Integrity - a truly 'Christ'ian quality

WORD 2day: Tuesday, 24th week in Ordinary time

September 17, 2019: 1 Timothy 3: 1-13; Luke 7: 11-17

The Word today summons every person of a Christian community to recognise and reassess the place and the importance of the quality of Integrity, in our life and community today. More than any quality of  efficiency or intelligence, it is personal integrity that St. Paul outlines as the quality needed utmost for anyone who wants to serve a Christian Community. 

Jesus, most obviously, is the model presented to us by the Gospel, in this all-important virtue of integrity. Not merely a sermon or a discourse, but we see Jesus moved with compassion for the helpless widow on the streets of Nain. 

The Responsorial Psalm drives home to us the crux of the message today: "He who walks in the way of integrity shall be in my service" (Ps 101:6). The psalm offers us two other terms to understand the quality of integrity: blameless heart and the way of perfection. Yes, it is not about staying away from cutting a bad figure before others, nor about being extra careful with our behaviour in public or in those fora which could create a scandal! It is about being good, choosing good, and doing good, regardless of a public opinion or acknowledgement.

The less the disparity between our talk and our walk, the more is our Integrity! Integrity, in fact, is the internal peace that leads to Universal Peace! It is what we choose to be, in order that we create around us what we want the world to be. 

The one word that can give peace

WORD 2day: Monday, 24th week in Ordinary time

September 16, 2019: 1 Timothy 2:1-8; Luke 7: 1-10

In these days when the world is constantly threatened by international stand-offs, territorial scramblings, intra-national factional misgivings, the readings today have a wonderful message - to pray for all, for the sake of peace! 

It is not a convenience-seeking measure but a conviction that is born out of a solid teaching that Jesus wanted to impart to the world - We are all sons and daughters of One, loving, caring God who is madly in love with us. Jesus lived that teaching by reaching out to the Roman Centurion and in fact pointing out in him the excellence of faith. 

The present Holy Father, Pope Francis has proved more than few times, a true disciple of Christ, calling the whole world, all persons of good will to unite in prayer, as does the first reading today. It is important for the world to know that the one word that can heal everyone, the one word that can give peace to the whole world, the one word that can set everything right is with God! 

The process has to begin with us... those who hear that Word, to believe in it and entrust ourselves to living it. 'Say but one word O Lord, the world shall be healed and we shall have peace!'

LET YOURSELF BE FOUND

The Lord is in search of you

September 15, 2019: 24th Sunday in Ordinary time

Exodus 32: 7-11, 13-14; 1 Timothy 1: 12-17; Luke 15: 1-32

Have you heard of that anecdote narrated of a girl who strayed into a thick forest and could not get back before it got really dark? She was there, terrified with the dark that surrounded her and the distant noises that frightened her. All that she could was hide herself behind a bush, covering herself with the dark, while her father began to desperately go in search of her! He was combing the forest inch by inch determined to find his child and at a certain point, there he stood as the beam of light from his torch rested on a pair of bewildered eyes: it was his daughter, still frightened but unable to see her dad because the light blinded her now, equally as the darkness until then did. The father was relieved and gave a sign of relief and joy, and cried her name out! As soon as the child heard her father's voice, she shouted in joy, "Daddy! I found you!"

What a lovely picture we are presented with in the Word today - the Lord who comes in search of us! The Lord is in search of us, but are we ready to let ourselves be found by the Lord? That is the crucial question raised to us today.

BEWARE - The First Reading warns us:

The World and our life today is filled with things, events, ideals and values that can distract us and get us lost! It is first the darkness that surrounds us. Enmity, violence, intolerance, competition, jealousy, avarice and apathy is spread more and more today, knowingly most of the times and unwittingly sometimes. People give into the pressure of the crowd and end up harping on the same negativity that they wish to fight. We need to stay clear of the negativity of the inhuman forces, the agents of hatred wish to perpetrate. Not just darkness, but sometimes what we consider light can blind us to God - self-righteousness, pride, sense of accomplishment and superiority, the tendency to look at our familiarity with God as a reason to condemn people or look down on them - these can keep us from truly encountering God... the Lord will be right there beside us and we will not realise it in our folly. 

REALISE IT - The Second Reading instructs us:

Become aware of it, when you are lost! St. Paul realised how lost he was! It is a grace to "come to our senses", just as the lost son came to his senses in the parable (Luke 15:17), that Jesus narrates today. When we do not realise that we are lost, like that little girl we spoke of, we would be imagining that we are in search of God - while actually the Lord is in search of us, looking for us amidst the darkness that we have created all around us, reaching out to us through the maze that we have thrown ourselves into. God is looking for us and the moment we realise we are lost, we would call out to God and the Lord shall cry our name out. Remember that incident when God called out "Adam", the first couple were hiding behind a bush! Remember that moment when God called out "Cain", he tried hiding himself behind his connivance. The sacrament of Reconciliation is all about our realisation, our coming to senses... it is admitting with all our sincere heart, that we have gone astray, we have lost our way, we are willing to be found and taken back to God. 

THE LORD WHO IS IN SEARCH OF US - The Gospel presents to us:

Oh, what a wonderful experience, to see the Lord who comes in search of us. We better not be ashamed or we will shy away and we better not be afraid or we will hide ourselves from that merciful gaze. A God who is on a constant look out; the Lord who is in search of us; the Lord who rejoices on our return - that is the image that Jesus wants us to have! Yes, the Lord is in search of us. The secret is that the Lord cannot find us, unless we let ourselves be found! 

And therefore, we pray:

Oh Lord, my God,

Grant that I may stick to the path you have shown;

Enlighten my mind to single out the enticements and entrapments 

that get me lost to your life-giving presence;

Infuse my heart with the humility to see the truth and accept it

specially when I find myself far from it;

Take my hand and lead me gently back to you,

however undeserving you find me to be; 

for I know you love me without bounds, 

you accept me without conditions, and 

you watch over me without denying me my freedom!

Thank you Lord, 

never let me wander too far away from you; and

help me always to let myself be found by you...
like the coin on the house floor, 
the sheep in the wilderness, 
and the son who came to himself...
Help me Lord, 
that when you come in search of me, 
TO LET MYSELF BE FOUND.

Amen.

The Cross Talk - look up, be lifted up & lift up

THE WORD AND THE FEAST

September 14, 2019: The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross

Numbers 21: 4-9; (Optional 2nd reading: Phillipians 2: 6-11); John 3:13-17

Celebrating the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, our focus is on that symbol of God's love for humanity, the Tree of our Salvation. Exalting the Cross today, we are called to hearken to the voice of the Cross. If the Cross would speak to us, we would hear these three words: Look up, be lifted up and lift up!

1. Look Up: 
Look up to the Cross and be saved. It is in and through the Cross that we have been saved. Cross is not a symbol of suffering nor a sign of curse. By choosing the Cross as his weapon and throne, Christ who has conquered the world has won God's salvation for us. In all our difficulties we are called to look up and draw hope from this Cross. It is here that we are reminded to check our fear of looking at the cross as if it augurs suffering for us. It is the sign of love, the face of God so bruised after a battle to win us eternity. 

2. Be Lifted Up: 
When we look up, we are given the light. Those who look up to Him shall never be ashamed, promises the Word. We are invited to be lifted up by the Lord... just like the Saviour who was lifted up! The love of the Lord will lift us up, in spite of the burdens we bear and the clutches that tend to pull us down. Let us not be weighed down by the loads we carry. Let us surrender, so that we can be lifted up; let us humble ourselves before the Lord that we could be lifted up by the Lord.

3. Lift Up: 
Once lifted up, the Son of Man would draw everyone to Himself. And once we are lifted up by the Son, we should in turn lift everyone else up to the Lord. Our life has been punctuated with so many blessings and marvels from the Lord and today, we look up, we gaze at the One who is lifted up, and be lifted up ourselves. Our life in Lord should lift up the rest of the humankind with us to the Lord that everyone may look up to Him and be saved. Can I really say, that my words, my thoughts, my attitudes and my way of life, is capable of lifting people up to the Lord?

The Real Me

WORD 2day: Friday,  23rd week in Ordinary time 

September 13, 2019: 1 Timothy 1: 1-2, 12-14; Luke 6: 39-42

Humility is an inevitable part of holiness. Holiness never leads one to pride and anything that makes one proud is certainly short of true holiness. 

Humility consists of the capacity to take guidance from others. While realising the areas in which one has to grow and taking steps towards that growth is an important part of maturing in one's life,  mutual corrections are very Christian ways of growing up too. If one thinks he or she knows every thing and is in perfect control of everything, the person would feel the others are dispensable in life. Pride leads to the despise of the other.

Humility is not an artificial debasement of oneself in any way. It is knowing my real self, accepting it and being at home with it; at home with knowing my imperfections and continuously working on it. While it is absolutely opposed to pride, it is certainly not a belittling of oneself. At times we see pseudo-spiritualities that, in the name of praising God, make of oneself worthless, despicable beings! How can that be, when it is God who has willed us into existence! If we adore God, should we not look at ourselves with a divine dignity?

St. Paul was mindful of his real self all the time. He never thought of hiding his dark past and was never bloating over the glorious state of his present relationship with Christ. In fact his relationship with Christ made him more aware of his real self. In Christ I get to know my real me,  not just my past but also my call;  not merely the splinters and planks in my eyes but even the blessings and splendours given unto me. That is the real me, the real me that is willed into existence by the Lord!

Put on love; put on Christ!

WORD 2day: Thursday,  23rd week in Ordinary Time 

September 12, 2019: Colossians 3: 12-17;  Luke 6: 27-38

As we hear the first reading today, if we do not clarify that the words are from the letter of St. Paul to the Colossians,  one can easily misjudge those as some kind of paraphrasing of a part from the Gospel, as if they are words of Christ himself. Paul had so intensely taken in the spirit of Christ that his insistence of putting on Christ comes from his person much stronger than from his words. 

Love is presented as the crux of Christ's message. When Paul says elsewhere too, by 'put on Christ', he practically means to put on love. Love is the sweetest of all teachings of Christ and it is the most difficult of all too, for it comes inbuilt with forgiveness; forbearance, kindness,  gentleness, integrity and sacrifice. Isn't that difficult enough?  

Love, according to the mind of Christ, is not to be understood as a childish sentiment of attachment and dependence, as the world today portrays. Looking at each other all the time, talking to each other incessantly, pleasing each other at all costs, missing even in a little absence - these seem to be defined as 'love' today! Much to its contrast, love is a Christlike self-giving. It is not about being with or without someone, but being for someone, willing to sacrifice for the other. It is a commitment to give life, give one's life, without counting the cost! Does it sound almost impossible?

Being a Christian is hard, the famous philosopher Kierkegaard would often reiterate - whether he understood it right or not, it is a fact. Yes, the fact is,  if we believe being a Christian is to put on Christ, it can never happen except by putting on love!

The Christ Difference

WORD 2day: Wednesday, 23rd week in Ordinary time

September 11, 2019: Colossians 3: 1-11; Luke 6: 20-26

There is no more Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, slaves or free persons, there is only Christ, says Paul. Christ alone shall make the difference. There is no more religious or lay, catholics or others, believers or non believers, practitioners or indifferent, regular-to-the-Church or non-church-goers... nothing is going to be different because of these externals. There is only Christ and Christ alone shall make all the difference. 

God has chosen each of us, and if God has chosen us in Christ, we have a duty to respond. It is our response in Christ that is going to make the difference. If I choose Christ, if I value Christ, if I value the call that I have received to be a child of God, I have to  show it in my life; I have to live it on a daily basis; I have to prove it at times of real crisis in my practical living. When I choose Christ the difference would certainly be seen. 

Confusing criteria,  disarrayed priorities,  Godless morality,  inhuman ethics and heartless secularisation of the world... this is the context in which we are called to live and profess our faith in Christ. The Word today establishes, that in this context,  we cannot put up with compromises and half baked convictions. We need to make a clear and impeccable difference in and through our lives.

The world stands in need of Spirit-filled Evangelisers, calls out Pope Francis. Let our choice for Christ make a concrete difference in our lives. Let the world around me see the difference, the Christ difference, in me!

Rooted, built, held and filled

WORD 2day: Tuesday, 23rd week in Ordinary time

September 10, 2019: Colossians 2: 6-15; Luke 6: 12-19

You must be rooted, built on him, held firm by faith and be filled with thanksgiving - what powerful words that Paul uses to explain what is it that we are called to, especially in this epoch where everything Godly is being despised, hated and frowned upon! Yes, we are called. Just as Jesus called those 12, he has called each one of us, by name, from a crowd of people, singling us out and setting us apart. 

What are we called to? 

To be rooted in Christ, that we be nourished and kept alive, by no one knows what, the very source of life and meaning - the Divine Word, become flesh.

To be built into Christ, that every thing that we say, do or even think may make present that almighty transforming power of God, the Spirit that rested on Christ and has been passed on to us.

To be held firm in Christ, against all concussions that may happen due to the wiles of the world - that is why Paul warns us: make sure that no one traps you, with the empty, rational principles of this world.

To be filled with thanks to Christ, for having won us over for God! In spite of the daily troubles and unending cares of the day, we are called to look at the blessings God has willed for us and the treasures God has stored for us.

We are called... to be rooted and built on Christ, held firm and filled with Christ, that we can make sense of our own lives, make meaning for others and find that ultimate meaning - Christ himself!

Good - All the time!

WORD 2day: Monday, 23rd week in Ordinary Time

September 9, 2019: Colossians 1:24 - 2:3; Luke 6: 6-11

Jesus' life and teaching hold out to us a challenge that consists of a simple,  uncomplicated criterion but highly demanding. The criterion is: Be good. 

You may have to suffer,  take on yourself burdens and brickbats,  be misunderstood and be rash judged... what are you going to do? Lose your nerves and let loose your temperament? Throw your ideals into the air and fall in line with the so-called wicked world? No. The answer is simple: Be good. 

At any given point if you are left with a question... what to do,  or what next,  or what has got to be my reaction, what should be my response right then... it is simple: Be good.

Never lose your goodness for anything or anyone's sake. What would be your merit, if you were to be good when it is convenient for you? What have you truly achieved if you are good to those who have been good to you? Irrespective of these antecedents, the call you have is to be good!

Certainly we have heard, even sung the famous number of Don Moen -God is good, all the time! It is not enough to believe that God is good all the time; it is important that I be good all the time and never grow weary of doing good (cf 2 Thes 3: 13).

Let the call resound throughout this day: Be good! All the time!

FREEDOM OF THE CHILDREN OF GOD

A different Reasoning, Relationship and Renunciation!

23rd Sunday in Ordinary time - September 8, 2019

Wisdom 9: 13-18; Philemon 1:9-10,12-17; Luke 14:25-33

There is a story told of a man who went on a 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 believes. At times we think freedom is the ability to do whatever we wish... 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 kind of Reasoning that one possesses, qualitatively different from the others. Taking up the cross willingly, forgiving without any compensations for it, looking at everything from the perspective of God... these make up a 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. We 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, of loving God above all else. Renouncing something is something, but not really enough. What matters is renouncing the so-called merits of the renunciation - that is true renunciation! 

Although today is Sunday and the nativity of our Blessed Mother is overshadowed by the Lord's day, let us not miss the chance of celebrating in and through her the great example that God provides every child of God! If we apply what we reflected so far to our Blessed Mother, we would be astonished to observe what a great inspiration she is with regard to this Freedom... she reasoned totally different from the world, entrusting herself in total surrender to the Lord not requiring an explanation for everything that was happening in her life; she treasured true relationships in the Lord, going out to meet Elizabeth, remaining always beside her Son in his mission, sticking on to the disciples till the promise was fulfilled; she renounced her will, her comfort and her total self, when she said that yes and all that remains uppermost in her mind was that the world does what the Lord wished: do whatever he tells you!  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 our Blessed Mother inspire, teach and guide us to grow in this great gift that we have received: the freedom of the children of God.