WORD 2day: 3rd February, 2017

Moral Code or Spiritual Integrity?

Friday, 4th week in Ordinary Time

Heb 13: 1-8; Mk 6:14-29

Is following a moral code enough to be a Christian? Moral codes are temporal and spatial- that is, what is wrong at one time may not be so at another time; what is right in a place may not be so elsewhere! If all of us are formed from and moving towards the same Divine Being, then can our life style be so subjective? That is why Jesus always stood by Spiritual Integrity rather than a set of moral precepts. 

Jesus is same, yesterday, today and tomorrow! No time can change what Jesus stood for. The letter to the Hebrews presents to us a set of values which are not merely moral codes but are frameworks for spiritual integrity. Spiritual Integrity is knowing what is right to be done, being convinced of it and living by it, come what may. Even if we have to face extinction from this life, our stand shall not change. Just as John the Baptist who was ready to give up even his life. But how do we know what we are holding on to is right? That is where we need to be divinely informed, where we need the grace, the help of the Holy Spirit to hold on to eternally life giving perspectives.

2 highlights of 2-2...

2nd February and the 2 highlights

There are two important highlights for today - apart from and arising from the feast of the presentation that we celebrate.

1. Candlemas: 

Today in the Catholic Church we have the tradition of blessing candles and entering the Church in procession with the candles. This is called the Candlemas and it signifies the entry of the Light of the World (Jesus Christ) into the temple. 

2. World day of prayer for Consecrated Persons: 

This was begun by Pope St. John Paul II in 1997. He invited every Catholic member of the Church to pray for the Consecrated men and women and thus praying, to promote vocations to consecrated life.

Intercessions for the World day of prayer for Consecrated Life 

For those consecrated to God by the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience that they may seek to live their baptismal promises more intensely and have the grace to persevere in their commitment to the Lord and serve with open hearts and willing spirits. 

For those who have responded to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to be a consecrated person that they may experience the support of the Church as they continue their growth in holiness. 

We pray for all those who are discerning their vocation in life, particularly those whom the Lord is calling to consecrated life. May they be given the wisdom to hear God's call and the courage to respond generously. 

For all who actively support the promotion of vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, that they may see the fruit of their efforts in a rich harvest of vocations. 

That the life and mission of the men and women in consecrated life be a means of sanctification for them and building up the kingdom of God. 

For all pastors and parish priests of our diocese, that they will recognize and invite those men and women being called to ordained and consecrated lives to answer the call. 

For all involved in the examination of candidates to priesthood or to consecrated life, that their choices will benefit the Church. 

That many young women will be open to Jesus’ call to consecrated life to serve the many needs of the Church and of the world. 

For all men and women preparing for the priesthood or consecrated life, that their days of formation be filled with joy, peace and the certainty of God’s love. 

THE WORD AND THE FEAST

Surrounded by Examples

2nd February, 2017: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Mal. 3: 1-4; Heb. 2: 14-18; Lk. 2: 22-40

Mary, Joseph, Simeon, Anna...Jesus is surrounded by such persons of holiness and self giving, and the child himself is initiated into that spirituality! 

Mary who, said that Yes of total self giving and right from that moment has been silently following the directions of the Lord.

Joseph who, accepted every injunction from the Lord and has serenely been carrying them out.

Simeon, the prophet who feels he has lived on only to see the salvation that the Lord has truly prepared.

Anna, who had decided to depend on the Lord alone and had dedicated her entire life, waiting on the Lord.

When surrounded by such people what do you think will happen of that Child...it grows into Jesus, who is  prepared to lay down even his life for the sake of doing the will of the Father, whom sent him.

What a message for us today to grow in self giving and to grow our children in self giving. Offering oneself to God and offering one's self to fulfilling God's will, is a life style handed down by parents and elders right from the earliest impressionable age! 

It requires first that we develop that quality within us and let it glow for the rest to see and follow!

WORD 2day: 1st February, 2017

Drooping hands and weak knees or faith alive?

Wednesday, 4th week in Ordinary time
Heb: 12:4-7,11-16; Mk 6:1-6

God is all powerful except before our free will... it is not that God is incapable but God has chosen to implant that freedom which is God's own image and likeness within us. At times we may feel we are afflicted but we are not without the means to withstand them. We have within us the necessary strength to stand up to these. At no time are we faced with a trial that is more than our capacity. That is the promise of the Word - 1Cor 10:13.

However, there is  one thing that can drive us to despair... the drooping hands and weak knees... drooping hands symbolise my lack of faith in the capacity God has placed within me, weak knees symbolise the lack of dependence on God. These happen and I find myself helpless, because I do not perceive the Lord so close to me and so concerned about me - just like those who were not able to see Christ in Jesus!

What do you choose:  drooping hands and weak knees or a faith alive?

We love you Don Bosco!

Don Bosco, 
a giant of an inspiration
even today, amidst times so changed,
he remains a challenge and an invitation
to offer our lives for others, absolutely for others,
without counting the cost, given till its last breath, as a sacrifice!

WORD 2day: 30th January, 2017

Who is your Hero?

Monday, 4th week in Ordinary Time

Heb 11:32-40; Mk 5:1-20

The Letter to the Hebrews lists today a set of heroes, heroes of valour and vigour, heroes in history on whom the people pinned their hopes! But they were all gone in the way of their fathers. Today we too have our own heroes - persons or role models or absolute values or needs or priorities - heroes of various kind. It is important to ask ourselves who is our hero? 

With what Jesus did to the people of Gerasenes, they should have made him their hero. Jesus solved their years of problem in a moment. He just sent the legion of demons away from their living quarters...but was Jesus their hero? No! They asked Jesus to leave - may be because they felt their loss (of the swines) was too much! No, they had some other things as their hero. The question is back: who is your hero?

NOVENA TO DON BOSCO - DAY 9

30th January, 2017: Don Bosco - A Man who lives on in his holiness 

Our Challenge: That we come to understand our special calling from the Lord, live our life to the full and march ahead towards sanctity

Our Prayer:

Lord God, thank you for Don Bosco, a man who lives on even today in his holiness, even after over two centuries. You gave him the grace to realise his special calling and dedicate his entire life for the salvation of the young. Grant that we may be attentive to the Spirit that we may understand our calling, feel your inspiration and march with determination towards sanctity, by serving those to whom you send us. We make this prayer through Christ Our Lord. Amen

Being HIS People

Humility, Integrity and Sincerity

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time: 29th January, 2017

Zeph 2:3, 3:12-13; 1 Cor 1:26-31; Mt 5:1-12

Once again we have the beatitudes to reflect upon, a splendid description of a true people of God, the real people of the Reign, the people who can belong to God and make present God here and now!

Seek the Lord, Seek humility, Seek Integrity...Zephaniah summarises the entire message of today in those words. Being poor in spirit, peace makers, humble of heart, vulnerable in spirit - those are the true characteristics of a person of the Reign... and today we can put them all into one single call - the call to be HIS people...to be Humble, Integral and Sincere people!

Humble: Humility is to attribute praises to God from one's heart! We are today living in a context where people claim to be almost gods, or greater than even God. There are people living with us who are regular visitors to heaven (according to their claim) or even form part of the council of saints there! Jesus when he lived on earth, though he could have claimed credit for everything he did or said, he declared: 'All that I speak, I do not speak on my own; all that I do, I do not do it all on my own!' That was the Son of God.

Integral: Integrity is to have no discrepancy whatsoever between one's words and one's life! We see today people who live in total divided selves. They seem to be crying bitterly, but rejoicing in their hearts; they seem to be slogging for the good of others, but actually plotting against everyone to make their own way up.

Sincere: Sincerity is to accepting what one is and putting on no appearances! It is to be what one is and manifest just that to everyone around. There are people who have two or three lives lived simultaneously. They do anything that they can to make people believe their false selves. What do they gain by it - except that they end up never living their lives. 

We are called to be HIS people, humble, integral and sincere people, people of the beatitudes, people of the Reign!

NOVENA TO DON BOSCO - DAY 8

29th January, 2017: Don Bosco - A Man with Divine qualities 

Our Challenge: That we as youth ministers can see through the hearts of the youth to accompany them and as youth to be open to the divine guidance.

Our Prayer:

Lord God, thank you for Don Bosco, a man who could see through the hearts of the youth in order that he could accompany them. May our love for the young, be as strong as his, that we may see, hear and understand the exact needs of the young, leading them to the salvation you have prepared. Grant us the grace to be sensitive to every one around us bringing them to feel your tender loving care. We make this prayer through Christ Our Lord. Amen

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

Keep Calm; Keep Faith

Celebrating St.   Thomas Aquinas -28th  Jan, 2017 

Heb 11: 1-2,8-19; Mk 4: 34-41

One of the clearest signs of faith in a person is given today: Keeping calm! To keep calm when everything is under control is no great feat, though even that is getting into the list of rarities. Keeping calm under pressure situations and situations of trouble is the true test of faith. 

The Saint we celebrate today was a great exponent of Christian faith and a person who loved the Lord and grew in that love without ceasing. We are called to grow in our faith, In our way of feeling connected to God, In our consciousness of the presence of God with us. 

These are the qualities that can help us keep calm...as today's readings tell us. I can keep calm, if...

- I consider God someone close to me

- I am convinced that everything that is happening in my life is known to God

- it doesn't matter what's happening, I am convinced that God is in-charge!