THE FAITH FOCUS

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time - 31st July, 2016

Eccl 1:2, 2:21-23; Col 3:1-5,9-11; Lk 12: 13-21

There are techniques in photography where they communicate merely out of the way an image is clicked into to the camera. It all depends on the Focus! For a happy and serene life too, we need a focus - the right focus, the faith focus!

A life Out of Focus:

At times today persons live a life that is out of focus. They do a whole lot of things, thinking they are taking their life ahead towards a finer point, while everything go wayward. Even as I share this, I have in mind a youngster known to me, who is struggling in life, not because he is incapable nor because he is bad; he is just out of focus with his life. He takes up a lot of things one after the other, only to find himself dissipated and frustrated, every time starting from ground zero. What is the problem?

A life with a Wrong Focus:

This is a more dangerous phenomenon. If being out of focus with life is a pitiable condition, living life with a wrong focus is a fearful condition. There are three wrong focuses that ruin the world today: Me, Money and Might! Focus on oneself, one's ego, one's own betterment even at the cost of the other, makes this world a loveless place - from this arises all the violence and crime that we witness today. Focus on Money, possession, pleasure and prestige, makes human beings turn into animals with absolutely no conscience and common sense. Focus on being powerful, on domination and hegemony, wipes out races as we have seen in history. 

The Faith Focus:

The right focus is the faith focus! It is not against me, neither is it against money nor against might. Everything from the point of view of the One who has given it to me! Qohelet in the first reading speaks of a condition of life that is lived out of focus...doing a lot of things without knowing for what and upto what! Jesus tells us of a life that is lived with a wrong focus - hoarding wealth for a tomorrow that never exists. 

St. Paul invites us to look for the things that are heavenly. Let your thoughts be on heavenly things, not on the things that are on the earth, says the Word. A serene way of life would be to live our life to the full at any given point of time, with a sense of gratitude to the one who has given us this life, with a sense of search that makes this life better for me and for everyone around me, with a sensitivity towards all those around me who are in some need or the other taking responsibility for their well being. The world has gone far, far away from this kind of a thinking to a point of no return. That leaves us with just one option: Create a brand new world...every day, in every way, live and inspire people to live with this focus. Let me begin with myself, inspire others and create a world within this world, a world where life is lived with the right focus - the faith focus!

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

The Pot and the Store room

Celebrating St. Alphonsa: 28th July, 2016

Jer 18: 1-6 ; Mt 13: 47-53

Being a pot in the hands of the potter gives me the hope that I will never go waste. The potter knows me and knows the world that is around. God will make certain that I am relevant and needed in God's own time and design and use me as God's store room for others!  Saints are such instances!

St Alphonsa was merely 36 when she died and half of that short life was spent in sicknesses of varied nature. But the Lord used her powerfully to bring out the best in her in keeping with the purposes the Lord had defined. She was a simple pot, weak and humble but holding the best of gifts as the store room puff the grace of God.

WORD 2day: 27th July, 2016

Who is with whom?

Wednesday,  17th week in Ordinary Time
Jer 15: 10, 16-21; Mt 13: 44-46

We see Jeremiah saying I am always for you Lord. The Lord says to Jeremiah,  I am with you. The Lord also says that Jeremiah should not go with the people but people must go with Jeremiah. A lot of discussion on who is to be with whom!  The Lord himself gives the final answer in the gospel today.

The highest of the treasures that we can think of in our daily life of strife is the presence of God with us;  God being with us. The problem with us is we don't realise it. Once we realise that presence and experience its sweetness,  we will give anything for it, even all our possessions!

THE WORD AND THE SAINTS

Celebrating Sts. Joachim and Anne: 26th July, 2016

Jer 14:17-22; Mt 13:36-43

The discussion is still on about the darnels among the grains in the field. Jesus speaks as a matter of fact and belittles the question who had sown those darnels. It is immaterial. The fact is that they were there and the grain stalks had grown even amidst those darnels! The merit has to be given to those and Jesus assures it will be given.

Reflecting on personalities such as Sts. Joachim and Anne who stand as symbols of the elders who have kept the faith, we are challenged to emulate their lives, their commitment and their dedication to the Lord.

We are called to remain faithful inspite of and amidst the faithless crowd that looks at everything in terms of gains and benefits. Even the elders in the families are considered and valued according to their worth in terms of income and expenditure. People have no time for persons in this world that absolutises productivity. 

Can we take a moment today and look at our attitude towards elders? Are we grateful or are we calculative? It is time to be grains among the abounding darnels. 

Prayer - Question 1

Prayer... 

is it changing the mind of God? 

It looks like that. 

At times we make God look like 

an ill informed teenager running the issues 

that we need to be constantly giving directions

as to what to do and what not to.

WORD 2day : 23rd July, 2016

Harvest is cutting

Saturday,  16th week in Ordinary Time
Jer 7:1-11; Mt 13: 24-30

Harvest is not merely fruit bearing; it's also cutting. It is a sign that enough time has been given to an individual to make up one's mind. Compromises and life's conveniences abound in today's life style and it does not disturb a casual conscience.

There is the other extreme of a conscience which pictures the Lord of the harvest as a tyrant, a heartless landlord and a stringent due collector. It makes life look like a misery,  every bit of it so precarious.

Why not we look at the Lord as a merciful father and a compassionate mother who is leading us every moment by our hand and wants us to bear fruit. It is  our choice to bear fruit or not. But that harvest is cutting, we cannot  forget or change!

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

Being the Ark 

Celebrating Mary of Magdala: 22nd July, 2016

Jer 31: 10-13; Jn 20: 1-2, 11-18

No one shall ask, "where is the Ark", says the Lord. The promise gets embodied when a person begins to build his or her life on such a promise. We are a people who stand on the promises of the Lord.  Right from the Old Testament experience we see that the Lord made promises and the Lord kept them too! Today we celebrate a person who is given a great revelation of this promise, the revelation of the Risen Lord which continues to be the greatest of all hope giving promises. 

Mary of Magdala had the privilege of receiving the promise for the first time from the Risen Lord. She becomes the Ark that had to take this promise to the rest of the disciples. When we whole heartedly receive the promises from the Lord with hope, we become the ark, holding out those promises to the rest of our brothers and sisters. 

The very presence of some persons fills those around or the situation around with enormous hope. These are the Arks of the Promise, who have the Spirit of the Risen Lord within them, holding it out to everyone.

WORD 2day: 21st July, 2016

Cisterns that hold no water

Thursday, 16th week in Ordinary Time
Jer 2: 1-3,7-8,12-13; Mt 13: 10-17

The Word warns us today of allowing our lives to becoming leaky cisterns that hold no water! It gets filled only to let go of everything in no time. It looks promising hiding within it the cracks that give away all that it is filled with.

Our life can look filled with things and with persons but suddenly when we look back it seems empty and dry. It is only the Lord who is constant and ever present. When we lose the Lord we run the risk of becoming leaky cisterns.

Our daily practices and our regular religious habits may not be absolute guarantees too!  They can become water stored in a leaky cistern if our interior disposition and personal convictions do not match the external behaviour.

WORD 2day : 19th July, 2016

Mercy and Faithfulness

Tuesday,  16th week in Ordinary Time
Mic 7: 14-15,18-20; Mt 12: 46-50ay

The most concrete expression of God's faithfulness is God's mercy which is so boundless and plentiful. Our concrete way of  living out mercy is being faithful to the biddings of the Lord.

Being faithful to the biddings of the Lord would consist of being attentive to everything around me, being truly concerned about everyone around me and being open to the promptings of the Spirit within me.

Mercy is not about doing some charitable acts here and there and now and then. But it is becoming like God, growing in our godliness and being signs of God's faithfulness to those who are in need of it.

WORD 2day: 18th July, 2016

To Act, Love and Walk in the Lord

Monday,  16th week in Ordinary Time 

Mic 6:1-4,6-8; Mt 12:38-42

The Lord has given a lot to us, beginning with God creating us in God's own image and giving us our life to enjoy the wonder of being human persons. Right up to this moment the Lord continues to guard us and sustain us in ways known only unto God. What does God expect in return? Nothing but a just, kind and gentle relationships among us. Is it not fair that a father expects this among his sons and daughters? Is it not right that a ruler expects this among his subjects?

Let us review our doings : are they just?

Let us analyse our love: is it for kindness or for dominion?

Let us watch our walk of life: is it gentle or trampling others?

Let us be pleasing sons and daughters of the Lord!