WORD 2day : 23rd November, 2015

Chosen for the choice

Monday, Last week in Ordinary Time
Dan 1:1-6,8-20; Lk 21: 1-4

So many were lining up dropping a bit of their possessions into the temple treasury, but Jesus picked on a poor despicable widow to compliment. Inspite of the state of slavery and meekness,  Daniel was picked up for the glory of God to be revealed. Why were they chosen?  What makes these special?  Their choice!

The widow chose to give away even the little placing her trust that God will fend for her. Daniel gave up the sumptuous food and drink to remain faithful to the Lord, for he was convinced every blessing came from the Lord.

The choice they make sets them apart. Entering the last week of the liturgical year, we would see this thread running through the coming days to remind us of our own priorities and choices.

THE KING - ONE, TRUE & GOOD

22nd November, 2015: Solemnity of Christ the King

Dan 7: 13-14; Rev 1: 5-8; Jn 18: 33-37

Though monarchy in its ancient form is almost obsolete in today's world and even the remnant societies that uphold monarchy have a newer interpretation of monarchy, the tendencies of the age old monarchy has not disappeared by any means. What do I mean?

Consider people who are in warfare with each other for power and authority! Consider leaders who have ruled all their lives but even at their ripe old age dissent from ceding their power to anyone else. Consider political leaders and parties who make their kith and kin their political heir, and thus the whole state or the polity. Consider people who wield so much power wherever they are, that they do not tolerate even the slightest criticism, much less opposition! Are these not tendencies of monarchy? A post modern era such as today, looks with despise on any form of monarchy! And today we celebrate Christ as King! Are we outdated? Are we obsolete? Are we archaic? Are we irrelevant? 

Celebrating Christ as King is to show how different a king Jesus our Lord is. 

Our King is One... with none as second or with no need to succession! The first reading presents a king who is eternal, without end to his reign! Christ needs to contend with no one, he is the indisputable king and we will do well to acknowledge that.

Our King is True... it is to bear witness to the Truth that he came on earth and gave his life, in his own testimony to Pilate in the Gospel today. He is king, but not of the kind which we find in this world...those which are selfish, power mongering and pleasure seeking, but selfless, servant minded and self giving.

Our King is Good... for he loves us and gives himself totally up for our sake. Unlike the monarchs who demand everything at the cost of anything, Jesus our Lord, demands nothing costing him everything, his life, his body, blood and even his divinity! 

One, True, Good are the metaphysical qualities of a being; in the Indian tradition they are the transcendent qualities of the Atman...yes, Jesus, is Lord! the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, the One, the True, the Good who gives me the very sense of my being! Christ is my King not because he rules, but because he loves, He loves me King Size. He is my King, the only king, the true king, the good king, the king of my heart!

THE WORD AND THE FEAST

Presentation of Mary: 21st Nov,  2015
Zech  2: 14-17; Lk 12: 46-50

Life in God's hands

Just this early morning a youngster calls me up at an odd hour just to say he is feeling bad about the things that are happening in his life. He narrates the things that have happened in the recent past and repeats like refrain the words, "I don't know what's happening to me!" At a point of time I had to stop him and ask a question, "where is God in all this? "

At times we live our life as if everything depended on us! The feast of today reminds us of a life that was lived in God's hands. We see in our Blessed Mother, a person who listened to God's words, heeded God's call and lived a life that was in God's very hands. The challenge is to understand and acknowledge that my life is from God's hands and that it is best lived in God's hands!

WORD 2day : 20th November, 2015

Taking possession of His temple

Friday,  33rd week in Ordinary Time
1 Mac 4:36-37,52-59; Lk 19: 45-48

In our living rooms or in the office,  we could have a normal experience of piling up unwanted things little by little and at a point of time we would decide to do away with all of them and get the room or office cleansed. The Word today speaks of such an experience reminding us of the need to belong to God.

God wishes to take possession of God's temple cleansed and put in order. Let's open up our lives and allow God to enter God's abode.

WORD 2day : 19th November, 2015

Among the few?

Thursday, 33rd week in Ordinary Time
1 Mac 2:15-29; Lk 19: 41-44

The very fact a few are mentioned among the Israelites who stood firm in their faith is an indication that a great number of them strayed away from it. It continued in Jesus' time too. Only a handful were ready and open enough to behold the unfolding of the promises of the Lord in and through the life of Jesus. And Jesus cries over the rest of the city.

The situation is no different today! There aren't too many who are totally convinced of what they believe and it is becoming more and more difficult to remain absolutely faithful to the truth not giving into any compromises. The question is, do I  belong to the majority who seem to be namesake followers or am I among the few?

WORD 2day : 18th November, 2015

Faithfulness - the mark of God's people

Wednesday,  33rd week in Ordinary Time
2 Mac 7: 1, 20-31; Lk 19: 11-28

These days in India we are going through a silly repression over eating beef,  in certain parts of the country. Though the first reading today reminds us of a similar event,  for the Maccabean brothers it was not about eating or not eating. It was about their faithfulness to God. They wanted to belong to God and not even at the threat of their life they wished to depart from their ways.

Regardless of our successes and titles we will be judged on the basis of our faithfulness to God and its lack. It does not matter whether we have worked on a little or accomplished great things, but it does matter what our level of faithfulness was! That is why Mother Teresa expressed her conviction in these words: we are called, not to be successful but to be faithful!

WORD 2day : 17th November, 2015

The Witness of Choice

Tuesday,  33rd week in Ordinary Time
2 Mac 6:18-31; Lk 19: 1-10

We are called to witness to the Lord,  the Lord's Gospel and the Lord's Reign. The most powerful of witnesses is the witness of choice, the witness of making a choice for God over many others that claim a reckoning!

Eleazar makes a choice for God by not scandalising the little ones of God against a life for God. Zachaeus makes a choice to hold on to Christ and let everything else go,  a witness of inspiration that he gives as an elder!

Even if don't give a great witness per se,  I need to atleast refrain from causing scandals for the little ones. Both are equally demanding and not exclusive of each other. The crux is making a choice for God,  for a life worthy of God and a life that is uplifting for the people of God!

WORD 2day : 16th November, 2015

Becoming one. ..but which one?

Monday,  33rd week in Ordinary Time
1 Maccabees 1:10-15,41-43,54-57,62-64; Lk 18: 35-43

Personally I stand much for interreligious dialogue and inculturation of faith. Some persons have found fault with me at times saying, 'you stand for interreligious dialogue and inculturation, but you do not allow such and such a thing. Is it not a discrepancy? '

It is important to realise what is an integral process of dialogue and inculturation. If only 'all becoming one' is the objective, then today we should be comfortable with what is happening around... all, in every field, everyone is becoming one in their selfishness and self seeking tendencies! It is our call to become one, but which one? Becoming one as a humanity, bound by true and wholesome values, standing for real freedom, dignity and solidarity, that is our task. That is what the Reign is all about.

Today, I am attending a funeral of a salesian priest who was born a Hindu but due to a wholesome dialogue found his meaning in the Catholic tradition, inculturated it and lived a life that was beautiful and integral. He never judged anyone but found his personal meaning and went all the way in living that meaning. That requires an eye of faith; let us cry out for it and the Lord will grant us! 

WORD 2day : 14th November, 2015

Will there be faith?

Saturday, 32nd week in Ordinary Time
Wis 18: 14-16, 19:6-9; Lk 18: 1-8

There is a real anxiety in Jesus' question... will there be faith on earth,  when the Son of man comes again! He asks that question looking at the type of people he saw and the mind set they had towards things of spiritual nature. Just as then, even today the question remains pertinent as people are more calculative than committed, more religious minded than faith oriented,  more interested in extrenal legalities than integral spirituality!

Will there be faith and will faith be real... the way things seem to be developing,  this anxiety has to fill our minds. The Holy Father makes this issue come alive calling us to be today, a Church more and more authentic, true and faithful to the Gospel and its values. Resisting all temptation towards division and sectarianism, fighting all forces that dehumanise the society and establishing a Reign counter to that of injustice and exploitation, we are called to keep the true faith alive. Are we game for that challenge?

WORD 2day : 13th November, 2015

Gather the signs!

Friday, 32nd week in Ordinary Time
Wis 13:1-9; Lk 17: 26-37

There is a story going around in our city in the past week that coming Sunday the end of the world is bound to begin... with three  days of darkness and other demonic signs. Though there is a curiosity that these horror stories evoke, they are merely manifestations of a spirituality that seeks some excitement all the time. Jesus is calling us to gather the signs from the experiences of ordinary day to day life...the lessons arising  from the clashes caused by evil tendencies, cravings incited by selfishness, inhumanities provoked by senseless egoism, insensitivities and indifferences that make this world a worthless place to live in! 

The call is to gather signs and understand the invitation from God. It would be unwise to remain deaf or blind to the messages that the Lord sends... let's remain awake and read those signs and channel our courses towards one united goal: the Reign of God here on earth.