Journey to Holiness - a Lenten Project

The Journey begins...

Ash Wednesday : March 6, 2019
Joel 2: 12-18; 2 Corinthians 5:20 -6:2; Matthew 6: 1-6,16-18

In his recent encylclical Holy Father Pope Francis set himself a task: "to repropose the call to holiness in a practical way for our own time, with all its risks, challenges and opportunities. For the Lord has chosen each one of us 'to be holy and blameless before him in love (Eph 1:4)." (GE 2)

The Rector Major of the Salesians, the 10th Successor of Don Bosco treads the same line as he proposes to each and every one, whether religious or lay, young or old: 'holiness for you too!' (Strenna 2019)

This is, as well, the proposal of the Season that we begin today - a lenten project: Journey to Holiness. Beginning today we shall be making this journey with the Word, in the Spirit, responding to the call of God, to holiness! Be holy, for I who have called you am holy!

Lent, as a journey to holiness is not all about myself and what I do for my own sake! It is about others, it is about the Other. It is about journeying towards the Father, it is growing to be like the Father. There are three powerful means suggested to us today:

PRAYER: Prayer is to grow closer to the Father: more open and more docile. It is growing out of myself, growing out of my petty plans and enslaving self image!

PENANCE: Penance is to grow to be like the Father... thinking more about the others and the Other. Convinced that I should decrease and God should increase, we grow to be more and more like the Father: merciful, loving, kind and forgiving!

PHILANTHROPY: Love of persons around, is an easy way to grow out of oneself! It is in being sensitive to the needs and struggles of the other, that we learn to perspectivise those that are our own! Every good deed that we do, should take us to higher plane of living our Christian life: forgetting our own wants and reaching out to the more needy.

This is a life long journey and we need reminders and points of renewal on this journey: here comes an entire season to remind, renew and rejuvenate us on this journey. Let us begins is journey to holiness with hope and courage and a deep sense of faith.

Rewards of the Just Judge

March 5, 2019

Tuesday, 8th week in Ordinary Time

Sirach 35:2-15; Mark 10: 28-31

That the Lord is just, is not always a convenient thing for us. At times even the best of things that we do, may not really be deigned as good owing to the intention that is behind its doing. We may act kind to someone, expecting something in return. We may try to please someone because we wish to obtain a favour from the person. We may close an eye to a fault of someone merely because we like the person and make a mountain out of molehill just because we may not like the person. 

All these, are not factors that are known to an apparent eye; but the Lord knows them all. The Lord knows us through and through. Considering that the Lord is judge, the rewards may not be always what we like or enjoy, but the rewards will always be a means of enhancing the goodness in a child. 

In simple words, what we do is important; but why we do what we do and what we want to achieve through what we do, they matter a lot more. I am not what I do, but I am what I think, as and when I do whatever I do. 

Come, Come back, Come home

March 4, 2019

Monday, 8 week in ordinary time 

Sirach 17: 20-28; Mark 10:17-27

The messages have begun to invite us back home. Soon there will be lent and this message will be all the more stronger. The invitation points out to the fact that all of us need a home that is permanent; that we belong to a home that is permanent where we are ourselves and not waiting to be invited. Let's heed the invitation of the master and turn back home as early as possible.

The Reign is our home and let us beware not to distance ourselves from it too long.  The love for our home should pull us back from wherever we find ourselves. Come, Come back,  Come home invites the Lord - with the right perspectives and right actions, let us get back home.

FRUITS - BEWARE OF WHAT YOU PUT OUT

Fake, Faulty or Fullness

8th Sunday in Ordinary time

Ecclesiasticus 27: 5-8; 1 Corinthians 15:54-58; Luke 6: 39-45

Fruits - it is by fruits that a tree is known! What we are is judged by our fruits but beware what you put out as your fruits! 

Today when we look around people are looking for fruits, and persons look to prove themselves to others showing off their fruits. Not just the advertisements or the publicities that are made, which are almost totally fake, but there are other modes in which even individuals and groups wish to show themselves off to others, as something that they are not, to gain, or to be popular or to have their way! Facebook, Instagram and Twitter handles are filled with photoshopped facts and filtered snaps, all to impress others and make oneself desired at all costs. The same happens in life too: we show ourselves to others the way we wish to, we manifest our fruits; the question is, are these but true fruits?

Fake Fruits: the culture of death

Living our life merely as living up to the expectations of the others, the demands of the society, the requirements of the trends and identifying oneself to this way of life is, putting out fake fruits: they can give meaning neither to me nor to anyone else! In our spiritual life too, we create appearances, we put up shows for the sake of those who are around and rejoice in being appreciated for what we are not, in being praised for what we do not deserve, in being identified as someone or something that we are not. This is a culture of death - where what is not is so much hyped and appreciated and what is true is made insignificant and uncared for. We are so caught up with the unreal that the real does not matter at all. We are happy with just appearances and fantasies. Our Christian life can never be this!

Faulty Fruits: the blind life

Living our life, all the time concerned about our external image and the opinion of others, we might forget to live it from the core of our beings. We may make so much effort merely to prove ourselves to others that we may lose sight of the real life that is being wasted in the meanwhile. We become so blind to truth! Being blind we can never be guides to others, but we keep shouting to the others to follow us, we keep drawing attention of the others as if we are the models to be proposed to the world, models of so-called 'success', 'achievement' and 'excellence'. We are so blind to the fact that we are not living our lives, we are so blind to the fact that even others see through and notice quite soon the emptiness that is there within us! By the time, we realise that emptiness ourselves, it seems too late and too far beyond redemption. We give up! Do not give in, or do not give up, instructs the Word today... live on, live deep and move to the next level.

Fullness: the fruit of life

Living our life to the full is the natural fruit we are called to bear: bearing fruit is never a goal, it is just an outcome. The goal is, living our life to the full. The fruit follows. The more we concentrate on the end of showing out fruits to the others, the more meaningless and hollow our life becomes. The focus has to be on living our life to the full, living it in our depth, living it at the core, living it with integrity - that every thing we think, everything that we say and everything that we do, has a congruence about it. It is in this fullness that we shall be able to notice the log that lies in our eyes and clear it so that we can help the other to remove the splinter in his or her's. Life has to be embraced in its ups and its downs, in success and in challenges, in its glory and its grief... with hope and that is the sign of being people of resurrection! This is being people of victory, people of the Risen Lord, appreciating and celebrating life, life in all its abundance. 

Bearing Fruit is the sign of being united in the Lord, but the quality of the fruit matters the most - not fake fruits that are actually not there at all, not faulty fruits that last just a while leaving behind an unfathomable void, but fullness where fruits abound, inspiring many more to give thanks and glory to God! Yes, pray hard and live to the full that you may bear fruit - but nevertheless, beware of what kind of a fruit you put out.

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!