From Competititon and Conceit to Comprehension!

WORD 2day: Monday, 31st week in Ordinary time

November 4, 2024: Philippians 2: 1-4; Luke 14: 12-14

It is so important that we do good to others, to the faith community and to humanity as a whole. But it is more important to be attentive to why we do what we do! Yes, the motivation behind the good we do, determines whether the act is truly good or just tolerable! This is the call the Word has today: to determinedly move from competition and conceit, and discerningly grow towards a comprehension that Christ alone can make possible.

Competition makes all the good that I do, a mere external show and a means to seek the approval of fellow human beings. It begins to use the others, the needy and the ones to whom I reach out to, and makes them feel like 'objects' of someone else's or some others' goodness and prowess.

Conceit makes one oblivious of the rest of the persons around and what really matters to them. All that matters to me is 'me'!  I am so full of myself that even the good that I do for the other is a manifestation of myself and not truly a reaching out to the other. How many politicians and so-called philanthropists we have seen who wish to highlight themselves making their service a pretext.

Comprehension...is the understanding, the oneness of mind that leads to looking at the One Lord who unites me and the others and everyone else. There is no distinction here; when the other suffers, I suffer. When I do something good for the other, there is nothing to be proud about it because I am doing what I ought to; after all if I suffer, won't I seek a remedy?

One heart, one mind, one spirit, without competition or conceit... when I do good for someone, I do not count the cost, I do not look for a return, nor do I lament the effort. After all, we are one in the Lord!

HEAR MY CHILD!

With your Ear, Heart and Spirit

31st Sunday in Ordinary time: November 03, 2024

Deuteronomy 6: 2-6; Hebrew 7: 23-28; Mark 12: 28-34

Hear O Israel... we read those words repeatedly today! Hearing... is one important faculty physically; we would talk about it in another occasion when Jesus restores in a deaf man his capacity to hear! Today we are more concerned with the spiritual faculty of hearing, a hearing that becomes fundamental to a truly spiritual person, to a son or a daughter of God, to a true child of God! God who is heard more than just a few times in the Word, crying out to God's people: Hear O Israel, Hear O my people, Hear my beloved, speaks to us today, those very same words: Hear, my son, my daughter, my child... hear me today!

How can we hear God? The spiritual faculty of hearing has three levels of perfection through which we are challenged to grow everyday.

Hear with your ears... that is the fundamental requirement, the physical hearing, the basic openness to what is around, what can be perceived, what is told, what is shared, what is right in front of one's eyes and one's ears. This is sympathetic listening... to what one says and what one communicates. There are so many who cannot really hear, what is said. They hear what they want to, what they have already made up their mind to hear. Even before a person opens his or her mouth to say something, we have heard what the person wants to say. That is, we have a bias that does not allow us to hear what is said!

We are so prejudiced that we cannot really hear what the other person is saying, or what the other person is sharing. About everyone around me, I have already made a judgement within me, that I am not able to hear what they are saying at all... all the time, I am busy hearing what I want to hear, what I have prerecorded in my mind. Have you heard the sad story of a mother who thought her kid was trying to bunk school crying that his shoes were hurting, and forced him to go to school, only to receive a call from school a little later that the kid died of a scorpion bite, a scorpion which was in the shoes!

God communicates everyday through so many persons and events. If we do not really hear what is being said, If we do not perceive what is being communicated, we are missing a great lot of God! Can we really be God's children if we do not hear with our ears? That is why the Lord call our attention: Hear O Israel, hear my children, hear what I have to tell you everyday! However, hearing does not end here... this is just the first level, the sympathetic listening. We have to grow towards the next level...

Hear with your heart... 'heart' has an 'ear' within it: look at how it is spelt... h-ear-t; interesting isn't it? We are called to hear beyond our ears, not with our prejudices but with our genuine openness; yes, we are called to hear what is not said, what is not shared, what is not verbalised. This is empathetic listening... to what is communicated without words, in silence, with tears, with reactions, with some choices! This is a higher level of hearing, which is so attentive that I am able to hear not just what is said, but even what is not said, even what is stifled within, even what is meant by the simple words or gestures! This can happen only if I feel myself in the position of the one who is sharing, not when I stand in judgement of the other.

A real educator will know that the naughtiest of the kids in the class is the most needy of attention; a true liberator of the oppressed will know that even the sheer silence of the oppressed is a big hue and cry for emancipation; a real prophet will know that every experience of suffering is a sign of hope from the Lord. Hearing things with the heart, would go beyond the events and understand its meaning, it will go beyond words and understand the experience.

God sends God's message through a myriad of experiences that come our way everyday. If we do not hear beyond what is said, beyond what is seen and beyond what is apparent, we are missing an important message that we are given from God. Jesus saw these, heard these and experienced these and that is why no one could dare question him or find fault with him. Today if we hear beyond the words that are spoken, if we see beyond the things that are noticed, the Lord will tell us too: 'you are not far from the Reign of God'. You are not far, but you haven't reached it yet...and therefore the need for the next level...

Hear with your spirit... hearing with your spirit is, hearing from within. This is Spiritual listening, that is listening to the Spirit who speaks from within! Jesus who has offered himself once and for all, as our redemptive sacrifice, has given us the Spirit who dwells within us: the Spirit who speaks to us, the Spirit who directs us, the Spirit who calls us from within. Are we in touch with this Spirit? If we get in touch with this Indwelling Spirit, and only if we do so, we can be considered people of the Reign, because we will make the Reign of God present wherever we are. This is why Jesus said in another place, Reign of God is within you (Lk 17:21).

Hearing with our spirit is being in touch with the Lord, being in communion with the Lord, remaining in constant relationship with the Lord. Do you think these are too big a matter to think of - then consider a simple term that explains all of this in one single word: PRAYER. Prayer is hearing, hearing what the Lord has to say to us, hearing with our ear, our heart and our spirit. 

Shema Israel... Hear, my child, invites the Lord - are we ready?

HOPE - that makes us Christ-ian!

All Souls Day - 2024

What is the difference between a Christian and an unchristian outlook on anything?

Hope! The difference is hope. It is hope that makes us see a possibility even in the worst of our daily problems. Hope gives one the serenity and tranquility to approach every day problems with grace. One big unsolved question for the whole humanity is how to understand the end of life and beyond.

For a Christian, life is changed, not ended; it is transformed not terminated, explains the preface of the Mass for the dead. Jesus' resurrection fills us with hope and that hope does not disappoint us. The hope is towards eternal life, it is the eternal destination that characterises the culmination of this journey on earth.

Death is just the horizon beyond which we are not able to see what really exists; for if we see, there is no more place for hope (Rom 8:24). All that we see is the Risen Lord, who lives with us and lights our path. And in the Risen Lord is our hope. We hope to see every one of our brothers and sisters gone before us, united in the Risen Lord, as do the saints we celebrated yesterday. And our prayer today is that these brothers and sisters of ours join their ranks and that we, at the end of our journey, join that wonderful family, the family that is founded on faith, united in love and kept alive in hope!

Yes, it is hope that makes us truly Christ-ian!

BEING SAINTS...

All Saints day... reflecting on being saints...

November 1, 2024

Saints come in different shapes, forms and sizes... there are those who had been so from the beginning and there are those that turned so at the fag end of their life; there are those that formed others into saints and thus became one themselves while there are those that became saints so much due to someone else who had been after them all the time; there are those that renounced everything in life to become so and there are those who lived a busy life of a householder but through it grew to be what they were; there are those that isolated themselves in a desert or on mountains (or even on pillars) and there are those that dwelt in the din of humanity; there are those that lived upto a ripe old stage in life and there are those that died mature already at a stage so young. 

The message is simple: you don't need a situation that can make you a saint - you become one by recognising who you are!

The complex task of being Christian!

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

October 31, 2024: Ephesians 6:10-20; Luke 13: 31-35

Our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens (Eph 6:12). Yes, our life is a struggle! That is why we are the Militant Church... the church that is fighting its way through, towards the eternal life, with eyes fixed on that sure crown that is promised to each of us. 

The Triumphant Church, referring to the saints who have gone before us, is our shining model and an inspiring example.The message that they give us, and the clear tone of the Word today, is that of Lk 12:4 - do not fear those who can kill your body, but can do nothing to your soul! And Jesus lives that teaching in the Gospel today, when he says: 'Go tell that fox'...meaning Herod...'that I will be here today, tomorrow and the third day!'

Jesus feared no one, because he was certain that God was with him. Being a Christian means exactly that - to live our life fear-free, not because we are all powerful, but because we have with us someone who is all powerful; to live our life with conviction and determination, not because we are always right, but we are guided by that Spirit who will instruct us and convict us as soon as we go wrong, if we are attentive; to live our life to the full, not because this is the only life we have (as some justify sometimes), but because we have the certainty of the eternal life given to us by our Lord on the Cross, that eternal life which has to be begun already here in our values and priorities. 

How can we live fear-free, convinced and to the full? In other words, how can we be truly Christians in our daily life: St. Paul today gives us a whole armour to put on, every kind of protection against every kind of danger. The Lord is our stronghold, the Lord is our refuge; whom should we fear? All that we need to do is stand firm in faith. Let us not deceive ourselves saying, being a Christian today is simple or natural; it is not! Neither shall we lose hope saying, we cannot!

Jesus teaches us by his example today the technique of a Christian fight: Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong (1 Cor 16:13), because it is a complex task to a true Christ-ian.

No shortcuts to be saved!

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

October 30, 2024 - Ephesians 6: 1-9; Luke 13: 22-30

Will only few be saved? Who will be saved and who will not be? These questions, it looks like, have been around from ages immemorial! Today in the Gospel, the disciples raise these questions in various modalities. Jesus not even once when he was asked, answered these questions in direct. He always gave an explanation that made them think more and think of something else!

Once Jesus narrated the parable of the camel and the eye of the needle and another time he explained to them that it is possible with God, and impossible with merely human effort. However today, he says there are no categories of people who would enter by default, neither are there selected races who would enter! Anyone can enter and everyone is invited to enter the Reign of God, provided they had the right disposition and the right life style!

St. Paul in the first reading explains what this disposition or life style has to be. It is simply, living our life wherever we are and whoever we are, in a manner that is pleasing to God. It is easy to blame the others or the situation for a life lived below the standard that is expected of us and the Lord today challenges us to 'strive to go through the narrow door'... that is the door that leads to the Reign!

In Paul's words, we are called to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12); it is not about fretting and fidgeting but about being diligent and dedicated in whatever we are called to be, wherever we are! There are no shortcuts to salvation... there is only one way, living mindful of The Way!

Being in Christ is all that matters

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

October 29, 2024: Ephesians 5:21-33; Luke 13: 18-21

Given the times that we live in, every time we read this passage from Paul, there can be heated debates on issues that are spoken of therein - who has to be subordinate to whom! But that need not be our focus, in reflecting on the Word today.

Whether I am subordinate or head, I am called to be IN Christ - that's the focus.

Whether I am a subordinate or a head, or an apostle or a servant, a renowned person or a so-called nobody, parent or child, spouses or singles... whoever I am, I am called to be in Christ. Being in Christ means, being rooted in Christ, being nourished by Christ's words, being guided by Christ's lifestyle. being influenced by Christ's way of thinking, being shaped after Christ's mind, being modelled after the example of Christ - being called Christ's own people.

Being in Christ, even if I am just a tiny mustard seed, I can grow into a mighty tree. Being in Christ, even if I am just pinch of yeast I can make a difference for entire dough. Being in Christ, even if I am a nobody wherever I am, I will make a huge difference and the world will turn and take note of me. Being in Christ, even if I am doing just the same things as everyone else does, the way I do it and the heart with which I do it, makes what I do, stand out amidst everything else.

In short, what matters is not whether I am a man or a woman, whether I am in authority or subordinate, whether I am part of the majority or the minority, whether I am in the frontline of events or behind the scenes... 'Being in Christ' is all that matters.

The Name Game...

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

October 28, 2024 - Remembering Apostles Simon and Jude
Ephesians 2: 19-22; Luke 6: 12 -16

We remember the apostles Simon the zealot and Jude son of James, also called Jude Thadeus. These apostles have become relatively less known, they say, because of the confusion with their names. Simon was confused with Simon Peter and so lost his prominence. Judas confused with Judas Iscariot and so became infamous. Reflecting on this fact in tradition, one could be struck by the opening prayer prescribed for the Eucharist today, which goes thus:

O God, who by the blessed Apostles

have brought us to acknowledge your name...

The apostles were all about acknowledging God's name, not their own! Whether Simon or Jude, or any other apostle, they were all out to spread the Good News and give glory to God, building up the Body of Christ on earth: the People of God. 

Building up is our work, yes, but we are very much part of the building itself. We are the building, and we are building ourselves up together to give glory to the name of the Lord. And in this process, we are called to beware of the name game that is going rampant these days: that is, being divided among ourselves under so many names and calling names at each other, maligning each others' names and playing the dirty worldly name game! That is not very becoming of that One Name we have on earth by which we could al be saved, the most sweet and glorious name of Jesus. The division in the Church is the greatest of all scandals against the Gospel. 

With that one Cornerstone, let us unite with the apostles Simon and Jude, and with each other, giving glory to God's mighty name!

TO SEE THE EMPATHISING LORD

The Lord... who is like us, who likes us and who likens us to himself!

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time - October 27, 2024
Jeremiah 31: 7-9; Hebrew 5: 1-6; Mark 10: 46-52

"God"... How do we understand that term: the Almighty, the Omnipotent, the Mighty One? With those conceptions, we are still short of looking at that God whom Jesus introduced to us! In and through Jesus we have been introduced to a God who is all these but more than all these; a God who is close to us, a Father who loves us, a mother who cares for us, a beloved who longs for us, a friend who stays close to us and a Saviour who came down to save us... in short, an Empathising God -  it is that grace we need to seek today: to see the Empathising Lord! 

How do we understand the Empathising Lord?

The Lord is like us: 

We have a Lord who is like us... like us in every way except our sins. A Lord who came among us, ate, drank, laughed, cried, enjoyed, celebrated, loved, worked, faced hardships and temptations... He was like any of us, just like us and therefore, when we suffer, when we are troubled, when we have problems and temptations, the Lord perfectly knows what we are through. As an empathising Lord, he is not out there to judge us from afar or look down on our weaknesses, but someone who would put His hands around our shoulders and comfort us, someone who would sit by our side and whisper into our ears: 'it's okay! I have been there too'! The second reading presents this Lord to us.

The Lord likes us: 

We have a Lord who likes us... who loves us, who feels for us, who wishes that we were happy, who wants to heal us, who wants to give us all that we need, who wants to walk us to prosperity and fullness, who wants to give sight to us, who wants to listen to us, who wants to reach out to us! God our Father and Mother who spared no effort, giving up even the only Son; the Son who keeps back nothing, not even his own life by way of his body and his blood; the Spirit who comes down to dwell within us, within our poor bodies, in our lowly conditions, in our daily toils. This is the Lord who loves us, likes us so much that he is ready to do any thing for our sakes. As the first reading and the Gospel present to us, we are invited to see this Lord who is merciful and kind, who is in love with us. The Gospel in a special way speaks of a Lord who listens to a lone cry amidst the large crowd, and has mercy on that person and heals the person in love!

The Lord likens us: 

The Lord who came down to be like us, the Lord who dies to show how much he likes us, does not stop with that... God wants to liken us to Godself. The first and the second readings present to us a God who wants to make us God's sons and daughters, God's children, God's beloved ones, God's favourites. God invites us constantly towards this fullness of becoming God's own. We become God's own by opening or eyes of faith. We become God's own by crying out with faith. We become God's own by trusting in faith that God can do and will do everything for us! Thus becoming God's children we will be with God, close to God and like God, for we will see God face to face, as says St. Paul.

Yes, we have an Empathising Lord who was like us, who likes us and who longs to liken us to Himself. How prepared are we to see this Lord present by our side everyday of our life? How ready are we to hold on to the hands of this empathising Lord and look ahead in life with hope? If we find ourselves wanting in this respect, all that we need to do is cry out to the Lord: "Lord, that I may see!"

The challenge to Grow Up!

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

October 26, 2024 - Ephesians 4: 7-16; Luke 13: 1-9

The first reading today would lend itself so well for an interdenominational war, a typical catholics-protestants feud - calling each other a human trickery and deceptive scheming. However, the challenge is that we grow up, from all these childisn bickerings! St. Paul throws that challenge at us, to grow into the full stature of Christ, which is nothing but, love! 

Let us grow in love, love for God, love for each other, a patient acceptance of each other and loving fellowship of brothers and sisters. In the encylical released on the 24th October (Dilexit nos), Pope Francis calls this "the threefold love": one, the love that God has for us revealed by the heart of Jesus, and then the two fold love - that we need to nurture towards God and towards our neighbours! (Cf. Dilexit nos, nn. 65,66)

Now as sects of Christians, how long could we go on calling each other names and breaking the Body of Christ into non negotiable bits and pieces? If we do go on this way, Jesus says that twice in the Gospel today: 'you will all perish!' It's high time we realise our call to grow up and bear fruit. God has given us enough and more chances. Let us equip ourselves, not with offences and defences, but with arms of love and feet of generosity. 

The invitation is to prune our ego and till our arid hearts, sowing seeds of love and reaping fruits of brotherhood and sisterhood. Love is our identity and nothing else can be: by this they will know that you are my disciples, by the love that you have for one another (Jn 13:35). There can be no worse scandal than a divided Church and of course, there can be no better proclamation of the Gospel than a loving and united community of faithful, who live together as brothers and sisters, one in the Lord and in the Spirit!