WORD 2day: 31st August, 2016

Will you grow up please!

Wednesday, 22nd week in Ordinary Time

1 Cor 3:1-9; Lk 4:38-44

The Church today is undergoing an experience of growing up, under the leadership of Pope Francis. We have a great example in the very concept of a Pope Emeritus and a Pope living in perfect union of heart and mind, setting an example for the entire Church and those who are related to that Faith Community in any way. We are called to be of one heart and one soul (cf. Acts 4: 32) not claiming to belong to Apollos  or to Cephas or to Paul (cf.1 Cor 1:12).  

How sad to see Churches divided on certain unchristian considerations... some churches sealed and communities broken into pieces... and in most of these cases those who are to lead themselves are the causes of division. We have a clarion call to grow up! Pope Francis said these words in the beginning of this year: "we should recognise with sincerity and pain that our communities continue to live in division that is scandalous. Division among us Christians is a scandal.  There is no other word: a scandal." We see Jesus in the Gospel today that he refuses to get stuck to the praises, recognition and acceptance. He decides to move on.. to grow on... to grow up!

This is the call from the Lord: will you please grow up! Don't blame the situation. Don't blame those who are around. Don't blame the times. Don't blame anyone... just grow up!

WORD 2day: 30th August, 2016

Getting in touch with the indwelling Spirit

Tuesday, 22nd week in  Ordinary Time

1 Cor 2: 10-16; Lk 4: 31-37

The Spirit is the innermost being of our selves. We are formed in the image and likeness of God and the Spirit of the Lord dwells within us. The more we realise that and the more we are convinced of that, the more we would see our selves capable of bringing transformation to ourselves, to others around and to the context around. The so-called great people who make a difference in their own way, are fundamentally those who have come into grips with this innermost core of their beings - the Spirit. We see Paul speaking of it in the first reading and we see Jesus manifesting it in himself in the Gospel passage. 

The invitation is now for us to realise the core of our beings: the indwelling Spirit - getting in touch with the Spirit and getting into the grip of the Spirit, that great things may happen in and through us. We need not look to perform or prove ourselves. Things will happen and people we see it, when we are in the grip of the Spirit. Let us get into the depth of ourselves and get in touch with the indwelling Spirit. 

THE WORD AND THE FEAST

Martyrdom - A matter of fact!

Remembering the beheading of John

Jer 1: 17-19; Mk 6: 17-29

Recently discussing about martyrdom with a group of youngsters,  one asked me, 'why should they go upto martyrdom?' In the same tone I replied, 'they don't go up to it,  it comes after them!'

Martyrdom is not a given-up mode of life.  It is a fruit of living one's life to the full till the end,  never losing the core purpose of that life for even a moment.

Martyrdom is not an option to choose.  It is a consequence of the choices made,  absolute choices for truth and righteousness.

Martyrdom is not an unprecedented event.  One sees it coming all the time.  It is always there in front of the person threatening him or her. But for the person who is concerned with things that truly matter, martyrdom remains just a matter of fact!

BLESSED ARE THE HUMBLE

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time: 28th August, 2016

Ecc 3:19-21,30-31; Heb 12: 18-19, 22-24; Lk 14: 1,7-14

Humility is one lesson we learn so hard. Blessed are those who are humble by nature. The best of our qualities and talents amount to nothing when we lack one single virtue: Humility! The Word today invites us not only to be humble, but also to be with the humble and to be all for those who are humble, that we may be people of the Reign of God. 

The Guru of the ashram was old and dying and he announced to his band of disciples: 'I wish to appoint the humblest of you all as the next Guru.' The bickering began among the disciples, each one trying to prove he is more humble than the other. There was one among them who stood still and away from all debating. The Guru thought to himself, 'that should be the right one to succeed me, perhaps!' and he called him over to himself and asked him: 'what about you? you are not interested in the contest?' The disciple replied, 'Oh you don't know, how much ever they fight among themselves, they will never find anyone more humble than me!' The Guru was heart broken and he dismantled the whole ashram before he died! I don't remember who it was who said - the moment you think you are humble, you cease to be so! How true it is!

Be Humble - that is the first message today. Being Humble is not putting up an appearance. It is not doing something to prove to others that I am humble. It is going about my duty with such sincerity and integrity that I may not be even noticed for the good that I do - but that does not disturb me at all.  At times there are people who make a big show of the so-called good that they do, even of their own simplicity! Do you remember the posters of our politicians posing with a broom in their hands claiming to be simple and committed to cleanliness of the nation. Or similar ones where they pose with some poor people in their huts and gullies. They would have spent a fortune on those hoardings and advertisements! Let us remember - we have nothing to prove to anyone, not even to our own selves. All that I need to do is, be truthful, be real, be authentic. Humility is acceptance of truth. 

Be with the Humble - identify people who are truly humble. Jesus had the special eye for the humble ones. Be it Mathew, or Zacchaeus, or Nathaniel, or the Centurion, or the Pharisee who asked him about the commandment of love... Jesus recognised the humble and sided with them. In another episode like today's, when Jesus was at dinner at Simon the Pharisee's, he was able to see through the sinfulness of the woman and identify her humble repentance. She was gifted with his empathy. Jesus sided always with the humble, not with the haughty. If we are truly people of God, besides being humble ourselves, we would look out for the humble and stand by them.

Be all for the Humble - being the voice of the voiceless, the stronghold for the weak. When we stand by the humble we stand with the Lord, because the Lord always stands by the humble. This is the third message that the Word offers us today. Be for the humble of heart, stand by them, empathise with them, support them and spread the spirit so that the Reign of God may be felt amidst us, here and now. Today, we see reports of so many humble persons being taken for granted, exploited and drained of even the little that they have. We have truthful and integral individuals taken to task, punished and crushed by the demonic culture of corruption and greed. What is our response as people of the Reign?

The Word today invites us to understand that the humble are blessed in the sight of the Lord. Those who are humble, those who be with the humble and those who are all for the humble, find favour in the light of the Reign of God - they are truly the people of the Reign.

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

The Power of Tears 

Lessons from St. Monica - 27th August, 2016

1 Cor 1: 26-31; Lk 7: 11-17

This saintly Mother has always been a point of great admiration for me personally. What a great example she is, as a mother and as a child of God! There are three lessons that this saintly mother can teach us:

1. The grace of tears: Pope Francis encourages people to pray for the 'grace of tears' when pleading to God to help others, when recognising their own sinfulness, when contemplating the greatness of Christ's love and when experiencing God's mercy. Monica had the grace of tears and she prayed with tears every time she prayed for her husband and her son.

2. The power of tears: When the widow of Nain cried, the Lord could not resist his compassion for her. He was moved to the point of a miracle. Just so, Monica saved her son, by the sheer power of her tears.

3. The witness of tears: Tears become a witness, witness to the love of God. The genuine tears of a loved one speaks volumes about the immeasurable love that God has for a person. Tears are not signs of weakness, they are signs of inner strength to remain with a person who is suffering or struggling!

Let us pray for the gift of tears, as Pope Francis recommends!

WORD 2day: 26th August, 2016

Wisdom and Foolishness

Friday,  21st week in Ordinary Time 

1 Cor 1: 17-25; Mt 25: 1-13

The world today has its own definition of wisdom and foolishness, success and failure... everything, to put it simply, calculated in terms of benefits and gains in comparison to the effort and investment. Convenience and comfort seem unfailing criteria of choice. But can these be Christian parameters?

The Christian paradigm, as Paul says is the Cross and the hope that it projects. However hard we may try, no other paradigm can make sense of this.  The sacrifices we make and the selfless goodwill we have towards others are true Christian parameters of righteousness. Being good and doing good without expecting anything in return or without looking for its credits,  is the cross we are called to embrace if we wish to belong to the Bridegroom!

WORD 2day: 25th August, 2016

Waiting...but how?

Thursday, 21st week in Ordinary Time

1 Cor 1:1-9; Mt 24: 42-51

The Word today brings out the all important spiritual practice of Waiting. Waiting is a daily-life experience for most of us, if not all of us. When we look at it from a larger perspective of Spirituality and life changing experiences, it can be of three modes depending on the disposition with which a person waits.

Utopian Waiting, is a kind of excited waiting. It is more or less like a child who is waiting with excitement for a Christmas gift from the Santa. There is so much of dreaming and planning about the gift. The gift is opened and admired and experienced, all in imagination or at the mental plane, even before it reaches the hands of the beholder. Here there is so much of noise made about it though no one is absolutely sure what it is all about. About waiting for the Lord too, there are people who do this, aren't they?

Slumberous Waiting, is a kind of inactive waiting, just waiting to kill the time till it all happens. There is nothing much done about it, or practically nothing, because the person waiting does not expect anything spectacular at the end of it all. There is a kind of indifference and cynicism, even a bit of pessimism! There is nothing new under the sun and what is going to be has always been, they believe. They feel they have nothing much to accomplish and there is so much of compromise and lethargy here, that when it really happens they are hardly prepared!

Spiritual Waiting, is a  kind of wholesome waiting, which lives the present moment with a holistic mindset that contains within this particular moment the gratitude for the past and the hope for the future! It is a kind of spiritual disposition that is sincere and genuine about the present life, with all its responsibilities and trials, joys and difficulties, without belittling what has gone before and what awaits. It is fundamentally living one's life to the full, joyfully waiting for the plan of eternity to unfold in all its grandeur.

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

A man incapable of deceit - Celebrating St. Bartholomew

24th August, 2016

Rev 21: 9-14; Jn 1: 45-51

The twelve - Jesus' choice of the twelve was very conscious and reasonable. Be it any of the twelve, even regarding Judas Iscariot, Jesus had a special reason for their choice. He gives the reason for the choice of Bartholomew (said to be Nathaniel whom Philip introduced to Jesus): a man without guile or a man incapable of deceit. That is one splendid attribute of a disciple. 

We are called to be disciples of Christ too...can we merit such an appreciation from Jesus as he had for his apostles? The Red that we use to indicate the specific role the apostles play within our faith, is also a reminder to die with Christ so that we may rise with Him.

Let Bartholomew inspire us to live a life that makes us worthy be called persons without guile, people incapable of deceit. 

WORD 2day: 23rd August, 2016

Keep Calm and Live on!

Tuesday, 21st week in Ordinary Time

2 Thes 2: 1-3,14-17; 23: 23-26

It looks like the crazy ones were there right from the beginning! At times we want our spiritual life to be exciting, on the move, ticking away in fret, like a suspense thriller. There is an imminent sign and there is a mighty revolution in the making...such claims are galore these days on the street corner banners and well funded TV channels! St. Paul warns us against such tendencies. He says, KEEP CALM and go about your daily duties!

Jesus sounds more vehement with the same message in today's Gospel: don't be hypocrites, don't make a show of your piety, don't make a living out of the fears of people and don't try your imaginations in God's name. Just keep calm and live on. 

Live your daily life to the full, love each other sincerely, reach out to one another with genuine care and relate with truth in your heart. Allow God to take control of the entire reality and don't claim franchise for decisions and activities that belong to God alone! Keep Calm and Live on... shall we?

THE WORD AND THE FEAST

Celebrating the Queenship of Mary

22nd August, 2016

2 Thes 1: 1-15, 11-12; Mt 23: 13-22

I was strangely reminded of this recent experience of mine on a journey! One knows quite well that a photo identity card is essential on journeys these days and for the past three years I had carried a colour photocopy of my driving license as a identity proof. On a journey last month it suddenly became an issue, when a Ticket Inspector took exception to the fact that it was a photocopy! By rule, it has to be an original document... not that I did not know that rule! I understood I was at fault but the Inspector was kind enough to merely warn me and let me go without the stipulated fine. What I am trying to share here is not what happened till here, but what has happened after that event. Nowadays I carry the original document with me, and every time I travel and the Ticket inspector comes my direction,  I hold my head high and feel so confident about the fact that I have every thing right on my part - that's feeling like a king!

Jesus is referring to a life confused with varying standards, footless principles and self-centered schemes! When a person lives that way, he or she has to be all the time on the guard against people who would find fault, accuse or atleast murmur against them. But when some one has everything right in his or her life, there is an inner freedom that is akin to living life like a king or a queen! 

Queenship of Mary from this angle seems a natural outcome of her way of life - the absolute freedom she enjoyed, the total personal commitment she manifested and the bother-about-nothing-else attitude she had when it came to obeying God's will... that is what made her the Queen of Heaven and Earth, inspiring us to live our Christian Life like her - Kingsize or Queensize!

ENTER THE NARROW DOOR

21st August 2016 - 21st Sunday in the Ordinary Time

Isa 66: 18-21; Heb 12: 5-7, 11-13; Lk 13: 22-30

The experience of standing in a queue, the tedium of entering the metal detector at places with extra vigilance or waiting for the token number at the bank… these are no rarities in our ordinary life. Jesus draws a simple example, one similar to these, our experiences.

The door to the Reign of God is narrow, not many take that door, though everyone is invited to enter the Reign. There are many other doors, which seem more comfortable, more spacious and more adorned and people prefer them, knowing least that they do not lead to the Reign of God, the greatest treasure in store for us!

Entering the narrow door is a task quite demanding – the readings today point to three traits that are needed to be able to enter the Reign through the narrow door. As Jesus tells us in the Gospel, many try to enter but they cannot.

To able to enter the door, one should be strong! Strive – says the Lord – Strive to enter – To strive means to struggle, to make all the efforts possible, to try real hard. One needs to be strong in mind, heart and soul to strive to enter the narrow door into the Reign. It is Spiritual strength we are dealing with here. Be Strong, but avoid Spiritual Obesity, warns the Lord. If you are obese, you cannot enter the narrow door – it’s obvious! Spiritual Obesity – Pride and Elitist mentality – which gives into self righteousness and judgmental attitude can never get us into the Reign of God. I am baptized, I am a born-again, I am a consecrated religious, I am a Sacred minister – nothing can get you in! From the east and the west, the north and the south everyone will enter and sit at the table in the Reign says the Lord. Mind you, there are no reservations here in. A bit of disciplining, as the second reading suggests, can get us in shape.

To be able to enter the door, one should be in communion! The way is long, we reflected on that last week. Communion with each other and Communion with those who have managed to enter the door before us, can really make the task easy and enjoyable. Our forerunners are our example, our model and can even be our helpers – but finally, the one who has to enter is me! It is you! That is why we are warned today – Be in Communion but avoid Spiritual Infantilism. At times we make our faith so infantile that we think everything depends on the candles we light, the formulae we repeat, the food we give up and the coins we drop. These are means to strengthen our relationship with God – but they are not everything. What matters most is our personal life of commitment and integrity. You cannot enter the narrow door in groups… one by one you have to do it. That means you cannot ride on the goodness of the other, either the living or those gone before you!

To be able to enter the door, one should be patient! The wait is long, for the door is narrow! Waiting on the Lord is a spiritual talent. To wait patiently, amidst failures and pressures, amidst temptations and struggles, amidst dark nights and heavy burdens, it is the only way one can be prepared and prompt when one’s time comes! There is a warning here too: Be Patient but avoid Spiritual Lethargy. In the name of patience I cannot procrastinate my commitment and postpone my conversion to a later moment. ‘Repent and Believe, for the Reign of God is near’ says the Lord. Being patient is not being busy with something else till my turn comes… but persevering, enduring and constantly working on myself that when my turn comes, I am in shape, prepared enough and fit to enter the narrow door that leads me to the behold the eternal glory of the Lord Almighty!

I am the door, if anyone enters through me, he or she will be saved (Jn 10:9) declared the Lord elsewhere! Jesus is the door, the narrow door, the demanding door – He is compassionate, yes; but at the same time uncompromising. The choice is ours to choose the narrow door, make ourselves strong, united and patient, to endure our everyday life and make straight the path for our feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed (heb 12:13). The door is narrow but there is enough space to enter, if we are in ready and willing.

All, but not all…

One by one is the call…

Let us enter the Narrow Door, one and all.

WORD 2day: 20th August, 2016

The Glory, the Chair and the Good

Saturday, 20th week in Ordinary Time

Ezek 43: 1-7; Mt 23: 1-12

The Glory of the Lord rests on the Temple and the authority of Moses rests with his Chair... Jesus seems to relativise both of these as he instructs his disciples to earn their honour and respect through their actions rather than titles and posts! Names on the plaques, photographs on the flexes, titles on the invitation cards and posts to be attached after names... these are the driving forces that make people do good in today's world. Jesus seems to belittle doing good vis-a-vis the quality of being good! 

The difference between doing good and being good is one of quality...the former centers around the result and the latter revolves around the inspiration; the former is conditioned and the latter is unconditional and natural; the former is opportunistic and latter is timeless and priceless!

What is your choice: just to do good and look to reap its fruits; or to be good come what may!

WORD 2day: 19th August, 2016

The Dry bone Syndrome and the Hope Therapy

Friday, 20th week in Ordinary Time

Ezek 37: 1-14; Mt 22: 34-40

The World today is affected by what we can call the dry bone syndrome - everything seems mechanical, lifeless, insensitive, dry, boring, meaningless, devoid of joy, in fret but without direction... coping with life seems a herculean task! There is a nostalgia among the veterans that the so-called splendour of the past would never return. There is an urge among the up coming generation that the so-called development is not sufficiently paced. There is this generation in transit who try to adapt to both missing out on the goodness of both. The result is frustration, despair...the dry bone syndrome! 

The only possible therapy to this is Hope Therapy... the few who still hold on to the right values and appreciate the goodness in both tradition and modernity, who refuse to compromise on the fundamental values and remain open and flexible towards changing scenarios! They do this because they are filled with genuine love - not with ego and the urge to prove oneself - but with genuine care for the other and sincere wish for the good of the other and of the humanity. That which we call love, is the hope for the times! Hope will never deceive us, says St. Paul. Beyond holding on to the hope given by these good-hearted, love-filled few, we are called to join that band - as hope givers!

WORD 2day: 18th August, 2016

God's Holiness in us!'

Thursday, 20th week in Ordinary Time

Ezek 36: 23-28; Mt 22:1-14

God wishes to display God's holiness in us... what a realisation if only we understand what God wants to communicate by this. At times we reduce our human nature to sinfulness and wickedness, jealousy and egocentrism, lawlessness and insensitivity. The truth is not that: the truth is that we possess within us the holiness of God, the splendour of God, the glorious and majestic image of God. If only we realise it!

When we understand our true nature and the spirit that dwells within us, the spirit from the Lord, our world view will be entirely different and our perspective holistic. That wholeness is Holiness, and that holiness is God's splendour within us. 

We are called to be holy...holiness here is knowing the right perspectives of life and living with right priorities on a daily basis. We claim to have accepted the invitation of God, but if we do not have this balanced perspective and wholesome priorities, we are doomed to be cast out from that presence of the Lord, for it is no holiness that does not result in concrete wholeness!

WORD 2day: 16th August, 2016

Pride Kills

Tuesday,  20th week in Ordinary Time

Ezek 28: 1-10; Mt 19: 23-30

When our eyes are so stuck on what we have received that it ignores or despises the giver, our downfall has sure begun.  This is history and even a story of the present.  Humility as often understood is  not an abasement of oneself but an acceptance oneself in relation to everyone around.

What we possess does not define us.  In fact it should not.  If it does we reduce ourselves to what we have.  What we once have,  another moment we may not.  But what we are would remain for the most same despite changing situations and varied developments.

To know truly who we are and to accept it with serenity is what humility is. Let's beware,  Pride Kills!

WORD 2day: 17th August, 2016

What deserves the Lord's reward?

Wednesday,  20th week in Ordinary Time 

Ezek 34: 1-11; Mt 20: 16-30

Whatever be the commission given by the Lord,  big or  small, simple or complicated,  what counts is not the outcome but our faithfulness to it.  What we do and how much we accomplish may be our concern and that of others surrounding us. But for the Lord how we did it and why we did it matters more.

Shepherds or labourers or hired workers... the purity of our motivation and singleminded commitment to the Lord's purposes, that is what deserves the Lord's reward!

LIVING THE KINGDOM FIRE

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time: 14th August, 2016

Jer 38: 4-6, 8-10; Heb 12:1-4; Lk 12:49-53

I came to set fire... and how I wish it is ablaze already! 

That yearning of Christ has always been satisfied through the century with a spirit of proclamation, sense of perseverance and the passion of prophecy manifested by persons of God.

Jeremiah was called to proclaim what the Lord wanted, and he was taken to task by the truth-haters! Could he modify, manipulate and meddle with the Word of God? Absolutely no! He had to proclaim and he did it, to the extent of going upto the brink of death. the Word was like fire burning in his bones (Jer 21:9). He just could not shut up.

The world will try ceaselessly to tame you, threaten you and domesticate you. Are you going to give up? How early or how far? The letter to the Hebrew says, upto death! There were people who did that. The saint whom we remember on this day...Maxmillian Maria Kolbe is a typical example of that. Why should he die for someone whom he did not even know? He decided to give up his life because that flame was afire in him. He just could not contain it.

Peace and Prophecy...do they go together? That is the question Jesus sets to answer. If we are talking about true peace, prophecy is for peace! If we are speaking of a peace that is filled with compromises, siding with exploitation, promoting insensitivities of any kind, then peace and prophecy are diametrically opposed! What peace are we thinking of? Prophecy here would mean - protest, challenge, change -in short, standing up for the Truth! Speaking up, Rising up, Teaming up against injustice and corruption today, is Christian Prophecy. Are we ready for it? Jesus was doing it, because for him Kingdom meant everything. He was filled with a passion for the Kingdom and he just could not silence it.

Living the Kingdom Fire today, is to have the fire, keep it burning and be consumed by that passion for the Kingdom, wherever we are. Are we afire?

WORD 2day: 12th August, 2016

Goodness as Penalty!

Friday, 19th week in Ordinary Time
Ezek 16: 1-15, 60, 63; Mt 19: 3-12

The Word today brings out the Merciful face of God at its best. The Lord is upset that the people of Israel have abandoned the covenant that they had entered into with the Lord. When the Lord contemplates even a penalty, he contemplates it in terms of goodness! Being good to them and being good to all those who will respect the commandment, this is what the Lord contemplates. The people of Israel lose that privilege as  'chosen race' but every race becomes special provided they had chosen the Lord. 

It is again back to that key element of any spiritual maturity: choice!  The Lord is always good...and we can taste that goodness if we choose to! We can become chosen race, if we choose God to be our priority!

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

Clare and the Christian Bhakti Marg

11th August,  2016
Ezek 12: 1-12; Mt 18:21 - 19:1

Emotional energy and relational attachment to the Lord and Master is not all that weak as it is often looked at with prejudice.  Though this alone may not be the needed disposition for a mature faith,  this  is an essential element of spiritual attachment to the Lord. 

Bhakti Marga is an important way of being united with the Lord in an Indian tradition.  It is translating one's capacity to love genuinely into an intimate devotion to the Divine Master.

St. Clare for me has always stood out as an ardent bhakta who was guided by her total attachment to the Lord. That was missing in the relationship of the people of Israel with Yahweh who had done so much for them.  Jeremiah is  asked to remind the people of that while Jesus explains that one who recognises what one has received from Lord, will not count when he or she gives!

Bhakti is not merely about God and me; it is also about me and others!

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

Sowing and Growing

Celebrating Deacon St. Lawrence - 10th August, 2016

2 Cor 9: 6-10; Jn 12: 24-26

Martyr St. Lawrence gives us the occasion to hear yet another time this classical lesson that the Lord wishes to give us: what you sow you reap; what you are you grow to be! It is important here to notice that the crucial element is not what we do or what we become, but what we are! This is what St. Paul calls, becoming a new person in Christ. To be so transformed in Christ and into Christ, that we are seen as Christ, as another Christ, as alter christus!

Every Martyr gives us this lesson: to die for Christ's sake. It does not mean only dying in the sense of losing one's life, but dying to oneself, dying to one's ego, dying to one's undue attachments, dying to one's fixed ideas, dying to one's weaknesses and fixations. That is martyrdom too...a martyrdom of a totally different nature, a martyrdom that is required of everyone. A martyrdom that has to be undertaken with a sense of gratitude and cheerfulness, inspite of the inconveniences it can cause.

What have we sown around us? What are we growing into? Let us become aware of our sensibilities and check if we are cheerful givers, who are ready to give up, in order to grow up!

WORD 2day: 9th August, 2016

Live the Word from within

Tuesday, 19th week in Ordinary Time

Ezek 2:8 - 3:4; Mt 18: 1-5, 10-14

The first reading today has a beautiful symbolism...the Lord tells the prophet to eat the scroll and then to go and speak to the people the Word of God. The idea is clear - there is not use in knowing what the Lord says, or saying what the Lord says - what matters is living what the Lord says. That we will be able to do only if the word resides within us - thus the call to EAT the scroll containing the Word.

The disciples, we see today in the Gospel, heard the word from Jesus, spoke about it, but they never personalised it. They were unaffected by the Word and that is why they were worried about who will be the greatest among them. The Lord challenges them to listen to the word, eat the word and live the word from within! Are we prepared, because the Lord calls us too!

WORD 2day: 8th August, 2016

Really Knowing...

Monday, 19th week in Ordinary Time

Ezek 1: 2-5,24-28; Mt 17: 22-27

Growing in Faith is not merely growing in knowledge of something - knowing more about scriptures, knowing more about religion, knowing more about values etc. It is much greater than that but one of the most fundamental requirement is knowing: knowing who oneself is! That self knowledge and self definition determines much of one's choices! The Word today reminds us of the true nature and glory that is embedded into out beings, which we very often forget, neglect and reject.

The way I understand myself affects the way I look at others. The way I look at others determines the way that I relate to them. The way I relate to the others is plainly expressive of the kind of concept I have of God. For instance, when we look at others as strangers and foreigners then we expect that they deserve every thing that we do for them. When we look at the other always in communion with ourselves, all that we do for them we actually do for ourselves. And, looking at the other as unconnected from me puts my very belief in the One God to question. It is high time we look at everything being one whole, connected to each other - that is true Spirituality!

Called to be READY

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time 

Dan 7:9-10,13-14; 2 Per 1: 16-19; Lk 9:28-36

One of the fundamental calls of a typical Christian is the call to be ready. Not merely from the Early Christian Community, but right from the person of Jesus himself,  this call has been always strong - to be Ready.

How can we understand this being ready?  We look at it as a call to be...

Ruthlessly Responsible: responding with our best even in the smallest of things that we are entrusted with from the Lord.

Endlessly Enthusiastic: never losing the spirit and the joy with which everyone of our self offering to the Lord begins.

Absolutely Accountable: being so diligent with all the resources the Lord had put at our disposal,  personal and common!

Decidedly Determined: never giving into despair in the face of any issue that can arise, making it a positive decision for life

Yearning for the coming of the Lord and not afraid of it; rejoicing at the prospect of meeting the Lord instead of fearing the moment.

Are we READY?

THE WORD AND THE FEAST

The lessons from the Transfigured Lordx

6th August, 2016

Dan 7:9-10,13-14; 2Pet 1:16-19; Lk 9:28-36

The Transfigured Lord gives the disciples, and us too, a three fold message:

- See what you don't see:

Learn to see things beyond the apparent. Jesus revealed to the disciples what they never managed to see in him. Understand the Lord has so many things ready to be revealed to you... are you ready to see?

- Hear what you don't hear:

Train yourself to hear what the Lord wants you to hear. They hear the voice challenging them to listen to the son of God and do what he says. Growing up from hearing only what I want to hear , I am called to hear what I should hear!

- Feel what you don't feel:

Form yourself to feel what you never feel ordinarily. The disciples felt a new kind of feeling that they had never felt... they felt divine but were soon made to understand that they cannot get stuck to that feeling but move on to feel with those who are down the mountain, those who are suffering,  those who are yearning for salvation, those who are waiting for the Gospel.

WORD 2day: 5th August, 2016

Dare to endure your share

Friday, 18th week in Ordinary Time
Nah 2:1-3,3:1-3,6-7; Mt 16: 24-28

The Lord deceives no one. The deceiver is the evil one who swears to charm people through his deceptive ways. The Lord lacks that enticing charm because the Lord goes by  truth,  that is God's Word. And the Word promises eternal life but with a price. However,  it is not an undue price. It is merely  each choosing to endure one's  own cross,  without trying to excuse oneself from it, rebel against it or bemoan it.

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

Compassionate and Sensitive Sentinel

Remembering John Maria Vianney: 4th August 2016

Ezek 3: 17-21; Mt 9:35 - 10:1

Today we celebrate the feast of St. John Maria Vianney, the patron of priests. The Word brings out an essential quality of a priest, a pastor or a person chosen to lead God's flock: to be compassionate and sensitive sentinels. That is what priests are meant to be. Let us pray for all priests that they may be inspired by Vianney and carry out their task as true sentinels. 

We are invited also to remind ourselves of our own task to be sentries to our friends and neighbours and for those in need. At times the Lord makes us so and urges us to play that role.When we do and because of our intervention someone changes over, we would be blessed. When someone plays that role for us and invites us to change, we better change our ways or we would be the losers. Refraining from the age old question: am I my brother's keeper...let us be aware of our responsibility towards each other and take it seriously. May John Mary Vianney inspire us in this regard. 

WORD 2day : 3rd August, 2016

The Remnant and the Rest

Wednesday, 18th week in Ordinary Time
Jer 31: 1-7; Mt 15: 21-28

The Lord renews the covenant with the people  inspite  of their failures because the Lord had always loved  them with an everlasting love. Today the Word warns us that those who will finally taste the fruits of God's faithfulness are the remnant and the rest of the people who come by and stick to the Lord.

The remnant are those who choose to differ from the mainstream inspired  by a genuine conviction and sincere effort to be integral.

The rest are those who are least expected to be favoured in the eyes of the Lord. The world has its own criteria of judgement but the Lord has a totally different set of criteria... single minded dedication to the Lord, genuine love for God's people and authentic life after the mind of God.

Don't conform to the world;  instead be transformed in Christ into new beings!

WORD 2day: 2nd August, 2016

The Courage to Wait

Tuesday, 18th week in Ordinary Time

Jer 30: 1-2,12-15,18-22; Mt 14: 22-36

Waiting seems an undue demand on persons these days. Traffic, queues, public modes of transport...everywhere this is the feeling I had recently - people resent to wait. With the Lord, there is no other way to peace than to wait... for God lives in eternity!

Jeremiah today speaks of an imminent and wholesome intervention by God on behalf of the people of Israel. All this while he would be taking to task those people who spoke of a positive change of the times, he would find fault and challenge them. But now they are all silenced, but Jeremiah speaks of it: restoring, rebuilding and raising Israel back from its dust, to be God's people.

Jesus' intention was to state without doubt the fact that whatever happens the Lord never leaves us- be it storming sea or the threatening world around. The last word is the Lord's and we need to wait till the last word is said! It takes enormous courage to do that. Our patience runs dry, our ground appears to give way, our trust shifts focus and our minds begin to question. When every thing around us seems to be going wrong, can we just hold the hands of the Lord and keep walking come what may... that requires the courage to wait!

WORD 2day: 1st August, 2016

The False Comforts

Monday, 18th week in Ordinary Time

Jer 28: 1-17; Mt 14: 13-21

We have an interesting episode from prophet Jeremiah today - he speaks of one of the self-appointed prophets who stood against him. Like today where we have people who try to make of the Word of God a means of business or use it to attain their ends or play with it to fill their coffers, so were there persons who pleased the people and won their favour, vis-a-vis the message of warning and call to conversion from the true prophets! One such we have in the Word today - Hananiah who offers people a false comfort that they will soon be out of the bondage they found themselves in. God's message was not that, but to change their ways so that they could find a divine favour. Hananiahs who offer easy happiness, instant makeovers and magical moments abound even today.

The Prophets of the Lord, the persons of the Lord, the true message from the Lord solicits from us a total surrender. We might at times find ourselves even far far away from where we wish to be and with nothing in hand - but we need to go with the Lord all the way, be with the Lord all that while. Then the Lord would offer us that food, which will give us eternal happiness, a bliss that can be replaced by absolutely nothing else!