07-12 SEPTEMBER 2020, HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS
07 SEPTEMBER 2020: 1 CORINTHIANS 5. 1-8; LUKE 6. 6-11
Focus: Evil is always prevalent and pernicious and therefore any such evil influence among the fold of the faithful has to be promptly arrested and eliminated, lest it can vitiate the whole atmosphere
St Paul writing to Corinthians denounces a bad instance of immorality. He clearly reminds them that our faith calls us to celebrate life in sincerity and truth and not with malice and wickedness. True spirituality must go together with a sound morality. One who belongs to Christ cannot go on clinging to sin. Sin is in fact a far more grievous sickness than the physical, because it corrodes the whole person and life. In the gospel, we have one such instance of sickness, namely a withered hand. We have a man with a withered hand being healed. But the Pharisees and scribes wait viciously to use that occasion to accuse Jesus, because Jesus does the cure on a Sabbath. They are not happy that good is done to their fellow being. They do not appreciate Jesus for being compassionate and granting a new life to the withered man. Their whole concern is the violation of the law of Sabbath. What a perverted mind to turn even a good act into an instance for blame! What a lack of charity to be infuriated at the good done to their fellow human being! A heartless adherence to the laws becomes more important than the good of a person. That is why, Jesus confronts them with a straight question, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?”. Thereby, Jesus makes it crystal clear that doing good and saving life are far more important than merely observing the Sabbath rule. It is in fact even sinful to keep Sabbath but to do evil and to destroy life. Besides, there is also an implicit contrast here: the man with the withered hand is healed of his physical infirmity, while the Pharisees and scribes suffer from inner withering of jealousy and malice.
Direction: A withered mind, a withered heart and withered soul are far more matters of concern and worry, rather than a withered hand. We should be more concerned about the inner healing rather than the merely physical
08 SEPTEMBER 2020: FEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, MICAH 5. 1-4A; MATTHEW 1. 18-23
Focus: Birthdays are always joyful occasions of celebration. But the real greatness is not the mere fact of birth, but in realizing the value and purpose of one’s birth and in living up to that value and purpose
1. 08 September is the birthday of the most beautiful Mother Mary. But practically many remember and celebrate it as a day of Our Lady of good health. Now, how is the birthday connected to health? The simple logic and reason is: her birthday becomes the health day. Her birthday removes sickness and brings health.
2. The world of today, the present human persons are sick in so many ways. Varieties of sicknesses abound, and when sickness goes, the other sickness appears. That is why, today everywhere you find clinics and hospitals. Hospitals increase day by day, because sicknesses increase day by day. Hospitals will never run at loss, and health care has become a prosperous business, because sicknesses will live forever and people are desperate for good health.
3. People are sick, sick physically, but much more mentally, morally, and spiritually. Day by day, numbers increase of the physically sick, of blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, this failure, that failure, this pain, that pain, etc. Day by day, numbers increase of the mentally sick, of depression, fear, anxiety, worry, tension, mental imbalance, etc. Day by day, numbers increase, of the morally sick: right values are thrown off, and wrong values like selfishness, greed, corruption, cheating, atrocities, perversions, violence, murders, and all sorts of immorality are embraced and propagated. Day by day, numbers increase, of the spiritually sick: God, God’s will, God’s message is abandoned or rejected or neglected; world, worldly pleasures, worldly possessions and pursuits are given the central place.
4. Body is sick, mind is sick, heart is sick, soul is sick. That is why, the human person is sick, the family sick, the community is sick, the working place is sick, the state is sick, the centre is sick, the country is sick, the whole world, the whole human society is sick. The whole world is under the power and reign of sickness.
5. What does it mean? When one is sick, there is weakness, there is loss of energy, there is less enthusiasm and interest, there is lack of full power and strength. So, sickness makes us weak and dull, we cannot do things well, we cannot be fully happy, we cannot be peaceful.
6. Therefore, the greatest sickness is unhappiness and peacelessness. Much more than the physical sickness, this is the most serious. Today, we may wonder, how many are really happy and how many are really at peace. Is it not being sick?
7. Now, do you know, what is the greatest reason for sickness? It is sin. The holy Bible repeatedly makes it clear that sin takes away happiness and peace. Nobody who sins can be really happy and peaceful. One may appear to be happy but is all shallow and superficial, because sin affects us, infects us, corrupts us and ruins us.
8. But what is sin? In a simple way, sin means something against God and against good. So to sin means, not to love God with whole heart, not to listen to Him attentively, and not to follow His will obediently. To sin means, not to be good, not to think good, not to speak good, not to do good, not to have good attitudes, good, qualities, good character and good behavior.
9. Therefore, whenever God and good become less, we are sinful and we become sick. Therefore, today, through her birth, Mary is reminding us and inspiring us that her birth, her whole life was for God and for good. There was no sin, and no evil. Therefore, she is perfectly healthy. Her birth and her life of grace and virtue is a medicine, a remedy, an antidote for good health, that is, perfect joy and peace. Thus, being herself healthy and knowing the secrets of health, she can make us healthy, she can lead us on the path of health.
10. Am I sick? Are you sick? Do you and I want to be fit and healthy? Then, why delay? Why to doubt? Let us run to her. Let us take her help. Let us walk with her, closer to God and better in goodness.
Direction: Every birthday is a reminder that as we advance in years, we must also advance in godliness and goodness, that we must grow in stature integrally, that we must accomplish the purpose of life
09 SEPTEMBER 2020: 1 CORINTHIANS 7. 25-31; LUKE 6. 20-26, MEMORY OF ST PETER CLAVER
Focus: Blessing and curse are two fundamental options laid before us. It is our own choice to make ourselves blessed or cursed
In difference from Matthew’s set of beatitudes (Mt 5. 3-12), Luke presents also the opposites of beatitudes, a set of curses and maledictions (vv 24-26), along with the positive blessedness (vv 20-23). A couple of basic factors are clear: we are destined for bliss and beatitude; the life of the present is transitory and transitional; and the quality of present life determines the life after and the state of blessing or curse. The present state of happiness should not disorient us, nor affliction should dissipate us, because what decides the issue is whether one suffers for God and good, or whether one enjoys at the cost of God and good. Those who are poor, humble of spirit, who patiently bear want and deprivation, suffering and hatred, will surely be rewarded by God and experience true satisfaction, God’s comfort and fulfillment. On the other hand, those who give themselves to shallow pleasures, inflict on others and put themselves against God and good, will lose eternal reward and God’s blessing of true happiness; what awaits them is misery, and that is: desolation and discomfort for the rich, hunger and deprivation for those who are full, sorrow and pain for those who enjoy and fun about, discredit and misery for those who ride in self-glory and cheap popularity and fame. There is also a contrast between the “now” and “then”. It is not just a matter of chronology of time, but rather a caution against being short-sighted and being caught up with what is present and temporary, and at the same time a pointer, admonition and encouragement to be focused and oriented on the eternal future. Further, there is a direct address in the second person (“you”) and thus application to those present and of the present. Thereby there is a simple but clear implication that it is something personal, directly addressed to the persons here and now, and not a mere general teaching or principle.
Direction: True happiness does not consist in material abundance and comfort, but only in spiritual adequacy and contentment.
10 SEPTEMBER 2020: 1 CORINTHIANS 8. 1B-7, 11-13; LUKE 6. 27-38
Focus: Knowledge is good and needed provided that it does not inflate one with pride, presumptuousness and self-righteousness, leading to a loss of fraternal concern and a bad example
Following Jesus is not an easy task because his values are in sharp contrast to the values of the world. Truly the men of God are always a “contrast people”! Surely men of God cannot but be different from others who are of the world. Will not light be contrary to darkness? Will not good be contrary to evil? Will not authenticity be contrary to duplicity? Will not generosity be contrary to greed? Will not virtue be contrary to vice? Will not altruism be contrary to egoism? Will not the Holy Spirit be contrary to the evil spirit? Will not the life of a man of God be contrary to that of a man of earth? Now, all the values of the Lord are oriented to perfection and altruism, while those of the world are self-oriented and content with the minimums and compromises. The way of the Lord is a way of love, forgiveness, magnanimity and generosity, while the way of the world is a way of hatred, retaliation, greed and accumulation. We receive as we give. God Himself is our supreme model of perfection and compassion and life should be modelled on no one else. The only standard and the guiding norm of life must be the “golden rule” – “Do unto others what you want them do unto you”. It is not fair that we expect to receive and enjoy only good things for ourselves, while we conveniently forget to give the same for others, and even give the evil things. How can one expect to be loved, to be understood, to be comforted, to be supported, to be encouraged, to be appreciated, to be forgiven by others, while he denies the same to others? How can one apply double standards – one for himself and the other for others? How can one be so rigid and harsh toward others, while he is so lenient and indulgent toward his own self?
Direction: Meaning of life does not lie in egoism but altruism, and Life is beautiful only when it is virtuous, and it becomes meritorious when it becomes a life of witness
11 SEPTEMBER 2020: 1 CORINTHIANS 9. 16-19, 22B-27; LUKE 6. 39-42
Focus: Passion for the Lord imbues one with a deep sense of obligation and responsibility, and makes him walk and follow, guide and save others as well.
It is the overwhelming passion of Paul that sets him on a fiery zeal to spend himself totally and selflessly in the Lord’s mission, so as to gain as many as possible to the Lord. For this, he makes himself an exemplary guide and mentor to others. He qualifies himself with the deepest faith and commitment, and thus he is able to qualify others for the Lord. He knew his race well, he knew that he was not running aimlessly, and he knew that he was not fighting as if he were shadowboxing. Yes, only one who sees clearly can walk properly. But we find a contrast in the gospel in the persons of Pharisees and scribes. They were truly blind guides, who do not walk the way of God and also cannot guide others as well. The contrast is quite real in our times as well. One sad reality of our present society is: blind guides and self-righteous judges abound. Not only many do not walk the right way because they are blind to see it but they also misguide others. Thus we have many who do the wrong, and also mislead others to do the same. Then there are those who are presumptuous and declare themselves to be righteous. They are blind to their own defects and readily pass wrong judgments on others. All this is because one forgets that he is a disciple who must always focus his sight on his master and follow his way and strive to become like the master. Only one who sees the master and his way clearly, can see himself and others rightly, follow the way and guide others as well.
Direction: It is better to control our undue eagerness to be guides and masters over others, and to learn to be guided and controlled by the Master
12 SEPTEMBER 2020: 1 CORINTHIANS 10. 14-22; LUKE 6. 43-49
Focus: The meaning of the life of a follower of Christ is to live a meaningful life, and that is to be fruitful, and this alone is the best and fitting way to bear witness to Christ
The quality and effect of a true follower of Christ are tested and known by his fruits. One cannot profess and claim to follow the Lord, but in concrete life follow the way of the demons. One cannot serve two masters at the same time, both God and the demon. One cannot proclaim himself to be a good tree, but fails to bear good fruits. There is no use of mere lip service, however eloquent it is, saying ‘Lord, Lord’, without doing what the Lord commands. If one really belongs and follows the Lord, he must constantly seek and approach the Lord, listen to his words and act upon them. He must guard himself against all the pulls and pressures of any sort of ‘idolatry’. It is not necessarily the material, lifeless idols, but in our modern times, there is a more serious and disguised idol-worship, in the form of unrefined and frenetic idolizing of money, power and sex. These become the new gods that grant pleasure and gratification. One must wisely build his life on the solid foundation of rock, that is, faith, loyalty, surrender and commitment to God. No flood can shake it, no adversity can stumble it, because its foundation is strong and firm. Instead, one who foolishly builds his life without a foundation but simply on the ground of the worldly, will surely collapse and get destroyed. Let us always bear in mind that God expects fruits from us, and we will be blameworthy if we fail to be productive and fruitful.
Direction: Let us be wise and authentic to worship the true God and not the demons and the idols. Let us become more profound and fecund, and thus produce abundant fruit.
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