Cold or hot, closed or open?

Tuesday, 33rd week in Ordinary Time

November, 20, 2018: Revelation 3: 1-6,14-20; Luke 19:1-10

Choices and compromises make a great difference in Christian living;  what matters is not so much what we do as what we intend to. Our heart and our intentions matter much more than acts and results.  This is both an advantage and a disadvantage for the human heart.  

Advantage for those who are sincere with their efforts to remain true and dedicated to the Lord,  inspite of their shortfalls.  Disadvantage for those who create an aura around themselves as if  they are spiritual giants while there rest skeletons inside the cupboard conveniently covered off, but the Lord knows all and sees all.

Our innermost disposition is what truly decides who we really are! It is from these innermost dispositions that we make our choices. You cannot remain both dead and alive at the same time; hot and cold at the same time; or belonging and not belonging to the Lord at the same time! You have to make a choice and choices are all! 

Like Zacchaeus who not only changed from his old ways but made up even for the mistakes, for his wrong doings and every thing that made others' lives less happy, we are called everyday to make some drastic choices. The choice is ours - to keep to our hidden ways or to open up and let Jesus in! And once he comes, things cannot remain the same!

Let your choices be translated into acts of commitment. Acts of grandeur lacking true internal choices cannot bear the true lasting fruits that we long for. Choices matter: are you cold or hot,  your hearts closed or open?

Good but not good enough- See that?

Monday, 33rd week in Ordinary Time

November 19, 2018: Revelations 1:1-4, 2:1-5; Luke 18: 35-43

The Lord loves us whether or not we deserve it.  But the Lord is not merely mercy but justice too!  Beginning today we listen to the Lord of justice as we begin the week running up to the feast of Christ the King.

Today the Word presents to us a Lord who is demanding and perfect... who feels all God's children are good but some are not good enough! The question to me is, to which category I belong? I should be able to see and to understand if I am good enough or not!  

When we begin something new, we always do it with so much of good will and an abundance of spirit ... just imagine the day of your first communion, for some confirmation, for some others the day of their religious consecration or for others the day of their wedding! But in a short while the energy drains, the spirit goes faint and a mere good will becomes drastically insufficient. The reason: we are not attentive enough to note the initial changes that happen. We remain so insensitive to what is happening within us that we are caught unawares at a much crucial time. That is why the prayer today: "Lord grant that we may see again!" (Cf. Lk 18:41).

Staying in touch with the Lord keeps us in touch with ourselves, to constantly check our pride, insensitivities, arrogance, unforgiving attitude, judgmental tendencies, loose talks and compromises against true love: these are the blindnesses that set in gradually but drastically! We become so blind that we do not even realise what sad levels we reach. And it is the Lord, who alone can restore the original spirit within us by enabling us to see... empowering us to realise and restart... making us "see again!" 

We are reaching the end of this liturgical year... and it is time now that each of us make it our prayer: Lord, that I may see again... that is a special seeing, a seeing from God's point of view, a seeing with the scale of the just God, seeing with all my brothers and sisters in perspective,  seeing from the perspective of God, the fullness of all goodness! 

BLESSED

The Cry, the Answer and to Free!

2nd World day of the Poor: November 18, 2018
33rd Sunday in Ordinary time - Daniel 12: 1-3; Hebrew 10: 11-14,18; Mark 13: 24-32

The poor one cried and the Lord answered (Ps 34:6) - this is the verse the Holy Father gives us to reflect on, this 2nd World day of the Poor. We know the history of this day - how two years ago concluding the year of Mercy in 2016 Pope Francis instituted the 33rd Sunday, that is the Sunday prior to the Christ the King Sunday, as dedicated to the poor, as a compassionate solidarity and a prophetic challenge on the part of the universal people of God. Writing to orient us on this day, this year, the holy father has chosen the words of the Psalmist from Psalm 34 and gives us these three terms to fix our attention on: the cry, the answer and to free!

The Poor - is a dense term to understand. They are called the 'anawim' of Yahweh... the helpless who cry out to God. The hungry, the starving, the oppressed, the downtrodden, the voiceless, the deprived, the exploited, the unemployed, the despised, the suffering, the lonely, the homeless, the hopeless, the marginalised, the excluded, the detested... the list goes on. The poor are the apple of the eye of the Lord!

The Cry of the poor: 
Blessed are the poor, the Gospels proclaim. The reason is, because their cry finds the shortest route to the Lord's ears, for God is there right amidst them! The cry of the afflicted is a judgement pronounced on the world and the world today is so oblivious of it. When the blood of Abel cried out to the Lord, when the cry of the oppressed people in Egypt reached the ears of the Lord, the Lord came down with force on those who were the oppressors! Today the cry of the poor is rising everywhere and the world is incurring a judgement upon itself! Woe to us, if we do not hear that cry. Hearing that cry means, seeing their plight, feeling their pain and suffering their lot. It is in silence that we can listen...they are crying but the world is justifying itself in such loud noise that it refuses to hear the cry. Do not judge! Do not criticise! Do not moralise! Just remain silent, then you shall hear the cry... the groan, the mourn, the sound of the dry tears! Like the Eternal high priest who identifies with us, we are called to identify with everyone who is in pain or suffering today.

The Answer of the Lord:
The Lord answers the cry of the poor, as the Psalmist affirms because, the Lord suffers with the poor and knows their pain. We cannot be like those who stood beneath the cross when Jesus cried out to his Father and said, 'wait lets see if someone will come to help him'! We are called to be the Answer of the Lord - the Lord intends to answer through anyone around the one who cries out! Very listening is an answer, telling the person you are not alone. Understanding is an answer, making the person feel accepted. Solidarity is an answer, strengthening the hope of the person that things are bound to change for the better. Our loving attentiveness to the cries of the poor, is the primary answer from where a new world begins, where humanity is restored, where the Reign of God blossoms. Can we be so insensitive as to throw millions of millions procuring arms and ammunition while millions die of starvation, dump thousands of crores on lifeless statues while thousands die of malnutrition... even spending disproportionate billions building a Church,  lakhs on a flag mast or a grotto today, would come under the same insanity! Is this the answer that the Lord intends today? The hour is near, dear friends. Let us not be asleep; let us awaken and act in the name of the Lord.

To Free the Poor:
The psalmist continues to say that the Lord heard the poor and 'freed' them! Yes, poverty is not just a case; poverty is caused! It is caused by selfishness, pride, greed, injustice, insensitivity, indifference and heartlessness. The poor continuously cry out and we are called to free them from the oppression - if we do not feel that call, we are part of the oppressors! Much before we think of freeing the oppressed, the poor and the suffering from their troubles and struggles, we need to first decide to free them from the judgments we pass on them in our hearts, the insensitive branding that the world imposes on them, the inhuman stance that today's development takes against them. The helpless are powerful, because they have the Lord on their side. Those who are against them have the Lord against them and let us beware! The war is already waging, the first reading tells us today, it is high time we choose, on whose side we are! 

The Poor... Blessed are we if we are poor... Woe to me, if there are poor because of me! I am close to the Lord if I hear the cry of the poor; I belong to the Lord if I answer those cries; and I belong to the Reign when I resolve to set them free! 

For the poor one cried and the Lord heard and set the person free!

Goodness to strangers - How Strange!

Saturday, 32nd week in Ordinary Time

November 17, 2018: 3 John 5-8; Luke 18: 1-8

The first reading today speaks of Godliness, as being good to strangers. Doesn't that sound strange in today's context. People find being good to the known, already a little too tedious. But among the people of God in the Old Testament, taking care of strangers, widows and the orphans was a special commission given to them by God. And that was an experiential learning on the part of the people who were themselves strangers, orphans and sojourners.

Unfortunately the population of the kind that Jesus speaks of in the Gospel - those who do neither fear God nor respect people - is on the rise and with no qualms of conscience. Religious or Irreligious, educated or uneducated, male or female ...nothing serves an exception to this condition. The generation is becoming more and more insensitive. 

Killing for a pittance, killing for honour, killing for payment, killing for religion, killing for profits, killing for property, killing for convenience, killing even in the name of God... what is humanity going towards? With all these, speaking of being good to strangers - how strange! 

The term stranger or foreigner was indicative of every one in need, people in insecure circumstances. Today we have every category you can ever think of within this definition of the people in need. The exploited, the immigrants, the refugees, the unemployed and the homeless: today we have a responsibility towards this part of humanity. Pope Francis leads us by example in this expression of true Christian love! But including him, all those who think in this manner are considered abnormal, unacceptable and strange... better be ready to be considered strange - that's being truly Christian!

Love, and do what you wish!

Friday, 32nd week in Ordinary Time

November 16, 2018: 2 John 4-9; Luke 17: 26-37

Looking at the bizarre developments in the world, the political situations across the globe, the turmoils that are created and sustained, the controversies that are cooked up and blown out of proportions, enmity that is cultivated and hatred that is stabilised, one cannot but think of the proximity of the end of times! It is natural that these days, people are constantly looking out for such things - the armageddon, the end of the world, the third world war, the second coming etc. At times they query as to what would be the best way to prepare themselves towards these phenomena. The answer is so simple... go on living your Christian life to the full. And how do you live the Christian life to the full: Love!

Love! That is no new teaching. It is the summary of all teachings of Christ. There is almost nothing you can do when the end comes, whenever it comes! There is nothing special that you are expected to do too, that is why the time is not announced earlier. 

Live your daily life in love and peace, encounter people, share your joys, reduce misunderstandings, increase genuine relationships, laugh with those who laugh and weep with those who weep, forgive and accept, in short, just LOVE! 

Take time to simplify things  and do not insist on complicating them in the name of anything like traditions, protocol and customs. Be transparent in your dealings and do not unduly try to please someone for its own sake! Be good, be loving and be truthful; be caring, be selfless and be childlike, in short, just LOVE!

St. Augustine's words are a very pertinent lesson: love, and do what you wish! Because true love is to wish the good of the other! Once you wish the good of the other, all that you need to do is go on and live... Love and keep living!

The Reign of Brothers and Sisters

Thursday, 32nd week in Ordinary Time

November 15, 2018: 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. Even if it is a servant or a so-called slave, look at the person, accept the inherent dignity of the person and give them their due without grudging. Let go of divisive mentalities and competitive spirits, look at everyone as a co-pilgrim on this journey called life.

There are moments when one gives and others, when one receives. One is not better than the other; both are part of the same process. No giver is always a giver; one shall find oneself at the receiving end at some point of time, provided he or she is ready to see!

The Reign of God is here, begin to feel it, work to make it present and spread it in spirit through everything you are involved in.

Taking God for granted!?!

Wednesday, 32nd week in Ordinary time

November 14, 2018: Titus 3:1-7; Luke 17:11-19

I remember once listening to one of our beloved elderly Salesians, a Centenarian (incidentally he turned 101 three days ago). Speaking on the eve of his 97th  birthday, he told us, "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!" As he went on, I felt so guilty for the number of things I have been taking for granted on a daily basis! 

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. 

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 us. If the latter does not happen, the former will only be an external show, an hypocrisy. Let us 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 His hands and legs in reaching out to the needy. However, it is easy and pleasant to proclaim that the Lord is my shepherd (as we do in the responsorial today), but to recognise it truly in concrete terms and submit to the shepherding of the Lord, it is not an easy task. Let us resolve never to take God for granted, or each other for granted!

My real worth: where do I get it from?

Tuesday, 32nd week in Ordinary time

November 13, 2018: Titus 2:1-8, 11-14; Luke 17: 7-10

Today there is so much spoken of self mastery, self actualisation and self worth! Where does one's real worth come from? From merely your age or the social status that is offered to you or from the great successes that you parade to the world? From what you possess as wealth and pass on as inheritance? From what others speak of you and what you project to others about yourself? As a person, your true worth comes from within you, instructs the Word today. 

Self worth comes from within, meaning, each of us understands what one is called to, what one's commission is and lives it in his or her daily life, without making a mess out of it. One thing is, not to understand what we are called to, which is already bad enough. But it is altogether another thing that we do not want to know or understand it, just to have our own way. That is a dangerous proposition, very harmful for oneself and for others!

At times we do a little that we do, and go about trumpeting it all around. Worse still some times we do not do anything much but go around building it up as if we have moved mountains. And the worst of all is doing everything that we do, merely to be noticed and praised and given the social recognition that I am an important person in the vicinity. 

Christian life is all about living the essential goodness that we have within us, thanks to the very fact that we are children of God and never expecting to be lauded for what we do, because what we do is what we have to do! Jesus puts it so plainly in today's Gospel: we are merely humble servants; we do just what we ought to (cf. Lk 17:10). 

Leading, Leading astray and Leading together

Monday,  32nd week in Ordinary Time

November 12, 2018: Titus 1:1-9; Luke 17:4-11

The Word speaks of three aspects of leadership in a community...

First is leading,  leading after the heart of God,  being inspired by the Holy Spirit and guided by teachings of the Lord. When a person involves in such a mission, leading one's brothers and sisters in the Spirit, there will be loads of opposition but the person will find oneself so fearless! That is the amazing sign... oppositions, plotting against, fault finding, false accusations - nothing will ever shake the person, because the person is in the hands of the Lord.

Second is leading astray,  where the evil one is active at play.  That has been the quality of the evil one,  right from the beginning of humanity. Temptor, as the evil one is identified, uses people under influence to draw others to evil and against good. But there will be no signs of evil around, everything will seem so practical, pragmatic and acceptable but the evil resides somewhere in the corner, leading us astray.

The third is leading the community together to unity,  harmony and loving understanding.  One of the most important tool in this regard would be forgiveness.  No community or family can be built without daily and unfailing forgiveness. At times we get so caught up with doing right and standing for the right that we forget that forgiving and marching ahead is much more important, without which we shall be sitting in judgement on each other already here!

Everything seems complicated and so difficult. But when there is faith, that is when there is the assurance that we are walking with the Lord, we shall sail through. All that we need to do is pray as the Gospel teaches us today: Lord, increase our faith!

WHAT TYPE IS YOUR GIVING?

To gain, to get or... ?

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time: 11th November, 2018

1 Kings 17: 10-16; Hebrews 9: 24-28; Mark 12: 38-44

The widow at the gates of Sidon, the widow in the Temple of Jerusalem and God who gave God's only son as a sacrifice are given to us as models of giving, in today's Word. Giving is one act that can be done out of many a kind of motivation. Not all giving are of the same kind or type or degree! Analysing the models presented to us, we are called to reflect on our type of giving... reflect along and find out at the depth of your heart, what type is your giving!

Giving to Gain: 
There is a lot of giving that is going on today. There are people or agencies or corporates who give even tons of money, but they are particular about what they stand to gain. They calculate the gain and then proceed to give: it could be a tax exemption, or a favour in return, or an end to achieve, or a popularity to earn! But apparently it is seen to be an act of generosity, an act of great magnanimity! But the hook is attached to the indirect returns - that's a gain.

However big and enormous this giving is, it would not be truly giving; it is in the final analysis, a getting, a begging, a receiving, a business, a gain! At times when we give, however small it is,  from our time or energy or effort, if we are particular about our calculations of gain, our plots of selfishness, then our giving has no value in itself, its value is merely what we have gained. 

Giving to Get: 
This is the safest form of giving, where one is sure what one gives is not merely thrown in the air but it will return. I do a favour to someone expecting a favour in return; I be nice to someone expecting the person to be nice to me in return; I claim to love someone with the expectation that i will be loved in return! This is so direct - giving, inorder to get! 

Though it is not about gain or profit or expecting a glorious image of oneself, this is a plain give and take, a barter mentality. There is no giving actually involved in here! It is an investment technique and when the plan fails people cry, shout, curse, claim, fight, sue, and make all noises possible! Forget giving, this is simply investing.

Giving to Give: 
This is truly divine, truly Christ-ian! I give, because I find fulfillment in giving. I don't stand any chance of getting it back or I don't think anyone else will ever know, but I give, I give whole heartedly, of my time, my effort, my energy, my concern, my resources, because it is in giving that I find the true meaning of my life. During the last week Jesus instructed us, when you invite people to feasts, invite the poor, the maimed, those on the streets...reason, simple: they cannot invite you in return!

God gave God's only Son because God loved the world to that extent; it was an expression of God's love, not an expectation of the same in return! Jesus gave his life, his body and his blood, and what did he expect in return? This is true GIVING... giving after God's heart, giving after Christ's mind.

Just become aware of some of the phrases we hear (or sometimes say):

     I am doing all this for him or for her or for them, what am I going to get in return? 

     Oh, I did all these to you, and is this how you respond?

     Is it safe to give this, or do this, for this particular person, will it come back?

     I did this, with so much of effort and money, and they don't even thank me in public!

These kinds of statements are candid indicatives of 'giving' that is not after the heart of our beloved Lord and Saviour. Because with the Lord we are called to give without measure. Freely freely you have received, freely freely give! Here the giving is not to gain, not to get it back; it is just to give, and nothing more!