Fr. Dr. John Singarayar SVD –

Imagine walking for days. Your feet are dusty, aching, and heavy with exhaustion. Every step feels like a burden, and the road ahead seems endless. This is more than just a physical journey—it is a powerful picture of our spiritual life.

Long ago, in the land of dusty roads and weary travelers, hospitality was more than just a kindness. It was a sacred duty. When someone arrived at a home, tired and worn, the host would offer water to wash away the dirt and pain of the journey. Typically, this task fell to the lowest servant, who would carefully wash the traveler’s feet, bringing comfort and relief.

This ancient custom sets the stage for one of the most profound moments in Jesus’ ministry. On the night before his crucifixion, during the Passover meal, Jesus did something shocking. He, the Lord and Teacher, knelt down and began to wash his disciples’ feet.

Picture the scene. The room is quiet. Disciples are reclining at the table, uncomfortable and confused. Peter, always the passionate one, initially resists. “Lord,” he says, “are you going to wash my feet?” It seems wrong. It feels backwards. The teacher should not be serving the students. The master should not be acting like a slave.

But Jesus insists. And in that moment, he reveals something profound about God’s love and our journey of faith.

In the book of Exodus, we read about the first Passover. God’s people were preparing for a journey—a massive exodus from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. They were instructed to eat with their sandals on, staff in hand, ready to move. That meal was about preparation, about being ready for God’s deliverance.

Now, years later, Jesus transforms that meal of preparation into something even more powerful. During the Last Supper, he takes bread, gives thanks, breaks it, and says, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” He takes the cup and says, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

This is not just a meal. It is a roadmap for our spiritual journey.

Life is hard. Our spiritual path is rarely smooth. We get tired. We get discouraged. We wonder if we can keep going. And into this challenging journey, Jesus offers us something miraculous—a place of restoration, of healing, of renewed strength.

When Jesus washes the disciples’ feet, he is doing more than a simple act of service. He is showing us the heart of God. He is revealing that true love looks like humility. True strength appears as gentleness. True leadership manifests as service.

Peter’s initial resistance mirrors our own. We often want to be the strong ones, the servers, the helpers. Allowing ourselves to be served feels vulnerable. Admitting we need help feels like weakness. But Jesus tells Peter something crucial: “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.”

Let that sink in. We must first be served before we can serve. We must first be loved before we can love. We must first be restored before we can restore others.

When Peter finally understands, his response is beautiful. “Lord, not just my feet, but my hands and my head!” It is a moment of complete surrender, of total openness to God’s transformative love.

The Eucharist—communion—is our spiritual rest house. Just like those ancient roadside inns that restored weary travelers, this sacred meal restores our souls. It is a moment of pause in our long journey. A moment to have our spiritual feet washed, our wounds tended, our strength renewed.

But here is the powerful twist. This restoration is not meant to make us comfortable. It is meant to prepare us to continue our journey and to help others on theirs.

After washing their feet, Jesus says something profound: “I have set you an example, that you should do as I have done.” In other words, after being served, we are called to serve. After being loved, we are called to love. After being restored, we are called to restore.

Your life is a journey. Some days, the road feels long and hard. Some days, your spiritual feet are dusty and aching. Some days, you might feel like giving up. But Jesus is here, ready to wash your feet. Ready to restore your strength. Ready to prepare you for the road ahead.

And when your feet have been washed, when your strength has been renewed, you are not just a recipient of grace. You become a carrier of grace. You become someone who can wash the feet of others—who can bring comfort to the weary, hope to the discouraged, love to the broken.

This is the beautiful rhythm of faith: We are restored so that we can restore. We are loved so that we can love. We are served so that we can serve.

As you come to the table of communion, come with open hands and an open heart. Come knowing that God sees your journey. Come knowing that Jesus is ready to wash away your weariness. Come knowing that you are being prepared not just for a moment of rest, but for a continued journey of love and service.

Your feet might be tired. Your spirit might be worn. But you are not alone. The one who created the journey walks with you. The one who knows every dusty road is preparing you. The one who serves is empowering you to serve.

Rest here. Be renewed. And then rise, ready to love as you have been loved.

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The phrase “A Stone’s Throw” is not used much these days.  I ask my college going daughter when we are driving together the other day, if she knows the meaning of this phrase.  She has an idea about what it means. This very phrase makes me pause when I come across it in the Gospels.  I am reflecting on the passion of our Lord Jesus as read out on Palm Sunday from the Gospel of Luke.  In Luke 22: 41,” And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw and knelt down and prayed. “

I wonder about this phrase, and why the Lord had to be away from His beloved disciples and pray to the Father alone, in one of the greatest moments of anguish and despair He was facing, the inexorable steps needed to be taken for His Mission. And we read further in Luke 22:43, that “there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him.”  The rest of the story we know, how He discerned that the cup could not be taken from Him, and how he surrendered to His Father’s Will.

Is this the secret then to discerning one’s Mission in Life?  Spending time with Him, alone and away from others, for clarity, especially in difficult moments?

Coming across this article by A W Tozer, The Saints Must Walk Alone, Tozer writes, “I believe that there are things that God wants to say to us which He cannot say in the presence of other people, just as there are things you say to your family or to your wife which you cannot say with others around. I believe that God wants to speak to us, and that He speaks more deeply and intimately and wonderfully when he can get our ear all by ourselves.”  It is a wonderful analogy and sets me thinking.

There are so many instances from the Bible too, where God spoke alone to those such as Moses (Ex 3: 1-12), Samuel (1 Samuel 3) and even to Saul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-9). We are familiar with these episodes from the Bible.

What are the lessons we can draw from these great men of God, who could speak to Him and discern His unique mission in their lives.  Even looking at the lives of great Saints, we find Saints like St Francis of Assisi and St Ignatius of Loyola spent entire nights in prayer alone, conversing with Him regularly.  Maybe because of the strong foundations they laid, their Missions continue to thrive hundreds of years after their moving on from here.

In my secular life, I surely cannot find it possible to spend the entire night in prayer.  But can I spend an hour, or fractions of that, at least, in front of the Blessed Sacrament every day listening to Him?  If it was possible for the very busy St Mother Teresa and the Venerable Bishop Fulton Sheen, could it not be possible for me to emulate their example.  Here is what they have to say on these practises:

“The time you spend with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the best time that you will spend on earth. Each moment that you spend with Jesus will deepen your union with Him and make your soul everlastingly more glorious and beautiful in Heaven….” Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa mentions that daily hour spent on Eucharistic Adoration for her congregation has not reduced the time spent on the Congregation’s mission towards the Poor but only enhanced it.

Venerable Bishop Fulton Sheen mentions the extraordinary Graces he received in resolving to spend a Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration every day, from the day of his ordination. He says, “The purpose of the Holy Hour is to encourage deep personal encounter with Christ. The holy and glorious God is constantly inviting us to come to Him, to hold converse with Him, to ask for such things as we need and to experience what a blessing there is in fellowship with Him.”

There is this busy Architect in my city.  He once shared with me that he makes it a practise to spend an hour of Eucharistic Adoration every day, no matter where he is.  I visit a Church that I normally do not visit for daily Mass last week due to a change in routine, when I stop by the Adoration Chapel for few minutes post Mass, I cannot help but notice, amongst the silent figures bowed in silent prayer and reverence in front of Him, this very architect.  He is walking his talk, and his always peaceful countenance in spite of work pressures reflect the strength he draws from this spiritual practise.

A recent challenging business situation, where a contract is terminated by the other party ahead of its normal time, brings in feelings of frustration and helplessness in me.  Should I fight this or accept this?  Ultimately the lesson of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane comes to me and I accept the situation after prayer before Him in silence and alone from everyone else.

The words from Fr Ron Ronheiser’s A Stone’s Throw Away from Everybody on this topic, ring in me, “And it is within that utter aloneness that Jesus has to continue to give himself over in trust, love, forgiveness, and faith. It’s easy to believe in love when we feel loved; to forgive others when they are gracious towards us; and to believe in God when we feel strongly God’s presence. The difficulty, the “test”, comes when human love and divine consolation collapse, when we find ourselves surrounded by misunderstanding, abandonment, distrust, hatred, and doubt, especially at our loneliest hour, just at that moment when life itself is eclipsing. How do we respond then?”

As we head into Passion Week, and the Tridium, I must learn from the great example of our Lord Jesus Christ, in going a stone’s throw away from everyone else, to be exclusively with Him, to gain clarity on my Life’s Mission amidst all the turmoil of life?

The great Saints spent one hour with Him every day, can I spend one hour with Him exclusively, at least once a week and not just on Maundy Thursday evening? Can I spend this time in love and conversation with Him and not as a forced religious practise?

Help me Lord to find you in silence and a stone’s throw away from everything dear to me in life.

“Your strength shall lie in silence” (Is 30:15)

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It seems almost surreal.

I am on a verdant green leafy ground with the statue of Jesus and His outstretched arms with the message ‘Listen to Him’ inscribed.

I have been doing just that for the past three days, listening to Him completely, in this oasis of silence, with my mobile switched off completely and my Apple watch stored away. A rare occurrence for someone living with 24*7 perceived need of being available, in one of the most traffic dense cities of the world, surrounded by noise always.

How did I get here? What sort of a place is this you might wonder?

I am at an Ignatian retreat center on the outskirts of Bangalore run by the Jesuits called Dhyanashrama – Mount St Joseph. My late father used to come here for over twenty years, sometimes twice a year for eight-day silent retreats. I thought I could manage a three-day retreat and messaged the Father Rector who kindly accommodated me this Lenten season.

That is how I found myself in this place surrounded by many religious also undergoing their retreats – some eight days and some 30 days- all in silence.

The Ignatian retreat concept is modelled on that of the principles of the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola – the idea is to understand one’s inner movements through contemplation and discernment – are they towards God or away from God.

In this retreat format, other than being met by one’s retreat director, an experienced Priest with several years or decades training in Ignatian retreat direction, once a day – maybe for half hour or so, one is totally alone. The coming together for Mass, as well as the mealtimes are in complete silence and solitude envelops me.

I try and assimilate what my retreat Director tells me on the first day. A retreat is nothing but a vacation with the Lord, being totally free for Him in a place away from the hustle and bustle of life. A place of solitude and silence, peace and tranquillity that brings a silence of heart.   Here, Father adds, retreats need ESP – Eat well, sleep well and pray incessantly! I adapt to the first two easily. The third takes some getting used to.

Just as it takes getting used to the Silence. Silence equates with Peace, biblically “Shalom,” the spiritual condition of a man who lives in harmony with himself and God.

This type of retreat does not expect one to do many things, but few things deeply. When we are still, God communicates to us (Ex 2).

The method of contemplative prayer was totally unique for me and took some getting used too. It is composed of three parts: Prepare (Read and re-read the selected Scripture for 5 to 7 minutes), Pray (not less than 30 minutes about the scripture just read, and what specific phrase or words call out to me), and lastly Review (spend 10 minutes writing down, asking the two key questions: What is God saying to me and What is my reaction to His call?

It took me some time to figure out that writing masterly reflections is not what the retreat director was looking for, rather what are the inner movements I felt during this time.

Father explained to me that the Retreat Director is only a sounding board between God and me.

Once I grasped this method by the end of the second day, the third day meditating completely on the Lord’s passion became very meaningful and alive. The last contemplative exercise of getting ready the body of Jesus for burial by cleaning His wounds almost had me weeping, such was the depth of experience. I would spend time on these exercises mainly in a secluded small chapel feeling the intimacy of the Lord around me.

Whether it was the intensity of this exercises, or the great food or the overall holiness of the silent atmosphere, I got some of the best sleep I ever had in the retreat center. Surrounded by so many religious doing the same exercises as myself was edifying. I could not help but notice that the religious do not even sit at teatime, and meals are just a single helping. The meals and tea all served like clockwork. Maybe this regular discipline where food is not partaken to excess is what keeps every religious, I know extremely fit!

In the evening, walking through the verdant grounds of the retreat center, the rosary garden, the way of the cross, the dedication to our Lady Of Monserrat (a favourite of St Ignatius of Loyola), seeing the novitiate candidates play as well as pray at the tombstones of the great Jesuit Frs who went before, there is a sense of reverence about the whole place.

Therefore, it was with great reluctance that when my time was up, I had to pack up and leave the retreat center. Taking a final blessing from my retreat director I told him that my worry was would what I had learned – to be a Christ-like person – remain with me once I re-entered in the world. He assured me that it is not me but Christ who is in charge.

With these words of assurance, I switched on my mobile which immediately started buzzing with missed calls and WhatsApp notifications and started my car. Driving out of the gates, I felt a sense of exhilaration, a joy that I had not felt even whilst visiting abroad some of the best developed countries in the world recently. I resolved to use my mobile less and listen to Him more, even whilst out in the world.

I had a great vacation with the Lord. What better experience than that could one have!

If you would like to experience this too you can contact Dhyanashrama Mount St Joseph, SOS Post #7645 Bannerghatta Main Road, Bengaluru 560076. Email: dhyanashrama@gmail.com, Mob/WhatsApp: 6362162423). If you live in other cities, find out the nearest Ignatian retreat center in your city.

“Try to keep your soul always in peace and quiet, always ready for whatever our Lord may wish to work in you. it is certainly a higher virtue of the soul, and a greater grace, to be able to enjoy the Lord in different times and different places than in only one.” – St Ignatius of Loyola

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Readings: Heb 10: 32-39; Mk 4: 26-34

In today’s readings, we are reminded of the importance of perseverance in faith. The Hebrews are encouraged to remain faithful even after enduring hardship for the sake of the good news. Despite the challenges they faced when they first accepted the gospel, they must now remain steadfast, even in times when faith is not actively tested.

“Do not throw away your confidence,” the author of Hebrews writes, “it will be richly rewarded” (Heb 10:35). This call to unwavering faith is echoed in the gospel, where Jesus uses parables to teach about the Kingdom of God. Like the mustard seed, the Kingdom grows silently and steadily from small beginnings, growing into something great.

St. John Bosco, whose feast we celebrate today, offers a powerful reflection on this persistence in faith. He said, “Do not allow yourselves to be upset by what you see. In God’s time, everything will work out.” St. Bosco knew well that faith often grows quietly, without immediate recognition, just as Jesus describes in the parable. He also reminds us that the Kingdom of God is not limited to grand gestures but grows in humble, unseen ways, much like the silent growth of a seed.

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Readings: Heb 10: 19-25; Mk 4: 21-25

This gospel passage calls me to be a light and a lamp, sharing God’s kingdom with others. Lamps help people see in the dark, guiding them to avoid stumbling. In Jewish tradition, “light” symbolizes the inner beauty, truth, and goodness of God. God’s grace not only dispels darkness in our lives but also fills us with spiritual light, joy, and peace.

Jesus used the image of a lamp to show how his disciples should live in his truth and love. Just as natural light reveals the world around us, the light of Christ illuminates the hearts of believers, allowing us to perceive God’s heavenly kingdom. Our mission is to bear Christ’s light so others can see the truth of the gospel and be freed from the blindness of sin.

Jesus reminds us that nothing can remain hidden. It is easy to hide our sins and bad habits from others and ourselves, but nothing escapes God’s sight. Living in his light and seeking his truth brings freedom and joy. Those who listen to God and follow his voice will be blessed with more.

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Readings: Heb 10: 11-18; Mk 4: 1-20

Today’s first reading reminds us that through Jesus’ one and final sacrifice, we have received redemption. We are no longer bound by sin, as Christ has sanctified us through the power of the Holy Spirit and granted us eternal forgiveness. His love keeps us united with him, and we are invited to reflect on the depth of this love.

In the gospel of Mark, Jesus presents the parable of the Sower. Parables are essential in our Christian faith, offering profound lessons in the form of stories. In this parable, Jesus describes how seeds fall on different types of soil, representing how people respond to God’s Word. We are called to reflect on the condition of our hearts and how we receive the message of the Kingdom.

The parable invites us to ask ourselves: Where do we see ourselves among the four types of soil? Are there distractions or “thorns” that hinder our spiritual growth? Do we encounter “rocky ground” in our lives, making it difficult to deepen our faith? Alternatively, have we experienced moments where God’s Word has taken root in our hearts, producing fruit in our relationships, work, or personal growth? To gain more receptive “soil,” we can engage in prayer, fellowship, and take time to reflect on God’s Word, allowing his message to transform our lives and bear fruit.

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Readings: Heb 10: 1-10; Mk 3: 31-35

“Whoever does the will of God is my brother, sister, and mother.” This saying of Jesus highlights the intimate relationship we have with God as members of Christ’s family. Jesus, fully aware of His relationship with the Father and His mission on earth, emphasizes the importance of doing God’s will to be part of God’s kingdom.

While this statement may have been difficult for his mother, Mary, to hear, it reflects her own deep commitment to God’s will. As today’s saint, Thomas Aquinas teaches, “The will of God is the ultimate rule of life,” and Mary’s ‘Yes’ to God brought salvation to all people of goodwill through Jesus Christ. She has set an example for us to respond radically and faithfully to God’s call, just as she did.

The first reading presents the words of Jesus, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” We are called to strive to do God’s will, so that God, who became incarnate to dwell among us, finds a place in our hearts. By following Jesus’ example and Mary’s, we too can fulfil God’s will and become part of his eternal kingdom.

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Readings: Heb 9: 15, 24-28; Mk 3: 22-30

In today’s gospel, Jesus asks the scribes, “How can Satan drive out Satan?” This question is relevant to our context as well. Jesus’ words speak directly to both communities and individuals. How can a community divided against itself stand? Too often, we tear each other down to lift ourselves up, instead of building one another up to strengthen the community.

In today’s world, there is immense pressure to climb to the top, to be the best at everything. As a result, we sometimes make decisions without considering others, engaging in gossip, cheating, lying, and undermining others to improve ourselves—forgetting that we are weakening our human community.

However, this does not mean we should neglect personal growth. We must learn to accept and appreciate ourselves for who we are. Just as a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand, a person who constantly puts themselves down cannot grow. Thus, today’s readings remind us to be builders—of ourselves and our communities—wherever we are. We must foster unity, building one another up so we can grow together in strength and purpose.

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Readings: Neh 8: 2 – 4a, 5 – 6, 8 – 10; 1 Cor 12: 12 – 14, 27; Lk 1: 1 – 4; 4: 14 – 21

In the first reading today, we hear Ezra reading the book of the Law of God. After reading, he encourages the people not to grieve but to rejoice, for “the joy of the Lord is your strength.” He declares the day as holy to the Lord and instructs the assembly to celebrate with food and sweet wine, sharing portions with those who are unprepared.

In the second reading, Saint Paul seeks to bring unity to a scattered Church.He reassures the community that despite our different backgrounds, cultures, and languages, we all belong to one Christian community, for we have been baptized into the Body of Christ—the Church. Saint Paul urges us to remember that, though we may differ physically, culturally, and economically, we are united in faith, born of the Spirit of Christ, and called to drink from the one Spirit.

In the Gospel, we hear Jesus unrolling the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and declaring, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Jesus brings unity not only to one community but to all of humanity, offering a vision of the world where people no longer lose their identities, dignity, or rights to live as God’s children.

As Pope Francis once said, “The Church is not a community of the perfect, but of the redeemed.” Today, we are invited to walk the path that Jesus, our master, walked, bringing healing, unity, and love to the world around us.

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Readings: Acts 22: 3-16; Mk 16: 15-18

Today, the Church commemorates the conversion of St. Paul, the apostle. The short passage from the gospel of Mark reflects part of Jesus’ address to the apostles after his resurrection, in which he commissions them for their mission. Jesus says, “The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; the one who does not believe will be condemned” (Mk 16:16). He further assures them that they will be granted the power to perform miracles, which will validate and support their missionary work (Mk 16:17-18).

Jesus’ final words to his apostles emphasize both his own saving mission and their calling to witness his saving death and glorious resurrection. They are tasked with proclaiming the good news of salvation to all people. God’s love and the gift of salvation are not reserved for a select few or a single nation; they are meant for the entire world and for all who will accept them.

St. Paul’s conversion is a profound event. Once a persecutor of Jesus’ followers, he was transformed into a devoted servant and defender of Christ’s cause. Like St. Paul, many of us may have been “persecutors” in our own ways. We, too, are called to undergo a conversion—turning from those who oppose the message of Christ into servants and defenders of his truth.

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