Shake up the world...

WORD 2day: Friday, 25th week in Ordinary time

September 26, 2025: Haggai 1:15 - 2:9; Luke 9: 18-22

A little while now, and I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land, says the Lord in the first reading. Shaking up was a characteristic experience that Jesus gave to those who were around him. Jesus' self understanding and his consciousness of the Divine mandate was so strong and clear that it shook the earth and heaven; not merely that once when he died on the cross rejected and condemned, but every time he came in touch with an old fashioned clichéd concept of spirituality.

He shook up the pharisees, the saducees, the high priests, the lawyers, the herodians, the traditional Jews...and among those whom he shook, some became his followers and some others disciples and apostles. There were some who could not accept it and they wanted to do away with him and they did it, when they tried him and nailed him on the Cross. But all that remained was another shake up for them! It is Jesus' characteristic mark, to shake up those who are with him.

The same shake up happens everytime a follower of Christ lives up to his or her call and mandate. A follower of Christ, that is a Christian, has to be filled with the glory of the Lord from within. Look at some people who have lived very close to our times: Maxmillian Kolbe, Oscar Romero, Mother Teresa, Cardinal Newman or the thousands of Christians who stand up to their faith even if it were to cost their lives.

The call for us today is to be mindful of every situation or opportunity that would give us the possibility of manifesting the glory of the Lord enshrined within us, and by that, shake up the world wherever we are! Can we?

House in Ruins... a call to reflect!

WORD 2day: Thursday, 25th week in Ordinary time

September 25, 2025: Haggai 1:1-8; Luke 9: 7-9

It is important to know that the house is in ruins, and it is more important to know the reason. The world today is experiencing that ruin in many forms. The wounded peace, the wrecked ecology, the neglected humanity, the despised helpless, the insensitive power centres... these are the true experiences of ruins. If we carry on our lives paying no attention to these, but trying to live our so-called 'religious' lives as mere ritual requirements, we will be like Herod who was more curious to see Jesus, than in earnest to see himself in the light of Jesus.

Let us reflect carefully, calls the first reading today! To reflect on our house of ruins is not merely to criticise ourselves or everyone else who is around, but to look at ourselves in the light of Jesus and his Mystical Body. The Mystical Body of Christ is the communion of believers, the communion of human persons, a true communion of hearts and spirits of the brothers and sisters called in the name of the One Lord. Are we building up such a presence amidst us? If not Jesus' body, the house, is in ruins!

It is important that we know that the house is in ruins and more important to know the reason; that we analyse to see where really lies the problem. A bit of sincerity and a lot of dedication will set this house back in order - our call today is, to Reflect, to reflect on the house in ruins!

Being the Household of God

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

September 23, 2025 - Remembering Padre Pio of Pietrelcina 

Ezra 6: 7-8,12,14-20; Luke 8: 19-21

'House', 'Mother', 'brothers and sisters'... today's readings present to us terms that seem to draw a highly familiar note to our faith. It is important to look at our faith and its expression in terms of living in the presence of God, living as brothers and sisters of the Lord and as brothers and sisters in the Lord, instead of duties, obligations and rituals to be faithfully carried out.

It is all a question of priority and clarity of the essentials. At times we get lost in the minute details and let go of a gross reality - may be this is what Christ spoke of when he said of the Pharisees and Scribes: you strain the gnats, but swallow the camels! It is not for laughing at them, but for us to question ourselves whether we are being blind to larger deformities in our Christian faith, than the rubrics, rituals and rites that we fight about.

The basic premise of our faith has to be a loving relationship with God which makes us related to each other, and makes us persons dwelling under the same roof - every place we encounter each other becomes a 'house of God' to encounter God in the other, alive and active, warm and vibrant. Understood thus, can faith ever divide us? In spite of our faith, if we consider some 'apart' from us, 'lower' or 'higher' than us or not belonging to us, what kind of followers of Christ are we? And worse, if it leads to harming the other, will it still be worthy of the name 'faith'?

By our call and our baptism we are called to live as a household of God, a household that invites, welcomes, receives and embraces everyone as brothers and sisters! What is important is not merely being in the household of God, but being the household of God. St. Pius of Pietrelcina, fondly known as Padre Pio, instilled in everyone whom he encountered, a sense of being children of God, that is being the household of God. 

Roused in the Spirit

WORD 2day: Monday, 25th week in Ordinary time

September 22, 2025: Ezra 1:1-6; Luke 8:16-18

Sentiments of grief, suspicion, hatred and violence is strewn all over the news these days. Every day we rise to newer and newer challenges against peaceful life on earth. Direct killings and terrorist fundamentalism on the one side; the hidden agenda and delirious deceptions of the dominant forces on the other side, normal peace loving human being is compelled to feel out of place today.

Do not be worried dear sons and daughters of God, says the Word today. The Lord is in control. The Lord made use of an alien king Cyrus to raise God's dwelling back to its glory and God's people back to their dignity - the same Lord is in control even today! Just as the Lord roused the Spirit in Cyrus, so shall we feel the rousing of the Spirit within, towards a new creation of heaven and earth!

All that children of God need to do today, is be roused in the Spirit - yes, be roused in the Spirit, share the Word more and more, speak the mercies of the Lord to everyone, set the world ablaze with the love of the True God. Only then you can be called people of God. The light that is kindled in our hearts has to light up many more hearts and rouse up the Spirit in the entire community of faith, the Church.

Here is the call for us in concrete: be children of God, be roused in the Spirit, be lights of the world, burn bright and help people give praise to the Almighty!

Keep fighting His fight!

WORD 2day: Friday, 24th week in Ordinary time

September 19, 2025: 1 Timothy 6: 2-12; Luke 8: 1-3

The Word today establishes that to be a follower of Christ, it does not matter whether you are a man or a woman, a jew or a gentile, of noble birth or from a sinful past, all that matters is from the moment you decide to be Christ's follower, to manifest that in your normal conduct and your everyday choices. Christ should make such a difference in my life that I look at everything in a way different from that of the rest of the world. Especially at times when sufferings surround me and crises engulf me, I need to manifest myself as a disciple by my constancy, different from the world that looks for instant solutions and immediate outcomes.

Yes, most in the world today follow a hit-and-run policy, with regard to sufferings and struggles, but wish to call themselves strong, mature and rational. At the most they agree that they are rebellious, but they fail to understand their weakness - of questioning God during their difficulties but not staying on long enough to get the right answers. Once a person approached a pastor saying that it has been long since the person had left the Catholic Church, because the person had lost a dear friend just around 25 years old. The person had raised questions such as, Why this person? Why now? and so on and left the Church in rebellion against God. The pastor asked a gentle question to him: you raised a question to the Lord, did you wait for an answer at all?'

Living a life of discipleship requires an authentic mind, a humble spirit and a patient self. There is nothing wrong in raising questions to God, but we should be ready to wait for the response. Wait long and wait hard - that is what we mean by, a fight, a good fight of faith. There will be a response, an answer from the Lord - but you should be there to behold that response when it comes. Only then you would be in a position to say: I have fought the good fight of faith! Until then there is one thing we are called to do: Follow the Lord and Keep fighting His fight!

Sanctity and Profundity

Thursday, 23rd week in Ordinary time - 18th September, 2025

1 Timothy 4: 12-16; Luke 7: 36-50

Sanctity has a root that is very profound... your age, your external appearance, or your history - nothing can define or determine that! It is only the depth of your heart that can decide whether you are holy or not, before the eyes of the Lord. Sanctity is an personal and internal choice; not an external display!

LET YOURSELF BE FOUND

THE LORD WHO IS IN SEARCH OF US - The Gospel presents to us:

Oh, what a wonderful experience, to see the Lord who comes in search of us. We better not be ashamed or we will shy away and we better not be afraid or we will hide ourselves from that merciful gaze. A God who is on a constant look out; the Lord who is in search of us; the Lord who rejoices on our return - that is the image that Jesus wants us to have! Yes, the Lord is in search of us. The secret is that the Lord cannot find us, unless we let ourselves be found!

And therefore, we pray:

Oh Lord, my God,

Grant that I may stick to the path you have shown;

Enlighten my mind to single out the enticements and entrapments

that get me lost to your life-giving presence;

Infuse my heart with the humility to see the truth and accept it

specially when I find myself far from it;

Take my hand and lead me gently back to you,

however undeserving you find me to be;

for I know you love me without bounds,

you accept me without conditions, and

you watch over me without denying me my freedom!

Thank you Lord,

never let me wander too far away from you; and

help me always to let myself be found by you...

like the coin on the house floor,

the sheep in the wilderness,

and the son who came to himself...

Help me Lord,

that when you come in search of me,

TO LET MYSELF BE FOUND. Amen.

Evidence of the Inexhaustible patience

WORD 2day: Saturday, 23rd week in Ordinary Time

September 13, 2025: 1 Timothy 1: 15-17; Luke 6: 43-49

Paul calls his own story, an evidence of God's inexhaustible patience. Aren't we all such evidences... taking into consideration the endless opportunities we are offered to bear the right fruits at the right season.

At times persons ask questions like: why is it that people are so bad and they don't allow me to be as good as I wish to be! May be the Word today could answer that question... I am responsible for the fruits that are expected of me... there will surely be scores of others who will disturb, distract, discourage and disorient me but I cannot lose the direction that I am given with. I cannot blame it on others or the situation when I fail to bear the fruits that I should.

However, we have a God who is inexhaustible in patience. It is beautiful to remember here those wise words of the saint of the gutters, whom we celebrated last Sunday. She was convinced and repeated often, God expects from us not success but faithfulness. But it is hard to be faithful, faithful amidst all the difficulties around.

This month cannot be forgotten from recent pages of history... two daus ago we remembered a day that changed the entire world mentality two decades ago (the 9/11) - the twin tower blasts which implanted fear, suspicion, hatred, vengeance and universal mistrust, still affects the way persons and societies look at the other and others! But can we just give into the influence of evil and hatred, in spite of all the hardships we face! Here is where our call to bear fruit amidst odds, stands out.

Let us resolve to be good, to bear only good fruits, to never give up on the call we have received. May the inexhaustible patience of God fill us with necessary endurance to make this journey possible.

The Real me!

WORD 2day: Friday, 23rd week in Ordinary time

Septermber 12, 2025: 1 Timothy 1: 1-2, 12-14; Luke 6: 39-42

Humility is an essential part of holiness. Holiness never leads one to pride and anything that makes one proud is clearly indicative of being short of true holiness. That is why a holy person never gives into ego trips and anyone who feeds his or her own ego is still a long way from holiness. Humility and holiness have a great deal to do with each other. This points to two facts: firstly, that one should constantly look into oneself and be aware of the weaknesses to grow out of; secondly, that those who are truly concerned about each other's holiness, take care and responsibility to help each other out!

It is a plain fact that realising the areas in which one has to grow and taking steps towards that growth is an important part of maturing in one's life. The other fact which the Word points today is a bit more subtle and complicated: mutual corrections, typically Christian ways of growing up together in holiness. Humility plays a very big role here.

Humility is not an artificial debasement of oneself in any way. It is knowing my real self accepting it and being at home with it; at home with knowing my imperfections and continuously working on it. St Paul was mindful of his real self all the time. He never thought of hiding his dark past and was never bloating over the glorious state of his present relationship with Christ. In fact his relationship with Christ made him more aware of his real self.

In Christ, I get to know my real me, not just my past but also my call; not merely the splinters and planks in my eyes but even the blessings and splendour given unto me. Though I may be broken and fractured with imperfections, there is a glory that awaits me if only I am ready to constantly graft myself onto Christ - because that is where I find my true image. That is the real me!

Put on Christ; put on love!

WORD 2day: Thursday, 23rd week in Ordinary time

September 11, 2025: Colossians 3: 12-17; Luke 6: 27-38

If we do not say that the words are from the letter to the Colossians, one can easily misjudge those as some paraphrasing of a part from the Gospel and as words of Christ himself. Paul had so intensely taken in the spirit of Christ that his insistence of putting on Christ comes from his person much stronger than from his words. Love is presented as the crux of Christ's message. When Paul said, even elsewhere, to put on Christ, he practically meant putting on love. Love, understood not as childish sentiment of attachment and dependence, but a Christlike selfgiving.

Love is the sweetest of all teachings of Christ and it is the most difficult of all too, for it comes inbuilt with forgiveness; forbearance, kindness, gentleness, integrity and sacrifice. 'What is there in it for me?' - if someone were to ask that question, the answer would be a simple, 'nothing'. There is nothing in love that I intend to gain or get ; all that it really involves is giving and laying down. If I intend to receive anything, it is no love in reality! But the beauty of love is that, in giving, in losing, in laying down... I receive, a hundred fold.

Does that sound too unrealistic and demanding? The fact however is, if we believe being a Christian is to put on Christ, it can never happen except by putting on love!