ADVENT FIRST WEEK

 

29 NOVEMBER – 04 DECEMBER 2021: HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS

29 NOVEMBER 2021: ISAIAH 2. 1-5; MATTHEW 8. 5-11

Focus: Faith is no one’s privilege or prerogative. Faith is a matter of attitude and approach. What I think of my God and how I approach Him in trust and humility is the matter

1.      Jesus praises a centurion in the gospel for his faith, saying, “With no one in Israel have I found such faith”. Thereby, the first point clear is faith is not a matter of hereditary credit, not a matter of long-standing tradition. Certainly, the people of Israel were the chosen people by God. But that is no compulsivity or guarantee for receiving God’s grace. God may give His grace gratuitously but its reception depends on one’s receptivity and proper disposition.

2.      Faith is that humble receptivity and conducive disposition. The centurion, even though a non-Israel had such faith, humility. If not for his faith in Jesus’ power as well as benevolence, he would not approach Jesus for healing his paralyzed servant! If not for his faith, he would not tell Jesus not to trouble himself to come physically but is enough that he says a word of healing even over distance! If not for his utter humility, he would not humble himself before Jesus. He was fully conscious that he himself is a man in authority but his authority is inferior to Jesus’ authority. He professes so touchingly, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter my roof”.

3.      It is the light of faith that makes him see and accept clearly the surpassing greatness of Jesus’ authority, its superior quality. His authority over his servants is human, legal, and earthly. It is something secular. But Jesus’ authority is spiritual. It comes from above, it is divine. Thereby, Jesus has authority even over sicknesses and evil powers, and with the power of his mere command even at distance, he would heal the paralysis.

4.      This is what exactly Isaiah prophesied in the first reading regarding Jerusalem as the house of God and the messianic times. All the nations shall flow to it, all peoples shall come to the God of Israel. For, He teaches them his ways and makes them walk in His paths. He judges between the nations shall decide disputes for many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.

5.      This is what exactly happens in the gospel. The pagan centurion comes to Jesus. He learns and walks God’s path of faith and humility. Jesus settles the matter for him through healing.

Direction: Let us not only appreciate the faith and humility of the centurion. Let us also emulate his example. Let us realize that we receive God’s favors not because we deserve them but only because God loves us and knows that we need them

30 NOVEMBER 2021: ROM 10. 9-18; MATTHEW 4. 8-12, ST ANDREW, APOSTLE

Focus: Whom God calls, how and when, and where He calls may be different. But why He calls is very clear. It is to follow Him and win souls for God

1.      Today we feast St Andrew, one of the Twelve Apostles. He was a fisherman and brother of Simon Peter. Jesus calls him while he was fishing, saying, “Follow me, I will make you fishers of souls”. There is both the purpose and the end effect of his call. The purpose is to follow the Lord intimately in his footsteps. He would live with the Lord, share the same space, table, and mission, and spend time together. He would listen to his master, learn from him and grow by his teaching and guidance.

2.      Then, there is also the consequence of this purpose. It is fishing souls for God. It is bringing people closer to God. It is making people be touched and transformed by God. It is doing the work of God Himself who is the supreme fisherman of human souls, the greatest attracter and inducer of the humans to merge with the divine. It is because they share the same life that He gifts to them. Sin has alienated them from God’s paradise of eternal communion. Sin has thrown them into an immense sea where they feel totally entrapped and immersed; where they find no way out.

3.      It is in such a sinful situation of lack of relation and direction toward God and others, the Lord chooses Andrew to reset the lost bond and restore the lost grace. Thus, following the Lord and fishing the souls is not merely becoming disciples and doing some evangelization. It is an intimate and radical sharing in God’s own eternal duty and commitment.

4.      Andrew along with the others called, promptly responds to this divine plan. Perhaps for sure, he might have not understood the full implications of that call. But what is appreciable is his promptness to accept the call. Thereupon he renounces all that belongs to him and clings to Jesus. It was not for a few days or a few years. It was a life-long following and mission.

5.      This life-long apostleship is sealed by a personal relationship. And this relationship is marked by depth, constancy, intimacy, loyalty, and commitment. All these are soaked into a passionate love for the master, which goes to the extent of dying for him.

Direction: Every celebration of a saint and all the more that of an Apostle like Andrew must remind us that ultimately our call is a relationship with God that is deep and intimate and a commitment to His mission that is committed and self-offering.

 

(REFLECTION 2 FROM 2020)

Focus: Vocation is not just a state of life or a profession but is a sacred way of life of God and is a consecration to Him and concentration on good

 

Today, we celebrate the feast of St Andrew, one of the Twelve Apostles. His call is also a roadmap for every disciple, for his own personal journey of discipleship. As a true disciple, Andrew “listens” to the invitation of Jesus to follow him. There is no second thought, no hesitation, no calculations, no weighing pros, and cons. His response is instant and prompt. “At once”, he “gives up” everything. This is indicated by his ‘leaving the nets’, which were the means of his livelihood, a source of life security. And then he “follows” Jesus. We are not sure whether he really understood the meaning and the implications of Jesus’ call. Perhaps, he might have not even given a thought to the deeper significance of “becoming fishers of people”, or “fish for people”. What he understood might be that his life is going to be different from its old way and style. Jesus calls him and he follows him – this is all that matters for him.

Today his feast and his call is a timely call and caution for all of us. For we are truly living times that are losing the sense of vocation. It is just reduced to worldly terms like any other secular affair. And we see the sad consequences of this " stripping" of its essential content of the holy. For a Christian, be it the call to the priesthood or religious life or lay life, it is always sacred. It is God who calls. The same Lord who called Andrew and others to be with him, to follow him, and to bear witness to Him, continues to call each one of us. His call invites us constantly amidst our ordinary and usual preoccupations and engrossing activities and to "step out" of them, just as he called Andrew and his companions. It is not a loss but a huge gain, a grand "elevation" of life, to a matchless dignity of "being fishermen of souls" from the mere being fishermen of fish. From our part, what is expected is to "detach ourselves from everything and to follow him", like Andrew. Unless one is ready to renounce and follow the Lord, the value of vocation cannot be lived out.

 

Direction: The charm, the value, and joy of vocation is being lost because the sense of the sacred, detachment, and commitment is being lost

 

01 DECEMBER 2021: ISAIAH 25. 6-10a; MATTHEW 15. 29-37

Focus: Our God is a God who is compassionate. He understands our struggles and our tears. He will strengthen us and comfort us. Those who trust in Him and come to Him will never be disappointed

1.      What a consoling picture of God we have in the Word of God today! God through His prophet emphatically promises thus: He will take away the veil of gloom cast over the peoples. He will wipe away tears from all faces. He will knock away the reproach of his people. He will feed all peoples with a sumptuous banquet. He will swallow up death forever. His hand will rest on all those who come to Him. He will grant salvation.

2.      All these are truly fulfilled in Jesus in the gospel. He heals all the sick that come to him. He made the mute speak, lame walk, blind see, and the crippled healthy. It is all because he is compassionate toward his people. This is manifested in his miraculous feeding of four thousand. He multiplies seven loaves and a few small fish and still, seven baskets full of the broken pieces were leftover. This shows the abundance of God’s grace in love and compassion.

3.      It is a compassionate heart that senses their hunger and decides to feed them lest they faint on the way back to their homes. He takes the initiative. His compassion does not get discouraged by the difficulty of the situation: a desolate place and so distance constrains any procurement; so big a number as four thousand; so little available like seven loaves and a few small fish; the direct discouragement by the disciples who assess the situation and state that it is impossible to feed such a huge crowd.

4.      His compassion blended with his divine power makes the little abundant and satisfies all. God’s compassionate intervention leads to abundant satisfaction. It is only in God that we find the real abundance and satisfaction. Those who approach God in faith and depend on him will never be disappointed. They will be fully satisfied. Not only to the full, even extra. They collected seven more baskets of leftovers.

Direction: Those who confide in God will never be sent away empty. They will be satisfied to the brim. They will be healed and nourished, strengthened and fulfilled

(REFLECTION 2 FROM 2020)

Focus: Life is not a saga of desolation and dissatisfaction. Allow God to enter into your life, and you will see the miracle of abundance and satisfaction

 

Scarcity and deprivation, dissipation, and sadness often cast their pall over the life of humanity. Consequently, many lose the taste and joy of living. In such times, today’s word of God, both from prophet Isaiah and Matthew breathes in an air of relief and joy. God Himself promises that He will feed His people with rich and abundant banquet. He will remove their sadness and humiliation. He will restore them dignity and joy. In the gospel, Jesus becomes the fulfillment of this assurance. He heals the sick. He restores them not only physical health but much more their lost dignity, the lost confidence, and hope, the lost beauty and joy of living. He feeds the hungry thousands through a miracle of multiplying seven loaves and fish. He satisfies them. He breathes in happiness and tranquility in a situation of tension and sadness. He transforms scarcity into abundance, emptiness into fullness, sadness into joy.

True it is that often we find ourselves in the same gospel situation – away from homes, in the wilderness, with nothing to eat, in want and hunger, with no means to meet the need, being exhausted and at the danger of fainting. Such desperate situations confront us and frighten us. We find ourselves helpless and abandoned. But we are not lost. We are not left alone. The Lord is there, who is full of compassion. He understands our needs. He knows what to do. All that is needed is to sit with him, to sit at his feet. It is enough that we hand over the little we have – the seven loaves and small fish.

 

Direction: If we follow the Lord even into the wilderness, listening to him and relishing his presence, he will not let you go away hungry and dissatisfied. He will feed you with an abundance

 

02 DECEMBER 2021: ISAIAH 26. 1-6; MATTHEW 7. 21, 24-27

Focus: Worldly things and interests alone do not make life happy and fulfilled. It is only trusting in God and living a God-centred life that gives meaning and beauty to life

1.      The present world seems to be more a “wordy” world. This means that it indulges more in words and engages less in actions. It tries to allure or deceive by great words but does little to follow those words. Words often do not translate themselves into actions. People know and say many words but they do not practice them. Talk is big but living is little.

2.      Thus often there is so much contradiction between words and the corresponding actions. This is very evident in the case of politicians. They make tall promises but bother little to implement them. Consequently, a lot of deceptivity and dichotomy rules life. It is this gap between words and actions that Jesus points to in today’s gospel. He states clearly: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven”.

3.      Those who ensure words become deeds, those who live what they believe, those who practice what they profess are really wise. They are like that wise man who builds his house on the rock. Whatever be the adverse situations like rain, floods, and wind, nothing can make it fall, because it is founded on the rock. But those who live dichotomous lives where great words do not correspond to good actions are like that foolish man who builds his house on sand. Any unfavorable experience would easily cause his fall.

4.      Therefore, be wise. Trust in God. Trust in Him as the one who “sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks. Trust in Him forever for He is an everlasting rock. Trust Him who would keep them in perfect peace whose minds are stayed on Him”. Be wise not to give excessive importance to the earthly and worldly, but rather give priority to God and spiritual concerns and the demands of kindness.

Direction: Let us become wise to foster an integral life that makes a harmonious blend of good words and good actions. Let us not be mere hearers of the word of God but doers of it as well

 

03 DECEMBER 2021: ISAIAH 29. 17-24; MATTHEW 9. 27-31, ST FRANCIS XAVIER

Focus: The real joy of a follower of Christ is when he does what pleases his master. And the master is well pleased when his disciple does good to others and thus brings them to the good path of the true God

1.      Prophet Isaiah in the first reading foretells the days of the Messiah: In that day the deaf shall hear, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see. The meek shall obtain the fresh joy of the Lord, and the poor among mankind shall exult. Those who go astray in spirit will come to understanding, and those who murmur will accept instruction.

2.      These prophecies come true in Jesus in the gospel. The deaf hear, the blind see, the strayed are brought back and the ignorant are enlightened. Truly the humble experience the joy of the Lord. He is the messiah and he fulfills what was foretold of him.

3.      There is a concrete instance of the healing of two blind men in the gospel. With faith, they come to Jesus. Jesus makes them confirm their faith once again. He asks them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” As they say, “Yes, Lord”, he touches their eyes and restores sight.

4.      We see the real nature of their healing in what follows after. It is not merely a physical sight but spiritual sight. They see God’s hand in Jesus and they begin to spread about him even though Jesus strictly warned them not to speak of it.

5.      How many are really able to see the Lord, his love, and his power? How many realize their blindness? How many approach the Lord for healing? How many allow him to touch and heal them? Especially when things go wrong, when difficulties and sufferings surround us, can we really affirm our faith and say, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are able to do this”?

6.      St Francis Xavier whom we venerate today is in a way similar to the blind men after receiving their sight. He received a new light, a new sight of faith, a new vision of life, being enlightened by St Ignatius of Loyola. And once lighted up, he began to spread the same light with tireless vigor in many missions in Asia, especially in India. And at the end, at the vital age of just 46, he was martyred in his battle against darkness. That is why he is honored as the patron of missions in India.

Direction: The real greatness of faith is not only receiving healing from the Lord but living and spreading the effect of that healing. This consists in bearing witness to the light of Christ amidst all situations of darkness

(REFLECTION 2 FROM 2020)

Focus: When we allow God to enter into our life and intervene in the course of our situations, the face and tone of life will not be the same

 

As the Word of God speaks, situations of deafness and blindness, disgrace, and shame constantly surround our life and abound as well. There are moments and conditions where we ourselves indifferently remain deaf and blind when we throw ourselves into situations of disgrace and shame. There are also times when we are forced not to hear, not to see, not to be honorable and gracious. Certainly, both kinds of situations are not desirable. In such times, how comforting it is to be assured that there is someone by our side in our times of struggle and sorrow! We must remember that we have a God who never neglects us. He thinks of us even before we think of ourselves. He understands our needs and struggles even before we realize them and cry for help. He will brighten our dark shades. He will knock away our disgrace and shame. He will strike hard against all the injustice and deceit. He will remove the cloud of sorrow, wipe away our tears, change our lives into springs of joy and happiness. He will heal all the blind and the deaf. He will stand by the side of the poor and the simple. He will fill the saddened hearts with renewed joy. All that is needed is to trust Him. We need to open our eyes and see the love and might of God working in our lives. We need to get rid of our blindness. Yes, we need healing. We need to realize that we need healing. We need to affirm our trust in God's healing of us. God is ever ready to render us healed. We need to run behind Him persistently, crying out to Him to help us. Not that He is unaware or indifferent. If it is our need, we must feel it and seek him to attend to it. We must approach him in trust and submit to his touch. And once healed, we must also bear witness to him.

Direction: As long as we are blind to God, we are blind to our own selves failing to see our person and life which are certainly in need of healing. Regain the sight and then we will see the marvels of God and life

 

(REFLECTION 3 FROM 2020)

We venerate today St Francis Xavier on his feast day. The word of God indicates the secret and source of his greatness. He was a man of true faith. True faith is not limited just to words. It is not happy with mere lip service, acclaiming loudly, “Lord, Lord!” His faith was authentic, shown in action. He was passionate and committed to “do God’s will” always and everywhere. Passion and commitment mark his whole life and mission. He was passionate for God, for God’s work, and for God’s people. He was committed to God’s will and plans, in every particle of his being, without any reserve. His commitment was so generous, so selfless, so free, so joyous, and prompt. His passion and commitment make him totally surrender his life to serve the Lord, even to the extent of dying for him. No fears, no adversities, nothing, and no one could stop or restrict his unflagging zeal. The focus of Francis was ever on the Lord who called him and the mission entrusted to Him. Therefore, nothing could frighten him or intimidate him or discourage him or disturb him or distort him. Distance or vicinity, success or failure, support or hostility, nothing would matter for him, but only a passionate zeal for the Lord to live for the Lord and to die for him. True to Jesus’ words in the gospel, unlike the fool who builds his house on sand, Francis Xavier was the wise man who built his house on the solid rock foundation of faith and service. Therefore, he stood firm and led many to God. His passion for God and his ardor for the mission are really challenging and inspiring for us.

 

Direction: Good intentions, right decisions, great words, and promises are very good. But that is not enough. True faith demands that we are people who integrate words with actions. Faith must be seen in fidelity and sacrifice.

 

04 DECEMBER 2021: ISAIAH 30. 19-21, 23-26; MATTHEW 9.35 – 10.1, 5a, 6-8

Focus: Every man of God and every disciple of Christ is called to work for God’s kingdom which is a harvest of abundant compassion and good fruits

1.      One unparalleled feature that marks the whole life and mission of Jesus was his compassion. It was his compassion that permeated and steered all his teaching, preaching, and healing. It was compassion that drove him to be one with the sick and the needy, the despised and depressed. In fact, his very incarnation is nothing but the greatest testimony of this unbounded compassion.

2.      In our modern world, this is one thing that is most lacking. Selfishness and indifference are overriding concern and compassion. Besides, often compassion is not understood in its full sense. Mostly it is limited only to some passion feeling of pity or sympathy. But in Jesus, we see the real soul and the drive of compassion.

3.      He is deeply sensitive to the struggles and the needs of others. We are told: he had compassion for the crowd, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Yes, he feels deep within for them. He becomes one with them and suffers together in empathy and total solidarity. This is the real compassion that is, suffering together.

4.      However, that does not stop there. His compassion is also alleviating. He removes the pain of the other and grants relief and comfort and new vigor. Thus, he teaches, preaches, and heals. He is the perfect replica and fulfillment of the words of the prophet Isaiah about God’s compassion in the first reading.

5.      As he comes and intervenes, “You shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when he hears it, he will answer you. He will bind up the hurt of his people; he will heal the wounds inflicted by his blow. You shall be guided rightly; there will be abundance”.

6.      This mission of compassion is not just limited to him alone. It does not finish and stop with him. It continues. And we, his disciples are the ones called to continue the same mission of compassion. That is why he says to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out the laborers into his harvest”. They promote the same mission of preaching and healing and bringing back the lost sheep. Further, in carrying out this mission, they are not left to themselves to struggle on. They are empowered by his own power.

Direction: The disciples of Jesus who labor for the harvest of God’s kingdom are not paid workers. They work freely and generously because it is their duty and response out of gratitude. For “they received without paying; therefore they give without pay”

(REFLECTION 2 FROM 2020)

Focus: An authentic life is always integrated in word and action, as seen in Jesus himself. When there is a dichotomy between what one believes and what one lives, it is only a fake faith, and against our very call itself

 

Jesus was always united with the Father, experiencing intimacy in serene moments of prayer. No amount of work, however busy and plenty it is, would rob this precious time. He was relentless in his preaching the good news. He was tireless and selfless in his healing ministry. Thus, communion with the Father, compassion for the people, and passion for the mission - characterized his whole life. At times, God may allow us to go through hard times, but not so much to penalize us, but only to teach us, so as to correct and solidify us. He bandages and heals the wounds that we have incurred. He will end our times of weeping. And he will give us fruition and that too in abundance. Certainly, the harvest of His grace is abundant in our life. But it is not to limit the grace to ourselves. We need to radiate the same to others. We need to help others as well to reap a rich harvest of God’s goodness. Therefore, his love for us also includes a mission. In other words, it is the mission of establishing and spreading the horizons of his kingdom. We are sent on the same mission through proclaiming and healing. This is a tough task. But he empowers us with his own light and power. In a world that is often without direction, without committed laborers, and without sanity, we are called to show the purpose and direction, to work committedly, and to heal the infirmities.

 

Direction: The realization that we are often like "sheep without a shepherd" because of our precarious and misleading situations should not make us confused, misguided, and deviated. Rather it should us to seek the only shepherd.

 

 

 

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT (2021)

 I SUNDAY ADVENT, 28 NOVEMBER 2021

Focus: We step again into the holy season of Advent. Let us remind ourselves of the very purpose of advent, its significance and live and fulfill its purpose

1.      It is once again the season of advent. What immediately comes to our mind is the holy Christmas. For many, advent is nothing more than some days that come before the birthday of the Lord. It is the duration for preparing the cribs, for installing the stars, for singing around the carols, for practicing the Christmas choir, for decorating and illuminating the churches, for planning some programs and organizing some get-togethers, for inviting or visiting the friends and relatives, for doing some special shopping for special festive dresses or articles, et cetera.

2.      We do not intend to undervalue the importance of all the above-listed. Our only concern is that the holy advent is reduced only to these items. Certainly, advent is a time of preparation preceding the holy Christmas. All these preparations form part of this preparation. But it is a preparation much more than these. It is a preparation of a deeper and higher realm. It is a time of preparation of hearts, of the families, of lives both collectively and personally. It is a time of preparing to go to meet the Lord who is coming. It is preparing a fitting birthplace for the one who will be born among us. It is preparing enough and clean space for him to enter. It is preparing the whole earth itself to receive the Lord who will encounter us.

3.      In the first place, advent is a commemoration and celebration of a past bygone event. As such, it must serve as a special occasion to draw inspiration for our imitation. It must make us recall the event of incarnation of the loving God amidst our sinful condition. It must inspire us to be deeply impressed by the selfless love of God that empties itself of the heavenly glory and embraces our human misery and struggle. It must make us imitate the same spirit of the incarnate Savior. It must make us live up to the very purpose of his birth, that is, to allow him to be with us and to transform us.

4.      Thus, our preparation and celebration will be meaningful, only when they blend together all the three dimensions of time, that is, the past, present, and future. We remember gratefully and joyfully the past, so that we can meaningfully and committedly live the present, and thereby become worthy of the eternal presence of God. Our celebration will be very inadequate if it is limited only to recall the past, if it does not affect and change our present, and does not charge and orient us toward the future.

5.      In this sense, advent is a threefold appropriate present preparation. Firstly, for the celebration of the past events; secondly, for the celebration of the present joy of the present birth of the Lord because he is with us; thirdly, orientation for the future joy of the eternal communion with God. We celebrate his past birth, his present life within and amidst us, and our eternity with him. Our advent preparation must look behind, look and walk onward and forward, and look and rise upward. That is why, Jesus says, “when these (adverse) things happen, “raise your heads and look up because your redemption is near”

6.      It is in this sense of future orientation the gospel speaks of the end times in the future. Future and end need not be exclusively in time sense, as something that lies in the far distance at the end of completion of all time and space. It is not a fixed, definite time. Rather it is the appointed time. It is the time of judgment. Thereby, advent becomes really significant when it is not only backward-looking but forward-looking and marching.

7.      We commemorate and celebrate the past because it affects our present and leads us to the future. Advent should prepare us fittingly for a worthy immediate celebration, for a worthy ongoing living, and for a worthy eternity. Jesus cautions us against three factors that trouble this fitting preparation: dissipation, drunkenness, and cares of the world. All these three hinder our fitting preparation and making a productive blend of the past, present, and future.

8.      Dissipation makes us tied down to the regrets and negative impacts of the past. Drunkenness creates an illusory world, dissociates us from the present reality and responsibility to it. It can be understood more as a pleasure and comfort-seeking life, and not just something to do with drinking alone. Cares and preoccupations of the world do not allow us to rise higher, to the lofty future. All these three fail in the productive use of the past, commitment to the present, and orientation to the future.

Direction: Advent is not just a time of pre-Christmas external preparations. It is a commemoration of the past, contribution to the present, and further construction for the future

I SUNDAY ADVENT, FROM 2020

Focus:  We are called by a worthy God to live a worthy life. Let us then neither belittle ourselves nor God who wants to elevate us.

1. Once again, we step into the holy season of Advent.  It is the time towards the advent of the Saviour amidst us. It is the advent of the incarnate Son of God as one of us. It is a time of the coming of God's own grace in flesh and blood, in the person of Jesus Christ. Down through the centuries, God has spoken and acted through many prophets and leaders. But this is the appointed time when God speaks, interacts and acts with the humans through His own Son.

2. Advent is not merely a series of days that precede the birth of Jesus, the Saviour. It is first of all a recalling and reassuring of the ceaseless love and mercy of God for the erring and sinning humanity. It is a reawakening of our hope that the Saviour is born among us. It is a reinstilling of our trust that God comes to live with us and will never abandon us. It is a reinstalling of the broken bond and covenant between God and us. It is the season of the greatest comfort that "God is ever benevolent and merciful us".

3. Our sin, our evil, our wrongdoings, our weaknesses and imperfections - nothing of these can mar or deter the love of God that never fails us.The holy Advent encourages us that ultimately it is God who takes control of the whole course of our life and no forces, however powerful and dominant they are, can really overpower it.

4. The holy Advent immerses us into the unfathomable depths of God's saving love. It encourages and revives us with new hope to continue to confide in him even when we are beset with adverse situations. It urges us to "wait on him" who comes to visit us and change our life. This would concretely mean that we do not get "engrossed and entangled" with needless affairs and excessive worldly activities, as in the times of Noah.

5. To the one who comes to us in love, mercy and solidarity, we must go in eagerness, readiness and preparation. The one who comes to us to be with us, should not find us in indifference, tepidity and unpreparedness. We must "Wake up from our sleep" of sin and mediocrity. We must solidify our steps, so that we do not stumble and falter in darkness, but walk steadily in the light.

6. How then do we prepare ourselves to meet him who is coming? There can be different attitudes and responses toward his coming:

He is coming - so what? Let Him come! This is an attitude of indifference, carelessness and lethargy

He is coming - oh my God! An attitude of fear and unhappiness

He is coming - why should he come? An attitude of unwelcome, stubbornness, resistance and rejection

He is coming - very good! Please come. An attitude of welcome, openness, receptivity, prompt acceptance and personal experience

What is our response? What is our preparation?

Direction: Let us wait for the Lord attentively and lovingly, so that he will not find and catch us unawares. Let us be fully awake and be focused on him and not lose sight of him.

34th week days mass reflection

22 – 27 NOVEMBER 2021: HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS

22 NOVEMBER 2021: DAN 1. 1-6, 8-20; LUKE 21. 1-4

Focus: Giving may be considered as loss and deprivation in the sight of the world. But in the sight of God, every act of giving is gaining God’s favor and abundant riches

1.      Many do not want to give because they think it reduces what they have. They feel deprived of what they can enjoy for themselves. For them, every act of giving is a loss, reduction, and deprivation. That is why many are driven by a spirit of grabbing and accumulating. This is truly a culture of greed and manipulation.

2.      In contrast to such a culture, we have an imitable example of a poor widow in the gospel. In comparison to the other rich people, she gives very little to the temple treasury – just two copper coins. As a number and quantity, it is very insignificant and ignorable. But it comes from an abundant heart, out of an abundance of love, trust, joy, and generosity.

3.      In the first reading from Daniel also, we have a similar story in the case of Daniel along with his three companions, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. They demonstrate the same spirit of giving. It is not merely a matter of giving something. It is much more. It is self-giving to God. They give themselves to God in faith and surrender. They give their loyalty to God. Even in slavery under a pagan king, they do not give up their trust and obedience to God’s ordinances. We are told that they resolved not to defile themselves with the food or the drink of the king.

4.      Apparently and practically, every giving will cause some inconvenience and loss. The poor widow loses her means of sustenance, her security for tomorrow. The four young men lose their chance to enjoy rich food, to become strong and fit. They had to content themselves with mere vegetables. They also stood the danger of penalty for defying the king’s order. But their selfless giving with faith in God pleases God and is rewarded.

5.      The poor woman merits appreciation by Jesus himself. And the four youths are given surpassing wisdom, understanding, learning, and skill. They win the king’s favor. They become beneficial and exemplary for others. They will become later the channels of testimony to Yahweh, the true God, before the pagans. St Cecilia whom we commemorate today was such a woman who gave testimony to her faith even to the point of martyrdom.

Direction: Those who are greedy and self-centered and refuse to give, do not realize what an immense grace of God they are losing. The more we give, the more we will be given

 

(REFLECTION 2 FROM 2020)

Focus: The humble and the generous are especially loved, blessed, and recompensed by God. It is better to win God’s favor rather than the human’s

 

The world may consider the humble and the benevolent people as foolish and imbeciles who do not understand the ways of the world, who do not keep pace with the times, who are not smart enough to make a prosperous life. The reason is simple: they are a contrast to those of the world, and their values are quite contrasted to those of the world. They are a contradiction, a question mark, and a stumbling block by their culture of giving, sacrificing, and altruism, to a world steeped in a culture of grabbing, hoarding, and self-profiting. But only such people are pleasing to God and they are truly appreciated by Him. The poor widow in the gospel is one such. She is a great testimony of a culture of giving – giving lovingly, trustingly, willingly, promptly, totally, generously, cheerfully, magnanimously, and humbly. With the simplest love for God and deep trust in His providential care, she gives away the whole of what she has. She does not keep back anything. She gives in full measures and gives so joyfully. She gives without making a show. Can she prick us a little bit to awaken from our deep-rooted selfishness and indifference? Can she inspire us a little bit to resist our greed and grabbing nature and become a little more generous and sharing?

 

Direction: It is not the quantity or the position of giving that matters but the disposition and quality of heart.

 

23 NOVEMBER 2021: DANIEL 2. 31-45; LUKE 21. 5-11

Focus: Worldly glories and human accomplishments may stand tall and great for some time. They may bring honor and popularity for a while. But nothing of these will stand long

1.      The temple of Jerusalem was a symbol of pride for all the Jews for its splendor and magnificence. But all this vanished as it was destroyed in 70 AD. No glory and grandeur could spare it from the destruction. This is a stark indicator to all of us about the transience of anything worldly. Everything of this world and earth will pass away. It is futile and foolish to place our trust in them and seek glory from them.

2.      The Jews pride themselves as the chosen people, as people of God and people of the temple. They forget the fact that it is not the race or the temple or city or their law or rich heritage that makes them great before God. Nothing of these would be guarantees to obtain God’s grace. Nothing of these would come to rescue in time of trial. Ultimately it is only fidelity to God and walking in His ways.

3.      This is the same message that is conveyed through Daniel’s interpretation of the king’s dream. All the earthly kingdoms based on human power and ability will be destroyed. But the kingdom that is set up by God shall never be destroyed. This is the messianic kingdom, the kingdom of God, the reign of God.

4.      Therefore, in the face of such perishability and passability of the worldly things, what must be our response? Firstly, to take heed not to be led astray by the worldly pomp and glory. Secondly, not to go after false prophets and false teachings. Thirdly, not to be frightened by the disastrous events like wars, tumults, earthquakes, famines and pestilences. Fourthly, to be firm and persevering in living our life faithfully.

Direction: Let us not bother too much about when will be the end, what will be the signs of the end. Rather let us be more concerned about living a life that is worthy of meeting the end

 

(REFLECTION 2 FROM 2020)

Focus: Trust in the material and external things of the world will only lead to a deeper disappointment and eventual destruction

 

Deception and deviation are clearly dominating the human life now. Many are heavily tainted and captured by the world.  They are self-conceited, self-seeking, and are highly deviant and manipulative. They also mislead others by exerting a false influence on them.  These are exactly the deceivers of whom Jesus cautions us. They project themselves as the saviors, as those who know the ways and times of God. The Pharisees and the scribes, the legitimate teachers and guides, are only false prophets. They had placed their false hopes in their credentials as the chosen people, as the people of the temple. They pride themselves in the splendor and glory of the Jerusalem temple. But it was destroyed. Jesus makes it clear to the Jews that human glories, worldly achievements, false popularity are only temporarily rewarding and they do not last long. Those who place their trust in them and pursue them will only be frustrated and ruined. The main concern should be not so much to predict things with accuracy. Rather, it should be to read the signs of the times, to understand the warnings on the wall, to correct the faulty and faltering ways. What is the use of knowing the times and the events with mathematical precision, but failing to take care to face those moments? What is the use of predicting the end times with exactitude, but not prepared well for the end? We may not know when and how will be the end. But one thing is sure: we will all stand for God’s judgment. We need to submit a strict account of the life lived. Therefore, it is better to remain alert and keep oneself prepared. One should neither be frightened nor indifferent, but be sober and accountable.

 

Direction: The end times are not so much a chronological matter but an existential concern. It is a situation, surmounted by violence and persecution. It is the fate of those who are injected with the worldly poison of greed and self- glory. But for those who are loyal to God, the end times are salvation. 

 

24 NOVEMBER 2021: DAN 5. 1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-29; LUKE 21. 12-19

Focus: Fidelity to truth and to the Lord will certainly bring a lot of opposition and persecution upon those who stand for truth and God. But it is worth standing!

1.      Following Christ and his values is not an easy task. It will invite many adversities and afflictions. For that matter, anyone who stands for God and goodwill comes across suffering and persecution. The simple reason is a world whose values are shallow and compromising cannot accept such contrasts and challenges.

2.      The same will be the fate of the disciples of Christ. If they are truly faithful to their master, then they too will have the same fate as their master – opposition, persecution, trial, and death. In the gospel, Jesus predicts what would befall his disciples because of their fidelity. They will be unjustly opposed, arrested, put to trial, and persecuted. They will be betrayed even by their own family and even put to death.

3.      People of the world turn and rise against the people of God. A sample of this we see in the first reading. King Belshazzar along with his household and a number of his lords commits a sacrilege by drinking from the holy vessels of the temple of Jerusalem. He has lifted himself against the Lord of heaven. They have praised the gods of silver and gold, etc. while they do not honor the true God in whose hand is all breath and all our ways.

4.      Similarly, there are many who divinize the merely earthly and the worldly. They desecrate and profane the sacred. They do not honor and adhere to the true God but pose themselves against Him. Naturally, these cause trouble for the true followers.

5.      In such times, what must the followers do? Do not be disturbed or waver in your minds. But trust and confide in God’s minute care because “not a hair of our head will perish”. Besides, He will supply the wisdom to confront and defeat the enemy. Endure to the end. Be convinced of the just judgment of God. As in the case of the king, there will be for sure a “writing on the wall” against all who do evil. The same words of judgment, “Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin” will apply to every evil-minded. God numbers the days of every evil kingdom and brings it to an end. Evil people are weighed in the balances and found wanting. Their kingdom, that is all that they possess and hold dear will be dispersed.

Direction: The times of suffering and persecution are not fighting a losing battle. It is indeed an opportune time to bear testimony to our faith and love for the Lord

(REFLECTION 2 FROM 2020)

Focus: When God is with us, what can be against us? When we are for God, who can resist us? When we stand with God and for God, who can strike us down and shatter us?

 

These are really hard times especially for those who are sincere and loyal to the right values. Fidelity to God's ways in faith and charity is always a great challenge. This readily throws one into adverse and suffering situations. History repeatedly proves this to us. Those who are uncompromising pay a heavy price. Persecution and even death become their lot. Infidelity and betrayal are quite real facts to be expected. Such situations are really painful, frightening and discouraging. But Jesus is assuring us "Do not fear", "Every hair of your head is counted".  "My Spirit will give you the wisdom to overcome the adversaries". Therefore, in the face of negative experiences, what is needed is not fear or depression but trust in God's unfailing love and power. We need not fear because God Himself is with us. We need not lose heart because God takes deeply personal care of each one of us. We need not worry about how to counter the opponents, because God’s own wisdom will confound them. Further, our suffering receives a greater motive and merit: they are authentic means of bearing testimony to the Lord. Patience and perseverance in adversities will testify how convinced we are in our faith and how loyal we are to the Lord.

 

Direction: Struggle and suffering for God and for good are always meritorious. Therefore, we must develop a culture of positive acceptance and joyful atmosphere. A fearful over-concern and tact to avoid and escape from any worthwhile challenge are actually not in tune with our witnessing value.

 

25 NOVEMBER 2021: DAN 6. 11-26; LUKE 21. 20-28

Focus: In our life, many times many things may go wrong, many may go against us, many tormenting moments will mount over us. But never lose heart or faith!

1.      The gospel contains the details of the forthcoming destruction of Jerusalem. It also cautions us about the end times. We need not understand the end chronologically as some fixed time in the future that awaits us. Rather we can understand it as a time of judgment by God. This will be preceded by testing and trying times that will consist of many natural upsets and disasters.

2.      When we are ridden by such pressuring situations, what must be our reaction and response? Jesus gives us the answer: “When these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads because your redemption is drawing near”. This is exactly what Daniel did in the first reading. He was thrown before lions because of his faith. But he trusted in God. He conducted himself blameless before God. He served His living God continually.

3.      Daniel was not in panic. He was not shaken in his faith. He raised his head to the God of heaven. He turned the testing time into a trusting time. He firmly believed that his affliction is a time of testimony to the living God and thus also a time of redemption for him.

4.      Accordingly, his faith in God was not in vain. God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not hurt him. Daniel was not only abundantly blessed by God. He not only immensely won the king’s heart but many more marvelous things happened. He became the instrument of bringing many to God. King Darius decrees that “all the peoples, nations and languages that dwell in all the earth, all in his royal dominion shall tremble and fear before the God of Daniel”.

Direction: Faith and hope shall never disappoint us and fail us. God never abandons those who trust in Him. Let us turn our testing times into trusting and testifying times!

(REFLECTION 2 FROM 2020)

Focus: Faith is tested and testified through trying times for its depth and loyalty. It shines bright and firm when it passes through the crucible of suffering

 

As we are at the threshold of the Holy Advent, the liturgy of the Word of God is insistently pressing upon us the gravity and the perplexity of the end times. We are reminded that true faith is not a guarantee and a shield against the brunt of the problems and painful consequences of violence and calamities. Faith does not exempt one to be spared from them, which are bound to happen. They are in fact part of the human lot and also part of testing and testifying to our faith. Even the spiritual glory like the Jerusalem temple was destroyed. Evil will strike hard against even the spiritual treasures and powers which we hold so sacred and precious. But it is not a sign of the domination of evil over good and God. It is the process of salvation and re-creation. It is the nearing of our redemption. Therefore, two lessons can be very valid for our own times for both the categories of people. For those who indulge in evil: they may feel that theirs is the day, that there is no stop for their evil, that they are prospering. Let them become aware that the reign of evil is not enduring and permanent; that their apparent control of the world is only passing; that they will be taken to task on the appointed day; that they are accountable for every single action of their evil. This is very clearly depicted in the first reading from Revelation: all those who were indulging in evil will receive severe judgment and punishment. Then, for those who are honest and loyal to God: they need not lose heart at the domination of the evil; they need not be frightened at the devastating effects of evil; they also should not expect that their faith and goodness will be foolproof from any difficulty.

 

Direction: Therefore, we shall not lie down with drooping spirits when adversities and afflictions assault us. Rather "we shall stand erect, look up and raise our heads in hope and assurance"

 

26 NOVEMBER 2021: DAN 7. 2-14; LUKE 21. 29-33

Focus: Problems and persecutions, terrors, and destruction may cause some fear and worry. But as children of God and followers of Christ, they shall not shake our faith or throw us into dissipation

1.      No one’s life is easy and all pleasant. Every life will have its own tales of worry and grief. All the more, the strange logic of the life in this world is those who are on the side of God and goodwill certainly suffer. It is the cost of the high and godly. It is the price that is to be paid.

2.      On the other hand, the life on earth is also beset with a lot of unfavorable and adverse natural reversals and happenings. Different explanations may be given. Most of the human suffering like poverty, dehumanization, etc. may be due to human wickedness and selfishness. And most of the natural suffering caused by the natural calamities again may be partly due to the human upsetting of the environmental balance and harmony. However, suffering remains always a mystery that cannot be fully grasped.

3.      Whatever be the cause of suffering, suffering is a reality. And for a follower of Christ, suffering for his faith and for the sake of the good of others is always an opportunity to persevere in patience and hopefulness. The adverse situations do not mean that evil dominates God and good. They are testing grounds. They are indicators that “the kingdom of God is near”.

4.      The victory of evil and the defeat of good are only temporary. For, as we hear Daniel in the first reading, “To him belongs all dominion, glory, and kingdom; all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom is one that shall not be destroyed”.

5.      “Heaven and earth will pass away, but his words will not pass away”. Therefore, when all these adverse things happen, understand that it is all part of the process. Just as the fig tree’s different stages show the different seasons, so also all the occurrences in life are pointers toward the kingdom of God.

Direction: The negative and unfavorable experiences in life shall not distract or distort us from God and His kingdom. Rather, they work as timely triggers that press our attention on our destiny

 

(REFLECTION 2 FROM 2020)

Focus: Destruction and pain are not necessarily negative and life-choking but are also challenging and life-promoting. New life can sprout up when the old things cease

 

No doubt that in human life, there is a lot of element of destruction and the consequent pain. And usually, they are resented and resisted. It is because of their negative effects of deprivation and struggle in different ways. For example, when family life is destroyed, when a business is destroyed, when life- prospects are destroyed, when reputation is destroyed, when material securities like house etc. are destroyed, it is really painful. However, struggle and destruction are also part of growth and fruition as well. A seed struggles and dies to give rise to a new life. People get enlightened, strengthened, courageous, and renewed, going through tough times. Therefore, in the face of adverse situations, what is needed is to see beyond them - the glory that awaits us. The sad and unfavorable situations should not push us into despair. It is not the pleasantness or unpleasantness of the experiences that necessarily decide their quality. There is no guarantee that what is pleasant is good, and that what is unpleasant is bad. Often, what is pleasurable can be bad also. All that is needed is to persist to trust in the Lord, in spite of all the adverse happenings. Let us confide in his assurance: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away”.

 

Direction: The difficult times that we face should not push us into gloom and doom. They should rather ignite us with renewed hope. It is the hope that they are the days of the "nearness of God's kingdom"

 

27 NOVEMBER 2021: DAN 7. 15-27; LUKE 21. 34-36

 

Focus: Perishability is a bounden truth of earthly human life. Everything that is earthly will perish and pass. Only God and His kingdom remain!

 

1.      It is really ironic that the human brain that is able to see, calculate, and plan for centuries ahead, fails to see beyond his own death. He who achieves much does not remember much that all that is physical and material is perishable. Consequently often man engrosses himself in what is on earth. He becomes so earth-bound and life becomes so short-sighted. In Jesus’ own words, “hearts get weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life”.

2.      These words of Jesus mean a lot. There is a warning to guard against the danger of making our hearts heavy and burdened with worthless weights. There is an invitation to make our hearts light getting rid of all unnecessary loads. Jesus is also very clear about what makes us weighed down? He lists out three main factors: dissipation, drunkenness, and cares of this life.

3.      Jesus is very practical and realistic. He knows very well that these often make our life joyless and burdensome. We often fall into bouts of dissatisfaction, discouragement, emptiness, and depression. There is also an increasing drink-culture. However drunkenness can be understood as a comfort and pleasure-seeking culture, and can indicate an easy-going and compromising life. It is being “drunk with worldliness”. And then there is always the trap of over-anxiety about the preoccupations, pursuits and interests of the world.

4.      What then is the remedy? Be constantly aware that the end is sure but sudden and unexpected. Therefore, be prepared. Watch at all times. Pray ceaselessly to become strong to stand firm, and to stand worthy before the judgment of God.

 

Direction: Watchfulness and prayerfulness in faithfulness and goodness are the antidotes for a worrisome life amidst the pulls of pleasures and pressures

 

 

(REFLECTION 2 FROM 2020)

Focus: The more one is immersed into unworthy, unhealthy, and deviated interests and pursuits, the more life becomes debased and cursed

 

“Man is born free but is in chains everywhere”, is a famous philosophical statement. That is very true. Man craves so much for freedom, but often unconsciously loses the same freedom because of his various inclinations and preoccupations of life. Sadly, he mistakes licentiousness with freedom, self-indulgence with self-promotion, self-gratification with self-fulfillment. In the name of modernity, immorality is glorified; perverted passion becomes fashion; vulgarity is defended as self-determination; exhibitionism is promoted as public imaging. Man confuses mindless activity as being enterprising and productive. Real joy is reduced to short-lived pleasures and enjoyments. This is exactly the situation of a defocused and harmful “immersion” of which Jesus warns us in the gospel. He cautions: Don’t immerse yourselves in a life of pleasure, drunkenness, and worldly cares. The danger and the undesirable consequence is that we will be caught unawares like a trap, before God on the day of judgment. To counteract this destructive immersion, what is needed is a constructive “inversion” into God. This implies being ever attentive and on guard, being ever watchful and praying. In the light of the first reading from Revelation, it means to be focused on our eternal destiny and on the immense bliss and joy of it. Those who remain loyal to God, will live in his eternal presence, will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. God Himself will be their light, and they will reign forever.

 

Direction: What a foolishness it is that man loses one whole eternity for the sake of a fraction of temporality, that he loses the immensity of bliss in exchange for a shallow pleasure!