WORD 2day: Saturday, 17th week in Ordinary time
August 2, 2025: Leviticus 25:1,8-17; Matthew 14: 1-12
In spite of all the talk about escalation of prices and tough times, crisis and economic slowdown, the celebrations do not seem to reduce or cease! Especially in the religious realm, celebrations find their importance and significance intact, though there do exist a number of restrictions and the rest. At times these celebrations are exaggerated too, to the extent of being detested. Imagine the Jubilee year we are celebrating and the Jubilee of the youth that is going on at the moment at the Church level. Should we, or should we not, celebrate?
The Word today presents us two modes of celebration: one, an exploitative celebration that is irresponsible, insensitive and a mere show of arrogance; indifferent to the other and absolutely self centered, with no thought of contributing to the good of the other or the common good. The other mode is a righteous celebration. Let none of you wrong the neighbour but fear the Lord your God, instructs the first reading today, which is all about jubilee among the people of God. Are we not challenged to rethink and re-evaluate our own celebrations, be it in the families or be it in the religious communities?
The consideration is very straight forward: a celebration that is godly should not be at the cost of the other, but for the sake of the love for the other. A true Christian celebration should reaffirm the meaning and joy of living. That is why everyday eucharist is a celebration, a reminder of the life that we are called to live in the Lord, in communion with our brothers and sisters.