09 – 14 NOVEMBER 2020, HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS
09 NOVEMBER 2020: EZEK 47. 1-2, 8-9, 12; 1 COR 3. 9C-11, 16-17; JOHN 2. 13-21: FEAST of Dedication of Lateran Basilica
Focus: God wants us to live a life consecrated and not desecrated; and this requires that we keep our hearts consecrated and not defiled and also demonstrate a true sense of the sacred
Today we celebrate the Feast of the anniversary of Lateran Basilica's dedication. This festivity in the first place reminds us of the holiness of a temple of God. It also urges us to nurture, demonstrate and foster a sense of the sacred towards the temple. Rightly, this brings into question the various modern tendencies that are diluting this holy atmosphere and conduct, and turning the churches into function halls, show theatres, stages and platforms of events and programmes. The assembly of God does not mean an assembly of secular sessions and transactions. Certainly the church is the locus of the faithful and a sphere of their animation and renewal and thus involves participation, communication and interaction. In this sense, certain mode and elements of practical organization are understandable. But at any cost, a spiritual ambience must be maintained. A church is primarily a house of God's presence and nothing should turn it into a place of commotion and other interests.
In the second place, in the light of the second reading from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, ‘temple’ can signify not only the holy temple of God as the sacred place of worship. The temple stands for three other aspects as well: the community of believers, our own person and our own heart, as God’s children and disciples of Christ. This idea is attested in Paul’s words, as he declares: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit abides within you? If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him. God’s temple is holy, and you are this temple”. Therefore, we must honestly and humbly reflect about our sense of reverence and sanctity with regard to our own faith-communities, our own persons and our own hearts. How often do we tend to disrespect and desecrate all these?
Direction: It is not enough that we have beautiful and palatial temples, but the spirit of God and the holy must reign there. It will not be a wonder that today too, Jesus may need a whip to cleanse our temples!
10 NOVEMBER 2020, TITUS 2. 1-8, 11-14; LUKE 17. 7-10
Focus: Dutifulness is a master check for our faithfulness. Faithfulness is the greatest way of bearing witness to the Lord. And witness is the highway for being credible and effective
Seeking recognition and applause, desire to create impressions and making a show of one's goodness and greatness, boasting and blowing one's trumpet before others - all these are clearly the trademarks of today's society. This malaise has so much infected our world that a person's quality is rated on the basis of publicity. More importance is given to the tactics about marketing the product rather than the sincere efforts to ensure the quality and use of it. In such a context, doing good has become a rare commodity and doing it without any ulterior motive has become a rare happening. But Jesus makes it crystal clear that doing good and serving is essential to our human nature and vocation. Service is not a favour but is a binding duty. Good is to be done not at one's choice and convenience but as devoted dutifulness.
Thus, dutifulness becomes the hallmark for our faithfulness to the Lord, and faithfulness to the noble vocation we have received. As the first reading, from the letter to Titus makes it clear, Christ Jesus “gave himself for us, to redeem us from every evil, to purify us, in order to make us a people his own and dedicated to what is good”. Each person, according to his age and stage in life, according to his duty and responsibility, must be dutiful and faithful. It may be older men, older women, younger women, or young men. Whatever be the particular state or duty, what is most important is that we reject an irreligious way of life and worldly greed, and live in this world as responsible and upright persons serving God. It is only in this way, we will make our opponents feel ashamed with nothing to criticize.
Direction: Only the spirit of a humble servant and dutiful service can heal the widespread sickness of domination and manipulation. Only this will enhance the spirit of faithfulness and witness, and make us credible and transformative people
11 NOVEMBER 2020, TITUS 3. 1-7; LUKE 17. 11-19
Focus: Gratitude is a sign of rectitude of heart. Gratitude is not a mere matter of receiving and giving a profuse vote of thanks, but fosters a culture of deep humility, prompt recognition of the goodness of others and also responsibility toward what is received
We are living in a world where the spirit of gratitude is either on decrease or is very shallow. Often it is just momentary. Today once again Jesus reminds us that gratitude is a fundamental attitude of life. One should not take for granted the good done. This is what the nine lepers did. Jesus heals ten lepers but only one, that too, a Samaritan returns to thank Jesus. How easily people can forget the immense good done! In healing the lepers, Jesus not only gives them physical health, but much more than that: he restores their lost human dignity. He restores them their lost family bonding.
Therefore, gratitude is a responsibility and obligation. It is not mere words but a culture of heart. In fact, true gratitude is a matter of depth, humility and sensitivity. It means that one deeply acknowledges his essential condition of givenness and inadequacy and dependence. It demands that one recognizes the value of goodness and help. It calls to nurture a genuine respect and appreciation for the act of kindness. Only thus, one can be authentic and deep in his gratitude. Therefore, an attitude of arrogance and undue autonomy, insensitivity and indifference is contrary to real gratitude. Real gratitude should increase in us loyalty towards the people who do that good and also responsibility and commitment towards the good done. This implies a responsible use of it and a commitment to do the same kind of good to the person concerned or to anyone. Because one who receives the giving from someone, should also learn to give.
Thus, true gratitude can never be dissociated from genuine responsibility. To be grateful is to be responsible. We have received an immense grace of salvation. We who were once slaves to sin, are made free. We who were foolish, disobedient and misled, are now made wise, obedient and well-guided. We who lived in malice and hate, are now made benevolent and loving. Should we not be infinitely grateful about it? And we show this gratitude, not by mere holy desires and great words, but much more, by a changed life. We receive the grace gratefully, but we live that grace responsibly.
Direction: Let gratitude be a beautiful ornament that adds splendour to our spirit of humility and sensitivity. The more we receive, the more we grow humble and kind toward others
12 NOVEMBER 2020, PHILEMON 7-20; LUKE 17. 20-25
Focus: The kingdom of God is not a matter of glow and show but it consists of simple details. The real kingdom is where God and His Spirit reigns
A famous thinker has rightly said that this world is a big stage and all are actors, trying to outbeat one another. Show and display, pomp and splendour are the order of the day. People go by the appearances and impressive externals. That is why we often see mega events and huge organizations to demonstrate one's greatness and power. One who is able to pull large crowds, one who grants immediate and temporary benefits, is deemed great and is applauded. Sadly, the same tendency of excess importance to mere externals and quick impressions and results, has crept into the spiritual realm as well. Consequently it is no wonder that not infrequently spirituality is reduced to the level of displays and mega shows. There are many false prophets who present the kingdom in terms of the material and social and wrongly strip it off its essential content of the spiritual and interior. The kingdom God is within us! It is a treasure to be discovered, nurtured, strengthened and shared.
And this is the spirit and the reign of the kingdom we see in the person of Paul. How human, tender and affectionate he is! How respectful and noble he is! How forgiving and compassionate he is! Even though Onesimus is a slave, he treats him with respect and dignity, making him equal to him as a brother in faith. Even though Onesimus once did wrong, yet he forgives him, does not retain it but recommends to Philemon on his behalf. Even though he could just command Philemon to do what he asks, because of his moral authority as the spiritual father, yet he only requests him to do him the favour. This is the real kingdom: the reign of unity, respect, equity, compassion, humility, nobility, fraternity and charity. We must strive for the spread of such a kingdom, a power within and a life concrete.
Direction: False are those prophets who reduce the whole kingdom to mere places and times and to instant material subsidies!
13 NOVEMBER 2020, 2 JOHN 4-9; LUKE 17. 26-37
Focus: Life becomes qualitative when it transcends the ensnarements and enslavements to what is merely worldly and physically gratifying
Loss of focus, loss of concentration is one of the biggest miseries of the present society. Its immediate consequences are loss of direction and lack of preparation. Life of many has become a constant story of distraction, deviation, distortion and eventual destruction. Many fail to discern what is primary and essential in their life and run after what is instantly pleasurable and easily available. Consequently, they get engrossed in material pursuits like food and drink, comfort and luxury, sex and gratification. They become defocused and unaware and unprepared. They waste away their time and energies on these secondary or less worthy concerns. They are very much like those people in the time of Noah or Lot, those who were caught unexpectedly and unprepared by God's wrath. It is better to be awakened and be prepared before it is too late.
But all this happens because all such people wrongly think that they are “saving” their life, that they are “gaining” the beauty and happiness of life. All these are imposters, deceivers and antichrists as St John terms them in his second letter in the first reading. It is because they are blind to the truth and they do not live according to the truth. They do not live by the teaching of Christ, which is to love one another. And to love means to walk according to his commandments. Therefore, whoever does not believe in God, whoever does not follow the ways of God, whoever does not live in love for others, is rejecting the truth. They are under the spell of falsity and evil. The affirmation of Jesus in the gospel makes sense in this context. He says, “Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will gain it”.
Direction: Only one life and only once it is given. So better to be wise to live it worthwhile and prepared to meet our final destiny. It will be sad that we lose an immensity for a triviality
14 NOVEMBER 2020, 3 JOHN 5-8; LUKE 18. 1-8
Focus: True faith is not a quick relief or instant painkiller or a speed gain. Favours are not guarantors of the power of prayer or the good mood or good heart of God
The problem of many with regard to prayer is their perspective towards it. They consider it as a readymade tool and solution for their problems. They want things to happen as soon as they ask for them and as they want them. Unconsciously their needs and interests become the centre of their prayer and the whole act revolves around those needs. Accordingly, the quality and efficacy of prayer are understood in terms of the favours received. It means your prayer is good and powerful when you get what you want. Further, the consolation and joy of praying are also measured in the same way. That is, people feel comforted and happy when they receive what they ask for. On the contrary, when their desires and intentions are not fulfilled by God, easily many become annoyed and impatient. They give up. But a genuine prayer must be persevering, like that of the widow in the gospel. Refusal and rejection by the judge do not deter her from pleading with him. Only perseverance bears lasting fruit. Quickness of getting a favour is not a guarantee of the efficacy of prayer, and the slowness is not a sign of lack of efficacy. In the same way, receiving what we want is not a necessary sign that God is good and favourable to us; and not receiving what we want is not a sign that He is not answering our prayers. Justice delayed is not justice denied. Suffering and continued injustice can be testing and trying times. They can purify us, solidify us and sanctify us. They can brighten and strengthen our faith. They can make us better human persons, more humble and good-hearted. Therefore, the focus in our prayer must be shifted from the answer and favour. Instead, we must focus more on God, on faith in Him and on our relationship with Him.
Direction: There are no deadlines or failures in true prayer because it is a matter of relationship and not a favour-bank; it is a loving interaction and a motivated transaction
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