THE CHALLENGE OF RECEIVING GOD

God, God's message and God's messenger

July 2, 2023 - 13th Sunday in Ordinary time

2 Kings 4: 8-11, 13-16; Romans 6: 3-4,8-11; Matthew 10: 37-42

Are we ready to receive God? We would say immediately an enthusaistic "yes"! But before saying that let us just take a moment to reflect on what it would actually cost us. 

Just yesterday we reflected on 'the Lord who passes by' - with the example of Abraham who received God who was passing by and the centurion who went to encounter the Lord who was passing by. The imagery today is not the Lord who is passing by, the Lord who wishes to accost us. The Lord comes to meet us and what would our response be? Get busy in what we are upto and lose God; or dare to Receive God? Yes, we have to dare to receive the Lord, because it is indeed a challenge... not just one, but atleast threefold. 

First of all when we intend to receive the Lord, we shall be challenged by God, by the very presence of God... because anyone who prefers a person or a thing or an ideology or a ritual or a sacrifice to God, we shall be deemed unworthy of the Lord. When we let God enter our lives, we cannot remain the same. 

We can think of any number of examples... for instance the personality that we have been thinking all through the week - Abraham. He was an unknown man of  Ur living with his people and Yahweh enters his life. From the moment Abraham received the Lord into his life, he had undergo many sacrifices... to give up his place, give up his people, give up his private life, give up so many things because he received the Lord. But his faithfulness paid. He is today the Father of our faith and held high in the eyes of faith. 

Instead the people of Gerasene, refused to receive the Lord - we see that episode in the Gospels of Mark and Luke. They refused to receive the Lord because they were not prepared to face the challenges the Lord would bring to them - challenges that would change their life style, their life priorities and their values in life. Just like they missed their swines, we may be attached to some of our own typical attachments and fixations. We may be willing to receive the Lord, but are we ready to be challenged by the Lord. Our life style, our priorities and our value system are they compatible with the Lord whom we wish to receive? That is a challenge. 

Secondly, when we are are ready to receive the Lord, we shall be challenged by God's Message, and that message shall be the cross on which we shall die, to be born anew, to be born to eternal life! God's Message is not always a soothing balm, it can be fire and brimstone at times, calling into question a number of factors in our life.  

When Paul speaks of 'cosidering ourselves dead to sin,' he indicates a radical choice for God - a choice between life and death. Just as Paul himself, and all the other apostles, who were almost all of them, destined to lay down their lives for the Message of Christ. They were ready for it. They received the Lord and they received along with that the challenge too. Peter who tried to deny Jesus, all other apostles who ran for their lives, Paul who was against Jesus...every one of them, laid his life down for the believing in and proclaiming the message.

Unlike Herod whom we see was happy to listen to John, but did not want to change himself, we are called to accept the challenge of God's Message if we are truly ready to receive the Lord. It may cost our simple pleasures, or our convenience, or our acceptability in the eyes of the world, but we would have to take up the challenge, if we are sincere about receiving the Lord. 

Thirdly, one who is ready to receive the Lord, shall be challenged by God's Messengers - be it blessings or curse, be it difficulties or graces, be it troubles or miracles, we have to endure it for the sake of the Lord. The question here is who are God's Messengers.

As long as someone does good to us, does things that please us, fulfils our curiosity and feeds our necessities, we are happy to accept them as Messengers of God. The moment someone begins to challenge our ways, criticise our so-called customs and traditions that are not in anyway 'godly', we begin to reject the person, critique the person and even plan to get rid of the person as far as it is within our capacity. Just as Jesus says, if we give even a single cup of water to the persons who are sent to us, we shall be blessed,  so shall we be despicable in the presence of the Lord if we despise persons who are in need and who come to us for help.

Assisting those who come to us for help, reaching out to those who are in need even without their asking for it, wishing the good of the other in so much as being crushed in the heart to see someone somewhere suffer, doing whatever is within my power to counter hatred and injustice in the world, making way for peace, harmony and justice - these are various levels at which we receive the Lord. When we receive persons in the name of the Lord, we receive God, and only by that we become persons of the Reign of God.

Meeting the Lord passing by

WORD 2day: Saturday, 12th week in Ordinary time

July 1, 2023: Genesis 18: 1-15; Matthew 8: 5-17

Have you witnessed thick black clouds just pass by over your head, without even a drizzle while you are dry, parching for want of water. That is exactly the experience when you let the Lord pass by without claiming for yourself all the blessing that the Lord has in store for you. You will surely not know, even if you knew you would hardly believe, the blessings the Lord has in store. Hence an attitude of openness and total surrender, ever connected to the Lord and perennially relying on the Lord's directions is a way of life that would take you to moments of thunderous grace!

Meeting the Lord passing by, is a very special disposition...if Abraham did not have it, he would have missed being the father of the Covenantal people; if the Centurion did not have it, he would have lost one of his treasured servant and he would have missed witnessing a great miracle; if Zacchaeus did not have it he would have missed salvation entering his house; if the disciples to Emmaus did not have it they would have missed that life-changing encounter with the Risen Lord. 

When St. Augustine said, "I fear the Lord passing by", he summarised this experience succinctly. He knew what it means to miss the Lord, and he knew how much he made the Lord wait when he exclaimed, "late have I loved thee, O Beauty so ancient and so new!" Every day and every experience of ours is an opportunity to meet the Lord and the Lord is ever forthcoming! In this new month, and a new day, today, are you we ready to behold the Lord, the Lord who is passing by! 

Perseverance: Walking with the Lord

WORD 2day: Friday, 12th week in Ordinary time

June 30, 2023 - Genesis 17: 1,9-10,15-22; Matthew 8: 1-4

"Lord, if you will..." the Will of God is mighty, complex and all-encompassing. All that I need to do is submit to that holy will. Because it is mighty and complex, at times I don't understand it. When a little is revealed to me it already looks too big and marvelous, sometimes even difficult to believe in. 

At times the plans look too fantastic to be real and we begin to suggest to God something that is simpler and more feasible. Or as it happened to Abraham today, it may even seem ridiculous to believe in that will. But precisely in believing that will, we become chosen to behold the magnificence of God's doings! Sarai becomes Sarah, Abram becomes Ahraham - it is because they believed in the will of God and God's will transforms them into new persons who walk before the Lord and are blameless. 

What makes us covenantal people is our capacity to believe in God's will or God's plan that is eternal; the plan which is always towards our welfare. What it takes to believe in this Will on a daily basis, is the humility to submit to God, the patience to wait on the Lord and the perseverance to keep walking in way of the Lord.

Sent and Delivered!

THE WORD AND THE FEAST

June 29, 2023: Celebrating the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul
Acts 12: 1-11; 2 Timothy 4: 6-8, 17-18; Matthew 16: 13-19

The Feast of Apostles Peter and Paul. Being an apostle is no privilege, it is a challenge; living my life as an apostle is no accomplishment, it is a duty! That is why Paul said, "Woe to me if do not proclaim the Gospel"(1 Cor 9:16) and Peter said , "we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20).

They are apostles because they were "sent" in God's will to be the stones on which the communities of believers were to be built. Everyone baptised is called to be an apostle, and the way to be an apostle is outlined so vividly by Peter and Paul today... one, to proclaim the Gospel even to the point of death; and second, to be stones on which the community will be built and not be the cracks from which the community will be divided!

The Acts of the Apostles, as in the first reading today, reports that killing the apostles pleased the Jews - those were the times when the first apostles braced themselves to stand for the goodnews of Christ. They found themselves at the point of being sacrificed, but nothing discouraged them from bearing witness to Christ and his message! It is a fight, a race - not just a glamorous show to be an apostle today. The lion's mouth, the evil that surrounds and the powers of death are certainly to be found, when I begin to understand, accept and live fully my call to be an apostle... but at no point will the Lord's deliverance be lacking!

When I decide to run the race, to fight the good fight, 'the Lord will rescue me from every evil and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.'

If you call yourself a Christian, live it!

WORD 2day: Wednesday, 12th week in Ordinary time

June 28, 2023 - Genesis 15: 1-12,17-18; Matthew 7: 15-20

The Tree and the Fruits - an interesting analogy for life! 

Abraham, was a man of God, he was the father of the covenantal people! Abraham listened, obeyed, believed and remained loyal to the Lord who called him. The Covenant the Lord made was the tree and Abraham's life choices were the fruits. The eternal covenant that is made in the blood of Jesus Christ, is the guarantee of the grace and the gift of faith within us. 

While it is God's action that God has transformed us into God's children in our baptism, our daily life and regular choices have to bear fruits that will make it visible to the world and to ourselves. An anonymous author reminds us, 'you may be the only gospel that some one reads! So be careful with the way you live your life!' I am a Christian not merely in my activities and responsibilities; but in every choice of mine, every thought and expression of it, every word and deed at every moment of my life. 

Consider this question once a preacher posed during a retreat: 'if today they detain you for being a Christian, will they find enough evidence in you to implicate you?' A powerful question, extremely simple in its categorical demand that before you call yourself a Christian, live it! You do not call yourself so and them expect everyone to know by that name; you live it first, and automatically people would call you by that name - the tree is known by its fruits!

Faith - the choice to walk with God

WORD 2day: Tuesday, 12th week in Ordinary time

June 27, 2023 - Genesis 13: 2,5-18; Matthew 7: 6,12-14 

Faith is a Choice: that is a theme that repeats itself over and over again; a theme that is fundamental to understanding what faith is. Abraham, often figured as the father of faith, offers us today a beautiful role model in two of his choices. The first choice was to give up his claim as the elder brother, and allow Lot to make his wish. Lot takes the greener, wealthier and the promising part! The second choice was to walk in the way that the Lord showed... and in these two choices we see the first steps of Abram, towards becoming Abraham! 

Faith is all about the choices we make on a daily basis! To fret or not to, to despair or not to, to forgive or not to, to love or not to, to give or not to, to proceed or not to, to let go or not to, to remain serene or not to - these are choices that we have to make everyday, at various moments of our waking hours. And at the end of the day, we can surely evaluate whether we have walked through the narrow gate or the broad gate during the day. And every "tomorrow" becomes yet another opportunity to begin anew, with all the choices once again in front of us! 

Our Faith is a habit of choosing to do what God wants, choosing to walk the way that God shows, choosing the narrow gate that is tough and less trodden, in simple terms, choosing to walk with God... it is in walking with God that Abram grew up to be Abraham!

The Spirituality of letting go!

WORD 2day: Monday, 12th week in Ordinary time

June 26, 2023: Genesis 12: 1-9; Matthew 7: 1-5

Beginning today, we will be presented with Abraham for our reflection for the next few days. What was so special about Abraham? From the very first moment the Word clarifies that for us. Leave your country and your people, calls the Lord and there he is, doing it with such confidence. He lets go of everything, everything that gave him an identity. His place, his people, his traditions, every bit of his comfort zone!

To let go... that is the spirituality offered to us, as a call to discipleship. If we are truly people of God, disciples of Christ, we should be ready to let go... to let go of anything that do not actually matter. Above all the challenge to let go refers to, letting go of our opinions is the most challenging of all.

The Gospel presents to this crucial and typical challenge: to let go... to let go of our opinions and judgements and prejudices of people and to be open minded. How many new experiences we would have lost because of our opinionated approach! How many enriching encounters we would have lost because of our prefixed judgements! How many growth experiences we would have lost because of our prejudiced mindset. How prepared are we to let go?

The spirituality of letting go involves not holding on to what does not matter truly in life. When I am able to decide firmly that it is only God who matters, and nothing more than that... not even my own thinking and opinions, dreams and projects, then I am guided by the right spirit, the spirit of the Reign... the spirituality of letting go! 

FROM FEAR TO FAITH

Challenging the culture of death towards a culture of faith!

June 25, 2023 - 12th Sunday in Ordinary time

Jeremiah 20: 10-13; Romans 5: 12-15; Matthew 10: 26-33

Look around and observe what is happening out there... there are these divisive forces at work who are determined to break humanity into pieces and make everyone suffer to the maximum; there are these moneyed who suddenly become experts in everything - in medical care, in artificial intelligence, in universal wellbeing, in common good and what not, and everyone finds it so compelling to nod to whatever they say; there are these who are blatantly selfish and greedy, but make everyone believe that they are the saviours of tomorrow; there are those who cause so much havoc for no reason, but are capable of threatening everyone to silence and do whatever they wish... what do they make a simple person like you and me feel? FEAR!

There is this fancy idea rather widespread, treating FEAR as an acronym, and expands it as False Evidence Appearing Real! In fact, fear exists only as long as darkness and falsity persist, isn't it? That is why Jesus says today, do not fear, what is in the dark will see daylight soon and then you will know well. Imagine your fear of a ghost, it disappears as soon as light comes on! Or think of how your fear of what you would trample on, just vanishes the moment some one switches on a torch or a search light! Fear is discarded by light, because fear is absence faith and faith is "the light that illumines our entire journey!" (cf. Lumen Fidei, n.1). 

The Word this Sunday calls our attention to the fears that surround us and the unfortunate impact they can have on us, if we are inattentive about them. Look at Jeremiah, a man with so much enthusiasm and dedication to the Lord, for a moment he seems to be weak and trembles before this terror, about to give into its powers! The call is to remember that fear is a product of darkness.

Fear is the product of darkness: The prince of darkness makes his presence felt in fear; fear is the sign of the presence of evil! It is the power that the evil one claims to have over us children of God. There are any number of irrational fears that the evil one instills in our minds: the fear of failure, the fear of pain, the fear of shame, the fear of loss... But if we are truly children of God, children of Light, we shall see the foolishness that is involved in these fears. Why should I fear? What shoud I fear? What can harm me? What evil can come over me? Jesus reminds us, with a clarity of perspective: what is the worst that can happen to you - death? But why should I fear death?

In fact the most powerful of the tools that the prince of darkness uses against us is death! And those who give into the influence of this evil prince, go on to become perpetrators of this culture of death! 

Fear spreads a culture of death: The culture of death is the culture of needless fear, the fear that makes one give into evil, give into sin, justify sinfulness and promote the rule of the evil. It is the entry of sin and justification of sinfulness and a submission to sinfulness to the extent of making it a norm for life - creating a culture that leads to death, an eternal damnation that leads to absolute meaninglessness here in our life and for all eternity. When Jesus differentiates between a death that ends our bodily existence and the death that strips us of our total sense of meaning, Jesus invites us to look at our real essence - our innermost being, that is the very element of God that resides within us. The culture of death denies this vehemently, laughs at it, belittles it and tries to shun it out of our lives and of this world. 

The sense of God within us - that is the light of Faith. That is the identity of the children of Light, the identity of the children of God, the identity of a culture of faith. 

Fear is overcome by a culture of Faith: In the apostolic letter, Lumen Fidei, Pope Francis (and Pope Benedict) present to us faith as the light that can illumine the entire human existence and experience - our daily life, our struggles, our pains, our temptations, our failures, our faults and weaknesses, our sufferings and even our death! Jesus died, that we may live; in his death he brought endeless life, not only to himself in resurrection, but to the entire creation that unites with him, the saviour of the universe. This is the culture of faith - a culture that promotes hope, love, righteousness, service and responsibility. It is in this culture that we can shine as lights, just as Jesus our inner light shines within us.  

Mother Teresa said once, "death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies within/inside us while we are alive." That is truly challenging the culture of death - not allowing death to reign over us, but overcoming death in the name of the One who has defeated death once and forever.  We are people of light, people of life, people of faith and ours is a culture of faith! Faith dispels fears! And the culture of faith, is to notice, recognise and celebrate the presence of the Light within us, in order that we can share and spread it to the farthest end of the existence. 

Let us heed to the call of the Word - to journey from fear to faith, to challenge the culture of death towards promoting a culture of faith. 

Celebrating the Mystery of Life

THE WORD AND THE FEAST

June 24, 2023: The Nativity of John the Baptist
Isaiah 49:1-6; Acts 13:22-26; Luke1:57-66, 80

There are no coincidences; there are only miracles! One constant and incomparable miracle in human life is birth! 

Let us just imagine, how before any of us was born our father, mother, home, family, everything was determined and prepared for. All that we had to do was be there and insert ourselves into that reality. And when a child is born, everybody wonders what would become of the child, but God has had a definitive plan already from eternity. If only one cooperated with those plans, one would achieve the purpose of his or her life to the full... which is not merely a pretty long life for its own sake, but immensely a lot more. 

Of course, many go rather early but that "early" is highly relative to the purposes achieved by those persons: for St. Francis it was 45 years, for St. Anthony it was 35 and for St. Dominic Savio it was just 14 plus! The real miracle is how things happen in such succession and correspondence that you can hardly account for. When we are mindful of a divine hand guiding us, we would find a great peace and serenity even amidst raging troubles and persistent problems.

The birth of John, which we celebrate today is painted in a manner that vividly brings out this miracle that every person is and every life is. What is important here is to be mindful of the call and be open to its ways. The feast speaks to us in these words: learn to look at yourself with a sense of mystery; open the eyes of your soul to see the mystery in every other who lives with you, or around you; keep your faith alive to realise and experience the Mystery present always with you and within you - the Lord who is leading you by your hand!

To treasure and to boast!

WORD 2day: Friday, 11th week in Ordinary time

June 23, 2023: 2 Corinthians 11: 18, 21-30; Matthew 6: 19-23

Look to Him and be radiant, inspires the Psalmist today. Eyes... Looking... Seeing... these are part of the glossary on the one hand in the Word today. It is about the perspective we have of life, that is, the point of view from where we wish to understand our life and everyday events. 

On the other hand we have two more terms that orient us to the theme - treasure and boasting! To treasure or to boast of something, means to value something dear! To value something dear, defines your perspective on life. What I value, what I treasure, what I boast about, will determine what I want to define my life as! Depending on that which I boast about, my life and its significance assumes depth. That is why Jesus invites me to guard my eyes, to be careful with my perspective on life, my way of looking at my priorities and things that I give importance to. 

There could be a great model in St. Paul who enumerates the possible things on which he can boast about, but chooses from them to boast on things that showed his weakness, because he would say in the very next chapter, 'when I am weak then I am strong' (2 Cor 12:10). The humble and saintly parish priest, St. John Maria Vianney would say, "if people would do for God what they do for the world, my dear people, what a number of Christians would go to heaven!" 

It all depends on what one's perspective is, what one sees to be important, what one sees to be one's treasure and worthy to be boasted about!