Beware of people with you!

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

January 24, 2020: Remembering St. Francis de Sales 

1 Samuel 24: 3-21; Mark 3: 13-19

Saul had his men with him,  David had his own men with him and Jesus gets his own men ready today! Each of us has a group of people who surround us. A backup group that suggests,  supports and sustains us in the life journey. But it is important that we beware of the group! It can make or mar us... depending on the level of importance given to them. 

The group with Saul assisted him in his pursuit of irrational vengeance. Whether they were convinced of it or not, we do not know. But they were intent on approving of whatever Saul was doing! A great affection given but no real love, as love will never rejoice in evil.

The group with David instigated murder of the reigning king. Luckily David had some sense reigning his mind, if not he could have easily been misled and he would not be known today as what he is. The group was ready to be taught by David's example, and not pressurise him - very rare to find such a group, unless we ourselves are extremely strong on our values. 

Though Jesus picked and chose the group with him, there was a traitor right amidst them. Not that Jesus did not expect it - he knew how weak and unprepared they were. But he accepted them as they were. Here is a group so human but it grew to be powerful because of the influence of their Leader! What would you want to be: dragged by the people who surround you or form a truly edifying community as persons together?

St. Francis de Sales, whom we remember today was a loving and kind saintly Bishop who led scores of people to God, founded congregations and inspired many others to found too! He comes across as a person who followed Christ and led everyone to follow Christ - a great example of how we need to relate with the people around us!

Pay heed to the Word today: Fill your atmosphere with God fearing persons and your life will be doubly blessed. Allow God above all to guide you, not those who wish their own gains and glory. Beware of those around you who create an opinion within you. Seeking guidance and support is great, but beware from whom!

UNUSUAL KINDNESS - UNITY OCTAVE DAY 6

Thursday - January 23, 2020

CALL: HOSPITALITY

The WORD says...

Acts 28: 1-2,7.

“After we had reached safety, we then learned that the island was called Malta. The natives showed us unusual kindness. Since it had begun to rain and was cold, they kindled a fire and welcomed all of us round it …
Now in the neighbourhood of that place were lands belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days"

Let us PRAY...

God of the orphan, the widow and The stranger, 

instill in our hearts a deep sense of hospitality.

when You ask us to feed You, 

to clothe You and to visit You 

those with ears to hear, listen, 

those with eyes to see, look.

May our churches participate 

in the ending of hunger, thirst and isolation

and in overcoming barriers that prevent the welcoming of all people.

We ask this in the name of Your Son, Jesus,

who is present in the least of our sisters and brothers. Amen.

Let us REFLECT...

·     Think  of  a time you  experienced hospitality in a meaningful way.

·      Think about a time when you had to be hospitable that was difficult. In what ways has that changed how you welcome people? Where do you need to go the extra mile?

·      Where have you recognised unusual kindness in your community?

What to DO...

Global: 
Get to know about various agencies responding to poverty and injustice across the world.

Local: 
How do we as churches begin or go deeper into a meaningful conversation with the voices we find difficult in society? What can we learn from these voices? Discuss with someone.  

Personal: 
How might you show unusual kindness to someone in your community today?.

[courtesy: www.ctbi.org.uk/weekofprayer]

Demons don't dare compare!

WORD 2day: Thursday, 2nd week in Ordinary time

January 23, 2020: 1 Samuel 18:6-9,19:1-7; Mark 3: 7-12

As Jesus chases the demons away from the persons possessed with them, the demons acknowledge the Son of God and give him the rightful place. Not even the demons dared compare themselves with the Son of God. They knew, any comparison would only make them more frustrated than they were. 

It is one thing that they did not want to compare with the Christ, the Chosen one of God. But today we find persons so blatantly calling themselves the saviours of human kind, the direct incarnations of Godhead and so on! Let us beware of these caricatures! But there is another point more fundamental here - the demons did not dare compare themselves because they knew there were no point in it. 

Saul failed to learn this lesson and that spelt his doom. He compared himself with David and forgot the good that he himself was able to do with the help of God. In the mind to compare, all that he could think of was that David was overtaking him...he failed to understand he was still the king, though he did not deserve it. We miss out so many gifts we possess, so many of them so undeserved, when we give into the temptation of comparison.

In our daily relationships there is a huge damage done by our tendency to compare. Comparison is a poison and it will surely kill you someday. And remember, even demons do not dare compare!

UNUSUAL KINDNESS - UNITY OCTAVE DAY 5

Wednesday - January 22, 2020

CALL: KEEP YOUR STRENGTH UP

The WORD says...

Acts 27: 33-36.

“Just before daybreak, Paul urged all of them to take some food, saying, ‘Today is the fourteenth day that you have been in suspense and remaining without food, having eaten nothing. Therefore I urge you to take some food, for it will help you survive; for none of you will lose a hair from your heads.’ After he had said this, he took bread; and giving thanks to God in the presence of all, he broke it and began to eat. Then all of them were encouraged and took food for themselves.”

Let us PRAY...

Loving God, 
Your Son Jesus Christ broke bread 
and shared the cup with His friends. 

May we grow in closer communion 
when we share our pain and suffering.

Encouraged by St Paul and the early Christians 
give us strength to build bridges of compassion, solidarity and harmony. 

In the power of the Holy Spirit, 
we ask this in the name of Your Son, 
who gives His life that we might live. Amen.

Let us REFLECT...

    ·     Have you had experiences of promises of Scripture haven’t delivered as you’d expected?

·      When have you most felt the pain over disunity in the body of Christ?

·      How might sharing the body of Christ be a source of healing and unity between Christians?

What to DO...

Global: 
Work for the day when good healthcare is available for all.

Local: 
Try holding a ‘bring and share’ meal together with the churches in your area where you have a conversation about what Eucharist/Communion/Lord’s Supper means to each church.  

Personal: 
Visit, send a card or call someone who is currently unwell that you know.

[courtesy: www.ctbi.org.uk/weekofprayer]

A mere pebble will do!

WORD 2day: Wednesday, 2nd week in Ordinary time 

January 22, 2020: 1 Samuel 17:32-33,37,40-51;  Mark 3:1-6

A mere pebble was enough for the young David to bring down the mighty Goliath. Notwithstanding the fact that the philistines were of giant stature, and that Goliath was the most valourous  of them all, and above all, that David was from an ignoble family and the least and the weakest of the brothers in there - he was destined to bring down the might of the giants!

The whole sanhedrin and the entire ruling class plotted against Jesus but no one could do anything till the appointed time, though Jesus had no spear or javelin, or an army to defend himself. He was a homeless vagabond and those who were with him were mere emotional commoners, in the eyes of the world. But none could lay their hands on Jesus!

No one can stop us from the good we do if that good is ordained according to the holy will of God. If it were for my own gain or glory, I cannot blame God if it brings strife and suffering alone. What matters therefore is, however small, the nature of my motivation, that subtle thought in my mind, that objective with which I decide on doing something or avoiding something!

It is like a castle constructed with cards... a small reason is enough to topple the entire edifice very carefully raised. What is most important is not what I have in hand, but in whose hand I am! When I have my selfish mileage to make and manipulate persons and situations placing my trust in my might then I should realise I am far far away from the Lord. Instead, when all that I have in mind is that God's will be done  - just a mere pebble will do, I can bring giants down!

UNUSUAL KINDNESS - UNITY OCTAVE DAY 4

Tuesday - January 21, 2020

CALL: TRUST, DO NOT BE AFRAID, BELIEVE

The WORD says...

Acts 27: 22, 34

“For last night there stood by me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before the emperor; and indeed, God has granted safety to all those who are sailing with you.’ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. But we will have to run aground on some island.”

Let us PRAY...

Almighty God, 

our personal suffering leads us to cry out in pain 

and we shrink in fear when we experience sickness, anxiety or the death of loved ones. 

Teach us to trust You. 

May the churches we belong to be signs of Your providential care. 

Make us true disciples of Your Son who taught us to listen to Your word 

and to serve one another. 

In confidence we ask this in the name of Your Son, 

and in the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Amen.

Let us REFLECT...

·      What are the images of God that sustain you through times of questioning?

·      Where are the places and who are the people who give you hope for the future?

What to DO...

Global: 
Be inspired by those who show much resilience in the face of the storm..

Local: 
Set up a local group from your churches and community 

who commit to a deeper listening to one another  

Personal: 
Spend time with the people or in the place that give you most hope.

[courtesy: www.ctbi.org.uk/weekofprayer]

The Blue-eyed of God

WORD 2day: Tuesday, 2nd week in Ordinary time

January 21, 2020: 1 Samuel 16:1-13; Mark 2: 23-28

David is chosen over and above the rest of his brothers... all of them stronger and fitter. David proved so worthy of the choice. He loved God so much that God saw in him someone lovable. David could do anything because he knew he had won the special favour of God. 

Not that David was without fault; he was a very weak human being, very impetuous, and given into his sentiments. But that really did not matter in contrast to the strong and clear identity that he had: the chosen one of God! That identity determined the way he thought, spoke and acted in the role that God had given him. 

Jesus, in the Gospel, seems to refer to that fact, the fact that David was the blue-eyed boy of God. He could do things that no one else would dare do! He could throw some rules in the air and get going, because he knew God was with him and that he whole heartedly loved God. 

The message from Jesus today is that we too can grow to be blue-eyed children of God,  if we love God with all our heart, trust God with all our soul and surrender to God all our life.

UNUSUAL KINDNESS - UNITY OCTAVE DAY 3

Monday - January 20, 2020

CALL: KEEP UP YOUR COURAGE

The WORD says...

Acts 27: 22, 34

“I urge you now to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship… none of you will lose a hair from your heads…”

Let us PRAY...

God of mercy,

lost and disheartened, we turn to You.

Instil in us Your hope and courage.

May our churches strive for the unity

for which Your Son prayed on the eve of His passion.

We ask this through Him who lives and reigns 

with You and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever.

Amen.

Let us REFLECT...

·  What are the practices that you can use to keep up your courage? 

· What are your hopes and fears for the churches in your area?

· How might you keep up your courage together to chart a course into the future?

What to DO...

Global: 

Read and respond to the stories of perilous journeys by sea, or across boundaries.

Local: 

Provide welcome and hospitality for immigrants and refugees  

Personal: 

Reflecting on your own journey, how might you assist others on journeying today?.

[courtesy: www.ctbi.org.uk/weekofprayer]

Compromise Kills

WORD 2day: Monday, 2nd week in Ordinary time

January 20, 2020: 1 Samuel 15:16-23; Mark 2: 18-22

Saul defends himself, 'did I not do what the Lord wanted me to? ' Yes, he did. But not the way the Lord wanted. He tried compromising with what the people wanted along with what God wanted. He did not do what God wanted, he did also what God wanted! That is not enough, that was compromise!  

Jesus warns us: compromise kills... don't compromise with the old ways and the new, with what God wants and what the world wants! No one can serve two masters, he would say elsewhere. You cannot have the cake and eat it. Do not lose everything trying to protect what you need not, or should not. Looking to hold on to both the new wine and old skin, you would lose them all!

A very practical and life-oriented message from the Word, as always. What one builds through small tough steps towards perfection can be pulled down in one simple compromise. Compromise might look like it eases a situation, at the moment; but beware, it slowly and steadily kills! 

Be categorical in your choices. Be clear in your priorities. Be unassailable in your values... and remember, compromise kills! 

UNUSUAL KINDNESS - UNITY OCTAVE DAY 2

Sunday - January 19, 2020

CALL: SEEK AND SHOW CHRIST

The WORD says...

Acts 27: 20

“When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.”

Let us PRAY...

Father, Your precious word illumines our steps 
and without You we remain lost and disorientated. 

Holy Spirit, teach us through Your word and each other 
to travel our Father’s path together, walking gently on Creation. 

May each gathering of Your people in churches everywhere 
crave Your guiding, consoling and transforming presence. 

Give us the honesty we need 
to recognise when we lose or obscure Your light for others. 

Give us grace to hold onto You, 
ready and able to share Your light. 

We ask this in the name of Your Son Jesus, 
who calls us His followers, to be light to the world. Amen

Let us REFLECT...

·         In what circumstances do I lose sight of God?

·      We prayed that we might walk gently on Creation. What is my responsibility confronted by the storm of climate change?

·      What responsibility do we have as a community to address climate change?

What to DO...

Global: 

Take action by adding your voice to the call to address the climate emergency.

Local: 

Are your churches involved in the eco-church/ eco-congregations award? 

Personal: 

Individual actions on reducing carbon are not enough to make the difference but together they add up.

[courtesy: www.ctbi.org.uk/weekofprayer]