WORD 2day : 31st August, 2015

A warning against practical atheism

Monday,  22nd week in Ordinary Time
1 Thes 4: 13-18; Lk 4: 16-30

One of our philosophy professors would often refer to what is called practical atheism. We know what atheism means: it is saying there is no God. It is much safer and clearer than practical atheism which actually is a stand of subtle self deception.

Practical Atheism is the way of life where a person lives his or her life as if God did not exist,  though theoretically the person claims to believe in a god. For all practical purposes there seems to be no difference between the life of an atheist and this person who claims to believe in God. At times we can live our life with values and priorities that are so ungodly,  with mere external practices that seem religious.

The readings today invite us to examine our deep seated convictions and judge for ourselves how much our beliefs transform our lives.

THE WORD AND THE FEAST

The Head on a Platter

The passion of John the Baptist: 29th August, 2015

1 Thes 4: 9-11; Mk 6: 17-29

The head on a platter, is a phenomenon prevalent even today! A person, when he or she finds another unacceptable or unpalatable or intolerable, decides to get rid of the person from his or her life! The world today, as ever, acts as a collective person to do the same! First attempt is to silence the person as Herod did; the more determined effort is to totally eliminate the person as Herodias planned. The predicament of Truth and those who stand for truth remains the same even today. The world may ask for your head on the platter, but make sure you have it on your shoulders, reminds us the first reading today.

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

Holiness: God's overarching call

Remembering St. Augustine: 28th August, 2015

1 Thess 4: 1-8; Mt 25: 1-13

At times it makes me wonder: how many compromises I make; how many concessions I make to myself; in how many ways I make things easier for myself; in how many senses I lose sight of the right spiritual priorities in life... what am I upto in my daily life? 

All that I do, all that I carry out as my duty, all that I enjoy doing, all that I am good at doing...everything should lead me to that one destiny that God invites me to:  Holiness. That is the overarching call of God, despite all the varied shades of events and experiences in life.

Holiness, today the readings explain, is nothing but integrity. Integrity is the quality of being what I am, what I am called to be and what the core of my being is, without considering the consequences and inconveniences it could cause. Integrity is that oneness of my mind and heart, that oneness of my thoughts and perspectives, that oneness of my actions and attitudes that does not keep changing as the situations around me keep changing. 

St. Augustine arrives at this oneness, though a bit late, but with a certainty that no one else has manifested. St. Monica, though not a greatly educated lady, understood that the crux of integrity was simplicity, that oneness of everything. It may take time, it may prolong till the eleventh hour, but the Lord will surely be there to receive the persons of integrity, for 'this is the will of the Father: our sanctification' (cf. 1 Thes 4:3).

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

Tough times of parenting: Remembering St.  Monica
27th August, 2015: 1 Thes 3: 7-13; Mt 24:42-51

Imbibing the readings of today with the saint of today before our minds, offers an insight so lovely and urgent. In these days of exaggerated levels of promiscuity and compromises,  the worst affected are the young and the children. Parents, if considered the householders placed in charge of these young souls, need to be constantly on the guard as the Gospel pictures it today. They have to be constantly on their knees, like St. Paul who felt the need to pray for his spiritual children.

It was this same act of faith on the part St. Monica that saved her son and gave us a great theologian in the person of St. Augustine. Monica stands today a great example for the parents of a faith family. Let us pray for troubled mothers who agonise on account of their vagrant children. May the Lord protect the children of these days from the viles of the times.

WORD 2day : 25th August, 2015

To please men or to please God?

Tuesday,  21st week in Ordinary Time
1 Thes 2: 1-8; Mt 23: 23-26

Just a few days back a person was passing a remark about a youngster saying, "that guy seems very matured". And when I asked if that meant that the youngster in question was very obedient and docile, the response was a strong 'No'. Infact that youngster was very active and even hyperactive who would be the first one to get into trouble in a given situation. The person continued to explain, "he is aware of his mistakes and owns them up and never puts up an appearance." I thought that was the best compliment that the youngster could have received.

Jesus invites us,  as in the Gospel today,  to a personal integrity that can shine in the world of compromises. An integrity that is filled with mercy and compassion,  understanding and empathy,  humility and sincerity that can fill the earth with an awe and joy towards the Gospel we proclaim. Paul lived it and witnesses to it in the first reading.

Where do I stand in this regard?

WORD 2day: 24th August, 2015

Remembering St. Bartholomew, the Apostle.
Rev 21: 9-14; Jn 1:45-51

Known in the Gospel of St.John with the name Nathanael, Bartholomew received from the Lord a great compliment - a man in whom there is no guile, says the Lord. Though he did not believe what Phillip said and originally did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah, Jesus recognises the goodness in him.

The readings today have three lessons to teach: One, the readiness of Jesus to appreciate the goodness in a person even when the person did not believe in him. How many times friends turn the worst enemies when they begin to disagree with each other!

Second lesson is from Bartholomew, who accepts the call to 'come and see' and goes, sees, believes and remains with the Lord.

The third lesson is from the feast itself - a remembrance of the Apostles is a special invitation to each of us to recognise the call we have received to to go into the world and proclaim God's Reign. Bartholomew took the Gospel right upto Armenia and Arabia. There exists a legend that Bartholomew reached even India's western borders!

Each of us is reminded today of our call to bear the goodnews to the ends of the world, to establish the Reign of God - beginning with the closest of our contexts - that is, right wherever we are!

WORD 2day: 7th August, 2015

Feel overburdened? ..just open your eyes!

Friday, 18th week in Ordinary Time

Dt 4: 32-40; Mt16:24-28

Today I am reminded of an event from Don Bosco's life. It was his mother Mamma Margaret who had loads of complaints about  Don Bosco's boys. ..they were spoiling all her hard work. ..her kitchen garden,  her work of mending their shoes or clothes, her work of tidying the simple house they had...none of these counted for anything as the boys went around rampaging everything immersed in their play! She came with a turmoil and said she is leaving the oratory for good. And Don Bosco with a serene countenance looked at her and told her, 'Mama leave if you want to! But before that have a look at that!' and he pointed to the crucifix that was hanging on the wall. She turned around and went back to her chores. I am reminded of this incident for two reasons. 

The first reason is the readings of today which call us to look at the good that God has done to us, the amount of love that the Lord has showered on us, the countless blessing the Lord has bestowed on us. If we are mindful of it, Moses seems to say, we would never go away from the Lord or complain when we face some inconvenience. Jesus says that in other words, if you feel you are a disciple, that is one who is mindful of the Lord with you and you being with the Lord, count your blessings and carry your cross with the same joy in your heart! What a challenging call.

The second reason is the journey I am beginning today: a journey to Turin to be at Don Bosco's place for the celebration of his birth bicentenary! A journey to the roots, a visit to the beginnings of Don Bosco and the Salesian Congregation. My heart wells up with gratitude as I begin this journey and I take all of you my dear readers with me... to Don Bosco's sacred places. May this wonderful saint of our times, grant you all the joy that filled his heart always, the joy of giving and the joy of being in the presence of the Lord!

NOTE: From today till August 23rd...my posts on the daily readings would not appear! Please do keep me in your prayers and you are all spiritually in union with me as I journey on! God bless you all!

THE WORD AND THE FEAST

The Transfiguration of the Lord
Dan 7:9-10,13-14; 2 Pet 1:16-19; Mk 9: 2-10

A Reminder of our Inner Selves

At times,  like the disciples felt, we feel like standing and staring at the glory of the Lord; or we don't have time even for that. The transfiguration of the Lord is a reminder of the inner selves that we possess. We do not realise the treasures that we are given with in this earthen vessels (cf. 2 Cor 4:7). We are so taken up with maintaining and adorning and satisfying this earthen containers that we need a reminder like what Jesus gives us today: that our inner selves are way far precious and brilliant, and we need to attend to the innermost yearnings of our being to belong to the Lord and taste the eternal goodness. Our innermost self is the very image and likeness of God.  The invitation is to live a life,  set a standard,  fix on priorities that would make us worthy enough to hear those words: 'this is my beloved son; this is my beloved daughter'!

WORD 2day : 5th Aug, 2015

To be known as people of God

Wednesday,  18th week in Ordinary Time
Num 13:1-2,25-14:1,26-29,34-35; Mt15: 21-28

There are a variety of criteria people use to define who are the people of God. The Old Testament people had the criterion of belonging to one of the Tribes of Israel to be known as the people of God. Jesus was a product of his times. The greatness of Jesus lies in his openness to be taught by that Cananite woman that itis not merely belonging to a progeny that makes one a child of God. It is the fundamental interior  disposition to wait on the Lord,  believe in the sovereignty of God and receive with immense gratitude everything that God deigns to grant us in life.

Complaining,inability to see God's hands in things that happen and the failure to feel God's constant presence will disqualify us from being known as people of God.

Today in union with Jesus can we review or capacity to gratefully recognise God's presence with us?

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

Remembering St. John Mary Vianney
4th Aug, 2015
Num 12: 1-13; Mt14:22-36

The readings present to us two incidents,  one the shock Aaron and Miriam had and the other Peter's shock as he feared he was sinking. Miriam and Aaron found it challenging to accept the leadership of Moses as they did not approve of some of his choices. They failed to see it was God who had chosen Moses and looked at him as an undeserving rival to their popularity. While Peter who was called by Jesus to step on to the water failed to see that he was called by the Lord himself and began to gear his inability.

We have a saint today who did not give into that error at any point in his life. When he was about to be sent out of the seminary for his dullness of intellect,  or when he was rather dumped into a 'god forsaken' village add they thought,  when the people did not even bother about the new priest at the Church,  when he had just empty pews to talk to,  he never have up.  He was always mindful of the fact that it was the Lord who had called him and sent him to that village. That faith paid off!  That village experiences a revival.

As we resolve today to take the faith perspective of our life seriously,  let us whisper a prayer for every priest whom we know, specially for those who are in some kind of crisis. May Vianney interceed for a revival.

WORD 2day : 3rd August, 2015

God who feeds

Monday,  18th week in Ordinary Time
Num 11:4-15; Mt 14: 13-21

It sounds a bit funny, but very true to say: God gives and forgives; we get and forget. God keeps providing; we keep hoarding,  God keeps intervening and we keep complaining. God takes pity on us while we take advantage of God. God gives us God's love and we love the things that God gives.  Moses feels it today and Jesus would feel it soon too. But that would not stop them. Because they are persons of God.  Faith and hope renders love truly enduring.  On God's part, God is ever faithful; what we need to do is recognise that goodness and acknowledge the many things that God keeps feeding us with.

Make a Difference

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time: 2nd August, 2015

If you are a Christian...
Feel the Difference, 
Live the Difference, 
Make a Difference!
that is what the readings invite us to! 

Stop Complaining...start feeling the presence of God says the first reading today!
Stop Running after useless things...prioritise God in your life says the Gospel!
Stop following the crowd...make the crowd turn to follow you, as a Christian, says St. Paul.

We need to feel the presence of the Lord who makes a difference for us! We need to start living that difference in our life, on a daily basis, by showing to the world that our value systems are different, that our priorities are different and that our foundation is different. We will then surely make a difference, wherever we are! 

The Difference is God! Make God felt, in and through all that you are!