WORD 2day: 29th May, 2014

To leave... it is a missionary challenge!

Acts 18: 1-8; Jn 16: 16-20

Paul leaves; he leaves Athens for Corinth, he leaves the Jews for the Gentiles. Jesus leaves; he leaves his earthly life and his friend disciples and prepares to go to his Father and our Father! They were able to leave because their eyes were fixed on the mission that was entrusted to them: nothing that came in between, neither success nor failure, neither helps nor hindrances, neither pains nor pleasures - nothing could keep them back.

Another point the readings today point to: whenever they left something, something greater awaited. Christ left his worldly stint, to remain with the Father and thus with us for ever, to the end of ages. And Paul leaves place after place, and everywhere there are more and more people being touched by the Lord and won over for the Lord.

Leaving behind is not an easy task. The most challenging of all 'leaving behind' is to leave behind one's own desires and dreams, personal plans and projects, one's loves and longings! At times, if we have to witness to the Lord and the Gospel that the Lord wants us to announce, there is no other choice but to leave... it is indeed a missionary challenge!

WORD 2day: 28th May, 2014

In Him...

Acts 17: 15, 22 - 18:1; Jn 16: 12-15

In Him we live, move and have our being (Acts 17:28), is one of the most expressive faith statements of St. Paul. Paul has a very special insight into understanding Jesus' mind. Jesus  in the Gospel today says, the Counselor, the Holy Spirit will get everything from him and make it known to the believer! "Get from him" would mean 'get from the Father', since Father and the Son are one (cf. Jn 10:30). Jesus invites us to a state where, "On that day you will know that I am in the Father, and you in me, and I in you" (Jn 14:20). And the way to it, is simple: keeping His commandments.

When we live in union with the Lord, a union in heart and soul, keeping the Lord's commandments will not be a demanding task but a natural way of life. It is the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of truth who will inspire us to such way of life. Let us prepare ourselves these days to receive the Spirit, the Spirit of the Risen Lord, the Spirit of Truth and Wisdom. The crux of Christian perfection is not in anything that we do, it is in living, moving and having our being, IN HIM.