A Return to hope... to the right sense of Prayer

THE WORD IN LENT - Thursday, First week in Ordinary time

March 13, 2025 - Esther 4: 17; Matthew 7: 7-12

Ask, seek and knock... is a very popularly quoted teaching of Christ, not just by Christian literatures but even the others which wishes to explain what prayer is all about. Looking at this passage within our pilgrimage of return to hope, we have a particular dimension to be highlighted from the Word today. Let begin with a question - do I get all that I ask; do I find all that I seek; or does everything that I knock open for me? Of course, in all sincerity, the answer cannot be "yes". But why?

The Gospel Acclamation gives us a clue to respond to that question - a pure heart create for me O God... it is that pure heart that makes all the difference. That is why James instructs us: "when you ask, you do not receive, because you asl with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures" (James 4: 3). What is this pure heart that we are speaking about here - is it some kind of spiritual elitism that we are promoting? Certainly not. 

The First reading gives us an illustration of this pure heart and explains to us what the right sense of prayer should be, if we really wish to be identified as "people of God". The pure heart is manifested by Esther when she prays with her whole being and calls all her actions and sacrifices almost nothing, and surrenders the entire course of events to the Lord. How prepared are we to do this, is the crucial reflection left to us. 

The journey to hope essentiall comprises of this return to the right sense of prayer - from asking, seeking and knocking for the sake of our plans, projects and pleasure, to asking the Lord to reveal God's plans to us, seek to understand the way that God has prepared for us and knocking to open the right avenues so that we may journey on with love, towards hope and trust in the loving providence of the Lord. 

A Return to hope... the sign of the Saving Word

THE WORD IN LENT - Wednesday, First week of Lent

March 12, 2025 - Jonah 3: 1-10; Luke 11: 29-32

Yesterday we were presented with the theme of the living Word of God that does not fail to produce its fruits! That may leave us with a question still: but how is that in spite of this unfailing Word there is so much left undone - there is evil in the world, the evil persons seem to thrive, there are innocents suffering, there are things that are so far away from what God really wills for us! How do we really believe that there is something called God's will? The world goes even to the extent of asking, so is there a God? If so, what is the sign?

Jesus today tells us - no sign shall be give except the sign of Jonah! That is the point of discussion today: the sign of Jonah. What is it? It is the sign of the Saving Word. The Word saves, but when? When we are ready to receive it. Hence the sign of Jonah consists of three dispositions.

The first is to open our hearts and listen to the Word. What can the Word really do, if not received? Let us recall the parable of the sower... what can the seed do if it is not received?

The second is to discern the saving call of the Word. The Word, it is not enough merely to listen to it, it has to be acted upon. Discern, decide and act upon the Word. If we only listen, we are deceiving ourselves, isn't that what Jesus said?

The third is to trust and keep trusting in the Word. At times we may be tried with troubles and crises. What we need to do is not looking out for some one or something to hold on to... but remain with the Lord, trust in the Word and keep living it; we shall experience the saving grace of the Lord. 

We need to remain in the race, keep running and complete the course, come what may on our way, and the crown awaits us without doubt - that is the sign of the Saving Word.