The unspent jar and the unquenchable light

Tuesday, 10th week in Ordinary Time

1 Kgs 17: 7-16; Mt 5: 13-16

In the Word Today we hear an episode so interesting and fabulous...the jar that would never be spent! That was because the widow was ready to give even the little she had, knowing well what it would cost her and her little son. She gave and she was blessed. She gave not merely from what she had, but all that she had, even the little that she had - does it ring a bell and remind you of another widow, who too gave all of the little that she had and was noticed by Jesus, in the Gospels? Yes, Jesus wanted to draw a loud parallel between the two to ensure that the disciples understood that suck kind of persons do continue to exist and continue to challenge us!

Jesus teaches us today, of another type of giving... giving not merely from what we have and not even giving all that we have, but giving what we are! He uses the imagery of light to impress this spirituality on to our hearts. We are called to be light and to share that light with the world. We are called to shine, to enlighten the lives of people, to show them the path to the Lord... to be light in all ways possible. 

Being light and sharing that light is not merely giving of what we have and being done with it - it is giving others, giving the world, giving everyone regardless of who they are, giving all of them from what we ARE. 

Our light should shine for others, not for ourselves. It should shine certainly not to showcase our own greatness and so called achievements! Let us remember - when it shines for others, it will never be quenched, just like that jar that would never be spent!

A Good Man of the Spirit

June 11, 2018: Celebrating St. Barnabas, the Apostle 

Acts 11: 21b-26, 13:1-3; Mt 5: 1-12

Barnabas exudes some excellent traits that are essential for a Christian Apostle or a Christian leader today:

1. A Good Person: To be called 'good' in the Word of God, is a great matter of fact. Only a few in fact are given that attribute...we could count them on our fingers ...like Moses, David and so on. Barnabas joins that list!

2. A Person of the Spirit: He was filled with the Spirit and that was again another great trait of an Apostle. Barnabas, along with Paul, though he was not with Christ was accepted into the ranks of the Apostles because of the passion he had for Christ and the Good News!

3. A Person of Faith: A person who had an intimate and solid relationship with God and made it his priority in life. Antioch witnessed his attachment to the person of Christ; no wonder people who followed Christ were called for the first time 'Christ-ians', there at Antioch.

4. A Person all for God: Barnabas brought Saul into the band of Apostles and when Paul became more popular and more vociferous, that did not disturb Barnabas. There is a clear sign of an ego under perfect control. That is so essential for a Christian Leader today.

5. An Obedient Servant: Barnabas 'stayed' and 'was sent'...He just followed orders, orders from the Lord, through the needs of the times! When he had to stay, he stayed! When he was asked to go, he went! For him what mattered was, what the Lord wanted.

ஜூன் 11: நல்லவர், ஆவிக்குரியவர், நம்பிக்கையில் சிறந்தவர்!

திருத்தூதர் தூய பர்னபா நினைவு

தி. ப. 11: 21b-26, 13:1-3; மத்  5: 1-12

நல்லவர், ஆவிக்குரியவர், நம்பிக்கையில் சிறந்தவர் - கிறிஸ்துவின் சீடரான ஒவ்வொருவரும் பெற்றிருக்க வேண்டிய குணங்கள் இவை. இவற்றையே பர்னபாவின் வாழ்வு நமக்கு எடுத்து கூறுகின்றது. 

1. நல்லவர்: அவர் நல்லவர் என்று இறைவார்த்தை ஒருவரை குறிப்பிடுவது மிக அரிது. வெகு சிலரே இந்த பாராட்டை பெறுகிறார்கள் - மோசே, தாவீது போன்ற பெரும் தலைவர்கள் மட்டுமே பெற்ற அந்த முகவுரையை பர்னபா பெறுவதை நாம் காண்கின்றோம். 

2. ஆவிக்குரியவர்: அவர் ஆவியால் நிரம்பியிருந்தார் என்றும், பன்னிருவருள் ஒருவராக இல்லை எனினும் அவரை அப்போஸ்தலர் என்றே குறிப்பிடுவதற்கான காரணம் இதுவே! மற்ற அப்போஸ்தலர்களை போன்றே இவரும் தூய ஆவியால் நிரப்பப்பட்டவராய் இருந்தார். 

3. நம்பிக்கையின் மாந்தர்: நம்பிக்கை என்பது இறைவனோடு நமக்கு இருக்கும் ஆழ்ந்த உறவாகும். இவருக்கு கிறிஸ்துவோடு இருந்த இணைபிரியா உறவை அந்தியோக்கிய கிறிஸ்தவர்கள் மிக நன்றாய் உணர்ந்திருந்தனர். அவர்களும் அந்த உறவால் உந்தப்பட்டு கிறிஸ்துவில் ஆழமாய் வளர்ந்துவந்தனர். இதனாலேயே அந்தியோகியாவில்தான் முதன் முதலாக இம்மக்களுக்கு கிறிஸ்து-அவர்கள் (கிறிஸ்தவர்கள்) என்ற பெயர் வழங்க பட்டது.

4. இறைவனுக்குரியவர்: சவுலை கிறிஸ்தவ குழுமத்திற்கு அறிமுகப்படுத்தி பவுலாக அடையாளம் காட்டியவரே பர்னபா தான். ஆனால் ஒரு நிலையில் பவுல் இவரை விட புகழும் அறிமுகமும் பெற்றார்... இருப்பினும் பர்னபா எந்த வகையிலும் அவரை ஒரு போட்டியாகவோ பொறாமையோடோ காணவில்லை. இன்றைய கிறிஸ்தவ தலைமைத்துவத்தில் இந்த பண்பு எத்தனை அரிதாகிவிட்டது!

5. கீழ்படிதலுள்ள பணியாளர்: பர்னபா அங்கு தங்கினார், புறப்பட்டு சென்றார்.. என்றெல்லாம் நாம் படிக்கும் போது அவர் அப்போஸ்தலர்களும், திருச்சமூகமும் தனக்கு என்ன பணி அளித்தார்களோ அதை ஒரு பணியாளனாய் கீழ்ப்படிந்து ஏற்றுக்கொள்வதிலே நிகரற்றவராய் திகழ்ந்தார் என்பதை உணர்கின்றோம். 

இத்தகைய நல்லவரும், ஆவிக்குரியவரும், நம்பிக்கையில் சிறந்த பணியாளருமான பர்னபாவுக்காக இறைவனுக்கு நன்றி கூறும் இவ்வேளையில் அவரை போன்றே இறைவனுக்குரியவர்களாய், கிறிஸ்து-அவர்களாய் மாற முயற்சிப்போம். 

THE HOME SECURE

Our True Destiny...

June 10, 2018: 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gen 3:9-15; 2 Cor 4:13 - 5:1; Mk 3: 20-35

The Word warns us against the viles of the evil one today! The Evil is at play in the world today - in all forms and at all levels - political, moral, religious, social and international. At all levels the Evil wants to gain power over this world and the humanity. In a way there are those who are giving in sometimes knowingly, many a times in a confusion and most of the times unknowingly.

The Lord invites us to run home, to the home secure, the home made by the Lord, the home that is eternal and lasts for ever, the home that protects us in mercy and forgiveness. Let us not hide from the Lord or rebel against the Lord, but in loving submission accept God's will and carry it out with warmth and cordiality of true children of God. 

There are three levels of attempt that the evil one makes: the first is to Demoralise us by compromises; secondly Demonise our identity by sowing confusions and finally to Demolish us at our core. It may sound very mysterious but reading and reflecting on the Word today, we have this explained to us in a candid manner. Hence the threefold call that the Word gives us today:

1. Refuse to be Demoralised: Demoralisation is weakening your resolve. This is what the Evil one does to begin with. A less complicated word for this is temptation. The evil one tempts you with compromises - that is things that seem to be easy substitutes to what ought to be. You are resolved not to do something - but circumstances and persons around make you change your mind to give in a little bit. "Giving in a little bit" is the starting point - that is compromise! This is what the book of Genesis presents - the compromise of 'just a bite'! And that begins everything. Compromise is the most dangerous poison that is eating into the people of God today! You cannot compromise on what is right, what is true and what is Godly! 

2. Refuse to be Demonised: Demonising someone is associating him or her closely to the evil one! They tried it with Jesus. They tried calling him  'possessed', a friend of the Beelzebul - nothing moved Jesus because he was clear about his identity. This trick of the evil one, tries to play on our self identity. Who are you? Where do you belong? Which is your home? What are you upto? Where is your destination? These are the crucial questions that define our identity. Paul answers them all: our home is the eternal home made by God and our life is a sojourn. Let us not get stuck to anything here: neither glory or failure, neither accomplishments or shortcomings - all that we need to do is keep our eyes fixed on that Eternal destiny and keep marching. You fall? Does it matter? Get up and keep walking. Don't get stuck, don't hide yourself and don't settle yourself down wherever you are. Do not be confused about your identity: you are called to be sons and daughters of God our Father and Mother; brothers and sisters of the Word Incarnate; dwelling place of the Divine Spirit that makes us more and more Godly.

3. Refuse to be Demolished: The ultimate aim of the evil one is to demolish the people of God, built by the Word. The Evil one wishes to demolish that home built by the love of God, by the love that children of God have for each other, by the wish and desire to do the will of God! The House of God is built by listening to the Word, obeying the Word and living the Word. It is a Home that is filled with love, mercy and forgiveness - which the evil one wishes to fill with hatred, envy and violence today! Let us not give in. Let us resist till the end, till the end of our lives, thus at the end we shall find ourselves welcome in our HOME SECURE.

A heart after His Heart!

A true Christian example!

9th June, 2018 - Memoria of the Immaculate Heart of Mary 

Right after the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, we celebrate the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This is so fitting and impressive, because this makes yesterday's celebration a bit more profound and purposeful. With a pun on those words, we can very conveniently say this is the feast 'after the feast of Sacred heart' and Mary's heart is very much 'after the Heart of the heart of the Lord'. 

Just yesterday we reflected about the Sacred Heart... the heart affire, burning with love for us. At times we may miss the call that we have as disciples of Christ, to form ourselves after the heart of the Master. Mary is presented today not just as the Mother but also as a disciple, who followed her Lord to the full. Let us look at her heart, so beautifully formed after the heart of the Master's Heart!

1. After the Sacrificing Heart: The heart of Jesus, which burns itself in love for us. It gives of itself and never expects anything in return! How sacrificing is my love? Mary, right from the time she was chosen by God to be part of the Salvific plan, was totally dedicated to the Divine Intention. She gave herself up totally for our salvation. That is why some theologians even refer to her as a co-redemptrix!

2. After the Seeking Heart: The Love of Christ is a love that comes in search of us for our good! It is not a love that is ego-filled, self seeking, fulfillment of one's own cravings, as imagined today. How selfless is my love? Mary's heart was the same: seeking the other for their good - be it with regard it Elisabeth, be it in Cana or be it with the apostles after the crucifiction... she was there for their sakes!

3. After the Shining Heart: The heart of Christ shines forth, it shines to invite us to follow the model and is passionate filling this world with true love. Mary too did the same - she proclaimed the glory of the Lord, majesty of God! 

Immaculate Heart of Mary, 
Guide me and Lead me, 
to understand the burning heart of your Son
that I may live the same love, 
the same Sacrificing, Seeking and Shining Love in my life. Amen

ஜூன் 8: இயேசுவின் திரு இருதய பெருவிழா

THE HEART AFFIRE

Burning with love for us!

8th June, 2018 - Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Hos 11:1,3-4,8-9; Eph 3:8-12,14-19; Jn 19: 31-37

One of the striking elements of the image of the Sacred Heart is the flame that accompanies it. That is the only thing that this naive generation has left out, from the Sacred Heart, when they adapted its symbol to indicate the love between two persons! The heart with an arrow piercing it...you have seen it for sure, haven't you!

But this flame is a special symbol of the Heart of Jesus and it has three significant messages and challenges to give us - about what we understand by true love:

1. Sacrificing: the flame establishes that the sacred heart is a sacrificing heart, not an expecting heart! The flame burns and it consumes the heart...the love that Jesus has for us consumes Jesus...the sacrifice on the Cross, the giving of Jesus' body and blood - even the last drop of blood and water, as the Gospel reminds us today. These are all clearly evidences of this quality of the heart of Jesus, which burns itself in love for us. It gives of itself and never expects anything in return! How sacrificing is my love?

2. Seeking: the flame is also characteristically something that seeks to reach out. Look at a fire as it burns will it remain in just one spot and be satisfied? No. It seeks. Jesus seeks, seeks to reach out to us, seeks to warm our hearts, seeks to enlighten our paths, seeks to ease our troubles, seeks to meet our needs as a father or a mother seeks to do to their children. Prophet Hosea presents this scene so vividly in his poem...as the Lord expressing how much the Lord seeks to care for us and how insensitive we turn. A love that seeks us for our good. A love that goes in search of the one who is loved for the good of the other! It is not a ego-filled, self seeking, fulfillment of one's own cravings. How selfless is my love?

3. Shining: the flame is radiant. It shines forth, it shines to invite us to follow the model.  St. Paul portrays this quality so well when he says in Jesus what has been hidden for centuries has come to light - the love of God can no more be hidden from humanity. It is revealed and revealed to its full. The shining flame is an open challenge - can you be like me, can you love like me, can you care for the others like me, can you be sacrificing like me, can you seek to serve others, can you be affire as I am, passionate about filling this world with true love and make it a better place, a heaven on earth, the Reign of God here and now!

Oh Sacred Heart of Jesus, burning with love for me
Inflame my heart, inflame my heart with love for thee!

Faithfulness - an ever flowing Stream!

Thursday, 9th week in Ordinary Time

7th June, 2018 - 2 Tim 2: 8-15; Mk 2: 28b -34

Even if we are unfaithful the Lord is faithful, because he cannot deny himself! God is faithfulness personified. Our faithfulness to the Lord is a response that we give to the faithfulness of the Lord. We love because, God loved us first. We are faithful because the Lord is faithful to us! In fact, our faithfulness is our readiness and our commitment to be faithful to the faithfulness of the Lord!

In fact on wedding days, ordination anniversaries or anniversaries of religious profession, I never feel comfortable sending a 'Congrats' note to people! It is not merely a moment of merit... but a moment to be grateful, grateful to the faithfulness of God. It is a sign that God has been faithful to us, in spite of all our weaknesses and unfaithfulness. I feel more comfortable wishing people all the best and celebrating the goodness of the Lord.

Our life is one long celebration of the faithfulness of God. Every time we fail, it is not that we are failing God but we are failing ourselves, we are losing the grace of the faithfulness of God - such a gratuitous and gracious gift that God keeps giving us. The sweetest of the news is that: that faithfulness of God will not be denied to us at any point of time. Even at the last moment of his life, the thief who was crucified beside Jesus was able to inherit paradise!

As the responsorial psalm affirms, the faithfulness of God is a never drying stream and an ever flowing river - all that we need to do is make ourselves capable to drink of it!

Fanning into a Flame the Gift of God

Wednesday, 9th week in Ordinary Time

6th June, 2018 - 2 Tim 1: 1-3,6-12; Mk 12: 18-27

A beautiful expression that Paul uses today, which explains the truth of Christian faith: fanning into a flame the gift of God. Just imagine the embers, which look all out and gone, but when you fan it, there comes a flurry of ashes and then a small little spark that flickers from beneath, and in no time blazes into a devouring fire! That is faith. That is Christ, that is the Risen Lord. 

This is an imagery of Hope, an imagery that Resurrection has left in the heart of every disciple of the Risen Lord. Everything seemed dead; the apostles and disciples and the pious women along with Mary, were still and quiet - when the flame was fanned into a blaze - the Lord arose and everything changed!

In our life too, when there are sorrows and failures, troubles and downfalls, and every things seems down and out, remember there is a fire that is lurking beneath - the fire of power, love and self control and that fire shall be fanned in time, into a flame by faith with which we endure!

Those who think of nothing but failure and finding fault, judging and criticising, discouraging and demotivating are people who neither know God nor understand the Word. If we truly understand the Word and know God, we would rise above all petty considerations, childish bickerings, worthless competitions, lifeless relationships! 

We are called constantly to be aware of the God of the living, the God of life, the God of marvelous gifts and keep fanning into a flame that gift of God, the gift of the Spirit: Our Faith!

ஜூன் 6: தூண்டி எழுப்பிட ...

எழுப்புதல் என்பதன் உண்மை பொருள் என்ன?

2 திமோ 1: 1-3,6-12; மாற் 12: 18-27

இது எழுப்புதல் கூட்டங்களின் காலமாகிவிட்டது. எங்கு பார்த்தாலும் எழுப்புதல் கூட்டங்கள், எழுப்புதல் செபங்கள் என்ற பெயரில் கரகோஷங்களும், கூச்சல்களும், சில வேளைகளில் காலக்கொடுமையான கூத்துக்களும் நடந்து கொண்டிருக்கின்றன... இந்த பின்னணியில் இன்றைய இறைவார்த்தையில் பவுலடிகளார் நம்மை உண்மை எழுப்புதலை குறித்து சிந்திக்க தூண்டுகிறார். அவர் பயன்படுத்தும் அழகான உவமையை பாருங்கள்... நான் உன் மீது கைகளை வைத்து செபித்தபோது இறைவன் உனக்குள் தந்த கொடைகளை "தூண்டி எழுப்பிட" உன்னை அழைக்கிறேன், என்று தீமோத்தேயுவிடம் கூறுகிறார். 

நாம் மனதில் கொள்ள வேண்டிய உவமை - எரிந்து முடிந்தாற்போல் இருக்கும் கங்குகளை பாருங்கள்... அனைத்தும் முடிந்துவிட்டது என்று சிந்திக்க தோன்றும் நிலை. ஆனால் அதை நாம் ஊதி தூண்டும் போது பறந்து பரவும் சாம்பலுக்கு அடியிலே சிறியதாய் இன்னும் கண்சிமிட்டிகொண்டிருக்கும் அந்த நெருப்பு பக்கென்று பற்றி எறியும் அந்த நேரம் வரும்! அது தான் எதிர்நோக்கு! அதை தூண்டி எழுப்புவது நமது நம்பிக்கை... மாறாத மறையாத நம்பிக்கை. 

கிறிஸ்து இறந்த போது அனைத்தும் முடிந்துவிட்டதாய் தான் தோன்றியது. சீடர்களும், அப்போஸ்தலர்களும், பெண்டீரும் மரியன்னையும், இன்னும் அமைதியாய் தவித்திருந்தபோது... தூண்டிவிடப்பட்ட நெருப்பாய் கனன்றெழுந்த உயிர்த்த கிறிஸ்துவின் எதிர்நோக்கு இதுவே! 

நம் வாழ்விலும், துன்பங்களும், தோல்விகளும், தொய்வுகளும், திணறல்களும், அடுத்தடுத்து வந்தாலும், நம் உள்ளத்திலே இறைவனின் கொடை இன்னும் அணையா கங்குகளாய் இருப்பதை நாம் உணர்வோம்! ஆற்றலின் ஆவி, அன்பின் ஆவி, தன்னடக்கத்தின் ஆவி, வாழ்வோரின் இறைவன் நமக்கு தந்துள்ள கொடைகளை நாம் உணராவிட்டால் இறைவனை அறியாதவர்களாய், இறைவார்த்தை புரியாதவர்களாய், குறைகூறுவதிலும், புலம்புவதிலும், தேவையற்ற சிந்தனைகளிலும், அன்பற்ற உறவுகளிலும் நமது வாழ்வை வீணடித்துவிடுவோம்! 

இறைவனின் கொடைகளை உணர்வோம், நம் உள்ளத்தில் அவற்றை தூண்டி எழுப்புவோம்... நமது நம்பிக்கை நமக்கு எதிர்நோக்கு தரும்!