05 – 10 OCTOBER 2020, HOLY MASS REFLECTION
05 OCTOBER 2020: GALATIANS 1. 6-12; LUKE 10. 25-37: GOOD SAMARITAN
Focus: True faith can never be separated from concrete charity. To be truly faithful is to be concretely charitable. A faith without charity is dubious and spurious.
In today’s gospel, we have the famous parable of the Good Samaritan. The parable dwells on the crucial question, “Who is my neighbour?” This is very crucial and relevant especially in our own times and in our society, where there is such a narrow notion of a neighbour. Neighbourhood is demarcated by the boundaries and affinities like country, race, lineage, caste, region, language, culture, religion, rite, occupation, or controlled by the concerns like profit, gratification, convenience, etc. Today we are reminded and challenged to rise beyond our narrow demarcations. A neighbour is anyone in need, who is in difficulty. Neighbourhood is a matter of assistance and service to attend to the need. It is not a choice but a duty. It is not an option but an obligation. It is not a favour but a mandate. It is not a possibility but a priority. Always and everywhere, one should seek to be a good neighbour to the other. One should not look for good neighbours who can help us and fulfil our needs but should strive to be good neighbours to others in need. Fraternity is our identity, sensitivity is our quality and charity is our priority – this in simple is the essence of being a good neighbour. Real charity demands not to “pass by on the other side” like the priest and the Levite, but to “see aside and turn around our attention by the roadside”, to “stop and create space” from one’s busy schedule, to “take the trouble and be humble to get down” from one’s riding on self and self-interests, to “take courage to go out of one’s way”, to “take time to move” to those in need, to “care the wounds of others”, to “accompany them in a process of healing and recovery of strength”. In reference to the first reading, letter to Galatians, this can be said to be the essence of true gospel, and that is, adherence to Christ and to his supreme commandment of love.
Direction: How many of us are Good Samaritans, genuinely and selflessly? How much are we aware of the boundless compassion of God, the supreme Good Samaritan? How much are we grateful and appreciative of numerous Good Samaritans?
06 OCTOBER 2020: GALATIANS 1. 13-24; LUKE 10. 38-42: MARY AND MARTHA
Focus: We will be wiser to set our focus always on the Lord, to give him the topmost priority and to conduct all our affairs in preference and in conformity to God’s will. Only in such a clarity of priorities, we will find the real satisfaction and fulfilment of life
The gospel presents before us the famous episode of Jesus’ visit at the house of Mary and Martha. Jesus praises Mary who sits at his feet but rebukes Martha who was busy with many things. In this story, we do not take away the merit of the good work of Martha. But the vital issue is the clarity of priorities. The first priority in life is relationship, closeness with God. Now, there is always the danger to be so caught up with so many tasks, activities, and preoccupations, that we neglect or ignore the duty and value of prayer. That is what is happening in the present times: Many have so much to do, so many things to do, but very little for God and the spiritual. Many are ready to find time, make adjustments or sacrifices for the sake of some profit, or friends or work, or office or some fun, or even for family, but how many are really ready to take some real trouble for the spiritual matters? In the case of a good number, prayer or church-going is a matter of mere tradition or ritual, or in the case of some, it is a waste of time or botheration.
Therefore, clarity of priorities would imply that nothing can be a substitute, an alternative or an equal for the value of the Lord in the life of a disciple. This is the light of the clarity of priority that Paul testifies to, in his letter to Galatians, the light that led him to Christ, converting him from being a persecutor to a persecuted for Christ. In the gospel passage, see what happened with Martha. She was not fully focused on Jesus’ presence. And as a result, we see a series of things happening: Martha is distracted, disturbed, agitated, annoyed, irritated, exhausted, dissatisfied, blaming and complaining. On the other hand, Mary was clear of her priorities, and she was totally focused. Jesus, his presence, sitting with him, listening to him, enjoying his presence – this was her greatest priority. In fact, this is the only one thing that is needed and the better part, and she has chosen it (v. 42). As a consequence of this clarity of priority and focus, she is serene, undisturbed, satisfied, happy, humble, clear and re-charged.
Direction: Prayer is not a waste of time or energy. Rather it is the source that gives us the right direction, orientation, and energy for all our works.
07 OCTOBER 2020: GALATIANS 2. 1-2, 7-14; LUKE 11. 1-4, OUR LADY OF HOLY ROSARY
Focus: To pray does not mean only to recite a bundle of prayers but to be in a personal relationship with God. A prayer which loses sight of this oneness with God and others and relies heavily on mere formal mechanical activities or material requests is deficient
The sublime prayer “Our Father” is proposed as the model prayer. What Jesus teaches us is not merely some accurate prayer formulations or table of contents. It is the sum of the essentials of prayer – what to pray, what to pray for and how to pray? Prayer is not meant to impress God or impress others, or to feel great and self-satisfied. It is an expression of our spiritual and fraternal communion. It is realizing our inalienable bonding with God and one another as one family of God’s children and sisters and brothers. It is experiencing and deepening this essential belonging. This is the fundamental spirit and disposition. And it is in this perspective that all what we pray and pray for, make sense. Accordingly, we pray for the spread of one God’s kingdom where reigns the primacy and surrender to God’s will. We pray for daily sustenance and contentment. We pray for the grace to forgive and the strength to resist and overcome evil. In the light of the first reading, letter to the Galatians, the ultimate purpose and effect of prayer is to overcome all hypocrisy and to be “on the right road in line with the truth of the gospel”.
Today we are given one such powerful way and weapon of power as we venerate Our Lady of Rosary. This is a feast installed as a commemoration of the great victory over hostile forces against faith. It is worth highlighting the mediatory power of the Mother’s intercession. In her, we have a secure refuge and sure guidance against evil forces. It is because of her intimate communion with the Lord and her profound maternal affection and care for us. The holy rosary, as some scoffers accuse, is not a mindless and repetitious glorification of Mary that thwarts the uniqueness of Jesus or divinity of God. The holy rosary is a meaningful remembrance of Mary’s docile collaboration with God’s grace and His salvific plan. It is in fact exalting God’s own grace in exalting Mary. The holy rosary is a powerful and insistent weapon against the devil and its evil proposals. It is an ever-flowing fount of strength from where we derive our inspiration and energy for charity.
Direction: Our devotion to Mary should not be seen as an appendix or a threat or a rival to our faith in God but as an integral part and support. With Mary beside us and on our side, we can never go down or go astray
08 OCTOBER 2020: GALATIANS 3. 1-5; LUKE 11. 5-13
Focus: Prayer is all a matter of trusting and entrusting, believing and hoping. The quality of prayer is not a matter of getting quick results, but a matter of sustained trust and unwavering perseverance
In faith and prayer, firmness and perseverance is crucial. There will be always forces and pressures that try to deviate and “bewitch us” as Paul warns and reproaches the Galatians in the first reading. It can be the temptation and deception of the law which gives one a sense of self-righteousness and self-complacency, or it can be the pleasure of the flesh that is self-gratifying. But nothing should shake one in his faith. Similarly, one should persevere in prayer as well. Jesus continues to teach us about prayer. He encourages us to persevere in praying and never to lose heart, never to give up hope and stop praying. He assures us that God will never give a deaf ear to our pleas, he will not close his eyes to our struggles and he will not turn down our supplication. At times, we may not receive the favours as we wish or when we wish or how we wish. Sometimes, we may not receive them at all. This is not because God does not understand or bother about our needs, but only because he knows what to give, better than us. At no moment, we should be disheartened because he is our best loving Father. If even our earthly fathers with all their imperfections try to give the best to us, then how much more our heavenly Father, the Perfect Father of all, will give us the best of bests. He will never fail us in giving us abundantly the Holy Spirit, the best of the spiritual gifts, which surpass the abundance of all the material gifts which we normally ask for.
Direction: The response to our prayers must never be judged only on the basis of the material or temporal benefits. The power of prayer should also not be decided on the speed of receiving what is asked for. The main concern is perseverance and spiritual enrichment.
09 OCTOBER 2020: GALATIANS 3. 7-14; LUKE 11. 15-26
Focus: Faith is not a matter of opting for God as one of the many alternatives, even be the best, but counting on him as the only option
The modern man, with all his increased technological and commercial intelligence constantly tries to discern and decide among various alternatives and options. His sole criterion is which serves the best his convenience and gain. In this process, there is no loyalty and no commitment to any particular choice. It is all compromise and time-bound. His loyalty lasts as long as a specific option proves more beneficial.
In the light of the letter to the Galatians, it is clear that God offered the Jews righteousness and salvation through faith in Christ. They are raised to a higher realm, that is, from the restrictive hold of the old Law to the free reign of love of Christ. Through this new gift of faith, they are also called to be a blessing to all others, according to the promise made to Abraham, that through him and his descendants, all others would be blessed. But they prefer to continue with their choice for the old law and fail to be channels of blessing for others.
But the real faith in God is not like that. It is a deep personal trust and unwavering loyalty to the Lord as the highest choice. In the light of the gospel, the evil, the Beelzebul also may bring many worldly benefits, as we concretely see today, where the evil-seekers thrive more and faster. But, no evil power is stronger than God who is the “strongest man” in the gospel. When the strongest comes, the strong surrenders and is defeated. However, reliance on God should not be casual, in the sense that one should never be complacent that the evil is gone away. Rather, faith is a daily affair, a consistent struggle and guard against the evil which is ever waiting to pounce upon us with more army, with “seven more spirits”. This may be what is implied in the gospel in regard to the evil spirit. It leaves a house and comes again to inspect it. It finds it all well swept and empty, and so returns with seven more spirits to reside there. In the spiritual journey, there can never be a moment of laxity or casual pause. We cannot be complacent and remain empty thinking that the evil is away from us. It can strike us back at any time, more violently with more ammunition.
Direction: It is not enough to empty the heart off the evil spirit but is much more important to fill ourselves with the Holy Spirit, lest we are re-filled by the evil more powerfully
10 OCTOBER 2020: GALATIANS 3. 22-29; LUKE 11. 27-28
Focus: Blessedness is a matter of belonging to the Lord by a personal commitment, and not merely by lineage or membership
Who is blessed? Who is great in the sight of God? Greatness, whether secular or spiritual, is often calculated in terms of one’s relationship by blood or affinity or by favour. So and so is great because he is a relative of that great man or favoured by him. But in the spiritual realm, there is no such measurement. One does not become great, just because he is a member of the church by name, or holds a great office. In the words of Paul to Galatians, this is the greatness of becoming the “children of God through faith in Christ Jesus”. This is “being clothed with Christ”. This is to be “one in Christ Jesus” with “no distinction or discrimination such as Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female”. This is to “belong totally to Christ” and to become “heir of heaven”. In other words, one becomes blessed only by his or her spiritual tenacity, maturity, and connectivity to the Lord. That is, the only criterion for measuring one’s blessedness is hearing God’s Word and accordingly doing God’s will. No other criteria matter. In the gospel, someone praises Mary, saying to Jesus, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you”. But Jesus responds, “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it”. This is not taking away the greatness of Mary as mother unto him. Mary is great, certainly because of her relation to Jesus as his mother: she gave birth to him, she nurtured and groomed him. She taught him to speak and walk. She gave him the precious humanity, which is the core for his incarnation. But her greatness is not just that. Her true greatness is in her unfailing adhering to God’s Word and God’s will. It is foolish that people seek greatness in titles or influence or status.
Direction: No one becomes great in the sight of God unless great is his attentiveness to God’s word and great is the following of God’s will.
No comments:
Post a Comment