ME, GOD & WHAT BELONGS...

Render what belongs to God! 

October 18, 2020: 29th Sunday in Ordinary time
Isaiah 45: 1,4-6; 1 Thessalonians 1: 1-5; Matthew 22: 15-21

The Word today has a theme that is very difficult for the world today to accept. It brings out the absolute sovereignty that God has over reality. The post-modern mind and the new age spirituality clamours for an autonomy that sometimes borders on an absolute independence of the human person and a meaning made in total isolation - without others, without the cosmos, and of course without God. The episode of the tower of Babel is a specimen event already in the beginnings of Biblical prehistory. And that experience continues in every age of human history in varied ways...just think of connecting our pandemic experience to that too, it would make a lot of sense. Against this background, the Word calls us today to pay attention to three undeniable facts, but many a time denied my the human beings:

1. Everything belongs to God: 

The first reading recalls the role of Persia and the Persian king Cyrus, in the emancipation of Israel. It was possible because Persia was first able to grow into a super power. They grew into power and they found the slavery of the Hebrews unnecessary and thought of emancipating them. And the account from Isaiah points out that even though Persia seemingly had nothing much to do with Yahweh, it was in fact the Lord who was preparing Persia in view of emancipating Israel - it might have taken ages but that is how history works; it is not a day's work. Yes, the Lord is presented to us as the Lord of history, and not merely the Lord of Israel. Everything belongs to God and God is in control of everything. 

At times when things may not be going the way we would want them to, all that we need to do is remain calm believing that God is working out a course of history. A surrender into the hands of God and a patient wait on the Lord would bring us to an experience that would be absolutely awesome. We lack patience, and increasingly today the human tendency is growing more and more impatient. Whoever guaranteed that everything in life will go as we plan it - why should it be so? The events of the past 6 months have taught this much to us. Let us remember it is God who is the Lord of history and of time, not we. Everything belongs to God, even time and tide! 

2. God belongs to everyone: 

Saul was appointed by Yahweh, that was their experience. David was raised by Yahweh, that was their certainty. That even Cyrus was raised to power by God, comes as a special learning for the people of Israel. They were being challenged on their claim to monopolise Yahweh as their own, and only their own. God slowly opens them up to the reality that God belongs to everyone. What matters was to have what it takes to be called God's own. The Gospel brings it out subtly, in the reflection that Jesus makes on the coin, saying it belongs to Caesar as it bears Caesar's image. Hence the condition to belong to God is to have God's image imprinted on our selves. 

No one, absolutely no one, can monopolise God and it is not Christ-ian to think of it that way. God cannot belong to a particular group of people. It can be true the other way about, that we belong to God. But to claim that God belongs to a group would be human folly without doubt. That is why when there are some absolute claims by people, whoever they are - whether the most prolific of theologians or some quack start ups - God would be smiling down upon and laughing at their folly! It is not for us to own God, or monopolise God and reject persons and groups depending on that! That is totally ungodly! What we should is, to respect every person with a genuine search and yearning for God and every person with a humble and authentic experience of God. God belongs to everyone. 

3. Render and don't hold back what belongs to God 

Everything, all that we have, belongs to God. What is that you have, which you have not received? (1 Cor 4:7) asks St.Paul. We are called to render to God all that belongs to God: our talents, our skills, our learning, our abilities... everything we are called to render unto the Lord. At times we like to take everything away from God - that is what the world is trying hard to: to take away the power and authority from God, to take away the sovereignty from God, to take away the creation from the Lord, to take away whatever pertains to glory from God, to take the entire world away from God - and the result, all the confusions and darkness that we have unleashed on earth.

To render everything unto the Lord, is rendering unto the cause of the Lord, unto the establishing of the Reign of God. It is a call to that state of life where, all that we say, think or do, has to be unto the Reign of God. Thus we will totally belong to God and have the mark of belonging to God: the Holy Spirit. That is what should define me - the mark of the Holy Spirit, in Christ Jesus that says, I belong to my God! 

Isn't that a lovely reflection to remain with the whole of this week: me, God and what belongs!

The Head, the Body and the Uniter

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

October 17, 2020: Celebrating St. Ignatius of Antioch 

Ephesians 1: 15-23; Luke 12: 8-12

We have a head, none less than the Son of God; We are a body nothing less than the very body of Christ - what a reminder from Paul! Let us not be lost in petty problems and needless anxieties - of course someone will respond saying, 'only when you go through it, you will know which is petty and which is needless!' But in Paul's parlance and in Christ's thinking every problem is petty and every anxiety is needless, because we have an existence, a body, a being so deeply significant! St. Ignatius whom we celebrate today, and every other martyr we have, stand witness to such an experience! 

The Head: Let us be worthy of the Head we possess. As the head directs so the body goes, at least such is the understanding in the mechanical world. But for us as people who have Christ as our head, we have the freedom with which we can decide to act out of our personal choice - let those choices be worthy of our Head. 

The Body: Let us be one body in Christ.The Church being a body of Christ is not in the hands of the Head... it is in the way the Church and its every member, identify themselves to the One body, instead of claiming differences of origin, status and everyday operations! 

The Uniter: The Head-body rapport is not automatic, it is an act of the Spirit, the Uniter, the one who unites them both. It is the Spirit who relates us to the Lord and it is the Spirit who sustains us in that relationship. 

St. Ignatius of Antioch whom we remember today understood this relationship perfectly. He belongs to the earliest of the Christian communities, right during the Apostolic times, and is said to have been a student of St. John the Apostle. He was the Bishop of Antioch and is a representative icon of the first Christians who were persecuted and killed. They had no other concern, no other word, no other justification, than what the Spirit held out for them. They were ready to lay their lives to preserve this Head-body link intact! How fervent are we about our relationship with our head: Christ our Lord?

The Spirit of Courage and Hope

WORD 2day: Friday, 28th week in Ordinary time

October 16, 2020: Ephesians 1: 11-14; Luke 12: 1-7.

The Word today brings out a crucial theme for these days - the Spirit of power and love and self-discipline (cf. 2 Tim 1:7), with which we are sealed, which brings freedom to those who belong to God. Where does this Spirit of courage and hope come from? From a life that is lived founded well on Christ like convictions and absolute commitment. Jesus brings that out in radical terms in the Gospel. 

Do not fear, do not be afraid... Jesus repeatedly assures us not to be guided by fear. When we are guided by solid convictions and not convenient compromises, when we are taken up with absolute commitment to the life's tasks entrusted to us, we will be truthful to God who has created us, chosen us in Christ and commissioned us to be the people of God. That truth will indeed set us free (cf. Jn 8:32). When we live by truth, we will not fear anyone or anything. 

Looking at the crisis of the pandemic around, the rise of fundamentalist forces all over, the irrational hegemony of the moneyed forces in the world, the voiceless struggles of the poor and oppressed, the merciless rampage of the corporates on the economically weaker sections - all these are disheartening issues and predicaments. But a true disciple of Christ, a genuine Christ-ian, a true son or daughter filled with the Spirit, will stand firm in courage and hope! 

We have great and shining witnesses in thousands of martyrs that we have in history, and those that are suffering heroically even today, for the cause of truth and justice! Even if we do not have an opportunity to give our witness in that manner, let us at least stand by these who are doing it - then we shall have a share in that testimony! 

For that we need to be enabled by the Spirit of Courage, that is poured into our hearts, that which we hold on to as the mark of our belonging to God. We will do well to pray for it. 

With the Lord and Before the Lord

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

October 15, 2020: Celebrating St. Teresa of Jesus
Ephesians 1: 1-10; Luke 11: 47-54

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Teresa of Avila. We could look back at a wonderful episode from her life...the saintly carmelite Teresa was fond of introducing herself to everyone as Teresa of Jesus. In fact that is another name by which she is known, apart from Teresa of Avila. She loved Jesus as her own spouse; she referred to him as her 'beloved' - so romantic a faith. It is said that in one of her visions, when Jesus appeared and she asked,"who are you?" Jesus replied in her style: "I am Jesus of Teresa". Nothing can replace a personal love that we ought to have for Jesus. St. Teresa of Jesus, inspires us to an ardent love for our Saviour. Needless to say, we would be repaid with a love several times deeper and in fact, we love because the Lord loved us first (1 Jn 4:19). 

We see in St. Teresa's life that she had a relationship with the Lord that was so intimate, meaningful and a matter of day-to-day experience. Her mystical writings came from a source so divine, that they disturb many even today, challenge them and invite everyone to an understanding of our life that is intimately connected to our relationship with the Lord - a life that is lived with the Lord and before the Lord! 

At times the entire focus of our life reduces to making people think that we are good, virtuous and honourable - and it is not impossible at all. This predominant concern, many a time has proved to be the root cause for terribly wrong decisions, made against conscience and later regretted. The Word today and the saint today, instruct us that we are not called to create images of ourselves for those around us and bask in the opinions we construct among others. That is not the sense of our Christian life. 

Instead, when we realise that we have a responsibility to account for every special blessing that the Lord has showered on us, and account for every thought that arises in our hearts and our minds that are against this goodness of the Lord. To understand that every moment we are right in front of the Lord, bare and naked our intentions, clear and plain every secret thought of ours. As St.Paul today points it out, it is between God and me, and public opinions and image creation will not suffice. "To be holy and blameless before God in love"... that is the task given to us. Can I deceive God the ultimate judge? What do I gain putting up an image before others? 

Being holy and blameless before the Lord is to live my daily life, every moment of my daily life, with the Lord and before the Lord.

Warning: no one spared!

WORD 2day: Wednesday, 28th week in Ordinary time

October 14, 2020: Galatians 5: 18-25; Luke 11: 42-46

At times the Word sounds very strong and frightening and one such instance is today: be it in the first reading or in the Gospel, we have a warning clear and loud - no one shall be spared, when it comes to entering the Reign of God! If we are directed by the Spirit, we shall enter the Reign of God, and the signs of it shall already be seen here and now. If we are directed by our self-indulgence and self-pride, we shall not inherit the Reign of God, because we never belonged to it in our daily life! That is the warning! 

You cannot belong to Christ Jesus unless you crucify all self-indulgent passions and desires, teaches Paul today. He even lists those self-indulgent behaviours. They are contrary to the Jesus way of life, because of three reasons: (i) because they objectify our own selves - making our bodies, our persons, a mere object of instant and passing pleasure; (ii) because they objectify the other - making the persons around me objects of my pleasure, or merely some 'things' that I can use for my good;  and (iii) because they objectify God - making God an object to whom I give something, I do something, I say something, not realising that God is a person who is looking at everything that I am involved in, even those that I do not dare to manifest to anyone other than me! These self-indulgent tendencies have to be curbed if we have to let ourselves be directed by the Spirit.

The Gospel presents another set of disqualifiers - you cannot belong to Christ, or the Reign of God - if you are so worried about some external acts and not interior dispositions, if you put on a pretence and a show that you are someone extraordinary but carry within you festered ideas and obnoxious attitudes of demeaning others and discriminating persons, if you preach or speak externally of something but do not ever care to live even a single element of what you proclaim! These are clear evidences and signs that I am in no way directed by the Spirit, whatever be my external status in the society.

When Jesus speaks in these words and strikes against the Pharisees, one of the lawyers speaks up in a voice of self-justification, and Jesus lashes out against him too - telling us in clear terms, no one shall be spared! There are no status or titles, roles or functions, achievements or establishments that can give you an entry into the Reign of God... except your daily life, day to day choices and integrity lived here and now - from this rule, no one will be spared!

Integrity Matters

WORD 2day: Tuesday, 28th week in Ordinary time

October 13, 2020: Galatians 5:1-6; Luke 11: 37-41

Integrity is one virtue that Jesus never compromised on. Dichotomìes and discrepancies between words and actions, between belief and life: they were immediate disqualifiers according to Jesus, in the pursuit of eternal life. He would love the company of even the so-called publicans and sinners who were openly living a sinful life - with the hope that he would bring them back to to the Father. But he would never prefer the company of the self-titled righteous, who were all evil and treacherous in their interior disposition! What a clear warning given to us by Jesus' choice of company!

On our journey to heaven, even a simple life-practice backed up by a strong conviction can become an entry pass to the Reign. Be it the two pennies dropped by the widow, or the vial of perfume broken by the 'sinner' woman, or the simple prayer made by the thief on the cross beside Jesus... they were reasons enough for them to inherit the Reign of God. 

Instead, even if we were to move mountains, or give our bodies over to be burnt, or speak in tongues and preach incessantly, or perform wonders and possess powers, if we do not have the right disposition within, if we do not have the right intention in our hearts, we would be judged far from the Reign and it is practically impossible for us to enter God's dwellings.

Integrity, is that quality which lets me grow in my conviction in my daily life, about every little act that I do, based on every decision I make - big or small, affecting every choice of thought, word or deed! In simple words, I mean what I say and I say only what I mean in the depth of my heart. There are no pretences and face masks! In these days, when all of us go around with the masks on our mouths, it is good every time we put on those masks, to think about how many types of masks we keep wearing on our persons, while in interaction with others. When are we going to shed all those masks and be ourselves, true and integral, before the Lord? That is a demanding life style, but the only life style that fits with Jesus the Christ.

Let us believe in what we pray and practise what we preach or hear preached... lest we become "fools" in the eyes of the Lord.

Freedom is not free!

WORD 2day: Monday, 28th week in Ordinary time

October 12, 2020: Galatians 4: 22-24, 26-27, 31 -5:1; Luke 11: 29-32

Freedom, is not an all sweet gift. It was Jean Paul Sartre who made that provocative but profound statement, "we are condemned to be free". Freedom comes with the duty attached. We are free, free to choose, yes; but the grave responsibility of the choice is laid entirely upon us. It would be childish to clamour for freedom but shy away from responsibility. 

We are free children of God, declares Paul. With that comes the condition that we are to be held responsible for all the choices we make. Have you tried asking your students, or youth groups or your friends, or just anyone: who decides I should be happy or not? They would invariably refuse to answer, with a knotty smile on their faces! Because everyone knows, that it is one's own choice, or rather one's own choices. The free choices we make amount to the consequence we face, we know it well. But knowing is one thing, whereas acting on it is a totally different thing.

The Lord grants us the greatest gift of freedom, and leaves us with the responsibility for our choices. That is why, when we choose not to see the presence of God, when we choose not to find the moments of grace, when we choose not to realise the opportunities to do good, when we choose not to identify our brother or sister in the person next to us, we are choosing to rush towards a state that is so sad and so inhuman. In all these choices, we are choosing to be what we are not. Or we are choosing not to be what we really are! We are human persons created in freedom, in the image and likeness of God! But we choose not to be human, we choose to be inhuman! 

Time and again the Lord sends us reminders - wars, exploitations, killings, terrorism, hunger deaths, violence, abuse, diseases and pandemics caused by human choices are reminders that we need to realise our true self, get back to our original image and likeness! But no one is going to force us to do that, because we are free children of the promise (cf. Gal 4:22-24); yes we are given the great gift of freedom. But Freedom is not free; we have to pay for it with our personal responsibility!

A FAITH FITTING FOR TODAY

Festive, Focused and Firm

October 11, 2020: 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Isaiah 25: 6-10a; Philippians 4: 12-14, 19-20; Matthew 22:1-14

Faith is the way we live our daily life in relation to God. It would be a dry and futile understanding to look at faith as a set of doctrines or principles to be known, learnt, memorised and repeated on occasions. Faith instead has to affect every day life and every moment of it. Faith, in theological terms, is explained as one's personal response to the self revealing God. But to make it simple we can just understand it as the way we live every moment of our life, within the perspective offered to us by God who created us and has called us to a specific vocation in life. 

Today, the readings invite us to a clear understanding of what this faith is all about, specially in our daily living. The faith that the Lord invites us to, is a specific way of life, a mode of organising our life worthy of our call to be children of God! Here are three adjectives that the Word offers us to understand and identify a Fitting Faith for today: 

Faith is Festive: a life of faith is a call to celebrate. God has set up a feast and invites us to come and celebrate it! God has created us a wonderful world, filled it with persons to love and so many things to cherish, and has let us enjoy it all in freedom and cooperation. But what do we do? We choose to see the negative things that are around, we choose to take them in and be filled with them, we choose to have, hold on to, and spread negative feelings; we choose to hate, envy and ruin each other's life; in short, we refuse to celebrate! We have umpteen reasons to say no to celebrate life!

We refuse to attend the feast, that the Lord has prepared for us, so adamant and obstinate are we! If only we live our life in relation to God, that is, with the perspective of God, we will find out how much we can celebrate. It is a pity that there are people who readily find reasons to lament and whine about, but find it so difficult to find even one reason to rejoice and celebrate! You change whatever you wish, they will remain with the same state of mine! God forbid that you and I fall into that category! When St. Paul says, he knows to live in want and in plenty, he is not boasting of his capacity to endure; it is more about that mindset which looks at everything from the perspective of God - because, whether lack or plenty, I know I can remain calm and I know I have things still to celebrate about. 

Faith is Focused: a life of faith is a call to fix our eyes on God. Doubts, confusions, fears, suspicions, pressures, stress, problems, struggles, misunderstandings, competitions, disappointments, distractions, temptations, tears, treason... these are experiences that come our way sometime or the other... and in these days they seem to be galore. What would our point of reference be: luck, skills, human efficiency, proving oneself? 

'Behold our God to whom we looked to save us', presents Isaiah. God will provide everything declares St. Paul. Our focus has to be on Christ. Look to Him and be radiant says the Psalm (34:5). At times individuals, and humanity in general thinks we can manage everything on our own. We think we are in control of everything...a phenomenon like the pandemic we are facing now, throws all those vain certainties into thin air! Look at how the otherwise overconfident world of science is fumbling all the way since this pandemic showed its ugly head amidst us! It serves us to understand a bitter lesson, we have lost our focus somewhere down the line! Let us regain that focus, let us refocus our lives and our choices, that we may do good to ourselves and to every one else, and to the whole humanity.

Faith is Firm: a life of faith is a call never to compromise. Today, the culture is such that there is a big confusion whether there is anything that is unacceptable. Every thing seems permissible and every thing seems 'alright', if not 'normal'! There is a justification for everything. It is growing to be a culture of 'what-ifs' and 'why-nots'...but faith provides us with a firm foundation, firm criteria to make our choices. "My friend, how is it that you got in without the wedding garments?"..."My friend how is it that you expect to be with me without making a choice for me?"..."My friend, how is it that you had chosen something, but have been living  totally another life?"...we have to be prepared to face these questions, if at all we compromise! 

Our faith is an 'Yes' that we say to the Lord, which would involve a number of small yes'es and no's... and any compromise in it will make us unfit for the Feast of the Reign. Just imagine on a daily basis, how many compromises we make... in our thoughts, in our words, in our choices, in our dealings with others, in our actions towards the society, in the stands we take towards the common good and wellbeing of all. It may not be, though unfortunately sometimes it is, great big scandals...but even small decisions, little gestures, minor choices...these determine that type of personality we shape ourselves up to be. If our true and inner image is God's image and likeness, it has to be seen in every little detail of our lives...and today, it is becoming much more a need as the world lack testimonies to true faith. 

On a daily basis...let us evaluate our life and our choices...are they truly festive? fully focused? and really firm on the way to God? Only that would prove a fitting faith for today!

Belonging to Christ

WORD 2day: Saturday, 27th week in Ordinary time

October 10, 2020: Galatians 3: 22-29; Luke 11: 27-28

'We are Christians for the past 4 generations'... 'We have been Christians from God alone knows when'... 'I belong to such and such a Church or denomination'... 'oh! I am born again'... or I am born thrice!!!... nothing of this will make us acceptable or blessed in the eyes of God. Whether Jew or Gentile, male or female, slave or free...it does not matter, says St. Paul in the first reading today. What truly matters is, that we clothe ourselves in Christ, that we become one in Christ, that WE BELONG TO CHRIST (cf. Gal 3:29). 

Belonging to Christ would mean 3 things according to the readings today: 

- firstly, having faith in God, in spite of anything that happens or does not happen, like Abraham. What happens or what does not happen will never affect my faith, because it is a well established relationship between me and my God. There is no business in it. There are no profits and losses, there are no balance sheets and there is absolutely no calculation in it. Because my God loves me without calculations and I shall remain attached to my Lord without calculations.

- secondly, hearing the Word attentively, like St. Paul. When I hear the Word attentively, it challenges me on a daily basis, it keeps me on my toes - I need to keep moving, keep growing, keep responding, keep deepening, keep maturing in my commitment. I just cannot stagnate! My belonging to the Lord is not a stagnate once-and-for-all decision, it is a daily commitment to be renewed every moment, with ongoing choices I make. 

- and thirdly, observing the directions given by the Lord, like our blessed mother. There are directions coming my way every day, every moment, assisting me in my decision making and choices. At times I choose not to see those directions so apparently present, because they appear so difficult and impossible. Sometimes I wonder whether I will be considered by the rest of the world as mad, useless, unfit or out of place. But just as Mary did, only my yes will prove that I truly belong to my God!

Daily faithfulness and Constant Commitment

WORD 2day: Friday, 27th week in Ordinary time

October 09, 2020: Galatians 3:7-14; Luke 11:15-26

One who is righteous, by faith shall he or she live, says the first reading! Being God's or belonging to God means a life full of daily choices. It is not a change that happens once and remains for ever, but it is a daily faithfulness on our part to remain in the same state of grace. Great celebrations and solemn occasions are not enough to manifest our faith - it needs the strength of will at moments of boredom and monotony, to stay put with our convictions of good and bad, worthy and unworthy of our calling. 

Faith, therefore, is not a set of truths that are proposed or discussed; but it is a personal commitment lived, a relationship that is established, a rapport that is built between me and my God! It is God who begins - that is totally understandable. For it is God who created us, called us, chose us and keeps guiding our lives. But our part is crucial - much more crucial because it is variable, unlike God who alone is constant and unchanging. In the changing and challenging scenario, what is my rate of endurance - that is the key question I need to study. 

God did not stop with just beginning the process. Because God loved me so much, Christ stoops down to such an extent to initiate that relationship between me and God... Christ became a curse for my sake, reminds St.Paul. Am I really worthy of this great big sacrifice on the part of the Lord? Fortunately, my Saviour never raised that question! 

It is not enough that such a relationship is initiated by God, a gratuitous gift given to me. It is essential that I keep that relationship going, on a daily basis, filling my life with God and all that pertains to God. If not, there are myriads of other things that are waiting to take possession of my heart. As St. Peter warns, 'your enemy the devil, is prowling round like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour' (cf. 1 Pet 5:8). Hence, the key is: daily faithfulness and constant commitment.