WORD 2day:13th July, 2015

People who forget their stories!

Monday, 15th week in Ordinary Time

Exo 1:8-14, 22; Mt 10:34 - 11:1

Not only did the Pharaoh not know the history of Joseph and things that happened in his predecessors' times, even the people seemed to have forgotten their origins - of how they reached Egypt and why they reached there and that they were there only for a while, that the Lord had said they will move to "their" land later! They began to think Egypt was their land and they would be there for eternity. They forgot their story. The Lord had to remind them. The world today too has this spiritual amnesia! 

That is why the Lord comes with the sword, with fire... that we may wake up and wake up the world, and bring ourselves back as people who are mindful of our stories, our experiences, all that we have enjoyed from the Lord and all that we have promised the Lord and all that we have neglected so far. At times when we face turmoils, we need to turn back to our stories thus far and draw consolation and inspiration from there. In those moments of struggle we need to realise that we are afflicted but not crushed,  perplexed but not driven to despair,  persecuted but not forsaken (cf 2 Cor 4:8)... let us pay heed that we do not become people who forget their stories. 

GOD CHOSE US...

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time: 12th July, 2015

Amos 7: 12-15; Eph 1: 3-14; Mk 6: 7-13

To begin with, God chose us! We did not choose God! So, deserting God, or switching allegiance, looking for greener pastures, blaming monotony,  seeking thrills and demanding signs are totally unbecoming of a chosen one. Situations that are trying, opportunities that are attractive, offers that are tempting might often come our way, but the one who endures till the end takes the crown. And God chose us in Christ. Amos in today's first reading makes it clear: it is not in our greatness or in our credibility or in our self worth, but in Christ did God choose us. The reason I am chosen is because, Christ died for me!

Secondly, when did God choose me? In baptism we were buried with Christ says St. Paul (Rom 6:4; Col 2:12). Were we chosen at our baptism? But Isaiah says before I was born, while I was still in my mothers womb, the Lord called me (IS 49:1). So was I chosen when I was in my mother's womb? Jeremiah explains, before the Lord even formed me in the womb of my mother, the Lord knew me, called me and has a plan for me (Jer 1:5), to set me up as the so-called light of the world and prophet to the nations. So was I chosen, before I were being even formed in my mothers's womb? St. Paul in his letter to the Ephesisans, beats it all: God chose us before the foundations of the world. Right from the earliest moment that one can think of, I belong to God!

Thirdly, if the Lord has chosen me, for what has He chosen me: to be holy and blameless in love. To be in love, and through that being holy and blameless - that is the plan that God has for me, that is the invitation that the Lord offers me. Love and do what you like, said Augustine. When we live our lives in love, we are sure to be holy and blameless. There is no other criterion as fool proof as love, to be considered chosen or not. By this they will know that you are my disciples, by the love that you have for one another (Jn 13:35). It is only love that can make me whole. It is only love that can lead me to a life that is absolutely blameless. It is only love that can lead me to be holy! 

WORD 2day : 11th, July 2015

God cares! Do you?

Saturday,  14th week in Ordinary Time
Gen 49:29-32; 50:15-26a; Mt 10: 24-33

Jacob and Joseph go their way back to where they belonged. And they, specially Joseph, seem to remind the rest of them that where they are is not actually where they belong - a reminder they pay no heed to. God will take care of them is the promise given them by their fathers and the people did experience that care when the appointed time came. But the question was,  did they care enough to take note of all the goodness God was showing them.

Though we rush in with joy to places where the Lord leads us, with a few cares and concerns that come our way we lose sight of the Lord who had in first place brought us there,  given us all that we have and had taken such meticulous care of us. We are quick to complain and to mindlessly question God on a few things that may seem to go out of hand. God cares so much for us remind the Gospel today;  but do we care to acknowledge and surrender to that care?

WORD 2day : 10th July, 2015

Sent with challenges. ..

Friday,  14th week in Ordinary Time
Gn 46:1-7, 28-30; Mt 10: 16-23

The readings today present two similar situations:
- they were being sent by the Lord.
- they were being sent into a tough situation.
- however they would be flourishing in those difficult terrains.
- they are sent with a promise: I will go with you! Do not worry what to say or what to do,  it will be given you!

How about reading those passages putting yourself in that place. ...
The Lord sends you into life today,  life with all its challenges and trials. ..if we remain faithful till the end, we would feel his encouraging encounter that gives us the true meaning and joy of our life here and now.

WORD 2day : 9th July, 2015

Shalom: Carrying God's Message

Thursday,  14th week in Ordinary Time
Gn 44:18-21, 23b-29, 45:1-5; Mt 10: 7-15

The Lord sends the twelve to carry his message to all the people of Israel,  a message of gladness,  healing,  restoration,  peace and joy,  in short Shalom! That is the greeting of the Jews when they meet each other. The Arabic equivalent of that is what the brothers and sisters of Islam use: salaam. This shalom is fullness of blessings that we wish for our brother or sister in the Lord,  or for that matter that is what we wish for the whole world as sons and daughters of the Good Lord. We may wonder, why the whole world. ..is it not only those who are good to me,  those who are my well wishers;  but the Lord and the Word today has it otherwise.

We are presented with the example of Joseph who in spite of all that they did to him tells the rest of the songs of Jacob,  "I am your brother"! That is the true Christian attitude expected of us. This is possible only of we look at everything from the perspective of God as did Joseph!

Let this day be another opportunity for us to carry the Lord's message: Shalom to all!

WORD 2day : 8th July, 2015

His Band... of brothers and sisters

Wednesday,  14th week in Ordinary Time
Gn 41:55-57, 42:5-7a, 17-24a; Mt 10: 1-7

The Twelve. ..that is the common element in the two readings today. The 12 tribes and the 12 disciples was not a mere coincidence, it was more than that. It was a choice to resemble because the Lord was raising a new people of God, the New Israel. And we belong to that new people,  the new band of brothers and sisters. It is left to us now to understand the importance of not deserting the band for reasons silly or serious! The sense of belonging to this band,  what we call our faith community,  that is the Church...seems to be under attack both from within and without. Can we stand up to it?  Come what may,  can we stick on and tell the world,  we are His band... of brothers and sisters!

WORD 2day: 7th July, 2015

The Face of God to behold...

Tuesday,  14th week in Ordinary Time
Gen 32: 22-32; Mt 9: 32-38

Jacob turns Israel because he beheld the face of God. He would continue to behold the face of God and become the patriarch of the chosen ones. In the Gospel,  the demoniac becomes normal again,  because he beheld the face of God in Jesus. And in all his works,  curing the sick,  eating with the sinners,  empathising with the suffering,  Jesus was empowering them to behold the face of God in and through himself. He was the face of God to behold.

Infact Jesus longs and prays that many more join him on this mission. There is no monopoly... how he wishes multitudes join him to become the face of God for the world to behold! Let us first realise the call each of us have received: to become the face of God for all to behold. And let us pray that many more authentic believers may join us: to become the merciful loving face of God for the world to behold.

WORD 2day: 6th July, 2015

The Trust levels

Monday. 14th week in Ordinary Time

Gen 28: 10-22; Mt 9: 18-26

The Word presents to us today 4 levels of trust and may be we would do well to analyse ourselves and find out where we fit in.

If I come back safe... we see Jacob still at the level of hypothesising  trust.He wishes to remain faithful to the Lord if the Lord protects him.

If only I touch the Lord... we see the woman with hemorrhage confident that she will be healed on fulfilling certain conditions, a conditional trust that operates on cause and effect logic.

Though my daughter is dead...we see that official referred to here telling the Lord,my daughter is just dead! But that she was already dead was not a problem to him, because he had placed on the Lord an Absolute Trust that nothing is impossible for God.

Where do we stand in these levels of trust in the Lord? Hopefully, we are not in the fourth category which is the people who were standing around and mocking Jesus as he entered to raise the girl...they are the heroes of the nether world.

WORD 2day: 4th July, 2015

Crooked lines and Straight stories

Saturday, 13th week in Ordinary Time

Gen 27: 1-5, 15-29; Mt 9: 14-17

The first reading today has a story that is so typical of the manipulating exploitative society of today. But the irony is, it is Jacob who cheats who finally receives the blessings and becomes the chosen one in the lineage! This is not the only one of such cases... David episode with Bethsheba, Solomon the weakling...these are truly speaking, crooked lines, but the final outcome is a straight story, a story that can never be told so neatly, with every little thing in its place; no patches, no cloggings, no spillings, no ruins...in God's plan everything is perfect. There can be any number of crooked lines but the outcome is always a straight story! The capacity we need is, to put up with the crooked lines long enough, that we stay strong until the straight stories emerge!

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

My Lord and My God!

Feast of St. Thomas, the Apostle

It is a special grace given that a person is concretely offered a proof for his or her faith. Otherwise faith is a personal experience that is inspired within a person and expressed in daily life. Thomas, the Apostle occasions an event that became a unforgettable experience for even the rest of the apostles, and for the whole original community of believers. Apart from focusing on the fact that Thomas doubted and hesitated to go by others' experience, his awe and total acceptance of the Master is a great inspiration for us. That statement he makes, My Lord and My God, was a such a spiritually matured statement that could not have come merely on the spur of the moment. It is definitely a relationship that Thomas shared with Jesus, a conviction he grew in and a declaration that summarised his faith experience. Thomas excels in taking the belief in Jesus to the next level, as he addresses Jesus for the first time as "God"!

May this holy apostle inspire us to yearn for more and more personal experiences with the person of Christ that we may ever grow in our identity as the children of God.