Be Scandal Proof!

Tuesday, 21st week in Ordinary time

28th August, 2018: Remembering St. Augustine
2 Thess 2: 1-3a, 14-17; Mt 23: 23-30

I was shocked a few years ago, when I saw a video posted by an anti catholic brother. He was criticising everything 'Catholic' and went to the extent of calling the then Holy Father, the Anti-Christ who is to come. Taking the matter to another priest, I expressed my shock at this. And the priest just smiled at me and said: "a fruitful tree has to foresee stones coming its way!" 

Oppositions, today more than ever, keep growing to unbelievable proportions against the faith and tradition that we have grown with. There are splendid ways of God that we come across in spite of all these oppositions. At same time there is no dearth of examples that fail to communicate God's benevolence to us. 

What we are to do is, simply remain calm and composed at times when we are troubled. No use lamenting the absence of witnesses for the Lord, but being one myself - that is what really matters. And whether we are a model or not, it is important and urgent today to observe, notice and identify the counter witnesses! And it is more important and crucial to be scandal proof! 

Yesterday we celebrated St. Monica and today we have her son St. Augustine! We can imagine how scandal proof Monica would have been to have a husband like hers and the son. Augustine too, was not merely influenced but led himself gradually towards an experience of true conversion and ardent conviction, thanks to St. Ambrose. We are surrounded by sacred memories of these saintly people today: let us resolve never to give scandal to others and to grow more and more scandal proof these days!

Growing to be children of the Reign

Monday, 21st week in Ordinary time 

27th August, 2018: Remembering St. Monica
2 Thess 1: 1-5, 11-12; Mt 23: 13-22

Children of God or Children of the Hell... what decides our identity? Not what we claim to believe in nor the group we belong to. It will depend on my personal integrity says the Lord today. If I declare what I believe and live what I am convinced of, I will be a daring disciple of Christ and that is what Christ wants of us. 

It will require that we live in such a way "that our God may make us worthy of his calling and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith, that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you in him, in accord with thy grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thes 1:11-12.)

To grow to be worthy of our calling as children of the Reign, is the call that we have everyday. Let nothing that is part of us - our speech, our action, our attitudes, our values - let nothing that is part of us offer a message that is against the Reign of God. Let everything that we are involved in be a proclamation of the Gospel, proclamation of the goodness of God, proclamation of the glory of God in Lord Jesus Christ.

St. Monica wished this for her son, that he realises his call and becomes a child of the Reign...he not only became a child of the Reign, but a champion of the Reign!