Justice Sunday

Rev. Fr. Paul Lelen Haokip *

St. Joseph's Cathedral Church located at Mantripukhri, Imphal.

Jesus said, "I came to bring fire upon the earth, and how I wish that it were already kindled. I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how I am distressed until it is finished. Do you suppose that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on there will be five in one house divided, three against two and two against three. A father will be divided against son and son against father. Mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law" (Luke 12:49-53).

INTRODUCTION:

Just like many of the days are dedicated to different personalities, causes, themes, we do have Justice Sunday. It is a day of self evaluation, introspection as to how we have contributed to the realization of Justice in and around us. We need political justice, religious justice, social justice and legal justice.

By the way, who wants to be a prophet? A project is another name for JUSTICE. A prophet is someone who stands before God for his people and before people who communicates the mind of God without fear. He is a person who calls black as 'black' and white as 'white'. This is authencity. This is justice.

The various pictures of Jesus we find around are the meek Jesus with the children, the resurrected Jesus with the victory symbol, the baptized Jesus shadowed with the descending dove, the Sacred heart of Jesus exposed, the Nazarene with a long hair, etc. They all picture one side of the personality of Jesus – the meek, humble, gentle and docile area.

We hardly find people keeping the pictures of Jesus casting out the money changers in the temple (John 2:13ff), casting out the demon, calling the Pharisees and Sadducees as 'white washed tombs'. What about the scene of Jesus calling out to His Abba 'My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?' We seem to be hiding and shying away from the realistic and existential personality of Jesus who was for, with and of the people of his time. Christianity cannot talk of ethereal things without involvement in the daily realities of life such as – sin, corruption, polygamy, pornography, maligning, criticisms, satanic worship (illuminati).

Jesus uses three symbolic element of life – FIRE, WATER and DIVISION. Today, we have a realistic picture of Jesus full of life, mission and action.

FIRE:

Fire is frightening. It cleanses, purifies and tests. The Lord is a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24). Moses met the Lord in a burning bush (Exodus 3), Sodom and Gomorrah got destroyed with fire of sulphur (Genesis 19:12ff), Yahweh descended on mount Sinai while handing the Ten Commandments to Moses as with a fire (Exodus 19:18).

Fire was considered so great a thing that the Greeks developed a legend saying Prometheus stole the fire from gods. In our own context, the winter gives us ample chance to sit near the meiphu where stories, myths, legends are made and repeated. Our biblical ancestors sacrificed the offerings in fire as fire always ascends upward.

The offered articles were as if it will reach the above God. In the Catholic Church, candles are always burnt during the Holy Eucharist and other liturgical services. The use of incense is also continued to keep the purifying and cleansing nature of fire. Jesus said "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12). Thanks be to God, some other Christians denominations have also started appreciating, relishing the meanings and treasures of the Universal Church.

WATER (Baptism):

Christian Baptism involves Water – either immersion or pouring. Jesus said "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). Jesus did not not say 'baptize only by immersion'.

So, Keep the spirit of Baptism intact, that is change from within – new perspective and orientation towards respect for God and love of neighbor. Ass you are fully aware, 70% of our body is constituted of water. Maintenance of equilibrium is a must, neglect of it is to be paid with the pain of dehydration and death.

At the entrance of the Cathedral, Churches, you find holy water where each one dips the finger and makes the sign of the Cross, claiming oneself to be the follower of Christ who died on the Cross. In some places, the Priest sprinkles the holy water to the faithful while the GLORIA is sung. These are but symbols to remind us that we belong to God who is the living water.

DIVISION:

It is better to have clear cut division than fake Unity. In life's real situations, division comes when we take 'a stand'. Radical followers of Jesus don't compromise truth with adjustments. Yes, if you don't stand for something, you die for anything and you are remembered for nothing. Look around, you find division between the rich and poor, educated and illiterate, tribals and non-tribals, men and women, priests and laity, followers of Jesus and followers of Satan.

REAL PEACE:

Jesus didn't destroy peace. His peace is different, that is, doing the will of God. You can do the will of God even if no one supports you or when everyone is against you just as the people of 7th and 6th century BC of Jeremiah's time. Scourging, rejection, persecutions, false accusations etc will be your reward.

Are you still ready to stand for a cause? The peace that you attain by standing for Jesus can't be bought, bartered or borrowed. It comes from fulfillment of His commandments of love and forgiveness.

In the Catholic Church, peace is achieved through all the Sacraments, most importantly through the Sacrament of Reconciliation (confession of sins), exchange is the sign of peace before communion and Holy Eucharist (reception of the holy communion). When the whole family of Church with divergent languages, tribes, culture and customs sing, listen and sit together in the Church as children of One Father, peace is achieved. Then only we could pray the "Our Father, who art in heaven…" (Matthew 6:9ff).