Divided lives?!?

WORD 2day: Saturday, Fifth week in Ordinary time

February 10, 2024 - 1 Kings 12: 26-32, 13: 33-34; Mark 8: 1-10

For the people of Israel there was no difference between their political life and their religious life. For them everything was just one; an integral mode of living as people of God; forever the people of the Covenant: 'I shall be your God and you shall be my people'. But at a certain point, as we read in the first reading today, the misery befalls them - Politics and Religion part their ways. 

Further, something that happens makes things worse: using religion for political ends or politics for religious reasons. It becomes almost an unjust alliance and remains so even to this day - how many instances we can cite from the events of the day all around the world. 

That is about the society around us, but let us remember, it can happen in our personal lives too: the division between our religious life and our civil life, and worse still if we use one for the manipulation of the other. 

Jesus is totally against this division and considers it always an hypocrisy. One cannot call oneself a shepherd and still remain untouched by the miseries of the people. One cannot call oneself a 'Christ-ian' and live a life that is totally insensitive towards others. One cannot call oneself a child of God and look down on his brother or sister, or much worse ill-treat, exploit or oppress them. If one does that, he or she is giving into idolatry, claiming to belong to Christ but divided within oneself, externally professing Christ but totally against Christ at the level of the inner self. 

Do you think we can still be God's children, Christ's disciples, if we lived such divided lives?

Pride, Rebellion and Obedience!

WORD 2day: Friday, Fifth week in Ordinary time

February 9, 2024 - 1 Kings 11:4-13; Mark 7:24-30

The Word today speaks of two kingdoms... one that was ending and the other which was rising. Prophet Ahijah instructs Jeroboam about the role that he has to play in the fall of David's kingdom. And in the Gospel we see the people who rejoice at the coming of the Kingdom of God, the signs of the Reign being that "the deaf hear and the mute speak." That phrase was symbolic and indicative for the people of the Intertestamental times (the time of waiting between the Old Testament and the coming of Christ). For them it meant, the coming of the Reign of God amidst the people of Israel. 

The message is obvious - it is an invitation to turn away from a tendency of human pride and rebellion and place the absolute dominion always in the hands of God. Right from the beginning (explained by the stories of Adam and Eve, the tower of Babel and so on), the ruin of humankind has been due to human pride; the entry point of sin into humanity has been rebellion.

It is in that rebellion and pride that we make gods of ourselves and gods for ourselves - making gods of our own ego, of our successes, of our plans and projects, of our prospects and the social ladders, of our attachments and cravings. At times, only when drastic things happen we realise our folly! Then it shall be too late and there would be time only to cry over the lost opportunities.

The Lord reminds us today: I am the Lord you God, hear my voice... let us make it our habit to hear the Lord's voice and live by it everyday and in every way.

Saints who surprise God!

WORD 2day: Thursday, Fifth week in Ordinary time

February 8, 2024 - 1 Kings 11:4-13; Mark 7: 24-30

The most dangerous character of sin is, it takes over little by little that, all too soon we find it to be too late! 

Solomon who was a sign of God's glory in the early days of his kingship, soon finds himself in a point of no return, because he had given away his heart little by little to ways that took him away from God! 

In simple words sin can be understood as a rebellion against God... a lack of surrender into God's hands. The remedy is: a childlike surrender into the hands of God; following God unreservedly as did David (1Kgs 11:6); a faith that becomes a humble surrender to God's Will, like the Syrophoenician woman that we see in the Gospel. 

The Syrophoenician woman becomes the prototype of the saints who surprised God... who surprised God by their total surrender... like St.Paul, or the early martyrs, or the later saints like John Maria Vianney, or Maxmillian Kolbe, or great models like Blessed Oscar Romero, Blessed Sr. Rani Maria... the list goes on, and the challenge is that we add our names to that.  

Let our surrender to the Lord be so total, that in God's pleasant surprise miracles abound. Can we surprise God by our surrender?... that will be a wonderful sign of growing in holiness.

About out interior life!

WORD 2day: Wednesday, Fifth week in Ordinary time 

February 7, 2024 - 1 Kings 10: 1-10; Mark 7: 14-23

"That they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father" - that is the grammar of life that Jesus has always taught us.  

Today in the first reading we see Solomon exemplifying this claim to honour. We read that the Queen of Sheba, looking at the wisdom and splendour of Solomon, said "Blessed be the Lord your God!"(v.9). What actually matters is not what is seen merely on the outward appearance, for we cannot put up a show all our life. 

Let us just imagine, if we have to create an image of ourselves just for the sake of the others and live up to it all our life - how tiresome and fatiguing it can be! At some point or the other, to someone or the other, the truth will be manifest and that will be the ruin of everything. 

Instead, Jesus invites us to an authentic living that is built from within, from those which comes out from within - our thoughts, our attitudes, our priorities, our judgements and opinions about others and about issues, the feelings and impulses we give into, the kind of persons we identify ourselves with, the sort of people for whom our hearts are moved, the readiness with which we go out of ourselves in true love and selfless compassion. 

Let us pay attention to our interiority. The core of our self defines who we are, and at that level of our being, we cannot deceive ourselves! Let our hearts enshrine the presence of the Lord and let that presence illumine every bit of our life... specially our interior life. 

External expressions vs Internal dispositions

WORD 2day: Tuesday, Fifth week in Ordinary time

February 6, 2024 - 1 Kings 8: 22-23, 27-30; Mark 7: 1-13

The Word continues to speak to us still in keeping with the theme of yesterday. The first reading presents to us Solomon who brings to light the relationship that lies between the absolute importance of the temple and the folly of limiting God's presence to the temple. These are two crucial elements to understand about a devotion, which are indicative of a certain maturity, which renders one's faith worthy of being called an adult faith.

Jesus too talks of the same, but from a different context. He contrasts between an External Expression and an Internal Disposition: they are not exclusive choices to be made but they point to a mature balance to be achieved, because both are needed! But what makes the difference is the priority given to one over the other and the motive with which such a priority or choice is made.

What the Word today wants to impress on us is this: that external expressions without deep internal dispositions will turn into mere ritualism and legalism; that is what Jesus was opposed to and today that is what would militate against being a true disciple of Christ. 

On the other hand, a mere internal disposition without right external expression will lead to a cold individualism which is totally 'unchristian'! It makes me either narcissitic or too diffident to be what I am, in public. 

Let our internal disposition be challenged and transformed on a daily basis towards a continuous maturity that leads to a meaningful living of our faith.

Making God present!

WORD 2day: Monday, Fifth week in Ordinary time

February 5, 2024 - 1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13; Mark 6: 53-56

The Ark comes to the Temple and Jesus comes to the people: there lies a beautiful link here in. Obviously, it lies in the fact that the people of God are the true temples of God! Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? , asks St. Paul (1 Cor 3:16). Specially the needy and the poor, the sick and the suffering, the lonely and the unloved... they are the temples where God resides and where the world can and should in all earnestness encounter God, face to face.

Jesus does not depise in any way the importance of the Temple when he said: a day will come when you will worship the Lord in Spirit and in Truth (Cf. Jn 4: 23,24). He invites us to look at a new perspective. Building churches and beautifying them are important, but it is much more important to build the Church, that is, the people of God. Celebrating the feasts and solemnities is important, but it is much more important to celebrate persons and ensure humanity, happiness and wholeness to every person.

What would we have gained if we spent tons of money on a well organised festivity, if we had not touched even one person who needed to be, or made happy even one grieving heart, or given joy to even one drooping spirit? Wherever Jesus went, people went and God's presence was felt; wherever the apostles went, people went and God's presence was felt (compare with Acts 5:12-15); wherever we Christ-ians go, God's presence should be felt... is it really felt?

Compassion - the quality of a person of God

WORD 2day: Saturday, Fourth week in Ordinary time

February 3, 2024 - 1 Kings 3: 4-13; Mark 6: 30-34

"An understanding heart to guide God's people", is what Solomon asks of the Lord... and that is what he was given! We see Jesus, who understood the tiredness of his apostles and counselled them to relax. We see Jesus looking at the people and understanding their need, their thirst, their yearning for life... he was filled with compassion!

Compassion, which comes from com-pati (latin), to have the same feeling as someone, is basically an understanding of the other! When someone next to me is undergoing a crisis, when someone in my vicinity is going through a suffering, when persons in front of my eyes are experiencing a situation that stifles their lives... can I really feel with them, can I really suffer with them? That would be compassion! That is the sensibility that Jesus exhibits, that is the sensibility that Christ requires of us, if we have to call ourselves Christians!

A compassionate person alone can be a person of God. When I feel depressed, when I feel oppressed, when I feel spent, when I feel exploited, when I feel angry, when I feel disappointed, only a person with compassion can feel exactly what I feel. The person becomes a person of God, when the person feels what I feel and take me to where God wants me to move on. Yes, compassion is crying with those who cry and laughing with those who laugh, but it is not drowning with those who drown and decaying with those who decay! Compassion has to be a Godly presence of suggesting the right thing at the right time!

Compassion is the quality closest to sanctity! To be Christ-ians, we cannot but be compassionate; like Solomon, let us ask the Lord, and the Lord will grant us a heart that is wise and understanding, loving and compassionate.

Tests, Results and Outcomes

THE WORD AND THE FEAST

February 2, 2024: The Presentation of the Lord
Malacchi 3:1-4; Hebrews 2: 14-18; Luke 2: 22-40

Do not bring us to the test, we pray everyday. But our life is full of tests. It is in and through these tests that the real quality of our life is brought to the fore. Mary at the temple today stands model to this brave spirit of a God-filled person: to face everything with a serenity that God alone gives!

More than the results of the tests, what matters is the manner in which we go through it. These tests are not mere situations to be overcome but are experiences to learn from. The true result is not whether you succeed or not; but that you come out of it better, refined, polished, purified, and made more whole. St. Joseph after every crisis that he faces, comes out more flexible at the hands of God. Another example of serenity!

The marks of having grown out of these tests should be seen in my capacity to offer myself into God's hands more every time. Truly speaking, however, the actual effect of these tests could either make me stronger or break my spirit... and obviously, the mark of a God-filled person is to come out of it ever more stronger in one's will to surrender to the Lord. That child presented today at the temple, will grow up to be the best ever example of someone who grew out of every test and remained faithful to his consecration!

Here is the special reason the Church wishes to commemorate this day as the world day of consecrated life... not just for the consecrated men and women of the world, but for each and every member of the people of God, let us pray that we shall grow evermore capable of living our lives with serenity that comes from an absolute surrender to God!

Our part towards the Reign!

WORD 2day: Thursday, Fourth week in Ordinary time

February 1, 2024 - 1 Kings 2:1-4, 10-12; Mark 6:7-13

David gives instruction to young Solomon as he is about to take over the Kingdom. Jesus gives instruction to his apostles as they are about to set out for a mission! The common element is the instruction and there is a common thread that runs through the two sets of instructions too. 

For that matter the whole of the Word of God, and Jesus as the Word of God made flesh, always has this ready message to give us: Seek first the Reign of God, and all other things will be given unto you (Mat 6:33). The apostles, the first christian communities, the early missionaries... every one of them was filled with this same zeal. Health. wealth, pleasure, not even life mattered more than the Reign of God for them! 

Solomon would later fall from the glory of his father, precisely because he would lose sight of the Reign that God wanted to establish. When we lose sight of the Reign, even the most beautiful things we do in the name of God, will become things done for our own glory and our own petty kingdoms. The more we grow conscious of our call to live for the Reign, the more our work and our efforts would make sense. 

Our call is to renew our commitment towards the Reign - the Reign of justice, love, peace, brotherhood and sisterhood... in short SHALOM, Wholeness, God's presence! Let us make present these in our little way everyday, that would be our part towards the Reign for today!

The Lord in the Ordinariness of life

THE WORD AND THE SAINT 

January 31, 2024 - Remembering St. John Bosco
2 Samuel 24: 2,8-17; Mark 6: 1-6

Today we celebrate St. John Bosco, the father and friend of youth - as the Church calls him. There are special readings chosen for the feast (memoria of the Saint), but not all would be choosing those readings. Hence, we shall continue to reflect on the reading of the 4th Ordinary week... however, the Saint has an inspiration to give even here. 

The Word comes to remind us that, falling into sin and giving into our imperfections are common human experiences. Comparatively more problematic experience is when we have fallen and we do not want to get out of it. Still worse is when we do no even realise we have fallen - in which case, there is no question of getting out of it at all. 

David was a chosen one of God. He was blessed with experiences and graces that no one else had been blessed with... but he too falls, and he falls repeatedly! But let us wait - nothing to judge him "evil" here... it is a ordinary human experience, to fall, even to repeatedly fall. The merit that we can attribute to David is the fact that when things go wrong and miseries come his way, he readily realises his folly. When he falls he knows that he has fallen and he accepts that he has fallen! All the while he also realises, the ever present grace of God which instructs him and guides him.

The Lord's grace is ever present with us - but it is possible that we do not realise it or we refuse to behold it in our obstinacy. The ordinariness of Jesus was an obstacle for the people to accept the great things that he was upto. They were not ready to notice or behold anything divine in Jesus, because they knew him too well! They were so fixated in their ideas that the ordinariness in which God's glory was set to shine, did not appeal to them.

St. John Bosco has handed down a legacy to his sons and daughters, the great big Salesian family that he had initiated as a movement - the Salesian Spirituality, which hinges upon a spirituality of ordinariness. It requires that we find God in the ordinariness of our daily life and experience. It is important that we learn to behold the Lord's graceful presence, in the ordinariness of our lives lest we miss it all, as it happened to those people who missed Jesus the Christ altogether. 

Let us resolve to be ready and eager to behold the presence of the Lord in the ordinariness of our days.