THE WORD IN ADVENT- 1st SATURDAY

The Advent Task: Be Compassionate

5th December, 2015

Is 30:19-21,23-26; Mt 9:35 - 10:1, 5,6-8

The City of Chennai is going through a moment of real crisis while it is also witnessing some thing beautiful about itself. The crisis is about battling the rains and the havoc caused by its effects. The beauty is about the numerous cases of individuals who go out of their way to do something to make the situation better for those who are suffering... those who are ready to accommodate the homeless in the little space left in their homes, those who are ready to share the little that they have with those who do not have anything, those who are out there wading through the waters just to make the suffering populace feel that they are not left alone, those who are far out of this zone but staring at the TV screens with a genuine droplet of tear in their hearts for the sake of those who are battered by this calamity - that is the sign of the Reign!

We need to discover and build on that sincere feeling for and feeling with the other... Being Compassionate is an essential task on the way to building God's Reign here on earth.

THE WORD IN ADVENT - 1st FRIDAY

The Advent Task: Open your eyes and see

4th December,  2015

Is 29: 17-24; Mt 9: 27-31

They had their house filled with 3 feet water... rendered homeless they stood with their two children on the road with knee high water flowing past them. I was wondering what sort of bitter experience they would harbour, after all  such scenes of misery and vulnerability. To my surprise they said,  God be praised for so many things far worse from which they have been spared!

He shall see what my hands have done in his midst, says the first reading today. It is a special capacity to be able to see the hand of God in our daily experience. We should be given the vision, healed from our blindness and the Lord alone can enable us in this regard. Lord that we may see!