Living the Word from within

WORD 2day: Tuesday, 19th week in Ordinary time

August 13, 2024 - Ezekiel 2:8 - 3:4; Matthew 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 no use in knowing what the Lord says, or saying what the Lord says - what matters is living what the Lord says. 

Living the Word from within, will be possible only if the word resides within us. Hence, the call to EAT the scroll containing the Word - that is to assimilate what the Lord says and the become animated by the Word, from the core of our being.

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!

The Right Spirituality

WORD 2day: Monday, 19th week in Ordinary time

August 12, 2024 - Ezekiel 1: 2-5,24-28; Matthew 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 our 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. 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!