01 – 06 FEBRUARY 2021, HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS
స
01 FEBRUARY 2021, HEB 11. 32-40; MARK 5. 1-20
Focus: Faith puts a clean spirit into us, strengthens us and makes us worthy in God’s sight; But the unclean cannot stand the presence of the Holy one, and cannot resist the power of grace as well
The Word of God presents before us two kinds of spirits, and two kinds of people, led by them. In the first reading from the letter to Hebrews, we have a list of people of faith, like David, Samuel and so on. They were men of deepest faith, who stood the tests. They were unswerving and persevering, even amidst trials and adversities. They were truly men filled by the clean spirit. But, in the gospel, Jesus encounters and confronts a man with unclean spirit. There are very precise details regarding the possessed man's condition. These are very indicative. They indicate what are some of the clear signs of being evil-possessed. Living among the tombs indicates living aloof, cut off and estranged from others. Shouting and crying indicates the spirit of grumbling, lamenting, arguing. Bound in chains indicates being bound in the fetters of sin and evil. Not being controlled and subdued indicates an undisciplined and unreined freedom. Bruising himself and others as well indicates all the acts and habits of self-ruin and harm to others. Legion indicates that evil is not a single isolated act but is always a bundle, a pack and series of wrongs. All these unclean forces always surmount and torment us also. All of us need healing, and need to be made clean. But many a time, like the possessed man, we do not want to be healed. And like the people, we do not value and appreciate the healing, because we are more concerned about the material interests (loss of swine), rather than the persons. Only faith makes us approach Jesus, seek his healing touch and be clean.
Direction: Let us come out of our wandering aimlessly among the tombs of our estrangement from God and others, and run to God to be restored to sanity and integrity.
02 FEBRUARY 2021, MAL 3. 1-4; HEB 2.14 – 3.1; LUKE 2. 22-40: PRESENTATION OF THE LORD
Focus: To offer oneself totally for one's own good is good but not great or out of the way. But to offer oneself for others' good is great and noble
1. Today we celebrate the festivity of the presentation of the Lord in the temple. This is clearly symbolic and indicative of the nature and purpose of Jesus' life and mission. His human earthly life is an offering of the Father to humanity and for humanity for their salvation and redemption.
2. Thus his life is sacrificial and his mission is redemptive. The ritual presentation of the Lord symbolizes his actual presentation by his death and resurrection. What a destiny and mystery! He came to die, but it is not to remain under the shackles of death to disappear completely. It is only to rise gloriously and thus make us live again.
3. In his presentation is seen in one scene the whole story of his life and the culmination of it. In his presentation, we witness a totally different God, not a God who waits and appeases himself by various presentations and offerings by the humans but a God who offers his own self. He does not offer merely some gifts and boons, but offers his most precious Son.
4. Thereby God reveals and reminds us of His very nature and of the nature of true love and also of the essence of salvation. Our God is a self-offering God; true love is self-offering and salvation consists in self-offering for others.
5. Jesus' presentation in the temple is not merely a ritual fulfilment, not merely a chronological event in the history of his life, not merely a part of his natural human growth. It is already an integral part of the redemptive process.
6. His presentation is also a representation and invitation for our own presentation. Just as he is presented by the Father through his parents for the whole humanity, so too we must present and offer ourselves to God for the sake of others. It is only in self-giving and surrender that we obtain our salvation. And It is only in this life of offering that we fulfil our mission of salvation of others.
7. As long as we refuse to offer and surrender ourselves to God and for the good of others, our life will have no meaning and no destiny. All the forces of self- centeredness, self-closure, defiance and unreined freedom are clear contradictions to the very essence of our life and mission!
Direction: Undue self-clinging and self-indulgence, losing sight of surrender to God and commitment to others' good are self- destructive!
03 FEBRUARY 2021: HEB 12. 4-7, 11-15; MARK 6. 1-6
Focus: Faith opens up to the action of God's grace while lack of faith closes one's receptivity and forfeits the free gift of grace
In the gospel, we see what lack of faith does not and cannot do. It is seen in Jesus' own people, in his own place. Those people are not able to rise above their narrow confines of territory and blood relationship. They see Jesus just as one of them and nothing more. They do not recognize the divinity in him. They cannot think of something beyond their human considerations and judgments. They are caught up within their human and cultural prejudices. Thus, his own people fail to believe in him and fail to accept him. Jesus is truly grieved over their unbelief. Consequently, they fail to obtain the grace of God offered through Jesus. This is in contrast to the exhortation in the first reading from the letter to the Hebrews, which says: “See to it that no one fail to obtain the grace of God; that no ‘root of bitterness’ springs up and causes trouble, and by it many may be defiled”. Jesus’ people defy this summon. They are defiled by their own root of bitterness and prejudice against Jesus. They “regard lightly the discipline of the Lord”. They lose sight of the fact that God disciplines those whom He loves. They fail to see that God wants to discipline them through His Son Jesus. They forget the simple truth that “though discipline looks painful for a moment, yet later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it”. The same danger of unbelief is ever real in our case as well. We too may grow so familiar with God’s grace that we take it for granted. We may lose the sense of the sacred. Therefore, it is high time that we “lift our drooping hands and strengthen our weak knees, and make straight paths for our feet”. It is the right time that we strive for peace with all and for holiness.
Direction: God is ever ready and eager to shower His grace upon us, but He wants our faith to be open to it, to receive it and to cooperate with it.
04 FEBRUARY 2021: 1 COR 9. 19-27; JOHN 12. 20-32, FEAST OF ST JOHN DE BRITTO
Focus: It is really the metal of a saint to live totally for the Lord, and also to die for him; one who is not ready to die for him, would not also live with him and for him
Today we celebrate the feast of saint John de Britto. He was born in Lisbon and worked and martyred in Tamilnadu, India. He is the patron saint of the diocese of Sivagangai, India. Today’s both readings are very much applicable to saint Britto. Like Paul, he “became all things to all, that by all means he might save some”. He made himself a slave to all, that he might win the more. Quite true to Jesus’ teaching, Britto makes himself like the grain of wheat that falls into the earth and dies, and bears much fruit. He willingly loses his life in temporality, so as to gain life in eternity. He is convinced that like Paul he does it all for the sake of the gospel, so that he may share in its blessings. Like a committed runner, he ran the race of faith that he may obtain the eternal prize. He is deeply clear that his faith, his struggles for faith are never a waste. He does not run aimlessly. He does not box as one beating in the air. He passionately loved the Lord and so lost his life for Jesus’ sake. Like Jesus, Britto always sought to glorify the Father through his very life of abundant fruits. He runs the race of faith, not for a perishable prize or wreathe, but for an imperishable. He qualifies himself by pommeling and subduing his body. That is why he truly deserves the reward promised by Jesus. Jesus says, “If any one serves me, he must follow me, and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honour him”. Accordingly, Britto in his martyrdom glorifies the Father; and the Father in turn glorifies him with eternal life. Like Britto, we too must follow Jesus’ path of paradoxes by losing our life for his sake, so as to gain it for eternity.
Direction: When one’s love for the Lord is intense, then he will not retain anything for himself, even his very life. But this giving up will be richly rewarded by receiving the eternal life
05 FEBRUARY 2021: HEB 13. 1-8; MARK 6. 14-29, Memorial of St Agatha
Focus: True greatness does not come from one's own capacities or world's resources but from God and His mercy and power
In the gospel, we have contrasting figures: on one hand, on the side of the right, there is John the Baptist, and on the other side of the wrong, we have Herod, Herodias and her daughter. John the Baptist was a righteous and holy man; he stands as a tower of truth, justice and courage. But the others crumble as broken pieces, as persons of deviated passions, unholy and ungodly, self- interested and self-seeking, justifying and supporting the wrong, and harming and destroying others. In the light of the first reading from the letter to Hebrews, John the Baptist was the one, who could confidently acclaim, “The Lord is my helper, he will not be afraid; what man can do to me?” On the other hand, Herod, Herodias and her daughter were shallow, evil-minded, and harmful. Truly, Herod and Herodias breached the admonition of the letter to the Hebrews, which insists: “Let marriage be held in honour, and let the marriage bed be undefiled”. Each of these has their own defective orientation. Herod stands for the man, immoral, money-bound and discontented. He shows such a weak character that he easily succumbs to the destructive request of Herodias to kill John the Baptist. That is why he does not contest or revoke the evil plan of Herodias. He is a man who carries a false status and dignity. He makes a false promise to Herodias’ daughter to give away even half of his kingdom. In his false fidelity and remaining true to his promise, he commits a grievous sin. Herodias stands for a woman off the track, a woman of immorality, grudge and cruelty. Herodias’ daughter stands for a weakling who has no backbone to judge, discern and decide and do - all by herself. She blindly obeys her mother, and gets John the Baptist beheaded at her mother’s instruction. She is so gullible that she is simply misguided by her evil mother. Certainly, all these negative qualities are present in all of us. In contrast, St Agatha whom we commemorate stands as a glowing example of purity of heart and integrity of life.
Direction: Doing the wrong is certainly deplorable, but trying to cover it up, defending it and destroying all those who are right and opposed to the wrong is more heinous.
05 FEBRUARY 2021: HEBREWS 13. 15-21; MARK 6. 30-34
Focus: In life, the priced things are not so much possessions and positions, but wisdom, integrity, compassion and dedication
In the gospel, once again we see the deep compassion of Jesus towards his disciples and the people. He does not bother about himself, but thinks of the tiredness and hunger of his disciples and the need for food and relaxation. He is concerned about the lack of guidance and of inner sustenance of the people, and their need to quench their spiritual hunger. That's why he teaches them, boosts up and elevates their spirits.
And one concern that is impelling and challenging is the situation of “sheep without a shepherd”. What a profound and realistic observation and evaluation of Jesus on the people of his time! Our times are no different from those. Truly, many people today are like sheep without shepherds. It is true that many are without direction and due care. Many are like sheep without proper guidance and sufficient nourishment, be it spiritual, psychological, or moral. They need good shepherds. In fact, strictly speaking there is only one supreme shepherd and that is Jesus. And all those who are entrusted with the task of shepherding the sheep, are actually the herdsmen, the caretakers. Today, a serious reflection and self-check must be on the quality of these herdsmen. Their main failure in their shepherding is not following the sole shepherd Jesus. The first reading from the letter to the Hebrews is both a direction and orientation, as well as a reminder and admonition. It is both for the sheep and shepherds. Particularly, these herdsmen ought to keep watch over the souls. They need to be conscious that one day they must give account. They must do their duty joyfully, and not reluctantly or sadly. And all, both the sheep and the shepherds must have a clear conscience. Their desire must be to act honourably in all things. The constant striving must be to equip themselves with everything good, so as to do his will, and whatever is pleasing in his sight. This is what St Paul Miki and his companions always did.
Direction: Passion for God and compassion for others should always make our life tireless and our mission relentless. If we bother about God's work and others' good, God will bother about what we need.
No comments:
Post a Comment