The Reign of Brothers and Sisters

Thursday, 32nd week in Ordinary Time

November 14, 2024: Philemon 7-20; Luke 17: 20-25

The Reign of God is among you, reminds Jesus. This has been a revolutionary teaching of the Lord for ages; it has incited liberation movements and over thrown some inhuman systems. Today the reminder returns - to make present, to feel the presence and to accept the obligation presented to us by the Reign of God in our day to day life.

It is true. The Reign of God is not merely some sort of a regime to be imported into an already existing system; it is a mentality, a way of life, a culture to be nurtured and nourished into full growth from amidst us. Our daily life, our normal relationships, our outlook on others, our convictions towards true humanity - that is truly the Reign of God. More than an expectation, Reign of God is a responsibility.

One of the responsibilities of the Reign is to look at everyone as brothers and sisters and not in terms of subject or as objects. To look at a person, accept the inherent dignity of the person and to give the person the due without grudging, is to promote the Reign. To let go of divisive mentalities and competitive spirits and to look at everyone as a co-pilgrim on this journey called life, is the mentality of the Reign.

The Reign of God is here, I need to begin to feel it; I need to work to make it present; and I need to spread it across in the Spirit and through everything you are involved in.

Taking God for granted!

WORD 2day: Wednesday, 32nd week in the Ordinary time

November 13, 2024: Titus 3:1-7; Luke 17:11-19

Speaking on the eve of his 97th birthday, one of our elderly Salesian priests said, "you will not understand the difficulty of living this old... everything, every little thing is difficult. Even putting on a shirt or a pant is such an herculean task. With the missing balance, even using a toilet or washing the face is such a problematic affair!" (He lived on till he was 102). As we think of it, don't we really feel guilty about the numerous times that we take so many things for granted?

We have today a typical event in the Gospel where there are the majority who take things for granted, but that one spiritually sensitive person who returns to the Lord to tell him, that it really made a difference what the Lord had done to him. Thats not a simple quality, nor is it very common! It is a spiritually in itself - of not taking God for granted.

This quality of not taking God for granted has to come from, not taking people around me for granted. That is what the first reading tells me. If the latter does not happen, the former will only be an external show, an hypocrisy. Not even God will be pleased with it, of course!

The challenge is: that we recognise persons, accept persons, appreciate them and affirm their presence, thank God for them, and take care of them. We need to be, not only sheep of the Divine Shepherd, but also the Shepherd's hands and legs, reaching out to the needy and the marginalised. It is easy and pleasant to proclaim that the Lord is my shepherd, but to recognise it truly in concrete terms and submit to the shepherding of the Lord, it is not an easy task. It means, walking with the Shepherd, following the Shepherd and doing what the Shepherd wants! Let us begin by not taking God for granted.