Clinging to the Lord in love

THE WORD AND THE SAINT 

January 31, 2026 - Celebrating St. John Bosco, the friend of youth

2 Samuel 12: 1-7, 10-17; Mark 4: 35-41

"It is you!" - the famous finger of God against David, is the picture we are left with today by the Word. The Lord loved David, but David slipped into godlessness. However, when God pointed it out to David, like an inamorata clinging back to the beloved after a split, David comes back with remorse and love so tenderly balanced. Even when David realised he had sinned, he never panicked or never gave into guilt... he felt sorry and bounced back to the love of God, because he knew and he was convinced that the Lord was with him and the Lord loved him above anything else.

The storms may rage all around us, but we can still remain calm if only we realise the Lord is with us and the Lord loves us above all else. When the Lord is for us who can be against us? What really matters for a child of God, is to cling to the Lord in love... and everything else will fall in place!

Now, let us pause that reflection and turn to the Saint of the day! Just as God who was so much in love with the young David...so we find John Bosco a shepherd who loved the young to the last breath of his life. Don Bosco himself was so loved by God, and he just transmitted that love to the young entrusted to him. A wonderful life of faith, made manifest in actions and choices of love for the young. Let us ask for the grace of clinging to the Lord in love, and sharing the same love with each other. 

Beware of the slide...not just the fall

WORD 2day: 3rd Friday in Ordinary time

January 30, 2026 - 2 Samuel 11:1-4,5-10,13-17; Mark 4: 26-34

Jesus today gives us a parable to understand the subtle way in which the Reign of God grows in the earth - gradual and slow, but steady and strong! At times we have so much to say about God and God's ways - why is God not acting? why is so much of evil permitted? and so on... but we need to strive to understand... the process is underway; there is something in the making and it takes God's own time to come to fruition.

 

This seems to be true even with regard to situations and dispositions that take us away from God's ways. There is a gradual and slow falling away from God, slipping away from God little by little. It is not so much a fall that is dangerous, as the slide! Yes, most of the times we slide away from God, not just fall.

It is true that some times we fall into sin, but most of the time we slide into sin! David little by little slipped into sin but very soon he was in deep trouble. He lost all that he had built up by way of his faithfulness, dedication to the Lord, personal rapport with the Lord, love for his people and so on. Every thing went down the drain, when he began to slide into sin, step by step, mistake after mistake, one worse than before. 

Hence the call of the Word today is, that we be warned of sliding into sin... to be careful of the subtle ways that lead us to deep troubles. Let us beware of the slide, not just the fall. 

Worthy to be given more?

WORD 2day: 3rd Thursday in Ordinary time

January 29, 2026 - 2 Samuel 7:18-19,24-29; Mark 4: 21-25

David acknowledges the amount of good that the Lord has done on his behalf, the way the Lord raised him up from nowhere! He realises too that to be given so much means that much is expected of him. Though he failed in some ways, his love and dedication to the Lord never ceased.

The Lord chose David and raised him up, and David proved worthy of that choice inspite of his weaknesses. Doesn't that statement look like the one-line story of anyone among us - the Lord has chosen us and raised us up, and we need to live worthy of that choice inspite of our weaknesses and limitations.

There is yet another message that needs to be taken from here: it is not that David was chosen and that is no merit of his. He proved worthy of that choice and therefore remained or grew to be more choice-worthy. We are chosen... and the way we respond to that chosenness, will determine we would be further chosen or not! 

That is what Jesus teaches us in the Gospel today. The more we live humble and aware of the fact that we are chosen, the more we would be blessed. The more we would be blessed the more we have to grow worthy of it. What a lovely and interesting way to sanctity!

The Word made sense!

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

January 28, 2026: Remembering St. Thomas Aquinas 

2 Samuel 7: 4-17 Mark 4: 1-20

We know, and let us hope that we are convinced, that the Word of God is alive and active! In fact, the Word comes to us everytime with a specific call and life changing challenges. We would render it "dead"  if we do not make the real sense out of it. Listening and understanding the Word and what the Word really wants from me, is an essential part of the process. It may sound a difficult task, but truly, no.

The Lord provides us the possibility of making sense too, only that we have to be ready and open. The Lord sends events that can help us experience the sense, persons who can explain the sense - at times they are direct, other times applied. But the condition is that we need to be ready and open.

We see David today, so open and eager, as Prophet Nathan tries to make sense of the Word to him. The disciples ask Jesus to make sense of the Word to them and Jesus does it so impressively. Receiving the Word and making sense of it should lead us to concrete changes in life. If not the Word would be dead as the seeds picked by the birds or scorched by sun or suppressed by the thorns. 

One of the ways the Word is made sense of is Theology - and today we celebrate a great theologian who has been a great foundation for the theology of Catholic Church for centuries together - St. Thomas of Aquino. He was a person totally ready, open and eager to make sense of what the Word wanted to communicate - that is why he was so fertile in his academic and spiritual life, the fruits of which we continue to enjoy till date. 

Let us ask him to intercede for us to be spiritually fertile giving fruit in abundance, each one in our own way.

Doing God's will... but why?

WORD 2day: Tuesday, 3rd week in Ordinary time

January 27, 2026 - 2 Samuel 6: 12-15, 17-19; Mark 3: 31-35

Doing God's will, is presented to us as a duty. Not just that, but it is also at the same time, a guarantee of righteousness. There can be various motivations for doing God's will in life.

It could be because of Fear - that I am afraid that if I do not do God's will I might get into trouble or I might ruin my well-being. It is carrying out our duties out of fear of undesirable consequences that may arise on the contrary.

Secondly it could be because of Obligation - that I am expected to do it; that is, doing the duty for the sake of the duty. I am given to feel that I have been brought up and always been taught that way, and therefore it should carry on for life that way. Though there is an appreciable discipline involved here, it seems very robotic and slavish.

Today, David in the first reading and Jesus in the Gospel, give us a beautiful outlook on doing God's will - doing what God wants, because of Love - because I love God! I have experienced the love of God to such an extent, that I cannot but do what pleases God; I cannot count the cost; I am ready to give up anything for the sake of doing the will of God. That is the disposition revealed when Jesus declared with no hesitation: "My food is to do the will of the one who sent me!" (Jn 4:34).

It is only when we are convinced of this fact that we become like Jesus; we become his brothers and sisters... that is, we become the loving children of God our Father and Mother.

Discipleship costs...

THE WORD AND THE SAINTS

January 26, 2026 - Remembering Sts Timothy and Titus

2 Timothy 1: 1-8; Luke 10: 1-9

Timothy and Titus are the two models we are presented with today. 

They were both finds of St. Paul on his journeys. Inspiring the listeners to make a life choice is a special gift that some are given with. St. Paul possessed this and used it well for the sake of the Reign of God. Timothy and Titus join the great band of apostles, that Jesus initiated and Paul joined later in God's own time. 

Today the call remains open. We are all on the jouney towards the Reign and the Reign, although is yet to be made visible, is already present in the world today. Every one of us, by our baptism is entrusted with the task of establishing the Reign of God. The question is, how conscious are we about it? The more we become conscious of it, the more we grow in the sense of our call.

What is our response? Examples such as Timothy's and Titus' impel us towards action. St. Paul who identified these two apostles, also inspired them. They learnt from the spirit of Paul who said, woe to me if I do not proclaim the Word. Paul himself learnt from Jesus, for whom doing what the Father wants is like food and drink. 

As the Gospel presents to us, the task entrusted to us, costs dearly... sometimes costs even one's very life! The Apostles knew it and still embraced it because, they had an urgency for the Reign - the Reign of God is very near to you!

THE REIGN - A DO-IT-YOURSELF GUIDE

 3RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - JANUARY 25, 2026

Sanctity and Insanity - the curious rapport

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

January 24, 2026 - Celebrating St. Francis de Sales

2 Samuel 1:1-4,11-12,17,19,23-27; Mark 3: 20-21

There is quite a list of saints who were considered out of their minds... Paul, Francis of Assisi, Bro. Juniper, Symeon of Emessa, Don Bosco... they were all considered so because they were fools, fools for Christ as Paul calls himself in 1 Cor 4:10.

Why were they considered so? What made them persons 'out of their mind'? Infact they were not out of their mind but they went out of their way for others sake and the world calls it madness. Isn't it a folly or madness on the part of God to have done all that God did for humanity inspite of their infidelity and weaknesses? Jesus was a chip of that exact block and we are called to follow his footsteps... growing to be more and more mad: getting out of ourselves and loving people genuinely.

The Saint whom we remember today - Francis de Sales, would have been called so today, in a world that rages with vengeance and vehemence. Even in his own times, as many of the authors who have studied him say, he was called the saint of gentleness. His simple but incisive remark, that one can catch more flies with a drop of honey that with a barel of vinegar, is so distinctive of his nature and his convictions.

However, one strange fact that stands out in all these reflections, is that reminder of the Word: sanctity and insanity seem to have more than little that relate them... let us give it a thought!

Beware of whom you want around you!

WORD 2day: 2nd Friday in Ordinary time

January 23, 2026 - 1 Sam 24: 3-21; Mk 3: 13-19

Saul had his men with him, David had his own men with him and Jesus gets his own men ready today! Each of us has a group of people who surround us. A backup group that suggests, supports and sustains us in the life journey. But it is important that we beware of this group! We have to be very careful to choose the group of persons who surround us; and as a corollary, also about whose group we wish to belong. 

That group of can make or mar us... depending on the level of importance given to them. The group with Saul assisted him in his pursuit of irrational vengeance, although they did not have an alternative. The group with David instigated the murder of the reigning king, thanks be to God David did not pay heed to them. Though Jesus picked and chose the group that he wanted to be with him, there was a traitor right amidst them!

The message to us is this: that we fill our atmosphere with God fearing persons, that our life could be doubly blessed - our efforts to goodness and the goodness of those who surround us. Allow God above all to guide you, not those who wish their own gains and glory. Beware of those around you who create an opinion within you. Seeking guidance and support is great, but beware from whom!

Even demons don't dare compare!

WORD 2day: 2nd Thursday in Ordinary time

January 22, 2026 - 1 Samuel 18:6-9,19:1-7; Mark 3: 7-12

As Jesus drives the demons away from the persons possessed with them, the demons acknowledge the Son of God and give him the rightful place. Not even the demons dared compare themselves with the Son of God. They knew, any such comparison would only make them more frustrated than they were. 

Saul failed to learn this lesson and that spelt his doom. This is what the first reading reminds us of today... that Saul compared himself with David, and forgot the good that he himself was able to do with the help of God. There is no comparison - we would remember the beginning of the account on Saul that we heard a few days ago: he was the most handsome and strong of the entire lot. Where was the need for comparison - when David was such a young lad and Saul was such an accomplished leader! But it happens... even among us it happens. We fall into this temptation without any need absolutely for it. 

The message is clear, categorical and strong: comparison is a poison and it will surely kill you someday.