16 - 21 AUGUST 2021: HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS
16 AUGUST 2021: JUDGES 2. 11-19; MATTHEW 19. 16-22
Focus: The invitation and the expectation of God are something different from those of the world. God always calls us for something more and above
1. A rich young man approaches Jesus, asking “What good deed must I do, to have eternal life?” First of all, he deserves our appreciation because he seeks eternal life. How many today have this thought and orientation for something higher, the afterlife? How many simply get entangled in this world and do not rise beyond? How many have very earth-bound, material and temporal goals and targets and lose sight of the eternal and permanent?
2. The rich man is further appreciable because he is aware that eternal life can be gained only through doing good deeds and following the commandments of God. Accordingly, he lives a good life. How many are aware that eternal life is possible only through living a life of good and commands of God? How many make sincere efforts to work out their salvation?
3. However, Jesus raises his level of thinking. He wants to raise the level of the quality of his life as well. Therefore, it is no more only doing some good things or keeping some commandments. It is becoming perfect. It calls for something more. It demands to go beyond what is prescribed in the law or standards. This perfection demands a radical detachment and dispossession. It demands a total and perfect following of Jesus.
4. That is why, Jesus asks him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor; and come, follow me”. Detachment from the worldly things and a personal and intimate attachment to Jesus, giving possessions to the poor, and giving one’s own life to God – these are the essential norms.
5. This is the same perfection that is demanded in the first reading as well. The chosen people of the covenant and law fell away from the true God and went after other gods, bowing down before them and serving them. They did what is evil in the sight of the Lord. They did not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways.
Direction: Money and possessions are the modern gods and craving and attachment toward them is the new type of idolatry and disloyalty. Unless one overcomes this entanglement, one can never be perfect and can never attain eternal life
(REFLECTION FROM 2020: MATTHEW 19. 16-22)
Focus: To belong to God, to be the people of God, to be a disciple of the Lord is not a one-time business, nor a matter of a long tradition. There can be no halfway, but it is to be radical in perfection
The question of the young man at the outset looks very appreciable: “What good I must do to gain eternal life?” But a little deep attention reveals its lack of depth. He seems to think that it is something that he can gain and acquire by his own efforts. He thinks that it is a matter of doing and his own doing. In sum, he thinks of eternal life as something which he can take hold of due to his doing some good actions, particularly the observance of the commandments. In fact, he is already doing enough and more, especially in a world where following the commandments is itself is a very big thing. But Jesus’ ideal is more than mere enough. He tries to raise the attention of the young man to the level of the most, the best, the maximum, the perfection. That is why, Jesus throws the challenge to the young man, “If you wish to be perfect, go and sell everything, and then come and follow me”. Thereby, the mind of Jesus is very clear: a true disciple of Christ should soar for the highest, for the radical, for a total detachment and dispossession, and a stable, unceasing following of him. Let one not argue unnecessarily that it is not fair and reasonable to give up everything, that Jesus’ demand is very unrealistic. We should rather understand the spirit behind it.
Real perfection has no room for minimums, but full and total. It is not enough to observe some rules, not enough to do some good once a while, not enough to listen to God and follow him once a while as a “guest-disciple”. But it needs a total surrender and commitment, always and everywhere. Many today are like the young rich man in the gospel who want to be perfect and are not ready to let go of themselves and let Jesus in and follow him constantly. Many are like the people described in the first reading: they shall rot away because of their sins and groan one to another.
Direction: Let us not cling to temporary riches and shallow pleasures, and thus lose touch with Jesus and fail to follow him. It would be an irreplaceable loss!
17 AUGUST 2021: JUDGES 6. 11-24; MATTHEW 19. 23-30
Focus: Problems surmount us, sufferings torment us. It is not because God is not with us or does not bother about us. Everything has a purpose and is a process
1. In the world, there is so much lust for money and so much trouble to get rich. The reason is that riches are considered the best and surest means for happiness and fulfillment in life. But, today in contrast to such a context, Jesus declares, “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven”.
2. Thereby, Jesus makes clear the inadequate and relative nature of worldly riches. They may help one to ride high in the sight of the world, to get to the top of the world. But, they cannot guarantee entry into the kingdom of God. This does not mean that those who have riches are automatically disqualified from the kingdom. It is possible if they are with God if they depend on God and not on their riches. That is why, Jesus says, “For men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible”.
3. Actually, the real issue is not whether to have or not to have the riches. It is rather whether one is detached from them and follows the Lord. With riches or without the riches, one must give priority to God. As St Francis de Sales exhorts, we must see that our heart is not in the riches or riches are not in our heart. Rather, everything must be left to the hand and heart of God.
4. However, such a detached and committed life is certainly hard because it is swimming against the current. The same questions as those of Gideon or Peter will disturb us also: “if the Lord is with us, why then all this has befallen us?” “We have left everything and followed you. What then shall we have?” The fact is He wants to do things through us. He chose Gideon to liberate the Israelites from the Midianites. He chose Peter and others to liberate humanity from the slavery of sin. And along with this mission, He is always with us. And He would reward us a hundredfold here and now and then eternal life.
Direction: In a world that is money-crazy and possessed by possessions, to remain untainted by them and to follow the Lord is very hard. But it is not a vain or lone battle. The Lord will be with us and richly recompense us.
(REFLECTION ON MATTHEW 19. 23-30 FROM 2020)
Focus: Riches and material abundance are very precarious because they can easily lead one to self-sufficiency, self-exaltation, and arrogance
“How difficult it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven!” The words of Jesus sound hard. But it is no prejudice against the rich, nor is it an exclusion of the rich from heaven. It shows the practical reality. It is very difficult because of the all-too-real dangers of riches. Riches can be easy traps and broad doors for undue self-complacency, arrogance, false greatness, neglect of God and incline to vices and shallow pleasures. Therefore, one has to be cautious and judicious in regard to material riches, lest they become pathways for downfall. Some effective remedies will be: Give priority to God, loving and following Him. Cultivate a deep spirit of detachment from the material, not contaminated by greed and not falling to comfort-seeking. Foster a spirit of generous giving. Every act of self-emptying and self-giving for God and good will be abundantly blessed and rewarded by God with spiritual joy and eternity. The paradox of riches is: the more we crave to gain them, the more we are lost.
Direction: Sharing is an investment with profit while accumulating is like the loss of capital with no interest. Self-emptying is the royal road to get the divine filling
18 AUGUST 2020: JUDGES 9. 6-15; MATTHEW 20. 1-16
Focus: God is always on the lookout to employ us in the vineyard of His kingdom. Are we ready to go in and work or do we want to while away the precious time?
1. The parable of workers in the vineyard in Matthew 20. 1-16 is one that is familiar to many. The obvious theme and thus often-preached is Jealousy. Different workers were employed at different timings. But in the end, all were paid equally. This annoys the earliest workers and they complain that the master is unjust to them by paying them just like the last workers who hardly worked.
2. They resent an obvious injustice meted out to them. But the master detects the real problem: it is their jealousy. Thus, in fact, it is not a matter of injustice but jealousy. Apparently from the human perspective, it is an act of injustice because those who worked hard and those who did not are put on the same level are treated and paid equally. How can those who toiled hard for many hours and those who just bent down to work in the eleventh hour be equated? Is it not injustice to ignore the merit of the early workers?
3. But in reality, it is a fake justice and a false clamor. They were paid as it was agreed upon. They got what was their due. Then what is their problem? When others get the same pay when others benefit more than what they deserve, what do they lose? How can they challenge the freedom and the generosity of the owner?
4. This is the typical mentality of many today. They suffer from a false notion of justice. Whenever their self-interests are not satisfied, whenever others also profit, they feel that they are deprived of justice. They forget the fact that justice is not only a matter of rights but also duties. A true man of justice will be more conscious of the rights and the needs of others. In the name of justice, many seek self-interests. True justice is charity and generosity.
5. In fact, true justice is seen in the master. He is dutiful and charitable. As a duty, he paid to the early workers as agreed upon. He goes beyond normal justice. He treats all with respect and gives all with generosity. The criterion for his decision is not whether one deserves it but whether one needs it. This is how God acts!
6. Thus, this parable presents sharply the stark contrast between God’s mindset and the human mindset. Humans often think and decide wrongly, just as it happened in the OT. In the first reading, we have a typical example of this. The Israelites are dissatisfied with God as their king and they opt for a no-worth king, Abimelech. It is like leaving aside all the great trees such as the olive, fig, and vine and settling for a bramble to be the king of the kings
Direction: How easily do we become intolerant and resentful when others are treated well or progress much? How easily, we boil with jealousy even in the field of faith and spirituality, not tolerating when some are blessed with spiritual gifts! Do we want to privatize and monopolize all the blessings of God?
(REFLECTION ON MATTHEW 20. 1-16, FROM 2020)
There is a heightened sense of egoism and self-serving that leads to many other evil effects. Jealousy is one such ugly offshoot and effect, which is condemned by Jesus in the gospel. Beneath every act of jealousy, there is a deep-seated self-interest that thinks only of its benefit and does not tolerate any good to the other. This is the typical attitude of the early workers in the gospel. In life, like these, many grumble and complain about the master’s so-called “injustice” to treat all equally. They suffer from jealousy and a false sense of justice. They are not happy that they luckily got work and got well paid. They feel sad that injustice is done to them because others too benefit. They cannot rejoice over others’ good and goodness. They equate justice and self-interest. It is a fake justice that bothers only about one’s gain and harms charity. True justice is always charitable because it respects the other, recognizes their dignity, need and right, and does justice to them. The owner went beyond the normal mentality of justice and pays generously the last workers as well. It is not because they merit it, but because they need it. True justice thinks not about what is one’s right, but what is other’s need.
Direction: Justice without charity is as harmful as injustice; especially those who are given the charge of caring and shepherding others should double-check about their gross neglect of justice and charity, lest they be condemned without mercy
19 AUGUST 2021: JUDGES 11. 29-39; MATTHEW 22. 1-14
Focus: God always invites us to go to him, to experience his nearness and closeness, and to share in his banquet of love. It needs a willingness to respond to his invitation
1. The scene of the wedding banquet in the gospel, Matthew 22. 1-14 represents the approach of our present society toward God. God, like the king in the story always invites us to be sharers in the joy of the wedding feast of his Son. Through His Son Jesus, He wants to rejuvenate our life. He offers salvation to all, and salvation is nothing but sharing God’s own joy.
2. If sin has cast a veil of gloom over humanity, God wants to replace it with a wedding garment of joy and recharge. In general, life itself is the biggest banquet of God’s love and mercy, and also of fraternal sharing and joy. God continues to send His invitation for this celebration through various servants. These servants may be all the ways and means that channel us His grace. They may be in the form of the different spiritual and fraternal moments and activities of communion. They constantly try to motivate us, inspire us, illumine us, purify us, guide us, solidify and sanctify us.
3. Nevertheless, the Holy Eucharist is the greatest banquet that is set before us. It stands for us as the immense fount of an abundance of new life through God’s own love, light, strength, and joy. And what is notable is He invites us even though we are unworthy and do not deserve it.
4. But, sadly the responses to this divine invitation are often varied and negative. Many do not realize the value of this banquet. They are indifferent. They take it lightly. They are preoccupied with many worldly affairs and are engrossed in them. Some not only refuse to respond and share in God’s presence and fraternal communion but also directly oppose and do harm.
5. And even with those who respond and are present also, there is no guarantee of a good disposition and heart. They may not bother to put on the wedding garment. They do not try to make themselves worthy participants.
Direction: What is our response to God’s unceasing invitation to celebrate life and the Holy Eucharistic banquet? Are we so much carried away by worldly pleasures and pressures that we forfeit the grace and joy of this celebration of communion with God and with others?
(REFLECTION ON MATTHEW 22. 1-14 FROM 2020)
Focus: God never ceases to invite us to be cleansed and be made holy and thus put on a new spirit. Refusal of God’s invitation will lead to condemnation
God is always inviting us, to go to Him, to listen to His voice, to receive His message, to know His will, to spend intimate moments with Him, to enjoy the precious Eucharistic banquet, and to be nourished and strengthened. But many times we reject His invitation because of silly or secondary or unworthy interests. We do not realize what an incomparable grace we forfeit. We do not realize that God’s invitation is unlike the other invitations. In regard to the other invitations, there is the possibility to reason out and discern whether to accept or not, whether it is good or not, whether necessary or not. But in regard to God’s invitation, there is no such need to think because it is always good and for our good. But we cannot take His benevolence for granted. From our part, we should put on the “wedding garment” of a worthy disposition and sincere repentance.
Direction: Let us not be driven by useless preoccupations and deviated priorities, and miss the essential. Let us nurture a little more inner sensitivity that can vibrate readily toward God’s spirit and action
20 AUGUST 2021: RUTH 1. 1, 3-6, 14-16, 22; MATTHEW 22. 34-40, St Bernard
Focus: In a world that is often love-starving and love-hungry, love alone is the fittest and greatest response remedy to repair the damaged face of life and to resurge it with a fresh glow
1. A lawyer in the gospel asks Jesus a question, “What is the greatest commandment in the law?” Jesus’ answer is Love. It is double-packed: love for God and love for the neighbor. It is a love for God with the totality of the person, that is, heart and soul, and mind. Therefore, we should love God with all and the full of our faculties. There cannot be portions or fractions, or conditions or concessions. It is to love God without measure and without reserve. It means that God becomes our all and our whole.
2. This means that God becomes our topmost priority. The fact that we love God means that He is not a mere abstract concept, not an idea or issue about which we have some knowledge. God is not merely an intellectual concern. God becomes a concern of life, someone very personal, someone for whom we nurture profound feeling and sentiment, someone with whom we relate passionately and intimately. Thus, God becomes a vital concern of emotion, experience, relation, and commitment.
3. This invites us then to check our frequent tendencies to make God more an object of devotions and religious activities. Instead, we must discover and experience Him as a subject who loves us and needs to be loved. As long as God is treated as an alien and pushed out of the inner circles of heart and the territories of life, love for God will remain only shallow and fails to affect us.
4. The commandment of love will be incomplete if we close it only with love for God. It necessarily opens up to love for neighbor. In fact, love for God never encloses itself within itself. It is not an individual affair with God. Rather, love for God finds its concrete expression in love for neighbor. A love for God that does not lead one to love for neighbor is shallow and can even be a farce. This love for neighbor must be such that it loves the other as one loves his own self. In other words, in a true love of neighbor, there is no ego, no ego-interests. It is selfless.
5. In Ruth in the first reading, we find this beautiful combination of love for God and love for the other. Though a Moabitess, she owns up God and the family of the Hebrew Naomi, her mother-in-law. Even after her husband’s death, she clings to her. See her words: “For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God”. This is the same integration of love for God and love for neighbor we find in St Bernard.
Direction: The world that feels sick, and wounded, can be healed only with the power of love. While love for God elevates our spirits to a heavenly life, love for others commits us down to the earth
(REFLECTION ON MATTHEW 22. 34-40 FROM 2020)
Focus: In a life that is often dried up and drained, Love alone is the fresh breath that infuses a new life and energy. Love is the thesis and synthesis of all life
Jesus teaches us in the gospel. Love God and love your neighbor, This is the greatest commandment. Often many mess up their lives with unnecessary concerns and pursuits. But, there is only one thing that is most important in life, and that is love. True and perfect love is twofold: love for God and love for the other; a love for God that is total, with one’s whole person, and love for others which is selfless. We should move beyond half-hearted and shallow practices of love for God and our calculative and heartless love for the other. Wholehearted passion and surrender to God’s will and genuine fraternal sensitivity are the true signs of love.
Direction: Love for God is shown in loyal devotion, and love for others is shown in benevolent charity.
21 AUGUST 2021: RUTH 2. 1-3, 8-11; 4. 13-17; MATTHEW 23. 1-12, St Pius X
Focus: Hypocrisy is one real danger that creeps into our religious practices. If we are not cautious, it can easily turn us very conceited, deceiving ourselves, and deceiving others as well
1. Jesus comes up heavily against the Pharisees and scribes on account of their hypocrisy. Their religious practices were like a body without a soul. They performed many pious activities but without the real spirit and an authentic heart. Their life did not correspond to their teaching. They did not practice what they taught the people. There was a wide chasm between their creed and deed. They demanded so much from the people, which they themselves did not follow.
2. Further, they do all their observances, not with the pure intention of love for God and pleasing Him. It was with the motive of making a show, displaying their pity, and seeking applause and praise. They sought always self-glory and not God’s glory.
3. Their hypocrisy is all the more seen in their total lack of humility. They love the best seats, best titles, best greetings, best honors. They love to be addressed and honored as a rabbi, teachers, as masters. They always seek to exalt themselves.
4. The same virus of hypocrisy is real in our case as well. It has been vigorously devouring quite many in the church, leaving aside the outside world. The steep dichotomy between what we profess and what we practice, between what we believe and what we live, is quite real. Being so lenient and indulgent toward self but being stringent and exacting toward others too, is quite real.
5. A virulent trend of seeking self-interests and self-glory, excessive craving for titles, honor, and ranks, is very true. Lack of humility is at its peak. In this context, it is exigent to bear in mind the admonition and corrective of Jesus: No one is a teacher because there is only one teacher; no one is a master because there is only one master; no one is a father because there is only one father. This should make us realize that our addresses or titles or functions are not our identities. We may teach but we are not teachers; we may be fathering but we are not fathers; we may master others but we are not masters. Our identity is always being children of God, servants, and followers, friends of Christ.
6. In Ruth in the first reading and in St Pius X whom we commemorate today, we find this integrity and authenticity of life. They humbled themselves and sought what pleased God. That is why, they were exalted, quite in tune with Jesus’ teaching, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted”. Ruth was married to Boaz and becomes the mother of Obed who was the father of Jesse, the father of David. Pius X was exalted to the heights of the altar.
Direction: Humility and authenticity alone will make our religiosity and spirituality profound, witnessing and pleasing in the sight of God. They are the need of the hour!
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