WORD 2day: 9th February, 2017

Learning to rise above

Thursday, 5th week in Ordinary time
Gen 2:18-25; Mk 7: 24-35

Man-woman, rich-poor, we-they... these are dichotomies that seem very natural and no one finds fault about being conscious of these. It takes a lot of maturity to rise above the man-woman duality for instance and say wè are after all one.

Though Jesus was beyond most of these dichotomies:  sinner-saint, sacred-profane, and so on, the Jewish  classical dichotomy of the chosen-gentile seems to have been deep seated in him. But he is ready to rise above it,  as a process of growth.  The famous liberation theologian Gustavo Guttierez would say, Jesus allowed himself to be taught by a woman, a syrophoenecian woman - there lies his greatness. He rises there above all dichotomies.

We too need to become aware of the dichotomies present in our mindsets and learn to rise above them.

WORD 2day: 8th February, 2017

Neither death nor defilement

Wednesday, 5th week in Ordinary time
Gen 2: 4-9,15-17; Mk 7: 14-23

Religious practices and principles abound in our contexts defining what is right and what is wrong; determining what is acceptable and what is inacceptable in the sight of God. The Word today has one such clarification as to what would make a person   inacceptable in the eyes of God from a Christian perspective - it is neither death nor defilement. 

Death is considered the peak of negative experiences by many religious traditions but not the Christian. Death is merely another milestone considering the totality of human experiences. It shouldn't perturb us or preoccupy us.

Defilement laws are seen as important religious factors in a society. What makes one socially acceptable or not, is a crucial religious parlance. But Jesus was categorical in stating  that nothing exists as such in his Father's mind. The Father is all Mercy and compassion!

So, neither death nor defilement can separate me from the Lord, but a deliberate choice does. I cannot live my Christian faith merely on customary practices and accepted mores. I need to make deliberate choices on a daily basis and at every moment of my life... choices that would determine whether I belong to God or no.

WORD 2day:7th February, 2017

Imago Dei - the real core

Tuesday, 5th week in Ordinary time
Gen 1:20 -2:4a; Mk 7: 1-13

Jesus had one thing that he could never bear or tolerate! Living two lives... how much ever good you may do, it does not matter as much as being good. Because Jesus is mindful of the real core of our being: Imago Dei, the image of God that is placed within us. God  saw everything was good as God created them one by one.  But when God had created human being, God found it very good. Because God saw Godself in the human person. The inner core of our being is that godliness that we can observe in God. When we refuse to see it or reject what is at the core, we become aliens to ourselves. This is  what Jesus is warning us against. Get closer and closer to the real  core of your being:  the image of God.

WORD 2day: 6th February, 2017

A touch, a word or the shadow

Monday, 5th week in Ordinary time
Gen 1:1-19; Mk 6: 53-56

We begin anew the book of genesis. What  marvellous accounts as the basis of our faith experience! God reigns... God holds everything in being... God manifests God's glory  and might in  everything. When God  said a word it was done.

When Jesus came, it  was enough people touched him, mighty things happened. There was a spiritual connect between the people and the Lord. That spiritual connect  is what we call faith.

With the same faith at a later time people would just touch the shadow of the apostles and great mighty signs would happen.

It doesn't matter whether it's a word or a touch or just the shadow... what matters is,  that spiritual connect with the Lord,  that we call Faith!

WORD 2day: 4th February, 2017

The Shepherd Divine

Saturday,  4th week in Ordinary Time
Heb 13: 15-17, 20-21; Mk 6: 30- 34

What do we have to worry about, when the Lord is our Shepherd! We need only to become the sheep of the flock that belongs to the Lord. The way to do that is to endlessly do good. Do good without any reason,  without any hesitation, without any expectation,  without any discouragement.

Three qualities are needed by all means to do this. First of all,  faith with which one accepts this challenge from the Lord. Secondly, endurance with which one withstands all disheartening factors. Thirdly, the sensitivity with which one knows what the other needs without the other even expressing it.

Our Divine Shepherd is an epitome of these qualities... who accepted the challenge of being good, endured all that worked against it and treated everyone around him with utmost sensitivity.

WORD 2day: 3rd February, 2017

Moral Code or Spiritual Integrity?

Friday, 4th week in Ordinary Time

Heb 13: 1-8; Mk 6:14-29

Is following a moral code enough to be a Christian? Moral codes are temporal and spatial- that is, what is wrong at one time may not be so at another time; what is right in a place may not be so elsewhere! If all of us are formed from and moving towards the same Divine Being, then can our life style be so subjective? That is why Jesus always stood by Spiritual Integrity rather than a set of moral precepts. 

Jesus is same, yesterday, today and tomorrow! No time can change what Jesus stood for. The letter to the Hebrews presents to us a set of values which are not merely moral codes but are frameworks for spiritual integrity. Spiritual Integrity is knowing what is right to be done, being convinced of it and living by it, come what may. Even if we have to face extinction from this life, our stand shall not change. Just as John the Baptist who was ready to give up even his life. But how do we know what we are holding on to is right? That is where we need to be divinely informed, where we need the grace, the help of the Holy Spirit to hold on to eternally life giving perspectives.

2 highlights of 2-2...

2nd February and the 2 highlights

There are two important highlights for today - apart from and arising from the feast of the presentation that we celebrate.

1. Candlemas: 

Today in the Catholic Church we have the tradition of blessing candles and entering the Church in procession with the candles. This is called the Candlemas and it signifies the entry of the Light of the World (Jesus Christ) into the temple. 

2. World day of prayer for Consecrated Persons: 

This was begun by Pope St. John Paul II in 1997. He invited every Catholic member of the Church to pray for the Consecrated men and women and thus praying, to promote vocations to consecrated life.

Intercessions for the World day of prayer for Consecrated Life 

For those consecrated to God by the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience that they may seek to live their baptismal promises more intensely and have the grace to persevere in their commitment to the Lord and serve with open hearts and willing spirits. 

For those who have responded to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to be a consecrated person that they may experience the support of the Church as they continue their growth in holiness. 

We pray for all those who are discerning their vocation in life, particularly those whom the Lord is calling to consecrated life. May they be given the wisdom to hear God's call and the courage to respond generously. 

For all who actively support the promotion of vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, that they may see the fruit of their efforts in a rich harvest of vocations. 

That the life and mission of the men and women in consecrated life be a means of sanctification for them and building up the kingdom of God. 

For all pastors and parish priests of our diocese, that they will recognize and invite those men and women being called to ordained and consecrated lives to answer the call. 

For all involved in the examination of candidates to priesthood or to consecrated life, that their choices will benefit the Church. 

That many young women will be open to Jesus’ call to consecrated life to serve the many needs of the Church and of the world. 

For all men and women preparing for the priesthood or consecrated life, that their days of formation be filled with joy, peace and the certainty of God’s love. 

THE WORD AND THE FEAST

Surrounded by Examples

2nd February, 2017: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Mal. 3: 1-4; Heb. 2: 14-18; Lk. 2: 22-40

Mary, Joseph, Simeon, Anna...Jesus is surrounded by such persons of holiness and self giving, and the child himself is initiated into that spirituality! 

Mary who, said that Yes of total self giving and right from that moment has been silently following the directions of the Lord.

Joseph who, accepted every injunction from the Lord and has serenely been carrying them out.

Simeon, the prophet who feels he has lived on only to see the salvation that the Lord has truly prepared.

Anna, who had decided to depend on the Lord alone and had dedicated her entire life, waiting on the Lord.

When surrounded by such people what do you think will happen of that Child...it grows into Jesus, who is  prepared to lay down even his life for the sake of doing the will of the Father, whom sent him.

What a message for us today to grow in self giving and to grow our children in self giving. Offering oneself to God and offering one's self to fulfilling God's will, is a life style handed down by parents and elders right from the earliest impressionable age! 

It requires first that we develop that quality within us and let it glow for the rest to see and follow!

WORD 2day: 1st February, 2017

Drooping hands and weak knees or faith alive?

Wednesday, 4th week in Ordinary time
Heb: 12:4-7,11-16; Mk 6:1-6

God is all powerful except before our free will... it is not that God is incapable but God has chosen to implant that freedom which is God's own image and likeness within us. At times we may feel we are afflicted but we are not without the means to withstand them. We have within us the necessary strength to stand up to these. At no time are we faced with a trial that is more than our capacity. That is the promise of the Word - 1Cor 10:13.

However, there is  one thing that can drive us to despair... the drooping hands and weak knees... drooping hands symbolise my lack of faith in the capacity God has placed within me, weak knees symbolise the lack of dependence on God. These happen and I find myself helpless, because I do not perceive the Lord so close to me and so concerned about me - just like those who were not able to see Christ in Jesus!

What do you choose:  drooping hands and weak knees or a faith alive?

We love you Don Bosco!

Don Bosco, 
a giant of an inspiration
even today, amidst times so changed,
he remains a challenge and an invitation
to offer our lives for others, absolutely for others,
without counting the cost, given till its last breath, as a sacrifice!