04 – 09 JANUARY 2021, HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS
04 JANUARY 2021, 1 Jn 3. 22 - 4. 6; Mt 4. 12-17, 23-25
Focus: The real test of fidelity is to follow the commandment of God, and the real commandment is to believe him and follow what he commands, and that concretely in loving others
We are just after the Epiphany, the celebration of God’s revelation or manifestation. The visit of the three magi symbolically reveals God's salvation and glory is open to all, cutting across the boundaries. Jesus begins this mission of manifestation in word and deed, in preaching and healing. He preaches announcing the coming of the Kingdom and inviting to repent. "Repent and believe in the gospel, for the kingdom of God is near". This was the first proclamation of Jesus. This nearness of the kingdom is seen in Jesus' ministry of preaching and healing. Jesus ceaselessly preaches the good news of love and comfort of God, and tirelessly heals the sick of various sorts. Thus he confirms this nearness of the Kingdom and the sign of conversion in his healing ministry. From our part, we need to constantly manifest our belonging to God and His kingdom, through our listening, our contrast to the world, our repenting, our believing and our getting healed. To receive and experience such a vicinity of God's kingdom through God's Word and action, one must repent and believe. True repentance is when one deeply feels anguished at his sinfulness and turns away from it. True believing is to turn to God, to trust Him and be loyal to Him. This calls us to belong to God, to live as people of God and not of the world; to resist and reject the spirit of antichrist; to abide in him; to live and foster the truth; to keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
Direction: Repentance is the fundamental requisite of a true follower of Christ. This is manifested and authenticated in a twofold mission: to listen to God's word and to transmit the same; to be healed by the Lord and to heal others through devotion and benevolence
05 JANUARY 2021, 1 Jn 4. 7-10; Mk 6. 34-44
Focus: It is only Jesus that can give the real, deep and lasting satisfaction, because only his presence and action quench the deeper hunger and thirst, the thirst for fullness and fulfilment.
Jesus feeds the five thousand. It is not a mere charity action, done often by many a politician or a rich man or an activist as a duty or for publicity. It is an act moved out of genuine compassion and care. He cares for the hungry, he is attentive to their needs and difficulty. It is not merely a material satisfaction but is symbolic of the deep spiritual satisfaction. Only Jesus can satiate our deeper yearnings and needs. Only he can quench our thirst and satisfy our hunger. One who comes to him, one who spends time with him and for him, one who listens to him, one who gives priority to Jesus more than all other concerns, will never go hungry and dissatisfied. They will be filled to the full.
Further, this miracle of multiplication of loaves and fish is also a happy blend of human situation of little, deficiency and dissatisfaction, and the divine intervention of might, sufficiency and satisfaction. A miracle is nothing but an encounter between the divine abundance and human littleness, and miracles continue to happen.
When Grace and human effort combine together, situations will change and miracles will happen. Five loaves and two fish - very little to feed five thousand; but in God's hands, touched and blessed by God, the little gets transformed and multiplied.
Scarcity turns into abundance, deficiency into sufficiency, dissatisfaction into satisfaction, anxiety into serenity, and problem into celebration. This is truly the touch of the divine and grace.
In God's sight, nothing is little or insignificant. Everything counts. He wants to work with our little, and work on what is available. True faith does not exclude our human effort, i.e. not doing our part. It is well said, there is no use of leaving a candle to a blowing breeze and praying God to protect it from being blown off.
Further, a note on "collecting what is left over": Yes, nothing of Grace is wasted. It is a check against "wasting" our God-given resources or energies or talents or gifts, when they are abundant. Abundance can easily lead one to complacence and extravagance, arrogance and unaccountability. Everything is accountable. Basketfuls cannot neglect scraps!
Direction: Loving is not merely a matter of heart, and knowing is not merely a matter of mind. But both lead to the concrete action of benevolence.
06 JANUARY 2021, 1 Jn 4. 11-18; Mk 6. 45-52
Focus: Problems never leave us, suffering never disappears completely, but there is no need of crushing our hope in God
Fear often blinds our vision not to recognize the presence of the Lord. How rightly John in his epistle remarks that there is no fear in love because perfect love drives out fear! Surely in our life often like the disciples in the gospel, we too are tossed about strong storms and fear grips us. We feel that we are sinking and perishing. What is more worrisome is that the Lord seems away and even his presence is mistaken to be that of a ghost. Sight gets blurred as fear grips and faith wavers. It is because our love for the Lord is not perfect. It is so weak and fragile, easy to be shaken and be wavering. What to do and how to counter such a situation? The solution is not to avoid all the storms and disturbances, because that is never possible since life will never be fully free from all the troubles. Rather what is better is to deepen and perfect our love for the Lord, so that it dispels all our fear. If we love him deeply, we will trust unshakably that the Lord will never abandon us. He would not allow us to sink. He will surely come to our rescue.
Therefore, enhance the sense of focus on the Lord. Love God and abide in intimacy with Him. Often, like disciples, one loses focus on the Lord, frightened and discouraged by the life- difficulties. The Lord never leaves us but comes to our rescue. He constantly assures us, "Do not be afraid. I am with you!". Hear constantly the assuring voice of the Lord, "Fear not, I am with you!"
Direction: Life is never free from storms and there is every possibility to be frightened. But never worry. The Lord is ever with us to come to us and to subside our fears and storms
07 JANUARY 2021, 1 Jn 4. 19- 5. 4; Lk 4. 14-22
Focus: Love is the only and greatest reason for all devotion and charity and love alone is the remedy for all the maladies in the society
Jesus declares his mission manifesto in the gospel. He makes clear the essential purpose and the tenets of his mission. He never loses sight of this focus and the direction of this mission. The components of this mission are very clear. The recipients or the target group of this mission are the poor, the captives, the oppressed, and the blind. The poor receive good news, the captives receive liberty, the oppressed gain freedom and the blind receive sight. Thus truly it is time acceptable to the Lord. All this mission is accomplished by the power of the Spirit, by being anointed by him. And this in turn is founded on Love. Obedience to the will of the Father for the salvation of humanity, and dedication to that mission of salvation in charity become the motivating and driving forces.
Now, two aspects of the message for us: one, we are the recipients; if so, how much in poor spirit we receive the good news? How much do we allow ourselves to be liberated from our captivity? How much we are freed from the oppression of sin? How much do we receive the sight from the Lord? The second aspect is, as givers and promoters: how much good news do we give to the poor? How much do we release the captives and the oppressed? How much do we give sight to the blind?
Direction: True mission is in fact a mission of love. It comprises love for God in communion and love for the other in compassion, and moves on the power of the Spirit
08 JANUARY 2021, 1 Jn 5. 5-13; Lk 5. 12-16
Focus: One who believes in God, will overcome the world, will bear testimony to God and will obtain eternal life
Being sick is understandable. This can happen in anyone's life. But what is deplorable is that one has no desire to come out of it. God's grace is always abundant and available to heal us. But its effect is concrete only when there is a proper disposition, reception and cooperation from the human side. Jesus heals a leper in the gospel. Appreciable is the leper’s humility. This humility realizes his sick situation. It realizes his need for healing. It nurtures a deep desire for healing. This confides in Jesus' power to heal, and also respects Jesus' freedom and kindness to heal. Thus the leper readily gets healed and happily gets reintegrated into his family and into the society. There is no wonder that Jesus appreciates such a humble and transparent disposition, willingly heals the leper and restores him his lost dignity. The leper stands as an example and inspiration for all of us.
How sad it is that many are leprous psychologically, morally and spiritually! Many are infected and have not diagnosed it. They have neither the interest nor the effort to get rid of it. Consequently, they do not approach the Lord for his healing touch.
Direction: In life, as humans we are, at times, we may suffer from the sickness of sin and evil. But what is more important is that in humility and faith, we get healed by the Lord and live a renewed life.
09 JANUARY 2021, 1 Jn 5. 14-21; Jn 3. 22-30
Focus: Those who are born of God, who are of God, will not commit sin. Further what they ask of God according to His holy will, will receive it
The disciples of John the Baptist act in a typical human way: they feel jealous and threatened at the rising popularity of Jesus; they feel worried that their own master may lose his following. They turn to their master. John the Baptist corrects their thinking and clarifies once again about himself and Jesus. In all humility, he is prepared to recede to the background as Jesus steps on to the centre stage. In all magnanimity, he reiterates his subsidiary role as the friend of the bridegroom and not the bridegroom. Jesus is the real bridegroom, and his duty as his friend is to rejoice in his presence and make sure that the focus is directed on to him. John the Baptist is an imitable example for us to emulate. He is not carried away by jealousy at the rising popularity of Jesus. He is not agitated and driven by ego-projection or ego-promotion. He is so authentic to be deeply conscious of his true identity as the precursor of the awaited Messiah who prepares the way for him. He is so humble to allow himself to decrease and promote Jesus to increase.
How often many present disciples can be bubbling and churning with jealousy! They feel so disturbed at the rising of others. The whole reason is the excessive tendency of self-seeking which falls short in humility and magnanimity.
Direction: We are only the servants and disciples and never the lords and the masters. Let us not dethrone God Himself to steal the show!
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