WORD 2day : 17th July, 2015

Mercy: the image of God

Friday,  15th week in Ordinary Time
Exo 11:10 - 12:14; Mt 12: 1-8

How do you look at the teacher who gets upset with all the e students who failed in a class test and as a reparation announces a special class after school hours for three days... it is not only the students but the teacher too, or especially the teacher who has to undergo the ordeal of that punishment. That teacher is a genuine type of a teacher who doesn't hesitate to give of oneself for the sake of the students.

What kind of an imagery do we get of the All merciful Father and Mother who instructs the people to mark out themselves with the blood and gives them God's own son's blood as the blood of redemption! It can be no other image than that of Mercy. When we are merciful we carry the image of God within us. When we lack mercy,  however sacrificing we are or however successful we are in anything,  we do not carry or project the true image of God!

WORD 2day : 16th July, 2015

Come and Go

Thursday, 15th week in Ordinary Time
Exo 3: 13-20; Mt 11: 28-30

The Word that dominates the first reading today is 'Go'... Yahweh sends Moses to the Pharaoh.  The term that stands out in the short but sweet Gospel of today is,  'Come'... the Lord invites the burdened to rest. Come and Go...may look like two opposite words but the reason given for both the movements is the same. Because I am with you, says the Lord.

Coming and going...refer to the do docility of the chosen, the willingness and readiness with which a messenger of the Lord vows to act. Every day and in ways mysterious and means ordinary the Lord keeps sending us these instructions: come,  go,  speak,  share,  remain,  endure and so on... are we prepared to listen and eager to act upon it?

WORD 2day :15th July, 2015

Who am I...

Wednesday.  15th week in Ordinary Time 

Exo 3: 1-6,9-12; Mt 11: 25-26

What do people think of me? How do I come across to people? What kind of an image do I give of myself to others? Will this make or mar the opinion others have about me? ...these are some popular considerations we have before we decide to do something! At times this consideration of human respect keeps me back from being who I am! The Lord declares in various ways today that it does not  matter so much who I am as to who is with me, who is for me!

Who I am that I should go to Pharaoh? - I will be with you, says the Lord! What makes the difference is that the Lord is with Moses. Who we are is important, but more important is who is with us! We may be merely children, but if God is with us, we can be worth all the wisest and powerful put together. Do not say you are merely a child, the Lord told Jeremiah. The Lord promises to be with us, what else do we need! If God is with us, what do we lack! If God is for us who can be against us! 

WORD 2day: 14th July, 2015

The Drama of Divine Design

Tuesday, 15th week in Ordinary Time

Exo 2: 1-15a; Mt 11: 20-24

'All the world's a stage...' said that genius of a poet Shakespeare. Though at times this thinking might lead to a tinge of pessimism and determinism, the fact is we find ourselves in the midst of a series of connected events. However, it is not that we are thrown there to fend for ourselves or find our own way out, we are sent with a purpose and disposition well imprinted in the core of our beings. True spirituality would be to find out at a given time and space, what God expects of me and without any selfish calculations carrying out that commission given to me! It is knowing, understanding and playing my part to the full within the drama of the Divine Design! 

The first reading presents to us how God raised a prophet for himself amidst all odds and how Moses had it in him to protect his people because the Divine design was active in and around him. But God teaches Moses that it is not by his own might that Moses is to accomplish great things, but it is by playing an instrument in the mighty hands of God that he would make the spectacle happen. And Moses gradually knows, understands and plays his part to the full.

At times we can miss out on ever realising the plan that God has for each of us. That is a sad probability; worse still is resisting any such plan merely to have my own! That is a woe that we would bring on ourselves. Our life, its meaning and its purpose will all be at risk in that case. That is what Jesus warns us of, in the Gospel today. If only you knew, understood and played your part wholeheartedly within God's design!

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!