good at all.

Here comes now the portrait of Jesus and who Jesus is. 

Jesus himself Is the Samaritan in the story. When we are fallen in sin and beaten by sins and half dead and helpless. It's Jesus who can help you to get back to your life. 

Look at the story closely, Samaritan man approached him and poured oil and wine in his wounds. This explains the Sacramental life of the church. Jesus approaches us when we are helpless and wounded by sins. Oil is the sacramental life- we use oil for baptism, anointing of sick. It's so powerful and heals us. Wine is the symbol of Eucharist. Jesus heals our wounds of sin by pouring his blood to our wounds. If you feel today you have traveled from Jerusalem to Jericho and beaten and half dead by sins, Jesus says, I am the Good Samaritan do not worry, I will help you to heal. I will pour my blood and body to regain you.

He pays two silver pieces. What are the two silver pieces mean? This means Jesus has paid back for us to save us from the sin. And he is the Good Samaritan who gives his life in order that we will have life. 

Fr. John Pozhathuparambil OFMConv.