WORD 2day: 7th September, 2016

Never lose the Focus

Wednesday, 23rd week in Ordinary Time

1 Cor 7: 25-31: Lk 6: 20-26

The first christian community in fact expected that they would see Jesus around in his second coming already in their time... they were preparing for it intensely. The moment they began to realise it was getting delayed, they began to grow lax in their life of virtues! It is in this context that Paul writes to them...about celibacy, purity and single minded dedication to the Lord. His call was: never lose focus, for everything will come to pass in no time!

The second coming may be at an appointed time which the Lord alone knows and we wait for it, with patience and focus. But, if we believe that the second coming is a moment of judgement, that moment is here and now... for our choices every moment determine the judgement that is going to be! Every time I choose something or avoid something, I am bringing upon me a judgement by myself. That is what Jesus tells us in the Gospel: I make myself blessed or unfortunate! I need to be informed, alert and categorical about my choices - they determine what I will be judged to be. The crux is that I never lose the focus, even as I am involved in hectic activity!

WORD 2day: 6th September, 2016

Life lived on the Shore

Tuesday, 23rd week in Ordinary Time

1 Cor 6: 1-11; Lk 6: 12-19

We have seen people playing on the sea shore, or we ourselves would have done it. There is so much of fun with the ever active waves and the quick moving sand. But that is not what the sea is all about, it may just be a tiny fraction of the reality called the ocean. At times looking at the way life is lived today, it gives us a feeling of the activity on the shore, merely the shore. Is life truly lived in its depth? So much of uneasiness and boredom, jealousy and envy, fights and frictions, greed and competition, hatred and indifference...what does it all indicate? A life lived on the shore, not in its depth.

One of the chief elements of a life lived in its depth would be discernment - taking time to understand what is the right thing to be done at the right time. If only a person takes a few moments every day, or before every important decision, a few moments to go into oneself, understand the situation around, empathise with the persons involved, take stock of the true issues that are at stake and then decide on the best of the options available, that would make a huge difference for oneself and for every one around. How many people we see today, apparently ruining their own life, living in total unhappiness and misery, all because they are satisfied living their life merely on the shore!

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

LOVE , don't Judge!

Celebrating Saint Mother Teresa of Kolkata

1 Cor 1: 5-8; Lk 6: 6-11

The Word today speaks to us of the ills in Christian living...at times we consider sins like adultery and fornication serious faults, and rightly so. But we consider habits like gossiping, judging others and criticising as less grave and so go on with it as if they do not matter. That is truly not Christian...Christ would say looking with lust is equally evil as adultery; speaking ill of the other is equally brutal as assaulting the other physically; character assasination is as criminal as killing a person! It is not exactly in what we do that the seriousness of the matter consist, but in what we are aiming to do through out actions or words or disposition. 

Mother Teresa understood this perfectly and that is why she always believed and taught: if you are busy judging people, you would have no time to love them. Love, is both the fundamental and the supreme disposition of a true Christian. Love is patient and kind; it endures all things! Let us Love, not judge! Let us be filled with compassion for the suffering and the weak, as did Mother Teresa to be called truly a Christian and ultimately a saint!

FREEDOM of the Children of God

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

4th September, 2016 - Canonisation of Mother Teresa

Wis 9: 13-18; Phlm 1:9-10,12-17; Lk 14:25-33

There is a story told of a man who went on a long long journey in search of an old sage in the forest who allegedly had the most precious diamond in the entire world. It was an overwhelming moment when the man met the sage and asked him if he really had the diamond. Because, the sage said as a matter of fact, "Yes. I have it". The man with much trepidation regarding the price he would have to pay, asked the sage, "can you give it to me?" The next moment, he could not believe his eyes, the sage held it out to him and said, 'here, take it.' The man took the diamond and hurried back anxious the sage should not suddenly change his mind. That night as he lay down to sleep, his eyes would not close and his mind would not stop wondering. The moment he saw some light he got up and went straight back to the sage and said, 'here take this diamond back, but give me that heart that allowed you to part with it so easily'. 

If we are really convinced of our identity as Children of God we would realise we are given with a freedom that makes us so different from what the world preaches. We think freedom is the ability to do whatever we think... that is not what freedom is all about. Freedom is the capacity to do the right thing without any external force. When we have this capacity, we would be totally different from the so-called majority in the society today. Because this freedom amounts to a different kind of reasoning, a different kind of relating and a different mindset of renouncing.

Freedom of the Children of God is seen first and foremost in a different kind of Reasoning that one possesses. Taking up the cross willingly, forgiving without any compensations for it, looking at everything from the perspective of God...these are different kind of reasoning that we are called to possess. The first reading speaks to us of an important fact that we may not understand everything in life and we need not be worried about it. Leave it to God and things will be clear to you in the due course of time.

Freedom of the Children of God is manifested in the kind of Relationships we treasure. While everywhere, gain and profit, benefits and advancements rule the roost, we are thinking of giving up, forgiving, accepting and welcoming someone without any conditions. St. Paul instructs Philemon to accept Onesimus as a brother in Christ and even tacitly asking Philemon to free Onesimus from his slave-ship. A redefinition of relationships is a natural outflow of the freedom of the Children of God. I cannot but be reminded here of the numerous cases of inequality and discrimination among and within the Christian communities... a clear sign that we have not yet truly experienced the freedom of the children of God.

Freedom of the Children of God is best seen in the Renunciation that seems so natural and far from being a deprivation. I have come across people who renounce a few simple things and are so mindful of that fact - reminding themselves of it so often, making sure others know that they have renounced (whatever it is), making up for the renunciation in and through other means (sometimes going to another extreme). Jesus presents renunciation not as an extraordinary means of following God, but as an inevitable means of being disciples. Renouncing something is something, renouncing the so-called merits of the renunciation is true renunciation! 

Mother Teresa whom we receive today from the hands of the Church as a wonderful and exemplary Child of God, was an epitome of this Freedom! Just apply what we discussed so far: she reasoned differently (seeking the so-called useless and worthless of the society), she related differently (she had only one thing in her mind - the Reign of God) and she renounced radically! A great example of the Freedom of a Child of God.

Freedom of the Children of God permits us to live a life that is free, full and highly inspiring. May we grow in this great gift we have received: the freedom of the children of God. 

WORD 2day: 3rd September, 2016

Nothing greater than the Person!

Saturday, 22nd week in Ordinary Time

1 Cor 4: 6-15; Lk 6: 1-5

God has an extremely soft corner for God's children! God has been too good, compassionate and forgiving, loving and accepting, never counting the cost when it comes to loving God's children...even to the extent of sending God's only Son to die for our sakes! The question is, what matters to us, the prodigal children of God : our ego? our wealth? our social status? our popularity? our comfort? our image in front of others? our rules and our systems? our selfish interests? For how many of these reasons we are ready to sacrifice the persons around us - our own parents, life partners, siblings, kith and kin!

The Lord reminds us today: there is nothing more precious than persons around us. Our judgments of others, however right or wrong they are, cannot take away the value that is inherent in every child of God!

WORD 2day: 2nd September, 2016

Mind your Business!

Friday, 22nd week in Ordinary Time

1 Cor 4: 1-5; Lk 5:33-39

At times we mind everybody else's business, forgetting the all important business that we have, our life! The Word today instructs us to mind just our business. How hard can one try to satisfy everyone around? Is it worth the effort at all? How many lives are made so boring and barren merely out of living up to the expectations of the world around! The secret of a truly fruitful and meaningful life is: knowing your business and going about it.

Knowing who we are - as St. Paul shares in his letter today, what is expected of a steward is that each one is found worthy of the one whose stewards we are! Knowing who we are and striving to be faithful to it, is the Christian meaning to our life. Christ did just that. He knew he was the Son of God and he lived his life to the full worthy of the identity that he inherited from the Lord. We are called to be his stewards, and we are called to live worthy of it, notwithstanding the praises or critiques, the affirmations and the discouragements that might come our way. If we try to patch up with unfitting elements merely because those around us are looking for it, if we mix up unblending elements just because the world around enjoys it... we may lose the true sense of our calling. The best thing amidst all the mixed voices around is to know and mind our business!

WORD 2day: 1st September, 2016

Everything belongs to God

Thursday, 22nd week in Ordinary Time
1 Cor 3: 18-23; Lk 5: 1-11

During the Eucharistic Celebration, post the Lord's prayer, there is a section where the priest prays 'save us from all distress'. In the old version of the missal, the words used to be,  'free us from all anxiety'. Some of my priest friends for sounding novel,  adapted and practical would change it as, free us from all needless anxiety... and I would pick an argument with them-  for a Christian every anxiety is needless!  Every anxiety is needless because everything belongs to God. 

No anxiety,  whether about eating or drinking,  life or death, success or fear,  nothing,  absolutely nothing is warranted if I truly believe in my Lord.  The Lord is in control... all that I need to do is my duties to the best of my abilities and leave the rest to God.  Call it Nishkama Karma, or detachment,  or Kantian categorical imperatives... be it what it may, the point is God  is in charge and I need not worry or be anxious.  It is a difficult mindset but the most liberating one.

WORD 2day: 31st August, 2016

Will you grow up please!

Wednesday, 22nd week in Ordinary Time

1 Cor 3:1-9; Lk 4:38-44

The Church today is undergoing an experience of growing up, under the leadership of Pope Francis. We have a great example in the very concept of a Pope Emeritus and a Pope living in perfect union of heart and mind, setting an example for the entire Church and those who are related to that Faith Community in any way. We are called to be of one heart and one soul (cf. Acts 4: 32) not claiming to belong to Apollos  or to Cephas or to Paul (cf.1 Cor 1:12).  

How sad to see Churches divided on certain unchristian considerations... some churches sealed and communities broken into pieces... and in most of these cases those who are to lead themselves are the causes of division. We have a clarion call to grow up! Pope Francis said these words in the beginning of this year: "we should recognise with sincerity and pain that our communities continue to live in division that is scandalous. Division among us Christians is a scandal.  There is no other word: a scandal." We see Jesus in the Gospel today that he refuses to get stuck to the praises, recognition and acceptance. He decides to move on.. to grow on... to grow up!

This is the call from the Lord: will you please grow up! Don't blame the situation. Don't blame those who are around. Don't blame the times. Don't blame anyone... just grow up!

WORD 2day: 30th August, 2016

Getting in touch with the indwelling Spirit

Tuesday, 22nd week in  Ordinary Time

1 Cor 2: 10-16; Lk 4: 31-37

The Spirit is the innermost being of our selves. We are formed in the image and likeness of God and the Spirit of the Lord dwells within us. The more we realise that and the more we are convinced of that, the more we would see our selves capable of bringing transformation to ourselves, to others around and to the context around. The so-called great people who make a difference in their own way, are fundamentally those who have come into grips with this innermost core of their beings - the Spirit. We see Paul speaking of it in the first reading and we see Jesus manifesting it in himself in the Gospel passage. 

The invitation is now for us to realise the core of our beings: the indwelling Spirit - getting in touch with the Spirit and getting into the grip of the Spirit, that great things may happen in and through us. We need not look to perform or prove ourselves. Things will happen and people we see it, when we are in the grip of the Spirit. Let us get into the depth of ourselves and get in touch with the indwelling Spirit. 

THE WORD AND THE FEAST

Martyrdom - A matter of fact!

Remembering the beheading of John

Jer 1: 17-19; Mk 6: 17-29

Recently discussing about martyrdom with a group of youngsters,  one asked me, 'why should they go upto martyrdom?' In the same tone I replied, 'they don't go up to it,  it comes after them!'

Martyrdom is not a given-up mode of life.  It is a fruit of living one's life to the full till the end,  never losing the core purpose of that life for even a moment.

Martyrdom is not an option to choose.  It is a consequence of the choices made,  absolute choices for truth and righteousness.

Martyrdom is not an unprecedented event.  One sees it coming all the time.  It is always there in front of the person threatening him or her. But for the person who is concerned with things that truly matter, martyrdom remains just a matter of fact!