WORD 2day : 11th November, 2015

A humble heart is a grateful heart

Wednesday,  32nd week in Ordinary Time
Wis 6: 1-11; Lk 17: 11-19

Recently I listened to an insightful sharing of one of my friend-priests on this Gospel episode,  explaining 'nine reasons why a person turns ungrateful'... if I may, I would sum them all up to just one basic reason: lack of humility,  humility understood here as accepting the truth as it is. It is humility with a hook to exaggeratedly lower myself than what I actually am. It is ofcourse madness to imagine myself to be a super being, mindless of the numerous limitations I do possess. The Word invites me today to look squarely at myself and acknowledge the good that God has done to me. It is at one and the same time,  both humility and gratitude because,  a humble heart is a grateful heart!

While the first reading draws attention to the haughty at heart who think they are creators unto themselves, the Gospel pictures the ingratitude of the many and the lowliness of the truly righteous. When I know and accept the limitations within me, I would be surprised at every good and admirable thing that I accomplish. I would instantly realise the wonders that God works in and through me, without much ado. That is a humble heart,  a grateful heart,  a truly holy heart.

WORD 2day: 10th November, 2015

The Credit Issue

Tuesday, 32nd week in Ordinary Time
Wis 2:23 - 3:9; Lk 17: 7-10

Though it has been there always, today in particular the consciousness of giving credits to the person who claims ownership has come to be more and more important. Recently in a discussion with a youngster he shared with me the contributions that he had made to the making of some recent movies. When I asked him why his name has not appeared on the official credits, he said "Oh that will take time. Until I establish myself firmly in the field they won't give me those credits. We are still nobody in the field! " That set me thinking!

In our work for the Reign of God,  how crazy we go to take the credit for every simple thing that we do... from the donors slabs in the Churches to the monuments we wish to leave behind in our memories, from the insistence on the names to be read at mass intentions to the rustle that takes place when someone forgets to mention a name in the vote of thanks... everywhere it is a craze for credits, in varied proportions  ofcourse. Blessed Mother Teresa understood well  what Jesus says today,  when she declared, "I am merely a pencil in the hands of God. He is the artist."