WORD 2day: 4th March, 2014

The choice to be Holy!

From yesterday's call to remain within the parameters of the Reign, follows today's call to remain holy! Holiness is not merely an act, but an attitude; it is not doing a few things in a manner that is holy, but living our life, every moment of it, in a manner that is Godly. We are called to be holy because the one who has called us is Holy, reminds St. Peter today, resounding the call given in the book of Leviticus. When we decide for ourselves and choose to embark upon a sincere journey of holiness, Jesus promises us beautiful things - things that make us secure, persons who love and admire us, protection of God almighty that would guide us - but along with this, persecution... and ofcourse eternal life, of which we partake already by virtue of our Baptism! Hence, the choice is ours: to choose God, remain in God and persevere through all trials or to give up, choose the desires of ignorance (1st reading), and lose our original identity and dignity of the children of God! Salvation is not some magical act that the Lord performs for us, but it is our 'growing into heaven'. It is our daily maturity, by our constant faith, persistent hope and unfailing love. 

WORD 2day: 3rd March, 2014

Reign of God: Entering or Remaining?

How hard it is for one to enter the Reign of God, wonders Jesus in the Gospel today! It is very true: once we are out of it, it is so hard to enter it! But the goodnews is that we form part of it; we are called and made members of it - it does not matter we merit it or not! This is exactly what St. Peter explains in his letter today. We are called in our faith, made co-heirs with Christ, given new birth to a living hope! We belong to the Lord and we are heirs to the Lord's Reign; infact we are the protagonists of the Reign on earth, here and now. But what can restore its saltiness, when the salt loses it saltiness? What can make it a light, if its flame is quenched! The challenge we face is to remain forever the members of the Reign that we are; the co-heirs that we are; the children of God that we are called to be. It is not so much about entering the Reign of God that we should be concerned but remaining forever within its parameters, that is remaining for ever the agents of the Reign of God in and through our daily life!