Hope - confidence in the goodness of God

WORD 2day: Tuesday, 30th week in Ordinary time

October 31, 2023 - Romans 8: 18-25; Luke 13: 18-21

Longing for a brighter future is a human reality. Within the framework of faith this ordinary human reality takes the form of Hope. 

If faith is a total childlike surrender to God, hope is the blind joy that fills the heart in that surrender. Even in a moment dark and grim, this joy lights up one's life. Haven't we seen persons who have faced years and years of struggle, who have experienced tragedies after tragedies, but have still remained strong and serene? Those are real saints for they live in a spirit of hope, in holy patience that St. Paul speaks of.

We need a very special spiritual capacity to behold the Reign of God - it is patience in problems, endurance in trials, optimism in setbacks ... a certainty, that in everything, simple little things or great grand events, it is God who is in charge. That in one word is, hope! 

Hope is not a great sign or a grand manifestation. It is a subtle disposition and a tiny little spark. Like the mustard seed or the yeast in a dough, it is an elusive attitude, but inevitable to become truly children of God. Yes, it is hope that makes us truly children of God because Hope is the unassailable confidence in the goodness of God.

Never slaves, but heirs!

WORD 2day: Monday, 30th week in Ordinary time

October 30, 2023: Romans 8: 12-17; Luke 13: 10-17

The point of discussion in the Word today is the difference between slaves and heirs, and their respective traits.

A slave is governed by fear, is ruled by law and bound to restrictions. A slave cannot think beyond oneself. Gaining favours by pleasing the one in command is all that is there on the slave's mind. A slave, even when he or she is doing everything for the other, is all the time self centered, thinking all the time of how one will be judged or considered by the one in control.

An heir, instead, is governed by freedom, is guided by love and empowered with spontaneity. Freedom rules out restrictions, love transcends fear and spontaneity despises calculations. An heir never schemes! He or she just lives, lives every moment, lives in freedom and lives in total self responsibility.

Jesus proves to be the rightful heir, experiencing God as 'Abba' and feeling the need to render every child of God, wholesome in everyway. Laws and regulations did not matter to him; threats and warnings looked despicable in his sight. The greatest of all good news is, Christ has given us the same Spirit that was in him, that in our spirit we may be convinced that we are rightful sons and daughters of the merciful God. 

We are never slaves, we are rightful heirs of God, children chosen and beloved. 

The Family and the Household

THE WORD AND THE SAINTS

October 28, 2023: Remembering the Apostles Sts. Simon and Jude

Ephesians 2: 19-22; Luke 6: 12-16

The memory of the Apostles takes us back to the original experience that gave rise to a new movement, a new family around the person of Jesus of Nazareth and the wondrous experiences with him. Being Christians does not only mean to have a set of beliefs and practices related to them. It means, that we belong to that movement, that family, that household... we are all members, fellow citizens, brothers and sisters with the apostles and saints. 

Jesus called the Apostles by name, that they may pass on that experience of belonging to the household of God, to others right to the end of the world! And we have been the beneficiaries... we have been built together as the dwelling place of God, the Temple of the Spirit. 

United in our hearts, with genuine love that goes out to each other, as brothers and sisters we are invited to become Temples, where persons can come in to feel the presence of God. Celebrating today the feast of Sts. Simon and Jude, we are called to feel one with each other, under that experience that unites us - the experience of belonging to Christ. 

When we stand united, we are built into the dwellings of God, for the Lord had assured: We shall come to them and make our home with them (Jn 14:23).

Alert and Awake; Humble and Holy!

WORD 2day: Friday, 29th week in Ordinary time

October 27, 2023 - Romans 7: 18-25; Luke 12: 54-59

For I do not do the good I want; but I do the evil I do not want - we all know well when we falter. As the psalmist words it: "for I know my transgressions and my sin is ever before me" (Ps 51:3). Sin, that St. Paul speaks of today, is something that I do, or I give into consciously. 

None of us can feign ignorance and Jesus explains precisely that today in the Gospel: knowing exactly what is coming up the horizon! If only I am more sensitively aware of what happens within me at a given moment, to what I am committing myself to, of what I am giving into, of what I am permitting into my mind, my thinking and my life... I can preserve myself from so much of pain and patch up. 

The statutes are present within me in my heart, the Saviour abides ever at my side... all that I need to is turn to the Lord and to the Word of the Lord to be assisted, strengthened and saved! 

Let us be ever alert, not to fall prey to the evil; let us be humble to accept it when we actually fall; the fall may be slow and gradual but 'we will not be released until we pay the last penny!' Alert and awake, humble and holy - that is our call!

With hearts set on fire...

WORD 2day: Thursday, 29th week in Ordinary time

October 26, 2023: Romans 6: 19-23; Luke 12: 49-53

With hearts set on fire... that is the way to live an authentic Christian life, declares the Gospel today. 

Fire can symbolically mean light that dispels darkness; one can choose either to live in the light or slumber in the shade - "the work of each will become visible,...because it will be revealed with fire"(1Cor 3:13) says the Word. 

Fire can symbolise the purifying fire which tests the genuineness of our faith, faith which is more precious than gold(1 Pet 1:7). It is all about choices! The choices we make, define the persons that we are. 

Every moment of our life, in our words, in our acts, in our thoughts, in our priorities, in every little decision that we make, we are making choices, we are continually defining who we are, to ourselves first of all and then to the world. Its a choice fundamentally - for death or for life! When we choose things that are ungodly we choose death. When we choose righteousness, the way of the Light, the fire of the Lord, we choose eternal life in Jesus Christ. 

The question here is, are our hearts on fire?

Integrity: being slaves to righteousness

WORD 2day: Wednesday, 29th week in Ordinary time

October 25, 2023: Romans 6: 12-18 -18; Luke 12: 39-48

Jesus continues his instruction as to how we need to be prepared for that hour of reckoning at any point of time in our life. Infact, Jesus is ridiculing all the funny discussions and calculations about when that hour will come - some self proclaimed eschatalogical quacks make much ado of the end and its timings and miss the entire point that Jesus is driving home here. No matter when and where, you know what to do and why to do it. Take care how you do it - not seeking human attention but going by merely God's approval. 

There is a discussion in the world today: who is more corrupt and who is less corrupt. This is the kind fallacy that Jesus is questioning. You are either corrupt or not corrupt! Where does this more and less corrupt come from? When we speak so much against people of corrupt nature, it could be politicians or leaders or officials or persons in authority, we may be stating facts but are we justified to speak so? Aren't we corrupt too in our own way? Even doing something good for the sake of being praised is a form of corruption. 

This is what we call Integrity where I don't need an external recognition; I have developed an internal system of convictions and criteria that makes me almost a "slave" to Righteousness... doing nothing but good, speaking nothing but good, thinking nothing but good, no matter how unlikely the returns are, or what the consequences would be. I am good and righteous and there is no need of a because!

Being awake! Being passionate!

WORD 2day: Tuesday, 29th week in Ordinary time

October 24, 2023 - Romans 5: 12,15,17-21; Luke 12:36-38

Be Awake! says the Lord today. St. Paul reminds us, that death has come from sin; sin had come through disobedience and disobedience does not, for sure, come all of a sudden. It comes, either from a conscious rebellion or a habitual disregard. However, conscious rebellion is not as dangerous as a habitual disregard. 

A feeling of monotony, getting used to things done on a regular basis, fixed and routine schedules of prayer and customary acts of piety, usual persons and daily duties - these are the sources of habitual disregard. It is a kind of a slumber, a slumber with which we carry out our tasks and duties... be they spiritual or otherwise. 

The Lord invites us today, to be alert, to be awake, to be diligent even in the most ordinary of the daily tasks that we carry out - so that when the Master comes we are prepared to receive, whatever time it is. Keep alert, warns St. Peter, the devil your adversary is prowling round like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour (1 Pet 5:8). 

Just a curious thought to add: the easiest way to keep awake is to refuse to sleep! To refuse to sleep is to keep busy, keep at something constantly. What keeps you busy is what you are passionate about. And so, being passionate is being awake!

Faith versus Foolishness

WORD 2day: Monday, 29th week in Ordinary time

October 23, 2023: Romans 4: 20-25; Luke 12: 13-21

Ultimately it is my faith that is going to make a difference, says the first reading. And the Gospel corroborates the fact saying, 'if i don't realise that, I am getting more and more foolish!' 

Death is a normal and logical certainty and in the face of it, what would anything other than my relationship with God matter to me. The source and destiny of my existence is God and God alone can make any difference to my being in the final analysis - whether in this world or in the existence to come. 

Many of us, not only fail to recognise this fact but we deliberately refuse to admit its validity. Pride and Selfishness make one see nothing but himself or herself. Lack of profound understanding of things that happen around, makes one think he or she is capable of anything in this world, until that bubble is burst in a tragic moment! 

A bit of realism and humility will bring every one to this thinking but the sad fact is that it takes a whole lifetime for some of us to come to that realisation. If we have arrived at it already, it is a reason to thank God, for having inspired us early. Let us strive grow in that realisation, becoming more and more founded on our faith, and less and less foolish in our life!

Faith that speaks and acts!

WORD 2day: Saturday, 28th Week in Ordinary time

October 21, 2023: Romans 4:13,16-18; Luke 12: 8-12

Jesus assures us, true faith speaks for itself. We need not hunt for ways and means of explaining and defending our faith; it is mostly self evident and self explanatory. We don't need mighty big formulae to hold on to a faith... all we need is the realisation of the constant and unceasing presence of the Lord with us and within us.

When I am convinced of this presence I can hope against hope as Abraham did. Such a faith speaks on my behalf, clarifies things for me and others, and acts in my favour in the ultimate analysis. Internally it strengthens me and outwardly it makes me a role model. It cannot be otherwise - that I put up an appearance of being a role model, while there is still aspects to be strengthened within me. 

There is a beautiful insight, that hope none of us miss, in the Word today, the readings taken together. While Paul speaks of God as one who raises the dead to life and calls to life those which do not as yet exist, Jesus speaks of that one sin that cannot be forgiven, the sin against the Holy Spirit. They both are referring to the same, while the former cites a positive explanation, the latter provides a note of clarification. That is where the insight lies:

The sin against the Holy Spirit is the lack of hope, which is a concrete expression of lack of faith leading to a life that ultimately lacks true love! Let nothing perturb you, if you are really a person of faith!

Let our lives be filled with a faith that speaks and acts!

The gift of faith and what we do with it

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

October 20, 2023: Romans 4: 1-8; Luke 12: 1-7

Faith is a gift, a gratuitous gift from God! My part is to grow in it. The more I grow in it, the more I realise how undeserving I am of it.

Abraham was granted this gift and he grew tremendously worthy of it. Paul was granted this gift and he fought a brave fight to become worthy of it. Jesus accuses those who throw those pearls of faith to the swines of their ego and self centered thinking. If I have received this gift of faith, should I not be grateful for it and mindful enough to keep growing in it. Can I be boasting about it and mindlessly acting contrary to it? 

Jesus warns us about something that would not look apparently like an aberration of faith, but in fact leads us gradually away from what true faith is all about - 'the yeast' of the Pharisees, that Jesus mentions in the Gospel today. At times people think they are treasuring that faith, but actually trashing their faith by becoming self righteous and so judgmental about others. They grow so intolerable towards others that they think they possess the whole truth and no one can dare differ from them. 

Taking my faith to be a reason for my pride, judging everyone else who does not partake of it; calling names at people who have a faith different from mine merely because of the difference and treating them with despite; making faith a means to make my living instead of making it my life and journeying genuinely towards my eternal life...these are somethings that I need to be on the guard about! 

Faith is a gift given to me and I need to grow in it every day, every moment.