Power to the Children

March 2, 2019

Saturday, 7th week in Ordinary time

Sirach 17:1-13; Mark 10:13-16

The first reading brings out the majesty of being a human person. That glory and splendour arises from the fact that we have been given the very image and likeness of God. At times we create complexes within  us or among us that we are fair or dark, or tall or short, or beautiful or handsome or ugly... all these do not matter at all because fundamentally we are made in the image of God. 

There can be no preferential treatment or despise on the basis of gender or colour or the social roots... that would be an utter foolishness! Because the fundamental stuff, the kernel, the core of our being is the same - the image of God.

The children do  not have any trouble in understanding it. That is  why the Lord declares today the power of the kingdom of God is given to the Children. Without becoming a child (of God)  I cannot inherit it - that's the Father's style! 

Faithful Relationships - the crux of Christianity

March 1, 2019

Friday, 7th week in Ordinary Time

Sirach 6:5-17; Mark 10:1-12

It is not rules, regulations and rituals that are at the center of Christian life and  practice, but persons, community and relationships. Genuine and sincere relationships at all levels is the true sign of Christian life. 

Relationships are a mark that proves that a person is mature - because the person is able to think beyond oneself, is capable of looking beyond one's own likes and dislikes or needs and wants, is able to accommodate the other into one's own world... a great capacity that we are blessed with!

The Word today invites us to reflect on two long standing relationships in any person's life: Friendship and Marriage!

In both these what is expected of a person is faithfulness, to be sincere, genuine, authentic and integral. A faithful friend is a sure shelter and beyond price; whoever has found one has found a rare treasure! Instead of beginning to search you friendlist for the one who is such to you, begin thinking: to whom are you such a treasure! 

It is high time today, specially for the younger generation, to leave the portals of the virtual friendship and enter into true, life changing, long standing, meaning giving relationships.

Respect the justice of the Lord

February 28, 2019

Thursday,  7th week in Ordinary time

Sirach 5:1-10; Mark 9: 41-50

The Word today is quite hard and as soon as we hear it we feel like saying, this is an old teaching, too rigorous and too bleak in hope. But as the wisdom of Sirach warns us, it can turn into an excuse for not changing oneself.

The Lord knows the ďeepest of our thoughts and the most secret of our intentions. It is not possible to fake allegiance to the Lord as people do to each other. The Lord cannot be one of the options, that when all is done we have resort to the Lord... How impossible it is, with the all knowing God!

The Lord is not only all knowing and compassionate, the Lord is also just and righteous. We would be at fault to think that we can appease the Lord with some legalities, some rituals and some compensations that are peripheral... nothing short of a true intention and a sincere dedication in our efforts to become good in the eyes of the Lord, can make us acceptable! 

Let us not only count on the mercies of the Lord but also respect the justice of the Lord.

Exaggerated Loyalty or Easy Lethargy?

February 27, 2019

Wednesday, 7th week in Ordinary time

Ecclesiasticus 4: 12-22;  Mark 9: 39-42

We have an identity as people belonging to the Lord and there is a rightful sense of feeling proud about it which is expressed in our gratitude to God who has called us and made us God's own. But the danger is that sometimes we might take this sense or identity to tow extremes, both of which are equally bad.

The first extreme is an exaggerated loyalty, that thinks as if we have the monopoly of God, and all that belongs to God - like truth, authority, judgement, righteousness etc. We tend to dictate terms to the 'others' and feel a kind of superiority that is absolutely in no way Christ-ian. Today we see one such incident in the Gospel, where the apostles claim a patented right for doing good; Jesus talks them out of it.

The second extreme which is seen in the life of many so-called 'nominal' christians of today: where they live a life of abject lethargy, not conscious of their identity, not owning up the responsibility that comes with it and not really living up to the standards set while accepting that identity! There is no concrete sign that many of us are truly Christ-ians.

The solution to this lies in the relationship we have with Wisdom, the Counsel of the Lord, the Holy Spirit who sets our hearts to abide by the right balance. Neither exaggerated loyalty nor easy lethargy, but a humble and loving recognition of our identity and a faithful and committed living out, of the same.

To grow up to be a true child

February 26, 2019

Tuesday, 7th week in Ordinary Time

Sirach 2:1-11; Mark 9: 30-37

'Grow Up!' people say, when they are upset with some people's attitudes found wanting, when people behave 'childish' and immature,as it is said. Grow up, yes... but, grow up to what? The Word today invites us, to grow up to be children. Cling on, trust, hold on, wait on the Lord...in short to be true children, true children of God. 

Who can wait on the mercies of the elders but a child, for when we consider ourselves grown up we crave to be independent. Who can cling on to someone else and keep trusting in their goodness, hoping that they will be led in the right path, but a child! Who but a child can look up to others and understand that he or she is the least of all who are around and helpless of the lot?

Jesus invites us - grow up to be a child... let go of your ego, learn to depend on the goodness of the Lord, allow God to take hold of your hands and you will find the true peace, the peace of a child. Grow up constantly, to be a true child!

Faith and Wisdom - Gifts from God

February 25, 2019

Monday, 7th week in Ordinary Time

Ecclesiastes 1:1-10; Mark 9: 14-29

Knowledge can be obtained by effort and hardwork but wisdom comes from the Lord. We may read, listen, think and increase our knowledge, but putting various pieces of knowledge together to arrive at a decision is wisdom and that cannot be acquired by purely hardwork or merely human effort. 

It is a gift from the Lord, because Wisdom as the first reading tells us today, belongs to God and whom God deigns to grant it, and the measure God wills to grant it. 

Belief is born from what we learn and what we understand, while Faith is not merely our lonesome job. It is our personal response to a self revealing God. If so,it is the Lord who grants us this faith as a gift and helps us grow and mature in it too. 

'Lord I believe, help my unbelief"...we come across that profound prayer today. It would do a great good to us to make this prayer a regular and daily prayer, everyday in the morning asking the Lord to help our unbelief and make us truly the Lord's faithful sons and daughters! 

Transfiguration - a daily call...

February 23, 2019 

Saturday, 6th week in Ordinary time 
Hebrews 11:1-7; Mark 9: 2-13

Faith is a call to be transfigured daily - amidst the troubles we have, amidst the things that occupy our minds on a daily basis, that moment when we raise our eyes and our hearts to the Lord offering ourselves up in total surrender becomes a moment of transfiguration, when we are able to feel a presence that is so really sustaining us.

If we are lost in the worries and concerns and dig deep into our sorrows, we are not bad people but just that we are people without that supernatural eye that the Lord graces us with, in faith.

If we possess Faith... we possess an ever present light, an unending light, an ever new light, for life. 

If we possess Faith... we have a host of people with us who have gone before us and who stand by us today, we are never alone.

If we possess Faith, we possess the Lord, who would communicate with us on a constant basis... and with faith, we shall be transfigured every day!

EGO - the antonym of Christian Love

February 22, 2019

Friday, 6th week in Ordinary Time

Genesis 11:1-9; Mark 8:34 - 9:1

Christian definition of Love is 'wishing the good of the other' and if this is what love means, its opposite is not hate but Ego! When I begin to look at me, mine and myself, when I begin to do anything to achieve my end, when everything around me is only an object for me to use, for my good and even persons are means to my ends, that is Ego.

The Word enumerates what one loses when the ego in the person grows... the person loses God, the person loses peace, the person loses the other! Godlessness, Division and Hatred - these are the three dominant viles that the humanity faces today. 

Godlessness, that has made the human person arrogant, thinking of oneself as the master of everything and claiming rights over everything, even life - one's own and other's too... leading to inhumanities and killings.

Division that makes humanity broken, leaving us so despicable among the creatures on the face of the earth - not living our life and not letting others live their life, creating a hell out of the earth that is entrusted to our care - killing each other, destroying everything.

Hatred that keeps tearing apart humanity on a daily basis; making us inhuman and cruel, wishing the death of the other and in the mean time promoting and perpetrating a culture of death and decline!

Jesus challenges us to throw this ego behind and walk towards genuine love, pick up the daily cross for others' sake and walk with the Lord.

The Spirit and the Satan

February 21, 2019

Thursday, 6th week in Ordinary time 

Genesis 9:1-13; Mark 8:27-33

The Spirit of the Lord is upon us... for the Lord has created us in God's own image. We bear the name of God. The first reading today reiterates the fact in many ways - saying God  created everything for the human beings, God gave human beings an ascendancy over the rest of the creatures and explicitly stating once again God  created human beings in God's image, the Spirit of God! 

Peter is  seen to be filled with that Spirit of God when he rightly points out who Jesus was- The Son of God. Yes we possess the Spirit of the Lord within us. 

A fact we need to beware is that the Satan is all the time lurching around the corner waiting for a time to pounce on us and draw us as far away as it could.  Right from the first moment of the creation this enmity is on, isn't it?  But it all depends where I belong. The Spirit or the Satan - whose side am I on?

The Noah's Raven

February 20, 2019

Wednesday, 6th week in Ordinary time

Genesis 8: 6-13,20-22 ; Mark 8: 22-26

I was reminded, reflecting on today's first reading, of an expression a good friend of mine is fond of repeating. He would call some people, 'the Noah's ravens' - when they take up a task and set about it but never return to report the progress or the lack of it. It is indeed an interesting perspective to think from, isn't it?

Anything good or healthy we take up to, has a gradual progress and we need to follow it  through. And to do that, there are three requirements...

Firstly, we should not be impatient as to expecting everything to happen in a jiffy. Noah was patiently waiting to get the right sign and the right time. In our personal lives and in our families, when we live through some trying times, how many impatient moments lead us to choices that are not truly divine?

Secondly, when we set off on the task we should be resolute enough to follow it through till its very end. Quitting and giving up are signs of lack of faith and trust and we are called to surrender into the hands of the Lord.

Thirdly, we should not forget those who are involved with us in the task... beginning with the Lord who initiates everything that is good. Unlike the ravens that were lost in their own amusement, forgetting the purpose behind the task taken up; we are called to be attentive to the Lord and wait on the Lord. The Lord will deign to offer us the right direction to renew our lives!