THE LIGHT OF FAITH

Be illumined! Illumine!

February 8, 2026: 5th Sunday in Ordinary time
Isaiah 58: 7-10; 1 Corinthians 2: 1-5; Matthew 5: 13-16

"The Light of Faith: this is how the Church's tradition speaks of the great gift brought by Jesus": so begins the encyclical Lumen Fidei, issued by Pope Francis in 2014. Light is an image very often presented in relation to faith, the faithful and the life of a faithful. It is an explicit call by the Lord right from the Old Testament times that the people of God have to be light to the nations (Is 42:6). With Christ's call today to be light of the world, it becomes an inevitable criterion to be identified as Christ's disciple or not!

Faith as Light: The first reading reminds us of a Zen story that we would have heard, of the Master who asked his disciples: When do you think it is dawn? The disciples attempted various responses, like - when we see the difference between a tree and a pillar; when we can identify a black thread from a white, and so on. The Master, discontent with everything, finally said: it is dawn, when you look into the eyes of the one next to you and see your brother or your sister!

The first reading tells us exactly that... when you accept the gift of faith from the Lord, your eyes are opened that you can see into the eyes of those around you and see your brothers and sisters; in their suffering and in their pains, you can feel your heart weeping and your eyes welling. We are reflecting today on the theme of LIGHT... the light that illumines us, the light that makes us see the real meaning of life and the true sense of being human. What can do that task better than our faith - Faith, is the light that illumines us, a light that directs our journey of life, a light that opens our minds to see clear and live upright. It is the Light we are offered by the Lord, as a gift!

The Faithful as Light: Once we accept that gift, the gift of faith from the Lord, we as faithful, we become the Light! Receiving the light, we become the Light. The Lord sets us as the light to the nations, the light to the world, the light on the lamp stand, the city on the hilltop! Our faith does not rest on human wisdom, or logical reason, or scientific thinking, or systematic and mind blowing theologies! Our faith is primarily founded on the power of God, reminds St. Paul in the second reading today.

Illumined by the Light, we become the light! Jesus declared, "I am the light of the World" (Jn 8:12); but did not stop with that. He challenges us today in the Gospel, "You are the light of the World." Every person of faith is called to be a light that is set on the lamp stand, to spread the light to the entire house, to illumine those around him or her. But it is important that we remember always that the source of our light, is the Light which illumines us all, the Light eternal of which we are rays, the eternal fire of which we are sparks.

The life of the faithful as Light: Being the light...what could that mean? It involves two important elements: One, everyone sees you; and two, one is able to see because of you! Theologians and Pastoral thinkers always raise a pertinent question, what would be the most apt mode today, of proclaiming the Good News to those who have not heard it. The answer is as simple as it is tough: "by living my everyday life!" One may wonder, but where is the proclamation here - actually, it is in the very living!

Our life cannot have two shades - personal and public, sacred and profane, spiritual and secular... If I am a Christian - I should be seen! That is the first dimension of being light - my life has to be lived in its integrity. When the light can be seen, then one can see, because of the light. When my life can be seen by the other as an open book, the other can draw an inspiration to live by, and that is proclamation; that is evangelisation; that is illumining! It is through my life, my words, my actions and everyday choices that I become a light to the other; "if you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; then light shall rise for you in the darkness!" and thus one will become the light in darkness to the upright.

Let us keep this light burning in our hearts whole day today, and our everyday. To evaluate our daily life and see, if we really possess the Light of Faith, if we really live our life in a manner as to become light to those around me! Let the Eternal Light of Lord fill our hearts to be illumined and to illumine!

Compassion - the quality closest to sanctity

WORD 2day: Saturday, 4th week in Ordinary time

February 7, 2026 -  Kings 3: 4-13; Mark 6: 30-34

                             

"An understanding heart to guide God's people", is what Solomon asks of the Lord... and that is what he was given! We see Jesus, who understood the tiredness of his apostles and counseled them to relax. We see Jesus looking at the people and understanding their need, their thirst, their yearning for life...he was filled with compassion! 

Compassion, which comes from the latin terms com (cum) and pati, meaning to have the same feeling as someone, is basically a deep understanding of the other! When someone next to me is undergoing a crisis, when someone in my vicinity is going through a suffering, when persons in front of my eyes are experiencing a situation that stifles their lives... can I really feel with them, can I really suffer with them? That would be compassion! 

This is the kind of sensibility that Jesus exhibits, and it is the same sensibility that Christ requires of us - if we wish to call ourselves Christians! In fact, we could without exaggeration say: Compassion is the quality closest to sanctity! 

Being Christ-ians, we cannot but be compassionate; like Solomon, we could ask the Lord for this grace, and the Lord will grant us a heart that is wise and understanding, loving and compassionate.

Making God the centre of our lives!

THE WORD AND THE SAINTS 

February 6, 2026 - Remembering Paul Miki and Companions, among them Gonzalo Garcia!

Ecclesiasticus 47: 2-13; Mark 6: 14-29

We are presented with two kings today in the readings - King David and King Herod! Of one the reading praises without end and the other... we surely know his end! Both kings over Israel... but two totally different sorts of kings. One, who listened to the prophets and the other, who killed them! Not that one was a saint and the other was a sinner... both were sinners; but what made the difference? 

While one was merely curious about the things of God, the other one - the reading says, "with his whole being he loved his Maker and daily had His praises sung" (Sir 47:8,9). The place that David gave to God, in spite of all the weaknesses he had, made him a beloved son of God. 

It does not matter what heights we reach, or what laurels we fetch, giving the Lord the first place, will set everything else right. Making God the centre of our lives, is what all the saints teach us. And that is the secret to a life, truly happy and meaningful. 

It is a wonderful element to remember today, as we celebrate day, that one of the companions of Paul Miki was of Indian Origin - Gonzalo Garcia (though his father was a Portugese), from the Vasai, region of Maharastra - first Indian to have been canonised!

Reign is all that matters!

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

February 5, 2026 - Remembering St. Agatha

1 Kings 2:1-4,10-12; Mark 6: 7-13

David gives instruction to young Solomon as he is about to take over the Kingdom. Jesus gives instruction to his apostles as they are about to set out for a mission! The common element present is the instruction and there is a common thread that runs through the two sets of instructions too. For that matter the whole of the Word of God, and Jesus as the Word of God made flesh always has this ready message to give us: Seek first the Reign of God, and all other things will be given unto you (Mat 6:33). 

Persons like St. Agatha, whom we celebrate today, and many other martyrs and the first christians...every one of them was filled with this same zeal. Health. wealth, pleasure, not even life mattered more than the Reign of God for them! 

Solomon would later fall from the glory of his father, precisely because he would lose sight of the Reign that God wanted to establish - instead would be taken up with the kingdom that he wanted to build, making pacts with kings and compromising in the bargain. The reminder is for us to renew our commitment towards the Reign of God today - the Reign of justice, love, peace, brotherhood and sisterhood... in short Shalom, Wholeness, God's presence - can we make present these in our own little way today?

To behold the Lord in the Ordinary!

WORD 2day: Wednesday, 4th week in Ordinary time

February 4, 2026 - 2 Samuel 24:2,8-17; Mark 6: 1-6

Falling into sin, giving into our imperfections, falling short of what is expected of us, are all common human experiences. The experience becomes truly problematic, when we have fallen and we do not wish to admit it or we are not ready to get out of it. 

David was a chosen one of God. He was blessed with experiences and graces that no one else had been blessed with... but he falls and he falls repeatedly. When things go wrong and miseries come his way he realises his folly. But only to know and acknowledge that it has already gone out of hand. 

The Lord's grace is ever present with us - but it is possible that we do not realise it or we refuse to behold it in our obstinacy. We just take things for granted and push things aside without paying the attention that they deserve, because we are used to them, because we have always seen them, because they are "nothing new" to us. 

The ordinariness of Jesus was an obstacle for the people to accept the great things that he was upto - we see that in the Gospel today. For us today, it is important that we learn to behold the Lord's graceful presence, in the ordinariness of our lives; if not, it will be too late when we realise it, as it happens to David. We better resolve to be ready and eager to behold the presence of the Lord in the ordinariness of our days.

They call you strange! Does it matter?

WORD 2day: 4th Tuesday in Ordinary time

February 3, 2026 - 2 Samuel 18:9-10, 14, 24-25, 30-19:3; Mark 5: 21-43.

Sometimes we might appear 'strange' to those around us.

 

David appears so, in today's first reading at least to those who brought him the news of the death of his son Absalom. For those who were close to David, it seemed well deserved that Absalom met with such an end for all that he had done to David; but for David, it was unbearable; he cries inconsolably. He appears strange for the people who wanted to celebrate the victory. 

Jesus looks strange to those around, when he asks who is that who touched him, when there was a whole multitude that was crushing him! He appears strange when he tells those people at Jairus' house, 'the child is sleeping.' In fact, the disciples expressed their surprise and the people ridiculed him. 

However, there is an element here in these cases, that the people around could not see - that which made it natural for Jesus (and for David). But for the people, it was strange. The element in reference here is, the capacity to see everything from the eyes of God and comprehend  everything from the perspective of God! 

When David looked at it from the perspective of God, it was his loving child who was dead! When Jesus felt the touch from the perspective of God, it was a special touch of intense prayer and when He saw the child on the death bed, it was God's glory yet to be revealed. When we look at our own successes, failures, difficulties, trials, temptations and struggles from the eyes of God - they will have completely different meanings - could be 'strange' for others, but truly 'miracles' for ourselves!

Total Offering - Familiarity, Flexibility & Filiality

THE WORD AND THE FEAST

February 2, 2026 - The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Malachi 3: 1-4; Luke 2: 22-40

The readings of today were offered for our reflection only recently, on the 8th day after Christmas. They are given once more today, but they open a whole new perspective today with all that surrounds it liturgically! Today is also the 30th World day of Consecrated life - a message for which from Pope Leo: Consecrated Persons : Prophetic witnesses of peace in a Wounded world.

Keeping all of these in perspective, we have one lovely challenge posed: the Challenge of Total Offering to the Lord. Not just persons in Consecrated Life, but every one of us is called to offer ourselves totally to God and that alone can give us true meaning, happiness and above all true peace in life and to the world.

From the readings of today, we can pick up three signs of our total offering to the Lord:

Familiarity: As the Holy Family which enters the Temple with that ease and eagerness to perform their spiritual duty, so are we called to remain always familiar with the Lord.

Flexibility: Performing the duty was not merely a ritual, even for us it shouldn't be so! We are called to be pliable in the hands of God, as malleable as the silver and gold in the hands of the smith, so that we can become what the Lord wants us to.

Filiality: It is towards filiality that we are ultimately invited, as the Word reminds us repeatedly. This filiality inspired and enthused Jesus to belong to God totally and we are called to imitate the same self-giving!

Let us grow more and more, familiar, flexible and filial - that we could become true testimonies and instruments of peace to this wounded world.

BEING "HIS" PEOPLE

Humble, Integral and Simple!

4th Sunday in Ordinary time: February 1, 2026
Zephania 2:3, 3:12-13; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Matthew 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, people who can belong to God and make present God here and now - in short, HIS people!

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 HIS means, to be Humble, Integral and Sincere! That is how we become HIS.

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 even than God. They claim to be all-powerful, and capable of anything on earth! They challenge anyone and despise everyone...funny that they find themselves more than worthy of any title or admiration in the world! This is in contrast to the kind of picture that Jesus paints for persons who are of his kind. 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. He attributed everything good to God! He was clear about where his own goodness came from! That is humility - to accept the reality, and to be efficacious instruments of God's powerful presence.

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; they seem to speak with honey in their lips, but there resides treacherous poison in their hearts; they put up a front of service and generosity, while all that they think of is their own self promotion and self glory! How can we understand this, particularly when it comes from a so-called "Christ-ian"? This lack of integrity will not only question the meaningfulness of one's own faith, but even drive people away from anything that has to do with God or Godliness. 

Sincere: Sincerity is to accept what one is and putting on no appearances! Drawing from integrity, it is to be what one is and manifest just that to everyone around. There are people who live two or three lives simultaneously - one for the larger public, one for the immediate circle of friends, and another for the most intimate circle. At times, persons do anything that they can to make people believe their false selves. But let us pose an extremely simple question: what do they gain by it - except that they end up never living their lives, leave alone living it to the full! It is sincerity alone that can help one live one's life - although it may cause a considerable cost!

We are called to be HIS people - people who are Humble, Integral and Sincere; people of the beatitudes, loving and forgiving people of the Reign! We are challenged to become true people of God, children of the Reign, His people!

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.