2nd week of Lent

 

01 – 06 MARCH 2021, HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS

 

01 MARCH 2021: DAN 9. 4-10; LUKE 6. 36-38

 

Focus: True repentance is healing, because it removes the weight of sin and shame of guilt. It is not lowering of dignity but regaining the true dignity

 

The people of Israel plead for God's mercy with true repentant hearts. They recall God's recurrent mercy in spite of their recurrent infidelity. They are conscious about the stark contrast between God’s righteousness and human treachery, between God’s grace and human sinfulness, between God’s fidelity and human disobedience, between God’s forgiveness and human wrongdoing. This awareness is very crucial, because it can make us humble and surrendered on one hand, and repentant and determined to change on the other hand. This humble consciousness leads us to focus on God as the source to derive strength and model to imitate. In the gospel, Jesus urges us to inculcate and practice the same spirit of mercy of God towards others: Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful. What a lofty model we have to emulate! It is nothing less than God the Father Himself. This can indicate to us that our standard and dignity is high, as our target is high. What does this imitation or resemblance with God mean? Four simple practical implications: do not judge others; do not condemn others; forgive others; be abundantly generous towards others. This is in fact the life of witness by contrast, in a world which is judgmental, condemnatory, retaliating and greedy. Such a merciful way will obtain for us God's own abundant mercies. And it will also spare us from God's just judgment without mercy, because the measure we apply to others, will be the same measure which will be applied to us by God.

 

Direction: What a pity it is that many unnecessarily carry the burden of resentment, revenge and retaliation, not realising that it is self- ruinous!

 

02 MARCH 2021, ISAIAH 1. 1, 16-20; MATTHEW 23. 1-12

 

Focus: God is exceedingly patient and merciful and He is never tired of offering us opportunities to repent and be converted

 

What a consolation and comforting note it is to hear again and again how infinitely God is patient with us and is boundlessly hopeful about our transformation. God never closes the doors of His love in benevolence and mercy. He is never stuck with our aberrant past but is very hopeful and interested in our sincere present for a reformed future. He never stops offering us numberless possibilities and opportunities to repair our damages, to regather what has been scattered, to regain what has been lost and to recuperate what has been missing. He is so open and flexible, even to the extent of exuberant lenience.

He ceaselessly invites us as He did through Isaiah to wash ourselves clean, to turn away from evil, to cease to do evil and to hold on eagerly and ardently to good. If we heed to His call and change our ways, then surely He will forgive us, cleanse us and remake us as sane and bright. If not, we ourselves will bring judgment upon ourselves and perish.

For this repentance and change, the biggest block is hypocrisy, as that of the Pharisees. It is preaching but not practicing. It is being rigid and stringent toward others but lenient and loose towards one's own self. It is seeking recognition and making a show of devotion without interior depth. In contrast, what is required is humility to acknowledge one's own weakness and unworthiness; and the docility to be totally open to God to receive His healing touch.

Direction: God may readily forgive the weak but humble, but He will detest the hypocritical who pretend to be strong but self-conceited.

 

03 MARCH 2021, JER 18. 18-20; MATTHEW 20. 17- 28

 

Focus: Standing for God and for good will not exempt anyone from affliction and persecution, but it is inevitable. 

 

Can one imagine the piercing anguish and legitimate frustration of Jeremiah at his people's acting toward him! His heart languished for them. He pleaded persistently with God on their behalf to spare them. Now it is these very people who denounce and calumniate against him, betray him and plot to kill him even. Apparently, evil seems to be the recompense for all his good, and this is really frustrating. The same is the case with Jesus in the gospel. The mental agony of Jesus too is not much different from Jeremiah's. What pains Jesus so much is not so much the physical lot of his passion and death. But, rather it is the infidelity and betrayal of the very people for whom he struggles.

In simple psychology, his constant reference to his suffering is a simple way of preparing himself mentally to meet such eventuality. It is also a way of shattering the disciples' false ideas and illusions about his power and kingdom. The worldly ambition and the request of the mother of sons of Zebedee is a clear sign of such shallow understanding of Jesus' role and mission. Perhaps, we may get annoyed with such a false perspective of them. We may blame them for their worldliness. But what is better is to understand this instance as a corrective for all. It is not just the case of the sons of Zebedee. Anyone and everyone of us is certainly infected by the same sting of worldly interests and temporary gains. All are prone to evade suffering and seek glory. All want to ride high and not to bend low. In such a context, we should deeply bear in mind that suffering alone is the path to glory, and the following of Jesus necessarily involves the way of struggle. The kingdom of Jesus is not a domain of worldly power for domination and being served. It is a reign of serving others in humility.

 

Direction: Many authorities of today seem to be busy with giving others many directives, forgetting the essential corrective that all power is for service in humility.

 

04 MARCH 2021, JER 17. 5-10; LUKE 16. 19-31

 

Focus: Those who place their trust in the worldly things and spend all their time and energies over the temporal pursuits and interests will meet a fateful destiny

 

The first reading from Jeremiah declares one of the most fundamental principles and contrasts of life: Trusting in one's own self and the world, and on the other hand, trusting in God. Trusting in self or the world and investing and consuming all the energies over self and worldly interests, may bring temporary profit and satisfaction. But the end is disastrous. Not only the end, but also the way towards the end: Those who vainly pursue the human and earthly concerns, are like bush in the desert, dry and barren and eventually drained and dead; but those who are oriented to God in trust and loyalty are like the plant by the streams, ever green and fresh, ever flourishing and productive. The same theme of fateful end of trust in one’s own self and the world, is powerfully illustrated in the gospel by the parable of the rich man and poor Lazarus. The problem here is not the matter of having more riches. But, the real problem is placing too much trust in the things of the world. It is the neglect of God and total lack of sensitivity and concrete concern toward the needy. The rich man was totally tied up with his own self, his self- comfort and enjoyment. He could not rise up to God, or at least could not reach up to the poor Lazarus. Hence, the ends are reversed: the high rich man languishes in the bottoms and the low Lazarus enjoys in the heights. This parable is a clearest mirror of our own society. We live in a society which is steeped into an abyssal indifference and selfishness. It is no more a story of a certain rich man in the gospel, but is the replica of the live heights of unconcern and insensitivity.

 

Direction: One reaps what one sows. We cannot expect to reap a rich harvest of real joy, if we have planted a scanty crop of goodness, whether on earth or in heaven

 

05 MARCH 2020, GEN 37. 3-4, 12-13A, 17B- 28A; MATTHEW 21. 33-46

 

Focus: The more we give in to evil inclinations and actions, the more we lose our humaneness and become liable to a strict divine justice

 

Jealousy, greed and malice destroy the goodness of the human soul, throw him into the abyss of evil intentions and finally lead to enormous damage to others. The human history from its very beginnings bears ample testimonies to this play of human perversions. The story of Joseph in Genesis and the story of the wicked tenants in the gospel are vivid examples to the ugly heads of jealousy, greed and malice. The brothers of Joseph are consumed by the fire of jealousy; they totally forget their fraternal bond and responsibility toward Joseph. The tenants in the gospel are consumed by greed. They forget the fact that they are only tenants and not the owners. They overstep! They completely lose sight of the benevolence of the owner toward them. They fail to be grateful. They fail in their duty of being accountable and render to the owner what is his due. They covet the master's property. They become so malicious to plot and kill all who are a threat in achieving what they desire.

The world of today is no different from those times. Perhaps, it may be even worse. How deplorable it is that the heights of knowledge and progress have not cleansed man from the diseases of jealousy, greed and malice! What a sea of offence, violence and destruction is created, because of malice, rooted in jealousy and avarice!

 

Direction: Only few realize that jealousy, greed and malice are devilish and are self-destructive and utterly detestable before God

 

06 MARCH 2021, MICAH 7. 14-15, 18-20; LUKE 15. 1-32

 

Focus: The greatest beauty of our God is His mercy and eagerness to forgive us and re-embrace us, no sooner than we repent and return to Him

 

The prayer in Micah is a re-affirmation of God's unconditioned and untiring mercy to forgive and to restore His people to prosperity and bliss. The parable of the prodigal son in the gospel is a vivid illustration and dramatization of this truth. What is noteworthy and praiseworthy is the unfailing love of the father. He readily forgets and forgives the whole perversion of the prodigal son and the ruin he brought about. He has no rebukes, no blames, no lessons on morality, no reminders about his past wrongdoings, no conditions to accept back. There are no renewal programs or punitive measures. The point here is not to dispute whether doing wrong is culpable and punishable or not. It is also not undermining the value of preventive or reformative or retributive measures. The whole focus and emphasis is on the mercy of the father that has no bounds and no reasons. He knows that his son realized and repented. It is enough that he returns and mends his ways. The faulty past does not matter but the changed present. What he was or what he did till then, does not matter, but what he will be and what he will do then on, will only matter. The elder son is a typical human character like many of us: so self-righteous, judging and condemning others. In fact, strictly speaking, he has nothing to lose, with the return of his younger brother. What is his due remains - his share of property, his respect, his position, etc. Is he feeling bad that he could not be "free" and "enjoy" like his brother? Is he feeling sad that his obedience and discipline are a waste? Does he feel jealous and he cannot digest the fact that his brother is restored to his lost dignity, which he does not deserve at all?

 

Direction: God's mercy and forgiveness, His eagerness to reconcile and restore us are our richest founts of hope and consolation. These should drive us to sincere repentance and not a tendency to take for granted.

 

TRANSFIGURATION OF JESUS 2021. SECOND WEEK OF LENT

 TRANSFIGURATION 2021

Focus: Glory is our destiny and transfiguration is the way. Let us not be upset at the fact of misery but always raise our hearts to the destiny of glory by constant transfigured life, transformed heart

1. Jesus is transfigured on Mount Tabor in the presence of 3 of his disciples. It is not a display of self-glory but a manifestation of his true identity. It is not to impress them but to confirm them in faith. His glory is not partial but total, both interior and exterior, as indicated by the glow of face and clothes respectively. The experience of divine glory is so relishing, as indicated by Peter’s exclamation: “it is nice to be here; let us make three tents”.

Jesus’ transfiguration points to our own transfiguration, being adorned with divine glory. This is possible through a constant integral transformation of our both interior and exterior, by attentive listening and adhering to the Lord.

3. The event of Jesus' transfiguration is a manifestation of his original divinity, identity and glory. The purpose is not to display his glory, not to impress upon the three disciples his greatness. It is not self-directed, seeking self-glory. Rather, it serves as a fount of hope that prepares and strengthens the disciples, in the face of the cross and death of Jesus ahead. The transfigured glory of Jesus illumines and assures the disciples that Jesus who meets the fate of cross, is not a helpless failure, forced to such a miserable end; rather he is the glorious Son of God, who willingly and freely accepts cross as God's will for salvation. It is not a fate of misery and damnation,  but a destiny of glory and salvation. Thereby when faced with the ignominy of cross, let they not be shaken or shocked; let them not be dissipated or frustrated. Let them not be stuck with cross and death, but rather let their focus go beyond to the glory and eternity. Behind and beyond the disfigured crucified, one should see the transfigured resurrected Lord, re-vested with the original heavenly glory.

4. Thus that simple Jesus, who is walking along with them as an ordinary man, that suffering Jesus, who will be subjected to the humiliation of the cross, is not a disgraced and defeated man. Instead, he is the glorious "beloved Son of the Father", attested so by the Father Himself from heaven. So do not lose faith in him, when things go contrary, but continue to keep trust and hope in him.

5. Jesus' transfiguration is also an indicator, a forecast and foretaste of our own resurrection and the glory of resurrection. It is a prefiguration of our own future glory. The frequent disfiguration of life, with all the vicissitudes and adversities, is not the final or permanent reality. Transfiguration is the ultimate and definitive experience. Misery is not an absolute fate, but glory is our eternal destiny. Therefore, the transfiguring experience must trigger us to direct our focus, beyond the temporary upsets of the cross, to the eternal upheaval of resurrection.

6. This is possible only through a constant  REINVIGORATION of our original identity of being God's image and likeness. This in turn is possible through a faithful CONFIGURATION with Jesus. The more we are tuned and communed to him, the more we live and grow like him, the more we adhere to him In "attentive listening to him",  the more we shall experience and share the same transfiguring glory.

7. If sin disfigures us, depriving us of our original beauty and dignity of being God's images, grace through Jesus transfigures us, restoring to us that lost light and radiance. The shining light and brightened glow will indicate that our transfiguration is more a matter of illuminating and brightening our darkened selves and false lives. The more we are enlightened, breaking off the sheaths and layers of darkness that often block and blur our radiance, the more we re-discover our real identity, and radiate the light of that true image.

8. Thus real transfiguration lies in a daily process of brightening up our lives. Light up the life, Daily on the "mountain" - of vicinity, proximity and intimacy with God, in a spirit and ambience of solitude and serenity, in the heights of our spirits, in the focused moments of prayer, in personal encounter with Moses and Elijah, signifying the Law and Prophets, i.e. the entire Scripture and Tradition. Transform and glorify the life, wholly and fully, by changing both the interior,  indicated by the change of face, which is the index of the interior, and the exterior, indicated by the change in clothes.

9. Let our every day be a continuous journey of removing the shades of darkness that reduce our glow. Let it be a vibrant march of regaining our lost radiance. Let the light of Christ make our heart, our life, more bright, with more hope and more renewal.

Direction: Often we want to see only glory and cling to such moments. But only the path of the cross and following Jesus will lead to glory.

1st Sunday of Lent

1ST SUNDAY LENT, 21 FEBRUARY 2021, GEN 9. 8-15; 1 PET 3. 18-22;

MARK 1. 12-15

Focus: Kingdom of God is our end and destiny, and repentance and faith are the effective means to belong to that kingdom and to spread the same

1.    Just a few days back only, on 24^th January, 3^rd ordinary Sunday, we reflected on the same gospel passage, focusing on the theme of repentance. Today, on this first Lent Sunday, we shall take a slightly different route. We shall start with the kingdom as the departure point.

2.     Jesus begins his mission and this is well-prepared for. He spends an intense time of prayer and fasting. He prepares himself in a rigorous struggle with temptation and perseverance. This points to a significant ingredient in our life: sacrifice, self-restraint, self-discipline and prayer. What about our preparation, our orientation for our Christian vocation and mission?

3.    As Jesus commences his ministry, he proclaims, “Kingdom of God is near; repent and believe in the gospel”. Thereby, he makes it abundantly clear that the Kingdom is the focus of his mission. For him, the kingdom is not a territory, not a political reign or a juridical domain. Rather, the kingdom is a holy sphere where God reigns. Kingdom is more a matter of experience, belonging, relation, loyalty and commitment. Kingdom is there where and when God reigns and acts, and where man submits and commits himself to God, the supreme king and ruler.

4.    Jesus not only points to a kingdom-oriented mission, but also points to the essential conditions or requirements. They are “to repent and to believe in the gospel”. These both are the means, as well as the expressions of the kingdom. They become the features and testimonies of one’s belonging to the kingdom. This implies that one cannot be a kingdom-member, unless one repents and believes. One cannot work for and spread the kingdom unless one repents and believes.

5.    “Repent and believe” indicate two essential movements of the kingdom: the first indicates a “turning away from sin” and the second, a “turning toward God and good”. It is a decisive step, a crucial paradigm shift, a transition from one realm to another. It is opening oneself to operate on totally changed norms.

6.    “Repent and believe” indicate two essential aspects or layers of life: of attitude or perspective, and of action and conduct. That is, primarily ‘repent and believe’ indicate an attitudinal or perspectival change. And this reflects and manifests itself a concrete changed way of acting and behaving. In other words, it is primarily an interior change but flows into an exterior change as well.

7.    As interior change, ‘to repent’ involves a deep anguish over one’s sinfulness. This cuts one’s heart to the core for the lapses and infidelities. True repentance is not a mere feeling sorry, not a mere emotional outburst of sorrow. Certainly it is not a load of guilt or remorse. True repentance is profoundly positive. It is humble, confident and surrendering. Thus, one who truly repents cannot but detest sin, cannot but cut off his clingings to it and decisively turn toward God. True repentance opens up to faith.

8.    To believe then implies a positive passion, relation, reliance and commitment toward God. It is not only believing-that, but much more believing-in. It is not merely propositional but personal and relational. It is something experiential which leads to a thorough existential transformation.

9.    If this is the real mission of the edifice of the kingdom, with its pillars of repentance and faith, then it is time to check and see how do we shoulder this mission of the kingdom? How much do we train and orient ourselves to belong to it? How much do we bear the signs of the kingdom? How much do we bear testimony to the kingdom through the marks of repentance and faith? How much do we constantly turn away from sin and turn to God? How much do we become aware that it is not only a mission to others but essentially a mission to our own self?

Direction: One who does not truly repent cannot lead others to repent. One who does not truly believe cannot authentically induce others to believe! One who does not repent and believe, can never be part of the kingdom!

Jesus died for me

 *Jesus Died For Our Sins!* 

Lent is a time when we reflect and meditate on the suffering of Jesus while doing the Stations of the Cross.

Let us know the fact about the suffering and death of Jesus on the Cross.                                                    

At the age of 33, Jesus was condemned to the death penalty. At the time crucifixion was the "worst" death. Only the worst criminals condemned to be crucified. Yet it was even more dreadful for Jesus, for unlike other criminals condemned to death by crucifixion. Jesus was nailed to the cross by His hands and feet, rather than tied.

Jesus was 5 ' 11" tall and His weight was = 85 kgs.

His Cross which He carried was heavy and its Weight was = 150 kg. Length was = 15 feet and Breath was = 8 feet.

The NAILS which Roman Soilders put in his hands and feet was : 3/4 inch thick and its length was 8 inch.

The nails were driven into His wrist. Not into His palms as is commonly portrayed. There's a tendon in the wrist that extends to the shoulder. The Roman guards knew that when the nails were being hammered into the Wrist, that tendon would tear and break, forcing Jesus to use His back muscles to support himself, so that He could breathe. Both of His feet were nailed together. Thus He was forced to support Himself on the single nail that impaled His feet to the cross. Jesus could not support himself with His legs for long because of the pain, so He was forced to alternate between arching His back and using his legs just to continue to breathe. Imagine the struggle, the pain, the suffering, the courage. Jesus endured this reality for over three hours.  

Yes, over 3 hours! Can you imagine this kind of suffering? A few minutes before He died, Jesus stopped bleeding. He was simply pouring water from his wounds. From common images we see wounds to His hands and feet and even the spear wound to His side. But do we remember the many wounds  made to his body. A hammer driving large nails through the wrists, the feet overlapped and a nail hammered through the arches, then a Roman guard piercing His side with a spear. And before the nails and the spear, Jesus was whipped and

beaten. The whipping was so severe that it tore the flesh from His body. The beating so horrific that His face was torn and his beard ripped from His face.

17 Thorns pierced Jesus head which was two to three inch long which cut deeply into His scalp. Most men would not have survived this torture.   

He had no more blood to bleed out, only water poured from His 

wounds.The human adult body contains about 3.5 liters (just less than a gallon) of blood. 

Jesus poured all 3.5 liters of his blood. All these without mentioning the humiliation. He passed after carrying His own cross for almost 2 kilometers, while the crowd spat in his face and threw stones.

Jesus had to endure this experience, so that you may have free access to God. So that your sins can be "washed" away. Do not believe that He only died for others. He died for you! 

Accept  the reality, the truth, that JESUS IS THE ONLY SALVATION FOR THE WORLD.  

Yes, I love God. He is my source of life and my Saviour. He keeps me alive and safe, both day and night.  

Without Him, I am nothing, but with Him "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me". Philippians 4:13.

Jesus stumbled and fell to the ground 3 times while carrying His cross to Golgotha.. He was very thirsty and He suffered for 17 hours longing for water.

There were 5480 wounds all over in Jesus' Body.

There were 150 Deep wounds  on His Back alone.

350 Soldiers and 50 Horsemen dragged Jesus wiping, beating on the streets of Jerusalem..

According to Jew's Calendar..Jesus Died on..Ak Aboorve Konjeetha 785 ,  Nisaan 15...

According to our Calendar Jesus Died on April 7, BC 30.

The meaning of the Latin Word written on the cross INRI..

I  -IESUS

N -NAZARENE

R  -REXO

I   -IDONEUS

Means.. Jesus the Nazarene the King Of the Jews.

Luke a Doctor, certified the DEATH OF JESUS. HE DIED FOR OUR SINS. Let us adore Him.

week days mass reflection of 6th week in ordinary time and Ashwednesday

 15 – 20 FEBRUARY 2021, HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS

 

15 FEBRUARY 2021: GEN 4. 1-15, 25; MARK 8. 11-13

 

Focus: External signs such as miracles and grand interventions may help faith but cannot generate faith or prove God's power.

 

As humans we are, many times our faith depends on seeing and experiencing concretely God's action and intervention. Accordingly, we wish that our intercessions for various needs are granted immediately. In other words, miracles, favours become the proof for the efficacy of our prayer, and also for the attention and care of God. In a way, we are unconsciously putting God to test, to prove His goodness and power by granting what we plead for. This is in fact the same mentality of people of Jesus' own time, who demanded signs from heaven. How foolish and unbelieving they were! There were already many miracles, so much preaching the gospel of God's love and mercy, comfort and consolation. And more than all these, Jesus himself is the biggest sign. Therefore, what is needed is not to test God but trust; not asking God to prove His power but to prove our fidelity to Him by our perseverance.

If we sincerely examine, many of us are no different from those Pharisees who demanded signs from heaven. It is not because they wanted to believe and confirm their belief, but rather they wanted to justify and disguise their unbelief. Are there not enough and more signs in our own times? Why do we want signs at all? What are actually signs meant for? Do we realize that primarily signs are meant to direct our focus and attention in the right direction? They are meant to comfort and strengthen us in the wrong times, and ignite us with renewed courage and commitment. They are not to substitute but only to complement our responsibility. Many times, signs are demanded to shirk away our responsibility. Like Cain in the first reading from Genesis, why to do wrong and then have the countenance fall? If we do well, surely God will accept and bless us. We will not need special signs. The greatest sign of God’s presence is charity, that is, to be a “keeper, a custodian of the other” as a brother and sister. Jealousy, violence and destruction are counter signs.  

 

Direction: If in every prayer, we only ask God to fulfil our desires and grant us favours, then why at all to pray specially for God's will to be done?

 

16 FEBRUARY 2021: GEN 6. 5-8; 7. 1-5, 10; MARK 8. 14-21

 

 Focus: Negative influences assail us any time and all the time, and we need to be cautious about them.

This is our human predicament, that is, being constantly exposed to evil. All the more, in our own times, evil seems to be on rampage. Exactly as in the time of Noah, we see that the wickedness of man is great on earth and all the thoughts seem to be thoroughly evil-oriented. In Jesus’ time too, there were the negative examples and the false influence of the Pharisees and scribes that shake true faith and misguide others. This is exactly the leaven of Pharisees and that of Herod. We will never lack these wrong-footed influences, the deviations and distortions. Many are under the false influences. Consequently, as Jesus reproaches in the gospel, hearts are hardened. Having eyes, many do not see, and having ears, they do not hear. They easily forget the immense good that happens in their life. The disciples had already seen the miraculous power of Jesus when he fed the multitude with few loaves and fish. Yet, they were much worried about lacking enough bread. In these aspects, they too fall into the same category of faithless Pharisees and Jews.

What then is the remedy? We should constantly lean on Jesus and remember his miracles which are powerful manifestations of his love for us. In the face of wrong influences and pressures against faith, we must cultivate the spirit of turning to God in surrender and perseverance. Like Noah in Genesis, we must keep ourselves uncontaminated and righteous even amidst an evil and misguided generation, with false leaders like the Pharisees and Herod.

 

Direction: What we must try is not so much avoiding all the negative influences, which is not at all possible. But rather, to resist them, and to persevere till the end, resting on Jesus

 

17 FEBRUARY 2021: JOEL 2. 12-18; 2 COR 5. 20 – 6.2; MAT 6. 1-6, 16-18: ASH WEDNESDAY 

Focus: Lent is a God-gifted time to be bent on God, to repent for the evil and to be intent on good.

1. We step into the holy season of Lent. Let us entrust our whole journey of Lent to the loving guidance of the Lord, that this time may be truly a duration of renewal.

2. This is Ash Wednesday! What does this day of ashes signify? What do the ashes denote? In the practical sense, ashes indicate total annihilation and nothingness. Hence the expression: "gone / reduced to ashes".

3. In the ordinary common religious sense, ashes denote sacrifice, renunciation and detachment. Hence the expression: "I have nothing but ashes".

4. In the biblical spiritual sense, ashes denote repentance and penance. We find in the Bible, applying ashes to atone, to repent and to do penance.

5. The day of the ashes, with the call, from dust you are come, and unto dust, you shall return", or "repent and believe in the gospel", reminds us the temporariness and transience of our earthly existence, and also our origin from God and our destiny to Him. Life is a temporary transit, we are due to God, we are his due, destined to reach him and be with him.

6. Therefore, in this temporary and impermanent sojourn, toward our eternal destination, how to conduct our life? With the spirit and lessons of the ashes positively. That is, in surrender to God, with a sense of nothingness; in attachment to God, with a sense of detachment; and in renewal and transformation, with a sense of repentance and penance. 

7. In the light of the gospel, to conduct and travel this journey, 3 acts are proposed as effective means: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. However, the insistence is not so much on the activity itself, i.e. prayer, fasting and almsgiving, but rather on their purpose and end

They are namely, love and intimacy with God; self-discipline and self-restraint; and concern and charity.

8. Therefore, in love, let us grow close and surrendered to God; in renunciation, let us grow more disciplined and charitable; in renewal, let us grow more and more transformed!

 

Direction: Prayer, fasting and almsgiving are not merely religious practices, but are true means and testimonies of religious spirit and living.

 

18 FEBRUARY 2021, DEUT 30. 15-20; LUKE 9. 22-25

 

Focus: To live a worthy life is to live in the spirit of wisdom; true wisdom consists in essential choice between two sets of values.

 

The essence of a right and happy living is growing in wisdom. This wisdom shows us clearly how foolish it is to bother so much to gain the whole world but lose one's own precious soul, that is, lose the spiritual wealth and depth and the authentic happiness. Wisdom also realizes that it is more worthwhile and beneficial to choose God, life, blessing and holistic prosperity, in contrast to the world, death, curse and doom. Then wisdom consistently pursues the path of these right choices. This is the way of wise choices that is laid down in concrete details in Deuteronomy: Love God, listen to Him, be loyal to Him, follow His commandments and walk His way. In the words of Jesus in the gospel, it is: deny self, take up the cross, and follow him. “Denying the self” is not self-rejection, but self-injection. This implies on one hand, ejecting out all that is false self, ego-swelling, self-interests, and on the other hand, injecting into the self, the positive attitudes and pursuit of self-emptying and self-giving. “Take up the cross” does not mean to go about as burdened and crushed people under the weight of the cross of suffering. Rather, it means to accept our daily crosses of unfavourable and unpleasant situations, to bear patiently, lovingly and trustingly the loads of difficulties and challenges. And “follow Jesus” means to walk constantly in his footsteps, to imitate his life and mission in the practice of virtues and values. In the words of Deuteronomy from the first reading, all these conditions of discipleship would mean: to obey the voice and commandments of God, by loving Him, by cleaving to Him, by walking in His ways, by keeping His commandments, statutes and ordinances. But all this struggle and fidelity is not a futile project. It is highly rewarding: God will bless abundantly.

 

Direction: There is no use of claiming and boasting about one's intelligence unless one makes the right choices and follows them.

 

19 FEBRUARY 2021, ISAIAH 58. 1-9; MATTHEW 9. 14-15

 

Focus: All our religious practices gain their full meaning and merit when they are blended with good works.

 

Insistently, the Word of God makes it clear to us that our spiritual life and actual life should go together. They are not two separate and dissociated domains. Religious disciplines like Fasting become more pleasing to God and meritorious when they take us more close to God and to others. The purpose and end of all our spiritual observances is twofold: one is, to enjoy the presence and closeness of Jesus, "the bridegroom"; the other is, to overflow the spirit of the religious practice into the practice of concrete duties of fraternity and acts of charity. Isaiah details some of these: act justly, set free the oppressed, feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, clothe the naked, etc.

Therefore, there is no use of doing all religious practices without changing the concrete life. Why to fast without giving up self-pleasure? Why to fast, if we do not abstain from oppressing others? Why to fast, if we do not refrain from quarrelling and fighting? Why to fast, if one does not turn away from his wickedness? Why to fast, if one does not grow humble? The point is not only concerning the particular practice of fasting. This applies to all our religious observances. God wants that all our religious practices lead us to a good living. They become means as well as expressions of a life of righteousness before God and toward others. Thus, when piety and fraternity, when devotion and justice, when religiosity and integrity blend together, they will find God closer and pleased.

 

Direction: It is a mistake that some think the Word of God is downplaying and even substituting the practice of fasting with practice of charitable acts. No. They are not substitutions but restitutions of the true spirit, extensions, completion and perfection of the same.

 

20 FEBRUARY 2021, ISAIAH 58. 9B-14; LUKE 5. 27-32

 

Focus: " Follow me!" - this call of the Lord never ceases. He calls us at any time, in any situation, especially when we are immersed into our ordinary works!

 

Often we may pay heed to the voice and call of the Lord, when we are free or in prayer and reflection. But the Lord's call continues to resound also in our busy moments, in those times when we are caught up with our preoccupations or duties. We need to reset and re-tune our ears to listen to Him. We need to repent and be healed, because it is for this he came, to call us to repentance and to transform us with his healing touch. In the light of the first reading, His call to follow him implies that we turn away from evil ways, we do not seek self-interests, abstain from oppression and malice, cling on to him and abound in charity. Once we are loyal, then it is a totally different life: light will shine and spread in darkness, he will guide us, renew our strength with never-drying and ever-gushing springs of energy and vitality. The call and life of Levi (Matthew) is a vivid testimony of the Lord's working. It is very interesting that the Lord speaks of our sickness or sinfulness as a pre-condition or requirement for his call and mercy. He declares: It is not the healthy but the sick who need a doctor; I came to call the sinners and not the righteous. What does it tell us? First of all, we need not feel upset or lost because of our human fragility. It is not a matter of despising by the Lord. Rather, it becomes a kind of qualification to be graced by the Lord! Not that we feel happy in being sinners and so continue like that; rather, it only means that we need not despair and be depressed. This also makes us humble to accept our own sinful condition, and thus throw away all our false layers and disguises to appear righteous. Further, it instils in us a new hope to rise up to repent and to become a follower of the Lord. What we were before being called is not the matter. But, what we become after being called is the real and the only matter.

 

Direction: Our God is a God who resists and detests all labels and prejudices. He defends and dignifies Matthew. Can we too follow his footsteps, rising above all disparities and discriminations?

 

6th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME. YEAR B

 6^TH SUNDAY, 14 FEBRUARY 2021, LEV13. 1-2, 45-46; 1 COR 10. 31 – 11.1; MARK 1. 40-45

Focus: Our ultimate motto is to glorify God through a life of goodness and holiness, in bearing abundant fruits

1.    We live in a prevalent situation of sickness, not only the physical, but much more the emotional, moral and spiritual. In the biblical context, in reference to today’s Word of God, this is the “leprosy”. There are always traces of woundedness, uncleanness, corroding of values and estrangement from others – the typical leprous situation.

In the light of the leper in the gospel, we can draw some lessons for our life:

2.    Realize: realize that we are lepers, unclean. This is the first thing in the process of healing. Realize that we are unworthy, undeserving, and we do not really merit God’s grace and mercy. That is why, the leper addresses Jesus, “If you will, you can make me clean”.

3.    Desire: Nurture a genuine desire to be healed. Be genuinely motivated to get rid of the interior leprosy. Desire or motivation is the driving force toward healing, and often the lack of it obstructs the process of healing.

4.    Surrender: With awareness and motivation, one needs to surrender oneself totally to God. surrender is not a sense of helplessness or a passive resigning to overhauling situations. True surrender implies a profound trust in God and readily and eagerly approaching the Lord. Trusting is also not something propositional, which is merely believing some truths and doctrines. Trusting is more a matter of deep conviction in the power and goodness of God. Trusting involves a warm and intimate relation with the Lord.

5.    Bear witness: Once healed and cleaned, what next? Bear witness! In the light of the second reading from the first letter to the Corinthians, we can easily pool together certain features of this bearing witness.

1)    One ingredient is: “All for God’s glory”. There is no self-seeking, no seeking self-glory. Self is not at the centre but God alone. Whatever one does, in all that one does, whether big or small, and whatever be the domain of action, whether spiritual or material, one does everything for God’s glory.

2)    Another component of witness is “Imitate Christ”. Paul confidently exhorts others to imitate him just as he imitates Christ. Let one not blame Paul for being self-complacent or self-righteous. Rather, such a statement only shows the depth of his conviction and authenticity. One can declare so, only when one is sincere about it, only when one’s imitation of Christ is not debatable or spurious. Today, some gifted or highly competent followers of Christ may claim that they are imitators of Christ. May be! But one has to constantly check and see whether such claims are ugly heads of overbearing of the self and self-projection. The only criterion for one’s imitating Jesus is the quality of life. The simplest test is whether one’s life is inconformity with Jesus’ own person, life and mission.

3)    Another feature is “No offence to anyone”. If one is a healed person, one becomes highly respectful toward others. He will take utmost care that he does not become offensive to anyone. In the present times, this hurting and offensive trend is increasing. In the name of fighting for justice or rights or standing for truth or opposing injustice and demanding for good governance, or promoting right values, many become so ruthlessly offensive and condemnatory. One should remember that charity is the supreme principle, and no one has a right to offend another, whatever be the issue.

4)    The other features that can be assembled together are: “No self-advantage”, “But the advantage of many”, and “Pleasing all”. In contrast to a virulent search for self-interests, self-advantage and self-pleasing, we are called to set aside our selfish gains and pleasures. Always be focused on how to help and benefit others, how to promote the larger good.

Direction: As humans, we may be often thrown into situations of sickness and sinfulness; what is needed is not to simply lament or blame, but to work upon remedying those situations, in humility, surrender and commitment.

Week days of 5 week in ordinary time.Daily mass reflection

08 – 13 FEBRUARY 2021, HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS

08 FEBRUARY 2021, GENESIS 1. 1-19; MARK 6. 53-56

Focus: Healing is not an automatic thing; it is not a passive reception of God’s grace; it needs faith, and true faith is an active orientation to God’s grace and cooperation to it. This implies a constant process of recognizing Jesus, seeking, running to him, touching him and thus getting healed.

 

In the first reading from Genesis, we see the narration of the first creation. God creates everything. This means that God is the author of all life. We owe our existence to Him. Everything that is created is good. Thus, reflection on creation should stir in us a sense of gratitude, a sense of dependence, a sense of beauty and dignity and goodness. In the gospel, we see Jesus on a “new creation” or “re-creation”. He is restoring the creation to its original beauty through his ministry of healing the sick. Evil and sickness are signs of imperfection, disruption of the goodness and beauty of the creation. Jesus is ever ready and available. He is already here and now. In fact, it is always God who takes the initiative all through the story of creation and salvation. The very presence and ministry of Jesus is a clearest sign and testimony of God’s commitment to the task of restoration and re-creation. The treasure is laid open before us. It is seen, it is shown, it is offered. It remains then how one approaches Jesus for this healing. For this, what is needed is to know about him, to recognise his presence, go near him wherever he is, to dispose oneself to be touched by him, and thus get healed. We can marvel at the depth of people's faith in Jesus. They believe that even a touch of his garment can transmit his power to heal their sickness. God is on this unceasing mission and project of healing the sicknesses. But, how many are aware that they are sick? How many realize the need to be healed? How many desire to be healed? How many approach Jesus? Instead, how many seek wrong means to overcome the sickness!

 

Direction: Let us remember that unless we feel the need of being healed from our sickness, we can never approach Jesus and receive healing.

 

09 FEBRUARY 2021, GENESIS 1. 20 – 2.4; MARK 7. 1-13

 

Focus: The external traditions and activities alone do not guarantee the authenticity of a person. The externals should help one to become more authentic, and also should express one’s being authentic

 

God created us in His own image and likeness. This shows our human beauty, dignity as well as sanctity. This interiority is the most important aspect of human person and society. No externals should mar or breach this. Rather, every external activity or tradition should help to live and foster this interior greatness. An exterior is sound when it corresponds to the interior and channels a clean and good interior. Whenever there is no such harmony between the interior and the exterior, whenever a good exterior becomes only a cover-up or substitute for a defective and unclean interior, then clearly it is hypocrisy. Unfortunately, hypocrisy is so prevalent always and everywhere. In the gospel, Jesus clearly exposes once again the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and scribes. Following the traditions, rules and religious obligations is good. But all these should make one more authentic and benevolent. They alone cannot decide the quality of a person. This hypocrisy lies in these following aspects: 1) giving more importance to the human traditions and observances and neglecting the more essential divine spirit and moral precepts, 2) twisting the explanation of the religious matters to suit one's convenience and interests, 3) ignoring inner purity and using the external purifications and purity as a cover up and substitute for the internal purity. Human person will be true to his image and dignity, if there is harmony and not dichotomy between his inner self and outer acts. Life will be beautiful when there is a blend of a good exterior and a good interior, and not a conflict. Therefore, we should guard against the two possible dangers: one is, a bad interior and a show-off exterior; the other is, a good interior but not shown in a good exterior. Both are defective!

 

Direction: True integrity is an integration of both interior purity and external purity, being religious-minded and charity-directed.

 

10 FEBRUARY 2021: GENESIS 2. 4a-9, 15-17; MARK 7. 14-23, Memory of St Scholastica

 

Focus: Inner pollution is more dangerous and destructive than the external pollution. The life of a person or society degenerates when a person’s interior degenerates

 

We are living in a world which is concerned and worried about pollution of various sorts. It is anxious about ecological cleanliness. Thus, it also comes up on many diet regulations and restrictions. The whole purpose behind is sanity and sanitation. Such a concern is reasonable and helpful. But the problem is an excessive concern for the externals and an overriding neglect of the internal sanity and sobriety. How many are really aware that there is one another pollution that is more dangerous and alarming, and that is the inner pollution, the pollution by sin and evil? How many really bother to keep their hearts clean? How many sincerely check their inner health, that is, the quality of their thoughts, the quality of their words, their actions and their whole character and behaviour? How many take upon a course of inner diet, with certain self- regulation and self- restraint? Concretely in the light of the first reading from Genesis, how many consciously think of the dignity and duty of their vocation? How many seek always the tree of life and not the tree of death? How many are able to distinguish between good and evil? How many resist the temptation to try out what is hidden? How many defy God’s constant warning to avoid what leads to a culture of death? How many knowingly disobey God’s explicit commands, warnings and admonitions? How many give excessive importance to the features of their bodies while disfiguring their heart and soul? How many keep their external so clean and tidy while they defile their interior? How many invest so much of their money, time, energies and capacities on what is temporary and worldly but spend very little on what is eternal and heavenly? St Scholastica whom we commemorate today, the sister of St Benedict, always preserved this interior purity totally consecrating herself to monastic life.

 

Direction: The profile of a person will be good when he guards his file of life from what does defile his interior and negatively compile his heart.

 

11 FEBRUARY 2021, GENESIS 2. 18-25; MARK 7. 24-30, Memory of Our Lady of Lourdes

 

Focus: True faith is always humble and surrendered and it is rewarding. At times, faith may be challenged and tested, but those who persevere will reap the fruits

 

True faith does not cancel all the problems. It means that if one has faith, it does not mean that there will not be any problems. Faith does not guarantee absence of problem or suffering. In fact, true faith proves itself only in the face of challenges and adversities. Faith shows us the way to do when faced with a problem. It gives the confidence and courage. It fills one with undying hope even in hopeless and desperate situations. It makes one deeply humble and totally surrendered to God. Humility and surrender are not against self-dignity or honour of a human being. In fact, the account of creation of woman in Genesis reminds us that it is God who creates both man and woman, unites them together, and bestows on them a singular dignity. Their dignity consists in their humility. Their freedom consists in their surrender. Their continued beauty consists in their recalling and reliving their original beauty of communion. This is indeed the possession by the Holy Spirit. But at times, this is thwarted and distorted by the possession by the evil spirit. In such moments, what to do? Turn to Jesus for healing. The pagan woman in the gospel turns to Jesus. The pagan woman with her deep faith, wins Jesus' mercy and thus the healing of her possessed daughter. Her humility makes her not to retort when Jesus speaks derogatively, almost equalling her to a dog. Her perseverance makes her answer with a firm trust that even the dogs eat scraps fallen from the children's table. The memory of Our Lady of Lourdes that we celebrate today reminds us once again that God always blesses and rewards the simple and the humble. Our Mother reveals herself as the Immaculate Conception to a simple village girl Bernadette of 14 years. She appeals for rekindling of faith and conversion. She does not promise cessation of difficulties but the power of God to face them. A faith that is testified in a life of conversion is what God wants from us.

 

Direction: The more we are blessed and gone higher, the more we must remain humble and steadfast in our faith and loyalty. Let us not seek false dignity and greatness in false status and arrogance, but in humility and surrender

 

12 FEBRUARY 2021: GENESIS 3. 1-8; MARK 7. 31-37

 

Focus: Sin is not merely a cluster of evil acts, but it is more a fundamental disposition and orientation; It is a fundamental alienation from God, a grievous rupture of the intimate relationship with Him

 

There is a dramatic description of first sin in the first reading from Genesis. The Satan, represented by serpent, cunningly tempts and entices the first parents, Adam and Eve. The devil knows where to strike and how to appeal. It can present even the worst as the best. The offer is something very attractive and fantastic: equality with God Himself, to become like Him, to know like Him. This is one temptation that is perennial, and that is, seeking self-glory, elevating oneself to the level of God, assuming total independence and self-sufficiency. The biggest temptation is man’s desperate search to organize his life without God, and thus to do away with God. In other words, this is a closure to God’s grace. As long as man is closed to God’s action, he cannot experience the fullness and fulfilment of life. Without openness to God, man will experience insufficiency and inability in many ways. Therefore, what is needed is “to be opened”. Precisely, it is to be opened to God’s grace. In fact, the whole fault of the first parents was that they were opened to the Evil one, and not to God. They hide themselves from God, while they happily engage themselves in lively dialogue with Satan. But Jesus in the gospel reverses the situation. Jesus heals a deaf and dumb man. His actions like putting his finger into the man's ears, spitting and touching his tongue and pronouncing the healing command, "ephphatha" - all these show his personal concern and trouble for us. Today, the same invitation and command is addressed to each one of us: "Ephphata" (be opened). You who are deaf to God's voice and message, you who are deaf to the cries of the needy and struggling, be opened to your inner listening. You who are dumb not speaking God's word and good word, be opened of inner speaking. For this, we need our hearts to be opened. Only when there is an opening to God’s grace, only when we are open to His touch and healing, we will be set free from our inner bondages, and our inner energies will overflow into streams of health and wholeness.

 

Direction: This is the high time that we sharpen our listening to become more attentive and clear our speaking to become more responsive and concerned.

 

13 FEBRUARY 2021: GENESIS 3. 9-24; MARK 8. 1-10

 

Focus: Sin may bring quick results, temporary benefits and shallow pleasures, but eventually it lands one into misery and destruction

 

Sin alienates the humans from God. They lose that intimacy and freedom with God. They lose their sense of worth and dignity. They lose the sense of confidence and joy. The expulsion of the first parents from paradise is very symbolic of this essential loss. It is not merely being driven away from a place, but it is a basic being driven away from their original dignity, intimacy, beauty and joy. In consequence, guilt and shame, hunger and thirst, struggle and toil, want and dissatisfaction become their lot. But, the Saviour averts this sin situation by his offer of salvation. In the gospel, in Jesus we see this contrasting situation. We see a contrast in how Jesus draws the people to himself and thus turns them to God. He understands our situations of struggle and want. He does not want to leave us to struggle with our desert of dryness and hunger. He feels compassion for us. He attends to our want. He alleviates our hunger. He satisfies our needs. Those who approach Jesus will never be disappointed or turned down. They will never be allowed to collapse on their way. They will have their fill and full. They will have, not only enough but abundance (7 baskets still left over). As humans we are, living on this earth, we cannot wish to be totally free from situations and experiences of dryness, want and worry. The fact is, struggle and toil is part of our human life. But, we can always find ways and means to address these concerns. We can have the direction and strength to resolve them appropriately. And the best means is to confide in Jesus and to turn to him. Also, from our part, offer to him all the little we have, the seven loaves and few fish, to join to his mighty abundance. He will surely multiply them to feed the multitude.

 

Direction: When we hunger and thirst for God, when we sacrifice something in preference to his presence and word, surely God will take care of our needs.