Mighty hand and Outstretched arms!

WORD 2day -  Friday, 18th week in Oridnary time

August 11, 2023: Deuteronomy 4: 32-40; Matthew 16: 24-28

‘By a mighty hand and an outstretched arm’ – that was the phrase the Israelites used to summarise the glorious care that God took of their ancestors. The readings speak to us of the ‘Glory’ of God that deserves all our obedience and allegiance! 

The covenant that Israelites had with Yahweh was not formulated on some imaginary terms, but was established on a concrete experience of a nation walking into freedom. Neither is the covenant we have with God based on an imagination – it is based on a concrete sacrifice of the Son of God, signed with the blood from the Cross and ratified with the death of the Lamb of God! At our baptism we have counter signed that covenant and it is upto us to honour it all our life. 

The terms are clear – to recognize the great deeds that God has accomplished on our behalf; to acknowledge the saving mysteries of the life, death and resurrection of the Son of God; and to behold the great gift of Resurrection that is promised us in the hope of this covenant. We can behold that resurrection in the Risen Lord, if we are ready to participate in the life of the Son of God – a life lived totally in obedience to the holy will of God. 

Carrying the daily cross – is the readiness to face the hurdles of each day and continue to feel the presence of God beside; to remain steadfast to what is true, right and just, despite the consequences that might prove to be tricky or troublesome; to be ready to lose the whole world, just in order to gain one’s soul!

The call to give - a life of fruitfulness

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

August 10, 2023: Remembering St. Lawrence, the Deacon-Martyr
2 Corinthians 9: 6-10; John 12: 24-26

The best of all giving, is giving of oneself! 

Giving of one’s abundance, giving of whatever little that one has and giving even if one does not have enough for oneself – these are praise worthy in their respective order. But the highest of all giving is Self-giving.

Celebrating the Deacon-martyr, St. Lawrence, we are reminded of the early Christian communities that were so much characterized by persons who were blessed with the special charism of giving of their own selves, apart from what they possessed. They were cheerful givers, and so we find their numbers kept growing unprecedentedly. The very spirit that they radiated held captive those who saw them and multitudes were drawn to emulate it. They were ready and willing to die to themselves that Christ may come alive in them! 

St.Paul’s words were true in so many of those early Christians – “I live, it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20) and “for me to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil 1:21). These were not mere catchy sayings; they were true lived experiences and we witness it in great martyrs like St. Stephen, the apostles and St. Paul himself. 

St. Lawrence follows suit very closely later in the third century. After all, they had but one model who had invaded and conquered their minds, hearts and spirits - Jesus the ultimate personification of self-giving - the grain of seed that chose to fall to the ground, that it may abound in its fruits: we are the fruits and let us be worthy of the grain which has borne us.

As you sow, so you reap!

WORD 2day - Wednesday, 18th week in Ordinary time

August 9, 2023: Numbers 13:1-2,25 - 14:1,26-29,34-35; Matthew 15: 21-28

Faithlessness or Faith – As you sow, so you reap! 

Let us focus our attention on two phrases from the Word today: “As you have spoken I will do unto you!”-“As you wished it shall be unto you!” The two phrases, the former from the first reading and the latter from the Gospel seem similar, though they are not! Considering the contexts, they are infact contrary to each other – one a reproach from the Lord and the other an approval. However, the message is same – FAITH. 

The first reading seems to be a rationalization on the part of Israel, as to why they had to sojourn forty long years in the deserts of Paran – a simple reason: lack of faith! The Lord could not walk them to the land of milk and honey, as promised, because they were stubborn and hard headed, never yielding to the guiding hand of God. 

The Gospel pictures a woman whose request has apparently no place on the 'to-do' list of Jesus that day! But the list had to be changed by all means. Logically, as in another place we read, that due to lack of faith Jesus did not accomplish much signs and wonders, here Jesus could not but make that miracle happen because of the grandeur of the faith of that simple woman! 

How blessed it would be if Jesus were to look at you and me, and say, “My Son, My daughter, great is your faith!”

True Persons of God...

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

August 8, 2023: Celebrating St. Dominic
Numbers 12:1-13; Matthew 14: 22-36

The Word speaks of two men of God today - not merely by the popular title but by their very life style and by the way they responded to tough situations. Moses, against whom the very people whom he served grumbled, including his closest collaborators. What did he do? Held it against them? No, that was not becoming of a man of God. Even when Miriam stood affected by her own sin, he intercedes with the Lord, obtaining her health back. he proves to be a man of God.

Jesus the Son of God, the ideal man of God proves himself so, by being so unaffected even when he knew his own disciples knew him not. They did not understand him, they thought him to be an evil spirit. In spite of it, when Peter wishes to walk on the water, he gives him that privilege. He was so patient, kind and gentle with the disciples, because that is the mark of a person of God, a God who abounds in mercy and love.

A third man of God whom we are given with today, is St. Dominic, the 12th century Religious Founder - one who is attributed with the great miraculous event of receiving on our behalf the Marian Rosary. Dominic as the very name means, belonged to God and lived his life for the people of God and for the spread of the Reign of God.

The call is loud and clear - to live for God, for God's people and above all for the establishment of the Reign of God, here and now - just as these true persons of God. 

Fed Up - a frequent word today!

WORD 2day: Monday, 18th week in Ordinary time

August 7, 2023: Numbers 11:4-15; Matthew 14:13-21

The very first thought from today's Word, could remind us of so many experiences today. Boredom of the youngsters, hatred for the routine on the part of the middle agers, not feeling happy with what one has or does - these are prevalent experiences pointed out by many today. An oft-used term for this experience is feeling or being fed up. 

The first reading has an example of what we humanly do when we are "fed up" and the Gospel portrays the true Christ-ian response. Humanly speaking when we are fed up, we grumble. Moses was no different from the people - they grumbled among themselves but Moses grumbled to God. Finding fault with God and asking God for an explanation is nothing wrong. But it is justified only when a meaningful warm rapport precedes it. Moses had that disposition, the people did not - that is why the former was justified, the latter were not.

However, Jesus shows a qualitative difference in the way he would respond in a situation like this: Jesus was "fed up" too, when he knew what they did to John the Baptist. He knew, that was how his life would go too. When he wanted to really grieve for his cousin and great prophet, he could not. People were there too, they were every where. Was Jesus "fed up"...no, he wasn't. He went to the extent of making sure the people were fed, not fed up! 

What is important to ward off the feeling of being fed up, is to count your blessings, everyday, every little thing that comes to you! And with that mindset - we would reduce hearing: Fed Up - a frequent word today!

TO BURN TILL WE ARE CONSUMED

August 6, 2023: The Feast of  Transfiguration of the Lord
Daniel 7: 9-10, 13-14; 2 Peter 1: 16-19; Matthew 17: 1-9

There is terror all around, there is darkness thickening all around, there is treason and treachery plotted all around, there is deception from the evil and the majority of the world seem to be falling into it... when you find yourself in such a situation, what do you do? You burn brighter! That is what Jesus teaches us. Yes, to be extinguished by the threats around is not truly Christ-ian.

When problems arise, when threats increase, when troubles augment, when failures mount, when enemies surround, if you are truly a disciple of Christ what do you do - you burn brighter. But things affect - it doesn't matter - you burn till you are consumed, says the Word today!

"A lamp shining in a dark place until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts" - a wonderful comparison that St. Peter presents to us. It would apply to our faith, our life of witness, our trust, our commitment to the Reign of God and every bit of our faith and its expression here and now, all leading us towards that eternal glory that awaits us as children of God(Jn 1:12), co-heirs with Christ(Rom 8:17), people meant for the future glory (Rom 8:18).

Our Christian life is rich and its richness will be lost if we lose the sense of mystery in understanding it. Mystery is not merely something that is unknown and incomprehensible, but it is something that is beyond all our rational calculations and empirical conditions; yet it is not totally alien from our experience; it is part of our lived experience, an experience we live on a daily basis, an experience that sustains our faith and offers meaning to our life.

The feast of Transfiguration is a symbol, a prefigurement and a surety of the glory that rests within us, as children of God. However, we are warned not to lose our grip on our daily living, on our concrete initiatives towards ushering in the Reign of God in the pretext of dreaming about a future that is glorious and splendid.

In practical terms, to be people transfigured is to live our lives with our eyes fixed on heaven and our feet planted firm on ground, to never lose the hope that the Lord offer in Himself and to never rest from our efforts to build the Reign of God here on earth. It is a call to burn until we are totally consumed, totally consumed for the sake of the mission that the Lord entrusts to us, consumed living our daily life to the full, empowering every person to live it to their full.

Churches, Jubilees and Hypocrisy

The WORD and the Feast 

August 5, 2023: Dedication of the Basilica of Mary Major

Leviticus 25: 1,8-17; Matthew 14:1-12

We celebrate today the feast of the dedication of the Basilica of Mary Major, one of the four major Papal Basilicas in Rome. It has a great historical background as it was one of the first basilicas built in honour of Mary, Mother of God. The miracle that is said to have happened to reveal the exact spot chosen by our Blessed Mother herself, the miracle of snow in the mid summer night, gave rise to the title Our Lady of Snows! Celebrating a Church and its history is a jubilation!

The first reading speaks of another Jubilee, that the Lord wanted the people of Israel to commemorate. We get the mind of God so clearly - jubilee according to the Lord is not merely eating and drinking, the glory of the Lord in a Church is not merely about the pomp and splendour, our true faith is not in the richness of the tradition or in the complexity of heritage - it is in the compassion we have for others and the personal integrity that we manifest in ourselves. 

This is what Jesus loathed in Herod. Jesus had hardly any respect for him because he lacked integrity. He lived a life that was so far from God, from good and from truth! Building spectacular churches, celebrating splendid jubilees and organising fantastic festivities - these will remain empty noise, or hardcore hypocrisy, if we do not commit ourselves to compassion and justice! 

As we celebrate the feast today, let us ask our Blessed Mother to save us from this hypocrisy and form us into true disciples of Christ, committed to justice, truth and compassion.

Where did this man get all this wisdom?

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

Remembering St. John Maria Vianney - 4th August, 2023

Leveticus 23: 1,4-11,15-16,27,34-37; Matthrw 13: 54-58

People wondered at Jesus - a simple carpenter's son - from where he got all the wisdom that he manifested! That was almost the same question that the world raised when it saw a gullible seminarian-turned-parish-priest, do wonders from the confessional and the pulpit! No one ever thought Vianney the simple priest would leave such a mark on this world. He, who went through limitless blocks in his journey towards priesthood, has come to be known as the patron of not only all parish priests but of all priests in pastoral mission. 

The Word today coincides so well with this saint - underlining for us the importance of priesthood. The first reading reminds us that our life is one of celebration, filled with festivals of  daily thanksgiving. The priest is not only a mediator in such thanksgiving sacrifice, but also a living reminder of that call and commission that we have - to praise and thank the Lord always.

Secondly, the Gospel speaks of the fact that these priests are not some other worldly beings but are ordinary people who are chosen by the Lord and ordained to be so. You can not only look for some miracles from them, but look at their very beings as miracles! That is what the Lord has made them to be. You wonder how this could be...that is the wonder that the people had - how could this be, do we not know him as carpenter's son, they said! 

John Maria Vianney's life is one great example of the wonders that God can play with simple persons and events. All that we need to do is, remain open to the Lord, never forget to thank and praise the Lord for everything in life!

Today, let us pray for our parish priests in a very special way! God bless these wonderful men of God!

As the Lord commands...

WORD 2day: Thursday, 17th week in Ordinary time

August 03, 2023: Exodus 40:16-21,34-38; Matthew 13:47-53

'As the Lord directed' - we find that phrase repeated atleast thrice in today's first reading, leave alone counting the number of times it appears in the whole life of Moses narrated in the book of Exodus. Doing what the Lord wants, was the key preoccupation for Moses and that is what he taught his people...hence he is presented as the greatest law-giver! He even made it clear to the Lord when he said, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here" (Exo 33:15).

Being with the Lord and never going away from the Lord's presence was everything for the people of Israel. Good fish and Bad fish...resembling the sheep and the goats (in Mat 25)... Jesus presents the reality of the choice that we have to make in life - a radical choice for or against God that would determine every single decision and even the minutest moves of our life. There can be no compromises in this - it is either being in the net or being cast out of it! 

Remaining in the presence of the Lord forever, is possible because the Lord accompanies us, 'as cloud by day and fire by night' the presence of the Lord goes before us. With that illumining and guiding presence, we can be sure of staying always within the net, because it will become our way of life to live and do, as the Lord commands!

Can you hide the glow?

WORD 2day - Wednesday, 17th week in Ordinary time

August 2, 2023: Exodus 34: 29-35; Matthew 13: 44-46

Let us imagine the person who has just found a treasure in his field - he is so excited he runs to sell the ground. Will no one sense something fishy in this man who has been so possessive about his land all this while? Imagine likewise, the man who has found the most precious pearl, that he is frenetically seeking to sell everything that he has. Will not those who see this man find something strange in him? 

That is the glow that the first reading is speaking of. Moses had a glow in his face whenever he came from the tent of meeting. There was something concrete that had taken place, There was an encounter that made a tremendous difference, a difference that could not be missed.

If your time with the Lord is true, authentic and sincere, can you hide the glow? If there is no glow, was that time with the Lord worth it? Worse still, if there is an attitude of pride or egoism after all the time you spend with the Lord, how authentic has that meeting been? Did you really meet the Lord?

The time that I spend with the Lord has to be directly proportionate to the kindness, generosity, forgiveness, sincerity, above all humility that I exhibit to my fellow beings when I encounter them. Because, if I have truly encountered the Lord, I cannot hide the glow!