31 week days mass reflection of the year 22

31 OCTOBER - 05 NOVEMBER 2022, HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS 31 OCTOBER 2022: PHIL 2. 1-4; LUKE 14. 12-14 Thrust: Give without return! Indicative: There is an overriding spirit of receiving, grabbing, and profiting. The spirit of giving and sharing is declining 1. We are dominated by a culture of calculation, accumulation, and manipulation. Behind every move and action in life, there is a pre-thought of estimating and evaluating the gain and the loss. Against such a mentality, today Jesus advocates the spirit of giving without expecting a return and repayment. 2. He uses the simple metaphor of a dinner or banquet. It is quite normal that we invite our friends or relatives or who are important to us in terms of position or usefulness. There is always an element of expectation. It may not be always a material benefit but at least in terms of maintaining goodwill, and receiving recognition and appreciation. 3. Here the point is not about whom to invite or not to invite. It is also not a directive to stop inviting all our near and dear ones. Rather, it is a call to purify our spirit of giving. Give selflessly without any self-interest. Give with real concern for the needs of others. Give with a genuine spirit of generosity and sharing. 4. The reason for giving is not self-interest or self-orientation but other-orientedness. The first reading makes this very clear. St Paul exhorts us: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit… Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others.” 5. At times we may also give or organise something in order to display our greatness, make a show, and good impressions. There can be an implicit feeling to show our importance. That is why St Paul reminds us, “in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Imperative: Let every action of ours proceed from a sincere love for Christ, and a fraternal spirit of accord and benevolence 01 NOVEMBER 2022: ALL SAINTS DAY, REV 7. 2-4, 9-14; 1 JOHN 3. 1-3; MATTHEW 5. 1-12 Thrust: Blessed are you! Indicative: Blessedness is our destiny and beatitudes are our royal means 1. What a celestial joy it is to celebrate the solemn festivity of all saints! Explicitly on this one day, we are united with the whole band of saints. We are reminded of our bond and communion with them. Through them, we are reminded of our destiny as well, that is, to be with them in heaven. 2. All saints remind us of our own call like theirs – called to holiness. Holiness is our call and sanctification is God’s will for us. Holiness is not a privilege, reserved only to some. It is grace and gracious possibility laid open to all. 3. But it is not a gift by chance. It should not be a gift, taken for granted and left unmerited. God does not create readymade saints. There are no predetermined, predestined saints. One becomes a saint by living. Thus, saintliness on one hand is a gratuitous gift of God and on the other hand, is an assiduous task. 4. It is a bounden duty of everyone to strive for sanctity. God has destined us “to be holy and blameless” in His sight for eternity. These saints encourage us that it is possible to become saints, despite our weaknesses and pressures. They inspire us to become like them, in patience and perseverance. They challenge us to guard and fight against all forces that are unholy. 5. Beatitudes lay open before us the “golden path” of holiness that leads to blessedness. Clearly, they are stark contradictions to the standards and ways of the world. The beatitudes exalt and advocate 1) “poverty” – humility, detachment, moderation, and contentment, against all greed and accumulation; 2) “mourning” – being sensitive, attentive, tender, empathetic and caring, against indifference and unfeeling; 3) “gentleness and meekness – being polite, courteous, composed and serene, against being rude, impatient, hot-tempered, aggressive and hurting; 4) “hunger and thirst” for righteousness – being passionate and relentless for justice and fairness, against all tepidity and feeding on unfairness; 5) “mercy” – being compassionate, forgiving and reconciling, against resentment, revenge, and retaliation; 6) “purity of heart” – being clear-sighted, single-minded and clean of heart, against being contaminated and polluted, cunning and deceitful; 7) “peacefulness” – loving peace and promoting peace, against all violence and mindless agitation and anxiety; 8) “persecution and insult” – bearing all misunderstanding, opposition, slander, calumny, and affliction for the sake of God and good, against seeking comfort, praise, and popularity for the sake of self. 6. Such a way of beatitudes subjects one to tremendous struggle and suffering. But one need not lose heart because the end fruit is eternal bliss. Nevertheless, this bliss will be already foretasted here on earth, in obtaining and relishing God’s own comfort, satisfaction, mercy, an abundance of fortitude, joy, and peace. Imperative: Sanctity is a project that is worth pursuing because its fruits are everlasting. It is always more worth to strive and suffer for something higher (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021) Focus: All are called to be saints; all may not be raised to sainthood but all can rise to saintliness. All may not receive the honor of official veneration but all can strive for the honor of actual imitation 1. Every November 01st is a great celebration. It is in fact the earthly celebration of the feast day of the heavenly saints. What a grand celebration it is because it puts together all the feast days of all the saints! Today we are reminded of our inseparable communion with them. They stand before us as references and icons of holiness, sources of encouragement, beacons of hope, flashes of inspiration, pointers of challenge, and urges for change. 2. They lived on the same earth beset with the same struggles. They were not born saints. They strove, struggled, and grew and became saints. They fill us with confidence, courage, and hope that we too can become saints. They inspire, guide, and challenge us and assist us to change. Status or capacity, time, or space do not matter. To be holy and saintly is the call and possibility for everybody, everywhere and every time. 3. In them, we see what we must become, what we can become and how to become. Sainthood may be a special honor granted by God to a few. But saintliness is an honor open and possible for all. They understood and followed the beatitudes as the authentic and effective means to become saints. They became saints because they followed the beatitudes. 4. The beatitudes indicate that we are destined people and not people without a destiny. We are people by God’s choice and not by chance. We live and move by God’s gratuitous gift and not by a fortuitous drift. We are destined for bliss and blessedness. The Beatitudes are the pathways and roadmaps to travel the journey and pursue that path. 5. The saints through their life by beatitudes show us that we need to lead a heaven-directed and heaven-driven life in contrast to an earth-bound and earth-pressured life. The beatitudes are contradictory values to the false values of the world. 6. They summon us to be humble and surrendered to God, contrary to being proud and unruly complacent. This is the way of being poor in the sight of the world but rich in God’s sight. They call us to be sensitive and caring toward others, contrary to being indifferent and self-centered. This is the way to mourn with others and for others. 7. They call us to be gentle, meek, and patient contrary to being rude, harsh, and aggressive. They call us to hunger and thirst, to passionately crave to be righteous and fair. They call us to be merciful and forgiving, contrary to being stern and grudgeful. They call us to be pure of heart, uncontaminated by guile and malice contrary to all impurity, deception, and evil-mindedness. They call us to be peace-lovers, peace-makers, peace-givers, and peace-promoters contrary to all aggression and disharmony. They call us to joyfully suffer for God and good. 8. There is no doubt that such a life according to the beatitudes is very strenuous and demanding. But we need not be frightened or discouraged. The Lord will himself be our rescue and refuge. And our reward is great beyond compare. It is to enjoy the abundance of the Spirit in his light and power, already here on earth and the measureless eternity thereafter. Saints are our assurances! Direction: Holiness is wholeness. The more we try to live as holistic and integrated persons, the more we become holy and saintly. Whoever strives to sanctify himself is a saint of sanctity! (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2020) 1. All Saints day is a special and specified day that recalls and reminds us of our universal call to holiness. All are called to be holy. It is a privilege and responsibility of all, a right and duty as well. It is not reserved only to a privileged few, but the patrimony and destiny of all. Everyone, irrespective of their state of life and affairs, in their own walk of living, can strive for sanctity. 2. All Saints day shows this bonding with them in sanctity and binding for sanctity. The feelings that should arise in us, are those of admiration, inspiration, and imitation. Saints were not superhumans or extraordinary aliens. They are like us, surrounded and surmounted by the same pressures and challenges, constraints, and problems. But they were focused on their destiny and they walked toward it and reached it. They deserve our admiration. 3. The saints are inspiring. Their spirit and spirituality, their depth and interiority, their passion and assiduity, their consistency and perseverance, their warmth and vigor in the practice of virtue, Impel us for the same. 4. The saints are imitable. They evoke in us not only a sense of admiration and inspiration but also emulation. They invite us and challenge us to walk the way, they have traveled. They show us the way, accompany us on the way as our guides and mentors, and also strengthen us. 5. They indicate to us the answers to fundamental questions like How to live life? How to walk the way? How to nurture sanctity and attain perfection? We should be imbued with a sense of destination, direction, determination, devotion, and dedication. 6. In a world that has lost sense of destiny and destination, and thus gratifies itself with shorter destinations and lesser ideals, lower goals, and cheaper targets, like money, comfort, physical pleasure, status, and power, we are called, in line with the saints, to live as people of higher destiny and eternal destination. 7. In a world that is often confused and misguided by lesser interests and unworthy motives, losing its focus, clarity, and vision, and thus oscillates and stumbles aimless and directionless, we are called to instill in them a sense of direction, against being disoriented and deviated and distorted. 8. In a world where the motivation for what is good and right, is at its low ebbs, and thus determination is very fragile, we in line with the saints, are called to ignite the people with the positive drive and force of resolve and determination. Often the reason for failure to grow steadily is not so much the lack of capacity or resources, but only the lack of will and resolve. As long as we do not will strong, we will not go strong and well. 9. We live in a world where devotion acquires more and more secular connotations. It is equated with undying interest and pursuit of temporary and temporal goals, like devotion to career, wealth, power, position, pleasure, and gratification. Subsequently, devotion to God and higher ideals loses its charm and appeal. Many remain indifferent to God and spiritual concerns. 10. There are also others, who are externally counted "devout", but are only shallow and superficial. Their devotion really does not bring them closer to God in a personal intimacy, nor does their devotion change their concrete life. In such a world, we need to bear witness to a genuine and deep devotion to God, and witness to a higher spiritual power and realm. 11. Further, we are in a world where dedication has two main aspects: either, dedication is declining, as convenience and comfort override it. Or, dedication is wrongly directed and charged, in the pursuit of wrong things. 12. In such a world, we, along with the band of saints, are urged to be people on fire of passion and enthusiasm for God and good, and also to set the people on fire, motivating, animating, enthusing, and empowering the people, in and through our lives and ministries, charged with sanctity. May the saints illumine, guide, and strengthen us! May we walk more and more the path of holiness! Long live the saints! 02 NOVEMBER 2022: ALL SOULS DAY, WISDOM 3. 1-9c; MATTHEW 25. 31-46 Thrust: Awaiting heaven! Indicative: Earth is the launching ground, purgatory is the transit and heaven is the landing destination 1. Every November 02 we commemorate all souls. It teaches and indicates many truths of our Christian life. First of all, life does not end with death but continues in another form. The physical body is perishable and physical, earthly human existence is temporary. There is a spiritual body and existence that are imperishable and eternal. 2. Whether in or without body, we are bound together in fraternal and spiritual communion, and the cessation of physicality or earthliness does not disrupt or cancel this communion. Death is a moment, a door of passage, a transition from earth to heaven, from temporary to eternal life. 3. Heaven is our homeland proper and all are destined to reach back there. This human physical earthly existence is then a limited duration during which real preparation must be done to take us to heaven. 4. However, as humans we are, our fragilities do not fully leave us. Our imperfections accompany us to the grave. But nothing unholy or unclean can stand before God or be with Him who is the Holy of holies. 5. Therefore, purification, and purgation must continue and be complete. We believe that purgatory is that “purgative”, “transit” and “probative” period that cleanses us perfectly to “fit us to the heavenly mansions”. Where it will be, how long, and how, such questions are beyond our human comprehension and are irrelevant as well. 6. What is important to note is that our fraternal and spiritual bonding and obligation do not cease with death. We continue to belong to God and each other, whether alive or dead. Therefore, we continue to love the departed and be concerned for them. 7. We continue to pray for them, recommending them to God to purge them and receive them into heaven. The prayers, holy masses, and the good works we offer on behalf of the dead should not be seen as “compensations” or “installed payments” to appease and relent God’s wrath and punishment. 8. They are also not a “barter system” where heaven is given in exchange for what we offer on their behalf. Neither is it an “interested investment” where we buy a heaven ticket to the souls and send them to heaven so that they can be our benefactors later on. 9. Rather the whole reality of all souls must be seen from the optic of communion and solidarity in faith and fraternity. They are clear expressions of our solidarity with them and concern for their salvation. They are also our supplication to God’s mercy to make good for what might have lacked in their earthly life. 10. There is nothing wrong to believe that we help the souls in purgatory because by themselves they remain helpless to help themselves. While on earth, we are able to help them, and once relieved from purgatory and received into heaven, they will be able to help us. 11. Besides, this commemoration is an alarm bell for all of us that one day all must reach the same end of death. No one is permanent on earth. And death is not a permanent closure. Eternity awaits us. 12. But there is the last judgment that decides the face of our eternity, whether damnation or salvation. And this differentiation is solely on the basis of one’s life on earth. Life before death determines life after death. Only a life of charity rooted in faith can qualify us for heaven. Imperative: A life rooted in spiritual and fraternal communion and which flourishes in charity will purge us and gain us eternal victory. (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021) Focus: Our God is holy and our destiny is holy heaven. Nothing unholy or impure can live with Him eternally. Therefore, real purification is a must 1. Every 02 November marks the special commemoration of the departed. We believe that everyone in God’s mercy is destined for eternal life and not damnation. Thus, our destiny is heaven and not hell. However, we being fragile are not worthy to be in eternity with all our sinfulness. Therefore, all need cleansing and purification. Purgatory is that condition of purgation 2. Where? How? How long? Such questions regarding purgatory are not within our grasp and perhaps are not crucial as well. All that is needed to know is that we have a time and situation of cleansing. Purgatory is not a place of punition but purification. It is not a punishment but chastisement. It is not harassing but cleansing. It is probation for insertion into the heavenly abode. The emphasis should be on the bliss of eternity and not so much on the misery of purgatory. 3. Purgatory is like waiting on the right platform. A life that is not properly led is like remaining on the wrong platform. The right train arrives at the station. But the problem is that people are not on the right platform to get into the right train. God’s grace and mercy is the right train. A life of virtue is the right platform. Often in life, we get on to the wrong platforms or wrong trains. All Souls day is a call to place our life rightly and travel rightly. 4. Purgatory is then an extended “grace period”, an additional “mercy time” for reparation. It does not indicate God’s rigidity to delay our eternity. Rather it indicates His extra benevolence to grant us further chance. It is in fact not a forced imposition by God. Rather, it is a needed self-preparation. It is a time of “refitting” ourselves, “re-equipping” ourselves to enter heaven. We need not argue how God can punish eternally for the sins committed temporarily. Rather, we can feel happy that in exchange for a short good life, He generously grants one whole eternity, and He is so concerned that He takes care to make us fit during purgatory for one whole eternity. 5. Once again, like All Saints’ day, on this All Souls’ day too, we are reminded of our spiritual and fraternal communion and solidarity as God’s children and as brothers and sisters, in faith and fraternity. It is this bonding that makes us bound to pray for them, for their release from probation and raising to new life. Direction: Let the commemoration of the departed remind us that we need to depart one day and stand before God for His judgment. If so, it is better that we continue to judge ourselves and cleanse ourselves to fit into the heavenly mansions (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2020) All Souls day - A day that uniquely teaches us some fundamental lessons of our Christian living. 1. We are all destined for eternity. This earthly human life is only a temporary dwelling and duration, and death is inevitable. It is through the door and passage of death that we are at the entrance of eternal life. Therefore, our sight should be raised beyond death, on to eternity, and not be stuck with and dissipated by the encounter with death 2. To be in such an eternal abode, in the presence of the Holy God, we fall short and fail, due to our sinfulness and unholiness. We need to be purified so as to be holy. God in His infinite mercy, provides the departed souls, such a purifying time in purgatory. 3. We all Belong to one God, as His children, be it the saints of the Triumphant Church, be it we, the pilgrims on earth of the militant Church, or be it the departed souls in purgatory. It is this belonging to God and one another, in faith and fraternity, that obligates us toward the souls of departed 4. Our essential bonding in faith and fraternity puts on us a binding obligation to continue to be concerned for the departed, in remembrance of them and prayer for them. 5. In other words, our spiritual and fraternal communion leads to an obligation for oration, affection, and perpetuation. Obligation for oration implies that we pray for the departed, for their repose. Obligation for affection implies that we continue to love them and care for them. Obligation for perpetuation implies that we think of them not only sentimentally and spiritually, but also perpetuate their memory, through living their ideals and virtues, bringing them honor, by our life and example. May the souls departed find eternal repose! 03 NOVEMBER 2022: PHIL 3: 3-8a; LUKE 15. 1-10 Thrust: The Uncountable treasure! Indicative: God’s mercy is the greatest treasure and repentance is the fitting way and condition to experience it 1. The experience of loss is a natural human experience. It is common for everybody. It can refer to any aspect – material, physical, intellectual, psychological, social, moral, or spiritual. It is in terms of money, things, health, relationship, knowledge, success, profit, values, faith, opportunities, et cetera. Whenever something is lost, there is certainly anxiety, tension, and sadness. And also one begins to reflect on the causes and consequences of the loss. 2. There will be also efforts to search for what is lost and to regain it. Jesus brings our awareness to this fact of loss, through two metaphors of a lost sheep and a lost coin. We are the lost sheep and lost coin. We are lost many times due to sin. We are lost to God in faith and fidelity and lost to others in goodness and kindness. 3. What is consoling is that God is deeply concerned about us being lost. He is in a ceaseless search for us to regain us. He wants to restore us to our lost dignity and sanctity. He rejoices over us when we are found. 4. Often we easily get lost. We deliberately lose God – His love, intimacy, instruction, and values. We lose him in preference to lesser things of the world. We wrongly think that the rest are greater gains. 5. In fact, we lack wisdom. So we fail to distinguish and discern between what is more important and precious and what is less important and valuable. But Paul had this wisdom. That is why he was able to choose Christ and his way in preference to all the rest of the things. He would confess with conviction: “Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” Imperative: In life, we need to sincerely check and see what are our priorities. What do I lose and what do I gain? Do I lose the essential for the sake of the trivial? Do I repent over losing my love for the Lord and goodness to others? (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2020, 05 NOVEMBER) Focus: Being lost is not something condemnable as long as there is a readiness to set on the search and return One of the greatest differences between God's mindset and that of humans is the sense of judgment and condemnation. God who has the power and authority and the capacity to judge and condemn, is patient, merciful, and exuberant in forgiving and receiving back. But a man who is not competent and prone to falter is eager to judge and despise others. Jesus makes it very clear that God is not at all interested in exercising his power to condemn the lost ones but is concerned to search and to regain them, so as to stand them among the "gained". No one needs to be dissipated about "losing the way" and getting stranded at times. What is important is one has the humility and surrender to allow oneself to be found by the Lord and to be restored to the right fold and path. Direction: When God Himself wants to absolve, forgive and reinstate the repentant ones, who are we to continue to label, despise and estrange them? (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2021, 04 NOVEMBER) Focus: The beauty and greatness of our God are, He is ever merciful and surplus generous. He wants our conversion and not the damnation 1. One greatest consoling thought is God never wants us to die in sin. He does not want us to deserve judgment and condemnation. He understands that time and again we “are lost” like the lost sheep. We deviate from the right path. We get stranded. We go away from Him. We also estrange ourselves from the fold. At times, we are also lost like the lost coin. We slip away from the hold and possession of God, like the coin lost from the woman. 2. What bothers and anguishes God is not so much that we are lost at times. He understands our human fragility and waywardness. So, He is benevolent and patient toward us. He is ceaselessly in search of us. He wants us to repent. He wants us to rediscover and regain our lost way, our lost spirit, and our lost belongingness. 3. He wants to re-embrace us to His loving bosom. He wants to continue to lead us and feed us like the shepherd. He wants us that we remain always as His priced coins, His valuable wealth with value, dignity, and usefulness. 4. Now, how does one repent, and how does one manifest his repentance? Paul’s letter to Romans 14. 7-12 gives us some concrete cues. First of all, realise that we essentially belong to Him: whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. 5. Secondly, realize that He is our Lord: he bought us from the slavery of sin and ruin of death and offers us new life by his own death and rising; every knee shall bow to him, and every tongue shall give praise to God. Therefore, grow in the spirit of dependence on Him and surrender to Him. 6. Thirdly, remember always that we are all subject to God’s judgment: we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God, and each of us shall give an account of himself to God. Therefore, we must be more accountable. We must also avoid all judgmental and despising tendencies toward others. Direction: Let us grow more conscious and confident of God’s mercy and forgiveness. Let His patient benevolence be our opportunity to repent and turn back to Him. Let us become more accountable and merciful toward others. 04 NOVEMBER 2022: PHIL 3.17 – 4. 1; LUKE 16. 1-8, St Charles Borromeo Thrust: Lay up treasures! Indicative: Often short-sightedness in life leads to short-term goals and shortcuts. The remedy is to be far-sighted and strive for what is more lasting 1. Many suffer from short sight. They do not have a long-term vision and higher goals. Even if some have goals, they may be worldly, in terms of material progress or social upcoming. Thus, there is no guarantee for the quality of the goals. Accordingly, many do not also bother much about the fairness of the means they employ to achieve their goals. They easily follow shortcuts and are guided by deceit and manipulation. 2. Rightly the words of Paul apply to them: They walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their belly is their god and they glory in shameful things. Their minds are set on earthly things. In this context, through the example of a dishonest steward, Jesus drives home to us the need for foresight, and focus on our eternal destiny. 3. Apparently what is praised is the dishonesty of the steward. He was dismissed because of his mismanagement. But he ensures a secure future by manipulating and reducing accounts of the debtors in their favour and winning their favour. But actually what is praised is his shrewdness and farsightedness. 4. This foresight includes certain components. They are namely, promptness to jump into action without being bogged down by his ousting; his focus and concern for a secure future; awareness of his own inability to work hard or to beg; sharp thinking and planning to meet the uncertain and insecure future. 5. If the dishonest manager was so focused and prepared regarding his temporal future, how much more we should be focused and prepared concerning our eternal destiny? How easily do we neglect the essential and eternal in preference to the secondary or unworthy interests and pursuits? 6. St Charles Borromeo whom we commemorate today, stands tall for this focus and commitment. He was an outstanding reformer during the counter-reformation, especially the founding of seminaries for the education of priests. Imperative: Apart from the foresight of the manager, do we also succumb to false means and manipulative methods to ensure our safety and security? (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021, 05 NOVEMBER) Focus: Our earthly existence is temporary and so it has limited durability. There is destiny and the destination of eternal life. Therefore, there is a compulsory moment of departure from the earth and a day of reckoning and judgment 1. In the gospel, Jesus speaks of a dishonest steward who gets dismissed from his stewardship because of his mismanaging. On his dismissal, he manipulates the accounts of the debtors, reducing the measures of what they owe to pay. He favours them so that he can be favoured by them in his bad time. Strangely, the master praises this steward. 2. Here let one not pick up the wrong message that dishonesty, deception, and manipulation are justified and appreciated. Not at all! One cannot expect that from Jesus. He may condone weakness and incompetence but never fraud and unaccountability. What is complimented and made imitable is not his dishonesty but his foresightedness. He is so well-prepared to meet his future. He does not sit back to lament and curse over his dismissal and the consequent misery. Immediately, he jumps into action. He has a vision and plans about how to face his impending difficult situations. 3. If that steward is so far-sighted, foresighted, and well-prepared for a temporary future, how much more we must be clear-sighted and well-prepared to encounter our eternal future? If he is so shrewd about mere earthly riches, how much more we must be wise and discerning regarding our heavenly riches? If he is so judicious in dealing with material goods and accumulating them for a short future, how much more we should be assiduous in piling up spiritual goods for an unending eternity? If he made use of the temporal goods to do favour to others and to win their favor, how much do we make use of our various resources to do good to others? 4. In contrast to this dishonest steward in the gospel, we have an honest steward in the person of Paul. He is an authentic, faithful, and committed steward. He is ever conscious of his special vocation and mission, gifted by God. That is to be “a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God”. Unlike the dishonest steward, Paul feels every reason “to be proud of his work for God”. Direction: In a world where there is so much dishonesty and manipulation concerning material things, we need to recapture the spirit of a responsible and accountable steward. We shall not have reason to face disgrace from the master (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2020) Focus: A life without vision will go without direction and will land in eventual destruction In the gospel, the dishonest steward is praised. One shall not mistake it as a license for dishonesty and deception. By no means! In fact, his dishonesty wins him his master's displeasure and dismissal. Therefore, no one can justify or promote dishonesty and fraud. What is commended is his foresightedness to prepare himself fittingly for his future. His future looks very bleak and at loss without enough means and resources. Therefore, he makes wise moves to ensure a tensionless and comfortable future. We know that an eternal future awaits us and how fittingly do we prepare ourselves? How do we equip ourselves to meet our destiny? Does our way of life qualify us and keep us worthy in God's sight? Direction: Knowing fully well that one day we must pass to a future for eternity, how foolishly we will face it unprepared and unworthy? 05 NOVEMBER 2022: PHIL 4. 10-19; LUKE 16.9-15 Thrust: Win friends! Indicative: Fidelity is a value that is on the decline. Not many take it seriously. The simple reason is that it brings no visible or practical gains 1. Greed is one root cause of many evils. It leads to dishonesty, deception, and corrosion of all right values and relationships. Money and material well-being are good. But the excessive craving for them and attachment to them is pernicious. They rupture the goodness of the heart and the genuineness and beauty of relationships. 2. One who is greedy becomes a slave to the very things for which he is the master. Wealth and material things are kept at our disposal so that we make use of them for good purposes. They are meant to serve and help others. They are never for self-interests or wrong pleasures. 3. Our main focus is God, spirituality, and eternity. Our binding values must be honesty and fidelity. Jesus clearly cautions us to guard ourselves against the spirit of avarice and accumulation. Greed is an untold slavery and undignified servitude. It breaches our holy servantship to God. It makes us neglect our striving for true, spiritual, heavenly riches. 4. The material riches and possessions in themselves are not wrong. Having them in itself is not sinful. But the way they are acquired, the purpose for which they are used, and the effect of them where they lead us – these are very important. If deceptive means are employed to acquire them, if they are used for unworthy pleasures, self-glory, and suppression of others, and if they make one arrogant and manipulative, then they are very destructive. 5. As St Paul testifies in his letter to the Phillippians, we must always cultivate a spirit of contentment and moderation in all situations. How convincingly he attests: “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.” Imperative: Let us constantly nurture the spirit and culture of honesty and fidelity, contentment, and moderation. It will make us increase our heavenly riches and acceptable in God’s sight (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021, 06 NOVEMBER) Focus: Dishonesty may bring quick gains but it is ruinous and abominable in the sight of God. Honesty and fidelity alone are the hallmarks of a true follower of Christ 1. We are living in a world where dishonesty and deception, greed and accumulation, manipulation and corruption have become the norms of life and order of the day. These false values are not only tolerated and accepted, but even justified and glorified. On the other hand, honesty, moderation, and generosity are looked down upon as signs of incompetence and lack of worldly wisdom. 2. It is in such a context Jesus once again insists on fidelity. It is not merely adherence to certain religious precepts or practices. True fidelity comprises the whole life and affects the whole person. A man of fidelity is essentially an honest person. He is honest in whatever is entrusted to him. He does not fail the trust of his master. Whether big thing or small thing, his only concern is to be transparent and accountable before his master. 3. Fidelity implies wisdom and discernment. A man of fidelity discerns wisely the value and use of earthly and material things and riches. He makes use of them for doing good and for gaining heavenly riches. The material things do not blur his vision but help him to see their positive worth. This is what is implied when Jesus says, “Make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon”. By no means it means that we should acquire money unrighteously and use it to win friends. The point here is that we should use even worldly things for the sake of doing good to others. 4. Further, our attitude toward money is never that of love and slavery. Money and things are never to be loved. They are to be used for need and good. There is no question of serving them. Rather, they should serve our good purposes. When we begin to love and serve money and material things, we become lovers and servants of them. But we are lovers and servants of God. Therefore, our love and service pertain only to Him and the good of others. In the name of being intelligent and tactful, many serve both God and money. They fall to compromises. It is nothing but infidelity and doublemindedness. Direction: The lovers of money may justify themselves before men; they may please and win them by a deceptive use of it. But God knows their hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

31st SUNDAY OF THE YEAR 22

31ST SUNDAY, 30 OCTOBER 2022, WISDOM 11.22 – 12.2; 2 THES 1.11 – 2.2; LUKE 19. 1-10 Thrust: Roads meet! Indicative: Small efforts count to encounter God’s grace. When there is an encounter between God’s grace and human reception, miracles happen 1. “God changes His route and schedule for our sake.” This is our dictum. This is what is so evident in the case of God, right from creation all through salvation history. He makes space and time for us to grace us and saves us. Salvation is about how God changes His route and schedule. 2. God’s mighty interventions in the OT in the life of Israel, and in the NT the incarnation of Christ itself are the greatest testimonies of this. And the purpose is very clear: He wants to meet us on our way in our own time. What an “accommodative” and condescending God He is! He adjusts His place and time according to our needs and convenience. 3. When people needed Him, He intervenes through His leaders and prophets. When people got infected by sin, He descended to earth in the person of Jesus. This Jesus, God-on-earth lives amidst us in our times of struggle. 4. The story of Zacchaeus is a vivid example of how God changes His route and schedule for our sake. For the sake of Zacchaeus, a sinner, he changes his route to Zacchaeus’ house. He changes his schedule to be his guest in his house. He stops on his way at Zacchaeus. He takes time to have a word with him. He goes to his house. He spends his valued time with him even amidst his busiest schedule. 5. Why all these? The reason is quite clear in the first reading. For He loves all things ---merciful to all, and overlooks people’s sins, that they may repent. Further, immense was his courage: he would not hesitate to meet Zacchaeus, speak with him and go to the house of a sinner. He would not mind risking his popularity and incurring a lot of criticism. He would not bother to risk his career and prospects as well. At the height of all this, he would dare to elevate a sinner to the status of a son of Abraham. How shocking and provoking it must have been to include a despised sinner into the prestigious fold of the chosen people of God! 6. All this loving mercy must make us repent so as to be “freed from wickedness and put our trust in God.” It must “make us worthy of our calling and may fulfil by his power every resolve for good and every work of faith.” 7. In Zacchaeus, we see the abundant effect and fruits of God’s intervention and encounter. Already there were seeds of faith and the working of grace. He nurtures a deep desire to see Jesus. He is not deterred by the two obstacles of his shortness and crowd. Immediately, he makes effort to overcome these obstacles. He runs ahead and climbs a sycamore tree. 8. His trouble bears fruit. He encounters not only the individual Jesus but also the divine abundance. He is flooded by God’s mercy. The one who just wanted to catch a passing glimpse is granted the wonder of meeting the Saviour, speaking with him, and having the joy of celebrating his reassuring and transforming presence. 9. His perspectives change. His priorities change. His vision and mission change. Thus it is a total transformation. This shows itself in selfless generosity and a sense of justice. He distributes half of his property to the poor and repays fourfold to those cheated. Salvation enters his house! Imperative: True conversion is not merely a matter of best intentions and words. It is concrete and manifest in a total transformation REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021, 16 NOVEMBER) Focus: Faith is not merely believing some doctrines and following certain laws and traditions. Faith is essentially a matter of faithfulness come what may 1. In the gospel, in the person of Zacchaeus, we have an example of faith. Zacchaeus received new faith. He made a total about-turn. He turned to Jesus with a passionate heart, and he tuned his whole life to the person and following of Jesus. 2. He truly made a journey of faith. This is seen in his transition from a deep desire to encounter Jesus to a total conversion and transformation of life. From the extortion of a tax collector, there is a big leap of distributing half of his property to the poor and fourfold repay to those defrauded. Thereby, he is counted as a son of Abraham from being labeled as an ostracised sinner. He is blessed with salvation, being liberated from the curse of sin. Direction: We are constantly reminded about how we should traverse the journey of faith. We need to constantly transit from imperfect faith to perfect faith. We must safeguard and preserve the gift and treasure of faith in the faithfulness (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2020, 17 NOVEMBER) Arrow: Am I neither cold nor hot, but lukewarm? Focus: All that matters to God is not status or position, but a humble and honest heart. Every sincere and committed effort on behalf of God will win His abundant grace The story of Zacchaeus is a great source of consolation and encouragement for all. For God's grace accepts and graces us despite our unworthiness and failures. Zacchaeus being a tax collector was labeled as a sinner and was despised. Yet Jesus was not conditioned by these human considerations, calculations, or labels. He is not prejudiced. He is not resentful or judgmental. He does not condemn him but readily offers his mercy and salvation. For his part, Zacchaeus does his homework. He nurtures a profound desire and motivation to see Jesus. He is not discouraged by the obstacles of his shortness and crowd; he takes the trouble to surpass these blocks by placing himself on high climbing a sycamore tree. He encounters Jesus. He responds to Jesus' invitation to be his guest and celebrates his presence with a banquet. He undergoes a deep conversion. He testifies his conversion by a concrete and abundantly generous act of renouncing and sharing: half of his property with the poor, and fourfold repay to all those defrauded. Thus, he truly deserves the blessing and salvation of God. Jesus pronounces the heart-soothing words: “Today, salvation has come to this house. He too is a son of Abraham”. It is not just a blessing and a compliment. It is the greatest gift that one can expect: He is given a new dignity. He is raised from the low level of being a sinner to the noble status of being a son of Abraham, that is, one of the chosen people. He is blessed with salvation, being saved from the curse of sin. What is our journey? Do we desire and set out to encounter Jesus, to be touched and transformed by him? How concrete and authentic is our conversion? Very truly, the biggest block in this journey is our tepidity and lukewarmness. God does vehemently detest it as we hear in Revelation: “You are lukewarm, neither cold nor hot. So I will spit you out of my mouth”. Direction: When one discovers Jesus, the greatest treasure, one will not still be possessed by the possessions. One will not continue unconverted and untransformed

30th week days mass reflection of the year 22

24 - 29 OCTOBER 2022, HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS 24 OCTOBER 2022: EPH 4.32 – 5.8; LUKE 13. 10-17 Thrust: Be straight! Indicative: The world of today is truly crippled in many ways. It needs the healing touch of God 1. We are familiar with one old famous hymn, “The world stands in need of liberation, Lord.” This is exactly the urgent need of our world. It is bound by various bonds. These comprise immorality, impurity, covetousness, filthiness, foolishness, deception, disobedience, and emptiness – in the light of the first reading. 2. The gospel denotes these enslaving bonds as disabling spirits, being bent over, and not being able to straighten up. All these are the signs and effects of evil, the influence of Satan. This bounded and unfree situation is clearly indicated in the gospel by a disabled woman for eighteen years. 3. She was bent over and could not walk straight. This is contrary to the followers of Christ. Those who follow him will not walk in darkness, will not stumble but will walk in the light, and walk steadily. It is because Christ is the true light of the world. Those who follow him are the children of light and walk in the light. 4. To walk in the light is to walk in love in imitation of Christ who loved us and gave himself up for us. Concretely this will mean being kind to one another, tender-hearted, and forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave us. 5. Just as the disabled woman gets healing from the Lord, we too need healing. Sin has bent us and we are not able to walk straight and steady. We need to be loosed and freed from our different bonds, enumerated above. 6. Our greatest confidence and consolation is God’s abiding mercy. He himself takes the initiative, sees our plight, calls us over, lays his hands upon us, and says the same words that he uttered to the disabled woman, “My sister, my brother, you are freed from your disability.” All that is needed is to allow the Lord to touch us and heal us. Imperative: For healing, for freedom from the bonds that bound us, there is no fixed time. Any time is a good and appropriate time. Let us not bind God too with our human bonds. God is beyond all Sabbath and He is the Lord of the Sabbath (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021, 25 OCTOBER) Focus: True freedom is not really the possibility to have one’s own way of likes and pleasures. True freedom is to be released from slavery to sin 1. Freedom is a priced gift in human life. Nothing can match it. Slavery is always resented and resisted. The reason is it reduces human dignity and respectability. It restricts and restrains one’s scope to pursue what one likes and prefers. Slavery and bondage make the person bound and burdened. Therefore, there is always the struggle to extricate oneself from all the forces and pressures that try to subdue a person’s free spirit. 2. The desire to be free is for sure natural and needed. But the problem with many is a wrong understanding of freedom and false ways and means to gain it. For many, freedom is just the license to do whatever one prefers and prefers. Accordingly, freedom is equated with the unbridled seeking of comfort, pleasure, and gratification. In concrete, it will amount to indiscipline, irresponsibility, disorder, self-gain, and self-pleasure. Thus, in the name of freedom, there is so much disrespect, defiance, and rebellion, so much violence and destruction. But this is all false freedom. 3. It is in this context, God’s word, and Jesus clarifies to us what is true freedom. True freedom is liberation from sin and evil. In Paul’s words in Romans 8. 12-17, it is freedom from slavery to the flesh; it is to put to death the deeds of the body. It is to live according to the Spirit. It is to be the children and heirs of God. It is to be led by the Spirit of God. 4. This is what Jesus indicates in the healing of a woman who had had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years. Both the cause and effect of this infirmity are explicitly mentioned. The cause is Satan. This becomes clear in Jesus’ healing words: “Ought not this woman whom Satan bound for 18 years be loosed from this bond?” The effect is: she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. 5. This is very true. Sin sickens us. It bends us to be curved and crooked. It takes away the true freedom to enjoy the health and the joy of life. We need to be freed from our longstanding sicknesses, mainly the moral and the spiritual. We need to become straight and upright in our walking. Direction: Sin and evil are the greatest infirmities. They make us bent and stumble. We need healing. Jesus is ever willing. Are we ready to receive his healing touch? (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2020, 26 OCTOBER) Focus: The world is truly under the infirmity and the attack of sin and evil, and it needs healing and liberation, and for this, it must turn to God In the gospel, Jesus heals a woman crippled for 18 years. We are clearly told about what is her infirmity and also the reason for it. She was bent and could not straighten up at all. This is because of an evil spirit. The scene is quite simple but touching. This shows very vividly the personal attention and care of Jesus: he sees the handicapped woman, calls her to him, pronounces words of healing, lays his hands upon her, and heals her. It is very clear that it is Jesus who takes the initiative. He anticipates her need. He does not feel restricted by the Sabbath prohibition. Another notable point is, in healing her, Jesus does not say, I heal you or be healed. Rather, he says, “Woman, you are freed from your infirmity”. He also says to his opponents that Satan had bound her, and she should be freed from her bonds. Thereby, very clearly infirmity or sickness is presented as bondage under evil and true healing is freedom and liberation from that boundedness. The concrete effect of this bondage is to remain bent and not be able to straighten up. Yes, one who is under the influence and the power of evil, is not able to walk steadily in the path of God and good. Instead, to be a healed and freed person implies imitating Christ, to follow his way of love. It calls us to be good, understanding, and forgiving. Direction: We are children of light and therefore we must put aside the works of darkness and learn to walk straight and steady, as most beloved children of God, children of light and imitators of Christ 25 OCTOBER 2022: EPH 5. 21-33; LUKE 13. 18-21 Thrust: Little is big! Indicative: Often people are carried away by what is big and greatness is equated with the bigness of things. But today we are reminded that small things matter 1. St Francis de Sales said, “Perfection is not a little thing but it consists in little things.” There is an often tendency to take for granted small things in life and neglect them. In the process of seeking bigger and greater things, people lose sight of the smaller details of life and let them go off the hand. 2. It is in this context, Jesus draws our attention to the truth that the kingdom of God consists in small little things. Its growth and spread depend not on extraordinary matters but on small ones. Two metaphors of a mustard seed and a little yeast illustrate this point. Both are little. But they have a greater effect. The small mustard seed grows into a big tree and shelters many birds. The little yeast leavens a larger portion of flour. 3. Many of us are accustomed to the culture of the big and mighty. We need to learn to recognise the value of the small things. This applies also to the persons. We need to realise, value and appreciate every person for their basic human dignity. We need to get rid of our materialistic mentality. This treats others only on the basis of what and how much they have, in terms of money, possessions, power, position, name, talent, et cetera. 4. Two such crucial domains where we must cultivate this mystery and value of the little are our faith life and family life. In our life of faith, let us not wait for big opportunities to manifest our spirit of devotion. Every little activity and every little practice of virtue counts a lot. Similarly, in family life too, both husband and wife should be conscious of the fact that the little is big. 5. Love, submission, and fidelity are the essential components that make our little things great, both in our faith and family. In the present times, there is a dominant atmosphere of hatred, resentment, defiance, obstinacy, and infidelity. This is deteriorating the quality, beauty, and joy of our faith life and family life. Imperative: If only a little more love, mutual humility and submission, and fidelity and commitment increase in the practice of religion and the life of family, things will change drastically. The kingdom of God with love, justice, and peace will flourish (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021, 26 OCTOBER) Focus: Often people misjudge the quality and value by the size and quantity. But they are not always the right criteria. It is on the basis of the quality of the potential to grow and become beneficial 1. In the gospel of Luke 13. 18-21, Jesus gives two similitudes for the Kingdom. They are namely a mustard seed and leaven. Two special characteristics mark them. One is their smallness and the other is their propensity to grow and have a larger effect. The mustard seed is small in its size. But it grows into a big tree and shelters birds. Leaven is also little in its quantity. But when mixed with, it leavens the whole flour. 2. Similarly, the kingdom of God may initially look small and insignificant. It may not make a big impression. But it gradually grows and spreads its branches in all its directions, inviting, including, and involving all irrespectively. It offers shelter and comfort to many. It has a steady and pervasive influence like a small portion of leaven. 3. Thereby, what implications are placed before us? First, do not go by mere appearances, by size or quantity, or status. Do not judge the quality and value of things or persons by their roots and beginnings. Beginnings may be humble but they can grow big. Let us not always be stuck by what appears at the moment but let us also open our eyes wide, look beyond, and envision the hidden potency and propensity. 4. In specific reference to the kingdom, let us not wait only for big factors or opportunities to spread the kingdom of God. Let us begin small. Let us live and promote the kingdom in small little things. Let us not be impatient to expect results quickly and big. What is important is how much we are progressively and steadily growing, and how much we become more and more beneficial to many. Like the little yeast, let us also try to exert a positive influence in whichever situation we are in. As children of God and followers of Christ, we must constructively influence others’ life. 5. In the light of Romans 8. 18-25, this implies a couple of guidelines. One is, to live in undying hope and eagerness waiting for our eternal destiny. The second is, to bear everything with patience with a deep conviction and faith that the sufferings of the present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. The third is, to constantly cooperate with God’s Spirit who wants to set us free from our bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God. Direction: God wants us to spread His kingdom and for sure He does not expect sudden and spectacular miracles from us. All He wants is that we do our little part with a positive and beneficial heart (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2020, 27 OCTOBER) Focus: It is quality that gives meaning and worth to any quantity, whether big or small. Therefore, what is more important in life is the quality of life and not the quantity of things As God’s children, our primary duty is to seek and spread God’s kingdom. It is a demanding task. But we need not worry much about the vastness or the challenges that beset it. It is enough that we do our part, however little it is. It can be like a tiny mustard seed or a little yeast. The mustard seed is small, but it grows into a tree to shelter many birds. The little yeast leavens a lot of flour. In the same way, our small efforts, blessed by God, become big and great to shelter and help many and to change much. Our actions may seem insignificant and unnoticed. But the effect of them can be very fruit-bearing, tested, and durable in time. It is God who gives growth and fruition and we are only to cooperate. This is in fact how we belong to God and spread it. Direction: The Kingdom of God is not a matter of pomp and show. It is a gradual invisible pervasive influence. It is not a location but a situation of love and faithful relationships, beginning with the family 26 OCTOBER 2022: EPH 6. 1-9; LUKE 13. 22-30 Thrust: Admission rules! Indicative: Heaven is not anyone’s prerogative or privilege. There are no guarantees or shortcuts. The only way and means is to follow the way of the Lord 1. We see a lot of “guarantee” mentality in our society. People go by the strength of guarantees. To some extent, a guarantee may provide some certainty and assurance. But there is also every possibility that one may blindly trust and go ahead, without any reality check. Sometimes, seeking a guarantee may lead to over-expectation and overconfidence and thus to a mentality of negligence and take-for-granted. 2. Today, in the gospel Jesus is cautioning us against this guarantee mentality. He teaches very clearly that acceptance by God and entry into God’s kingdom do not depend merely on religious allegiance or the performance of some activities. They are no guarantees! 3. Mere religious celebrations together (‘we ate and drank in your presence’), or mere common prayer sessions (‘you taught in our streets’) will not guarantee an entrance-pass into the house of heaven. All such guarantees will be upset as Jesus says, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last. 4. The only assurance is “entering through the narrow door.” What does this mean? We derive some implications in the light of the readings. First of all, entering through the narrow door implies shedding off the guarantee mentality. This means that we realise that we do not merit salvation merely on our merits. 5. I do this or I accomplish that and therefore I will be saved or should be blessed. I perform some religious activity or practise some devotion and therefore I will receive God’s favour. Trust in God’s benevolence to grant me what I seek, is good but we cannot forget the fact that all blessing and favour is God’s gratuitous grace and mercy and not our credit. 6. Further, in the light of the first reading, entering through the narrow door implies a sense of responsibility and dutifulness according to each stage and state of life. Children, parents, servants and masters – each category has its own set of duties and principles. It is difficult to be loyal to them. But it is by entering through the narrow door of dutifulness and faithfulness that one will be saved and enter the kingdom. Imperative: The norms for the bondservants in the first reading hold good for us: Obey God, with a sincere heart, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021, 27 OCTOBER) Focus: There are no absolute guarantees that assure us of entering into the kingdom of God. There are no firsts and lasts. It is not a matter of the length of the tradition or allegiance to the religion. It is the depth of devotion and adherence to the Lord 1. Who will be saved? How many will be saved? How to enter the kingdom of God? These are always interesting and intriguing questions. To a query by someone, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?”, Jesus addresses these issues. First of all, entering the kingdom of God is not a matter of merely participating in some common religious activities like common meals or common talks. It is a matter of an entire life. It is a consistent walking toward the heavenly Jerusalem. It calls us to enter by the narrow door. 2. What does entering by the narrow door signify? It means not to be men of iniquity. It means that we are not satisfied merely with some common programs. It is to be more and more conformed to the image of Christ. It is to love God in tune with our call and purpose. It is to allow God to justify and glorify ourselves with a life that is just and renders glory to God. 3. Certainly, walking by the narrow door is difficult. By ourselves we are weak. We do not know even how to pray. That is why God Himself comes to our support. For in everything God works for good with those who love Him. The Spirit will help us in our weaknesses. The Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. He intercedes according to the will of God. 4. Therefore, we can enter the kingdom of God only when we enter through the narrow door. This prompts us to really struggle to fit ourselves to push through the narrow door. God does not want us to go through easy and compromising ways, broad and devouring doors. We also need the humility to realize that it is not the merit of our activities or organizational capacities. It is to walk through the narrow door and constantly knock at the door of the Lord to enter inside. Direction: Are we also among those who begin to stand outside and knock at the door of the master? How can I close my heart to God’s voice and command and go on pleading, “Lord oven to us!”. 27 OCTOBER 2022: EPH 6. 10-20; LUKE 13. 31-35 Thrust: Guts to stand! Indicative: Challenges will never cease. problems will never vanish. But we need to persevere with the strength of the Lord 1. Tremendous was the courage of Jesus. He was warned by some Pharisees that his life was in danger because Herod wants to kill him. But Jesus continues his mission. He does not go into hiding. He does not suspend his ministry for a while till a safe time arrives. He is not intimidated by Herod. That is why he outrightly dares to call Herod a fox, saying, “Go and tell that fox.’ 2. This courage, determination, and perseverance were possible because he was deeply conscious of the purpose of his coming. He knew that he is given a special mission and a specific duration. He knew he has to accomplish the task. He also knew that it would involve suffering and death. But he does not run away from it or evade it. That is why Jesus remarks: “I cast out demons today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course.” 3. He was always focused on his mission. He never allowed any worldly or human factor to distract or deviate him from this singular purpose. With tender love, he feels anguished over the stubbornness and rejection of the people. He laments, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing.” 4. God was his greatest strength and support. He would not budge. True to the words in the first reading, he put on the whole armour of God so that he was able to stand against the schemes of the devil. The truth was his belt; righteousness, the breastplate; prompt readiness, his shoes; faith, his shield; salvation, the helmet; the word of God is the sword of the Spirit Imperative: To live a faithful life is like waging a fierce battle. The battle is tough and the enemy, the devil is very strong. Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and stand firm 28 OCTOBER 2022: EPH 2. 19-22; LUKE 6. 12-19, SAINTS SIMON AND JUDE Thrust: Well-founded and firm! Indicative: We all belong to the one house of God whose cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. Apostles are the foundation on whose faith this dwelling place is built 1. Saints Simon and Jude are celebrated on 28 October. These are two among the Twelve Apostles. Simon was an ex-zealot and Jude was a cousin of the Lord. The first thing to note is that among many disciples the twelve apostles were specially chosen and named as apostles. Thereupon, the apostles lived with him, were taught by him, and accompanied him. 2. In sum, they shared their entire life with him. They enjoyed personal intimacy with him. They were specially trained by him in wisdom and faith. They listened to him attentively. They were enlightened and guided. They were nourished and strengthened. 3. What marks them is while their master was alive with them physically, they witnessed his life and mission personally. After his death, they became witnesses to the same life and mission of their Lord. They were so touched by their master and empowered by the Holy Spirit that they bore witness to him even by their martyrdom. 4. Their faith and mission are our rich heritage. We are well built on the foundation of their faith. We are reminded that we are all fellow citizens in the same household of God. Jesus himself is the cornerstone. We can be sure that this spiritual structure will not crumble or collapse because it is God’s own structure built on the apostles. 5. Their life of faith and mission also indicates to us that we are also sharers of the rich legacy. We also shoulder the same mission of proclaiming God’s word and healing sicknesses, both the exterior and the interior. Imperative: We are also called and sent to continue the same mission of the apostles. We need to be powerful proclaimers and healers like the master and his apostles. But does power come out from us whenever we are on his mission? (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021) Focus: Our vocation always carries with it a profound sense of sacredness because it is the Lord’s choice. It is always his gratuitous grace that we must constantly strive to live up 1. Today we celebrate the feast of two of the Twelve Apostles of the Lord, namely Saints Simon and Jude. Simon was a zealot, an anti-Roman nationalist group member. Jude was a cousin of the Lord and author of the epistle of Jude. They preached in Mesopotamia and Persia. They were chosen from among many disciples and named apostles. 2. This is the first thing to note. We are chosen by the Lord. This implies that it is God’s initiative, his free gift. It is not like the other professions where one qualifies himself by fulfilling the requirements. But our vocation is not due to our qualifications or competence. It is not because we deserve it. Rather he qualifies us by choosing us lovingly. 3. He calls us by name. This implies that our vocation is something deeply personal. Each one is related personally to the Lord. Every called person is intimately united with the Lord by an authentic life and is fervently committed to him by an effective mission. 4. Unity is our identity mark as disciples at his feet and apostles on our feet. Being his disciples in prayer and being apostles on his mission must always go together. That was what Jesus did: In communion with the Father and in Commitment to His will. Our constant striving is to be joined to the Lord as the cornerstone and grow into a holy temple in the dwelling place of God in the Spirit. 5. However, this spiritual communion is not enough. Fraternal communion is also a must. We are no longer strangers and sojourners, not only toward God but also toward one another. We are fellow citizens and members of one and the same household. Direction: Our life and mission can become more credible and effective if there is more spiritual communion and fraternal communion. We must constantly remind ourselves that we are his disciples in intimacy and his apostles in vibrancy (REFLECTION FROM 2020) Focus: Loving the Lord leads to living with him and that leads to living for him, to the extent of dying for him We celebrate the feast of Saints Simon and Jude, two among the twelve apostles of the Lord. Simon was a zealot, a member of the nationalist party of zealots who were resistant to Roman rule. Jude was a cousin of the Lord, the son of Joseph’s brother, Cleophas. Jude authored an epistle. Jude is also the patron of desperate causes, the saint of last resort. Whatever be these details, what is important for us to note is, they were chosen by the Lord to be his disciples. They lived with him. They experienced his love, power, and wisdom in intimacy with him. They drew their light, direction, and strength from him. And they set out as apostles to share what they themselves had experienced in Mesopotamia and Persia. Today as we venerate them for their life and mission, we are called to reflect on our own vocation and mission. Backgrounds do not matter. What we were before being called, is not important. But what we become, how we live, and what we do, are most important. So, like these apostles, we too are called to be his disciples, to live constantly in his proximity, in humility to learn, in intimacy to love, and in guidance to walk. We are also called to be his apostles on his mission, to take him and his message to the world through word and action. Can we learn something from these saints? Direction: The value of our vocation does not depend on our past backgrounds or present status or achievements. But it mainly consists in being close to the Lord and working for him on his mission 29 OCTOBER 2022: PHIL 1. 18-26; LUKE 14, 7-11 Thrust: Honours or honour? Indicative: It is a wrong idea that honours and positions are considered marks of honour and dignity. Real honour does not come from honours but from an honourable character 1. God chose us before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless. But what a contrast it is that people of the world choose to be unholy and blameworthy! God chose us for heaven but people choose the world. God chose us for eternal life but many seek temporal life and its fulfillment. This is certainly a spirit of low and lowered choices. 2. This contrasting and lowered choice can be indicated by the invitees to a pharisee’s house in the gospel. They were crazily seeking places of honour. This is because of the common misconception that a person’s greatness and honour are seen by the place or position he occupies. 3. In such a context, Jesus makes it clear that positing and seeking honour in places or ranks or titles or posts is wrong. Real honour must come not from the place but character. What is important is not the place of the person but the person who occupies that place. 4. A person should not be adjudged or rated high or low on the basis of honours. The only criterion must be his honourability. We become honourable when we try to live honourable lives. We will be honoured by God himself when we seek to honour him. And we can bring honour to God only when we humble ourselves in humility and exalt God in surrender and loyalty. 5. This positive honouring is seen in St Paul. He always chose not to do honour to him but to God. He accepted all his suffering and persecution as a way of honouring God in his body. He never chose what was self-oriented but always God-oriented. He had no preferences except the preferences of God. 6. Whether he lives or dies, his only choice and effort is to do God’s will, to please Him, and bring glory to Him through bringing many to God (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021, 30 OCTOBER) Focus: Everyone seeks to be honourable and honoured. But real honour does not come from places of honour. Rather real honour comes from character. Thus, one who is with an honourable character is always humble 1. “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he humbles himself will be exalted”, this is one of the outstanding and popular teachings of Jesus. He brings our attention to humility. Humility is not just one of the many virtues. It is the link for all the virtues. It is the bottom line, the base, the foundation on which all the other virtues are built. Without humility, all the other virtues lose their charm and credibility 2. Jesus, being a guest of honour at a leading Pharisee’s house, watches them seeking places of honour. He seizes upon the opportunity to offer a lesson on humility. Jesus makes it clear that the more one is high in power and position, the more he must be humble. 3. In fact, a person does not become honourable by his honourable place or position but by his honourable character. Powers and positions are external and they do not replace a person’s internal character. They can be concrete means of expressing a good character. 4. In fact, true honour comes not from position to person. Rather, it must go from the person to the position. In that sense, it is the person that gives honour to the chair and not so much the chair that gives honour to the person. External honours must complement the inner honour of the person and not substitute or cover up for what is lacking internally. 5. True humility can come only from a genuine awareness and repentance over one’s fragility and unworthiness. It also has an overwhelming acceptance of God’s holiness. This double awareness is corroborated by the ready recognition of others’ goodness and greatness. When this threefold humility is present, then surely a person becomes pleasing in God’s sight and God exalts him. Direction: It is high time that the church learns to stop the malicious musical chair for power and position, seeking a false dignity and honour in them. They should realize that real honour comes from a sound character and not from honours (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2020, 31 OCTOBER) Focus: Being good is mandatory and Doing good is obligatory. So it must be always with a genuine spirit of humility and responsibility, and not make a show Jesus never misses a chance to put things in the right perspective. Today, he goes as a guest of a leading Pharisee. He notices how people seek places of honour. He uses this occasion to teach about humility. He declares one of the outstanding teachings, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted”. Humility adds value and splendour to the whole character and greatness of a person. All the capacities and talents of a person can fall short if they lack humility. Humility does not mean that one debases himself, or resigns himself only to poor grades. Humility does not mean that one despises one’s worth. It also does not mean that one goes around professing and proclaiming his weaknesses. This is all a defective and deficient humility. True humility is essentially truthfulness, being true to oneself. It recognises the overwhelming greatness and holiness of God, and before him our own fundamental unworthiness. It also recognises the due dignity and respectability of others irrespectively. More importantly, humility deeply knows that real worth does not depend on external powers, positions, and honours. The true worth of a person consists in one’s pure heart, sound character, humble surrender to God, and committed benevolence. This is the same humility that adorned and guided Paul. He always sought to exalt Christ through his person and ministry. He always strove for the progress and happiness of others. Direction: It is not the places and chairs of power and honour that make one great, but the sincerity of heart, integrity of life, and magnanimity of relationships

30th Sunday of the year

30th SUNDAY, 23 OCTOBER 2022: SIR 35. 15-17, 20-22; 2 TIM 4. 6-8, 16-18; LUKE 18. 9-14 Thrust: Humbly righteous! Indicative: Lack of humility makes one self-righteous. And self-righteousness is a big block on the way to righteousness 1. Our God is a God of righteousness. In Him, there is no partiality or prejudice. God in His Son Jesus redeemed us and made us righteous. He wants to keep us continually righteous. That is why He wants to liberate us from falsity, deviation, and perversion of sin. He wants to make us right and upright. 2. But self-righteousness is a big block to this righteousness. Self-righteousness is a mindset that makes one full of self. Consequently one cannot make enough space for God, for the true self, and others. Self-righteousness makes one self-centered and not God-centered, ego-dominated, and ego-promoting. 3. It makes one so proud and arrogant. Consequently, one is not humble before God and remains closed, presumptuous, and pretentious. One is not able to detect his false self and discover and foster his true self. And one is also not able to recognise, accept and appreciate others with their goodness. 4. What then is the remedy and antidote? It is humility that is threefold, namely, toward God, self, and others. We need that humility that makes us conscious of God’s holiness and greatness, realise and admit our sinfulness and unworthiness, see His mercy and forgiveness, depend on Him, take us closer to Him, and be surrendered to His holy will and ways. As Sirach affirms, “The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds…it reaches the Lord… the Most High visits him and does justice.” 5. St Paul’s words, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith, and I await the crown of righteousness,” may sound rather boastful and presumptuous. But they actually disclose his depth of authenticity and conviction. It is not confidence in his merit. Rather it is the deepest faith in God’s righteousness. 6. There is in fact an implicit humility. This makes Paul attribute to God’s grace all that he accomplished, and do everything for God. That is why we find such expressions as “I am poured out as a libation”; “The Lord, the righteous judge will award to me”; “But the Lord alone stood by me and strengthened me”; “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom”; “To him be the glory forever and ever.” 7. Then, we need that humility toward our own self. It enables us to see ourselves as we are. It makes us sincere enough to acknowledge our weaknesses and imperfections. True humility makes us throw away our false layers and masks that sheathe, hide, justify or defend our defects. It makes us discover and strengthen our true self, in God’s image and likeness. 8. Thus, on one hand, true humility keeps us down to earth in virtue of our fragility and on the other hand makes us soar high to grow in nobility. This happens through a steady process of self-realisation, self-acceptance, self-discipline, self-renewal, and self-transformation. 9. We need that humility in regard to others that makes us fraternal and charitable. One who is humble does recognize the dignity and the value of the other and so treats him with respect and honour. He does not despise or discard or degrade the other. He does not stick false labels on others in prejudice and discrimination. He readily acknowledges and appreciates the worth of the other. 10. In our parable at hand, the Pharisee is a symbol of self-righteousness. He is a total failure in humility in all three aspects, concerning God, self, and the other. He failed in the spirit of true devotion and communion with God. He failed in the true spirit of authenticity and integrity of self. He failed in the true spirit of fraternity and charity toward others. 11. On the other side, the tax collector stands as an example of deep humility: he realises his unworthiness due to sinfulness, realises his true self that needs to be renewed, and is truly charitable with no bias or judgmental attitude. 12. So sad it is that the self-righteous Pharisee resides in all of us in varying degrees but many are not even aware of it. And even if aware, they refuse to admit it; even if admitted, they are not bothered to work to change for the better. Money, power, position, competence and efficiency, and recognition make many self-conceited, arrogant, and self-glorifying. Direction: Loss of humility is loss of nobility and thus is the loss of fidelity, felicity, serenity, and eternity MISSION SUNDAY Thrust: Girded and guarded on mission! Indicative: There is so much talk about mission. A good number may be working in the missions. But what is more important is whether there is the real spirit and culture of mission 1. Today being the mission Sunday, our whole focus is on mission. We are called to be once again clear about mission and thus deepen our own sense of mission as well as sustain this task of mission that is proper to each one's life situation. 2. First of all, MISSION is everyone's. It is a duty and a right that is due to every believer and follower of Christ irrespectively. No one can monopolise it or evade it. Neither it is a privilege only of a selected few nor it is a lookout of only some. This universal binding is very important, so that everyone without exception, feels responsible and supported as well. 3. For long and even now, MISSION is regarded as the overriding duty of the clergy and the religious. While the mission is compulsory for them, it looks secondary and optional for the other faithful. But it is not so. No one is exempted from it. The ways of carrying out the mission may differ, depending on the different ways of life. Even the degrees of application may also differ, depending on the walks of life. 4. However this variance does not absolve anyone from this bounden duty. It is an obligation and not an option. It is a duty and not a favour. In so far as we are all followers of Christ, the supreme missionary in so as we are all members of the church, missionary by her very nature, all of us inherit and share the same task and journey of mission. 5. Accordingly, the mission of a pope or a cardinal or a bishop or a priest or a nun or a lay faithful may be different from others in their specific scope, role, functions and activities. They are not exactly the same but at the same time are not totally different. 6. What gives all of us commonality in our mission is: all of us share the same deposit of faith, the same baptismal consecration, the same Christian vocation, the very same mission of the Lord, the same grace and power of the Lord and also the same destiny and recompense of eternity. 7. Now broadly speaking, in the light of the holy Word of God, this same mission of Christ is twofold: preach and heal, that is, spreading God's s kingdom in word and deed. This is aimed at the liberation of humanity from the clutches of sin and the reintegration of humanity with renewed dignity. 8. The task is enormous. The harvest is plentiful but the labourers are few. Therefore both the number and also the quality of the workers must increase. We must pray for it and also work for it. Besides, this is a challenging and hard task. It is to live like lambs among wolves. There will be opposition, criticism, resistance, and persecution. 9. But there is no need to lose heart. It is God's work with us and through us. It is He who is going to sustain and guide. He will empower us with His own light and strength and steer our way. We need not trust and depend on worldly securities and guarantees. We should not count too much on our own capacities and realities. 10. Therefore our mission will be accomplished well and happily, if we own up the mission of Christ, if we feel responsible, if we do not privatize and monopolize it but share it in fraternal communion as collaborators and companions if we rely on God's illumining guidance and empowerment and thus commit ourselves with loyalty and zeal for God's reign of love and justice. (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2022, 26 MARCH) Focus: Humility is not just one of the many virtues but is the base and bottom line of all the other virtues. One who fails in humility fails in all 1. “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled and whoever humbles himself will be exalted”, so declares Jesus. Clearly, Jesus is teaching us the greatness of humility. He teaches us that only in humility do we find real greatness. Only those who are humble will be great in the sight of God and will be exalted. 2. The parable of the Pharisee and tax collector is a vivid description of this contrast between lack of humility and humility. The Pharisee represents the lack of humility and the tax collector, humility. The Pharisee is so self-righteous and haughty. Consequently, he fails to recognise his own human sinfulness and unworthiness before a holy God. 3. There is a total unawareness of the holiness of God that must make us humble in His presence. Instead, he glorifies himself before God; he enlists some religious practices as proof of his holiness. Instead of surrendering Himself to God’s mercy, he elevates himself as if there is nothing to correct and change. 4. Though he appears to thank God it is in fact an indirect thanking himself. He is presumptuous and complacent. He is so self-conceited that he becomes blind to his defects. He is covered by layers of the false self that rates itself as perfect and all better, holier, and greater than others. 5. True to the teaching of Jesus elsewhere (Matthew 7. 3-5), he is a real hypocrite who sees the speck in the other’s eye but does not see the log in his own eye. He labels, degrades, and despises others as thieves, rogues, adulterers, and good for nothing. He fails thoroughly in charity and benevolence toward others. He does not recognise and respect others’ dignity. 6. The end results are clear: the Pharisee is rejected by God who is displeased with him. But the tax collector is accepted and blessed and rewarded by God who is highly pleased with his humble heart. God does not look at what position we stand on but with what heart we stand before Him. Direction: Self-pride and self-glory are the root causes of all evils. They make us blind to our imperfections and contemptuous toward others. Humility and charity are the antidotes (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2021, 13 MARCH) Focus: Humility to repent and steadfastness to be loyal will always win God's favour; Instead, a self-motivated and self-gratifying spirituality is not pleasing to God God desires love and not mere sacrifices; He is more pleased with the growth in His knowledge rather than a multitude of empty offerings. He wants a devotion that is steadfast and not unstable. He wants a love that is profound and not shallow. He wants a love that is totally God-oriented and self-oriented. He wants a love that seeks to glorify God and not gratify the self. The Pharisee's prayer in the gospel is not pleasing to God and not accepted by Him. It is because it is full of self, self-righteousness, self-complacency, and self-glory. There is no humble admission of his own unworthiness. There is no sense of gratitude to God, dependence on Him, and closeness with Him. There is no submission to God. There is no fraternal feeling toward the other in respect and benevolence. Instead, the tax collector's prayer is readily accepted by God, because it springs from a contrite heart and humble spirit. He deeply acknowledges his sinfulness and freely surrenders to God. The Pharisee informs God about how great he is. But the tax collector is aware of how great God is, and how small and unworthy he is. By physical position, the Pharisee stands so close to the altar, but actually, he is far away from God’s mercy. Instead, the publican stands so far off the altar, but really, he is so close to God by heart. Direction: We go to God and we pray, not to inform or give Him new knowledge about our greatness or judge others how bad they are. No prayer is heard when it lacks charity and is prejudiced despising others

29 th week days mass reflection of the year 22

17 - 22 OCTOBER 2022, HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS 17 OCTOBER 2022: EPH 2. 1-10; LUKE 12. 13-21 Thrust: You, fool! Indicative: The meaning of life is to be found not in the material abundance but in the spiritual 1. The gospel presents to us the parable of the rich fool. In the Bible, foolishness or folly is not merely an intellectual matter. It is a matter of whole life. It is a way of living, a mode of being. There is always a contrast between folly and wisdom. 2. In the light of the first reading, foolishness is a way of life that walks in trespasses and sins. It is to follow the course of the world. It is to follow the counsels of Satan. It is to follow the spirit of disobedience. It is to live in the passion of our flesh. It is to carry out the desires of the body and mind. The consequence is to become the children of wrath and death. 3. On the contrary, to be wise is to lead a way of life that is in tune with God’s grace and mercy. It is to be alive together with Christ, from our death by sin. It is to be saved through faith. It is to walk in good works. The consequence is immeasurable riches of grace in kindness and eternal life, being seated with him in the heavenly places. 4. Some signs of folly are manifest in the rich fool also. They are: excessive trust in himself and worldly things; forgetting the impermanent nature of life, and reducing the value of life only to material enjoyment. In sum, foolishness is piling up riches in the sight of the world but not in God’s sight. Imperative: It is better to gather riches for heaven in wisdom living a life of spiritual abundance and fraternal kindness (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2022, 31 JULY 2022) Thrust: Vanity of vanities! Indicative: Intelligence, knowledge, competence, big money, position, and fame are no guarantees for wisdom. They can often lead one to vanity and shallowness 1. In the gospel, Jesus narrates a parable of a rich fool. The parable of the rich fool is not just one story among many, narrated by Jesus. But it is a live story because there are many such fools today and none of us is exempt from such foolishness to some degree or other. It is not a soft lesson but a serious warning! It is not only the fate of the rich man in the parable but the fate of each present fool. Jesus is very clear and stern: "It is the fate of those who are rich in the sight of the world, but not in the sight of God". 2. Just imagine the miserable fate of the rich fool. One who toiled so hard but could not enjoy the fruits of his labor; one who made fantastic plans but did not have the future to implement them; one who had abundance for generations but had no life to enjoy it; one who had the intelligence to acquire for the passing world but failed to procure for the eternal life; one who thought all for himself to possess and enjoy but had to leave to others to own and enjoy. 3. How similar is the life and fate of many in our times? So many are literally slaves to money and pleasure. So many spend their whole time and energies with the least concern for family and good human relationships. So many scorn the right values for the sake of profit and self-interest. So many defraud and cheat to amass wealth and to maintain shallow and false status and dignity. So many are much bothered about the temporary and temporal but neglect the spiritual and eternal. Are these not traces of folly? 4. How to eliminate such signs of folly? Grow wise. First and foremost, realize that the worth and beauty of life do not consist in greedy accumulation or material abundance, or economic affluence. Rather life is beautiful and meaningful in the richness of heart, in the abundance of goodness, in the growth in virtues, and the orientation toward heaven and eternity. Not goods but good, not greed but the need for good, should be the motto of life. 5. St Paul reminds us clearly, "The Kingdom of God does not mean food and drink but peace and righteousness" (Rom 14. 17). Jesus too challenges us squarely: "What does it profit a person to gain the whole world but lose the soul" (Mt 16. 26), for, nothing can be equal to the wellbeing and saving of the soul. 6. Now How to grow wise? The answer too is given in the parable: "Become rich in God's sight". Become acceptable and pleasing to God. It is better to obey and surrender to God rather than succumb to evil. The answer is quite straight in the Wisdom spirituality: "Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Prov 1. 7). So the more one has a loving reverence towards God, the more one becomes wise. The more devotion increases, the more wisdom increases. The more spirituality, the less temporality. 7. Therefore the crucial reason for the misery of today's society is very clear: on one hand, the increase of greed and materialism; the decrease of God and altruism, on the other hand. Let us not evade the issue or find temporary solutions or shallow remedies in worldliness. The only solution, remedy, and antidote are God and good! Imperative: Those who set their hearts on higher things, will also live higher lives. To be practical and to be concerned about the present life does not mean to be earth-bound and to be guided by lesser motives (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2020, OCTOBER 19) Focus: The value of life depends not on the abundance of things but on the abundance of heart and the radiance of goodness The gospel of the day presents before us the parable of the rich fool. It is a familiar lesson and is a clear indicator of today's society. It is a society that sets the material aspect as the most important priority of life. The value, importance, greatness, happiness, success, and fulfilment - all these are measured in terms of material well-being. In consequence, the value of the human person, human dignity and respect, human relations, and the primary place for God and spirituality - all take a back seat. Man becomes more earth-bound, selfish and perpetually dissatisfied, and interiorly restless. It is in this context, Jesus cautions against such folly and calls for wisdom. Wisdom is a God-given gift that enables us to discern between what is primary and what is secondary in life. It is better to be rich in God's sight, rather than in the world's sight. It is better to gather riches of faith and kindness for heaven, rather than material riches. It is better to be free and generous of heart, rather than to be enslaved to greed and self-interests. Apparently, the rich man in the gospel seems to be with no fault: he worked hard, he amassed wealth, he desires to enjoy the fruit of his hard work, and he makes plans for the future. But if we reflect a little deeper, we can discover many traces of folly in him. He did not realize that all his prosperity is “God’s gift and not the result of his own work. What we are, is God’s work. So we are not to feel proud. God has created us in Christ Jesus for the good works he has prepared, and we should devote ourselves to them”. He totally neglected all these rules of a good life. Direction: Better to be spiritual and benevolent and thus be worthy to stand upright in the sight of God, rather than to be worldly and self-centered and stand the severe judgment of God. 18 OCTOBER 2022: 2 TIM 4. 10-17b; LUKE 10. 1-9, ST LUKE, THE EVANGELIST Thrust: Called and responded! Indicative: To be faithful to our vocation is to live ever for the Lord and do his mission with selfless commitment 1. 18 October is the feast of Saint Luke, one of the four evangelists. He was a physician by profession. He accompanied Paul on some part of his missionary journey. His gospel is known for the touch of mercy and the joy of healing. The most treasured parables of forgiveness like the lost sheep and the prodigal son are found in Luke. 2. The gospel text draws our attention to the sense of mission that filled and animated Luke himself. Some of the fundamentals of the mission can be picked up. First of all, the mission is the work of the Lord and not a private affair. It is he who appoints us and sends us. 3. To work on his mission is to become worthy, hardworking, and faithful labourers in his harvest. It is an enormous task because the harvest is plentiful but the labourers are few. It is to be lambs among wolves. This implies that we should be prepared to confront the wickedness of the world but remain gentle and uncontaminated. 4. It is to nurture a spirit of detachment, not clinging to material guarantees. For, our greatest equipment is God’s own power and spiritual abundance. It is to be focused on the Lord’s mission, and not get distracted or waste time in greetings and useless talking. There is no time to waste over trivials. 5. Further, our mission is to be ambassadors of peace. It is to give healing to the sick and usher in God’s kingdom Imperative: Mission is not only doing some activity. It is not even to be fully equated with ministry. It comprises a holistic life of a witness (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021) Focus: The Christian life is a constant call to bear witness in word and deed 1. Today we celebrate the feast of St Luke. As we know, he is one of the four evangelists who authored Luke’s gospel and Acts of the Apostles. He was a companion to Paul on some missionary journey. He receives his knowledge of Jesus and imbibes his spirit from Paul. His gospel is not a mere story of Jesus about what he said and did. Rather it is a journey into the very person of Jesus and oriented to the destiny of heaven. 2. Through numerous parables, Jesus is presented as the Lord of compassion, mercy, and forgiveness. His gospel is known to be a gospel of the poor, of the Holy Spirit, of mercy and joy. These are not merely some dominant themes for knowledge but are indicators of God’s own nature. In them, we see what God is to us, how He is benevolently turned toward us, and how He intervenes in our lives. Thus, they are also directions for a profound experience. 3. Further, they are also invitations and inspirations to dispose ourselves to God’s action. Thus, from our part, we are called “to be poor”, “to be open to and led by the Holy Spirit”, to repent and be converted to receive His mercy and forgiveness and to experience God’s own joy. 4. This is how these themes become very strong and convincing. Another overwhelming theme is, God is the physician and the healer to cure wounded hearts. It is not this or that miracle of healing from different ailments. It is the fundamental healing from the infection of sin. It is a rediscovery and recapturing of the lost grace. 5. St Luke experienced this abundance of grace and he bore witness to it through his mission and writing. His feast should be a summon for us to be witnesses to the Lord in word and deed. Direction: God’s love which is merciful and forgiving, heals us and fills us with the Holy Spirit and the end result is a joyful witness 19 OCTOBER 2022: EPH 3. 2-12; LUKE 12. 39-48 Thrust: Be wise Stewards! Indicative: Many times God’s grace is taken for granted. They behave as if grace and salvation are their prerogatives just because of a religious tag. They are wrong 1. In the world of today, there is so much manipulation and infidelity. The church too is infected by this. There are increasing tendencies and cases of the decline of honesty and corrosion of values. In such a context, the word of God reminds us that we are servants and stewards and not masters and bosses. That is why Paul attests that his ministry is that of “stewardship of God’s grace given to him for the people.” 2. We should mark a few of the keywords: ‘Stewardship’, ‘God’s grace', ‘given by’, and ‘given for.’ Each expression is significant. Stewardship implies humility, responsibility, diligence, and loyalty. In the case of a good steward, there is no room for dishonesty and deception. 3. A good steward is humble because he knows that all that he has and does is given and not his own. It is not for self or self-interests. It is for others. And it is not entangled with mundane things but with God’s grace. 4. In the teaching of Jesus, this stewardship becomes more clear. It is very interesting to note that manager, steward, and servant are interchangeably used. Thereby we may take a cue that a faithful and wise manager or steward is a faithful servant. 5. God with trust and benevolence has entrusted to us the immensity of His grace. We are the dispensers of His grace. Therefore, we must be ever ready and alert so that we are not looted by the evil thief. On the contrary, we must be prepared to meet the Lord whose coming too is unexpected. 6. As good servants and stewards, we must be fair and benevolent toward other servants. We cannot ill-treat them. Nor can we engage and entertain ourselves in worldly pleasures and preoccupations. Imperative: One who is given and has more, will be more accountable. If God has blessed us with immense grace, then we need to be more graceful. But often, this is missing (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021, 20 OCTOBER 2021) Focus: Disobedience to God and obedience to sin may bring quick results and temporary gains and pleasures but it will lead to eternal ruin 1. The gospel places before us three simple images: householder, steward, and servant. We will be householders alert and watchful and fully prepared to meet any unexpected encounter with the Lord. We will also be like faithful and wise stewards, set over God’s household to “give them their portion of food at the proper time”, that is to take responsible care of the household. 3. We will also be honest and duty-conscious servants. Such head-servants will not let themselves into loose living, ill-treating their fellow servants, and not acting according to their master’s will. We will always carry the spirit of accountability, knowing fully well that “to whom much is given, much will be required”. 4. How true it is that many times many fall into the disobedient slavery of sin leading to ruin! How often many fail to be watchful and careful householders! How often many fail to be faithful and wise stewards not responsible toward the household of God entrusted to their care! How often do we fail to prove ourselves as sincere and dutiful servants who are also respectful and benevolent toward our fellow servants? Direction: The Lord gives a marvelous synthetic image of a householder who has the attitude of a steward and who works and does his duties like a servant. We are caretakers who are to serve God’s household (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2020, 21 OCTOBER) Focus: Power and authority must always go together with fervor and charity. Power without humility and surrender, and authority without devotion and dedication, are heinous and ruinous. In a world where there is so much abuse of power and authority, Jesus once again strikes hard on the image of a servant and steward. First of all, we should completely expel the arrogant idea of being owners and proprietors. A position that is invested with power and authority, is not a means of dominating and subjugating others. It is not a launching pad for self-projection and self-promotion. A stable sense of focus on the Master and our destiny can work as a counter-check and antidote. It can make us more responsible and keep us ever ready and prepared to meet the Master at any time. On the other hand, loss of focus, engagement in worthless deviations and enjoyments, loss of responsibility, loss of dutifulness, and loss of fraternal concern towards others, will be highly displeasing to the Master. Such a failed servant will be condemned by the Master. Praiseworthy and imitable is the spirit of humility and service of Paul in the letter to the Ephesians! The abundance of his capacity and competence, the great degree of success, and his spiritual authority, in no way, make him puffed up or arrogant. He never forgets his roots. He never grabs the credit for himself. He is profoundly conscious that all is God’s free gift. For him, all that mattered was Christ, passion for him, and unflinching commitment to his way. Direction: Certainly, more is given to us. It may be in terms of material abundance or power and position. But it is never for abuse and self-interest but for more good. Every bit given is accountable. 20 OCTOBER 2022: EPH 3. 14-21; LUKE 12. 49-53 Thrust: Be on fire! Indicative: A true follower of Christ must be a “man on fire.” With this fire, he must set ablaze the whole world 1. “I came to cast fire on the earth.” ‘I came to bring division and disrupt peace'. What is this fire? It is love for God. It is to be ever consumed with a burning passion. It is being rooted and grounded in love. It is to comprehend and live the fullness of love, and that is the breadth, length, height, and depth. 2. Now, this fire of love on one hand dispels false layers of unity and peace. For many unity is mostly narrow demarcations based on religion, region, caste, culture, rite, et cetera. Social justice is confined only to promoting self-interests or group interests. Accordingly, we see people actively living and promoting division and disunity. What a contradiction and absurdity it is! We who are supposed to be promoters of unity become ruthless champions of disunity. 3. Further, peace is often equated with the absence of fear, tension, and demands. What many seek and enjoy is only a false peace. False peace is highly contrary to God’s grace. False peace avoids any risk, any trouble, and looks for what is convenient and self-profiting. 4. But Jesus assures and ensures real unity and peace. Real unity is nurturing oneness and the communion of a spiritual family that is bound by the only norm of “hearing and doing God’s will (cf. Mt 12. 46-50). And his peace is an interior godly peace that stands firm amidst all evil. 5. In this sense, commitment to Jesus will certainly trigger disagreement and difference, leading to division, conflict, disruption of convenience, and peace. Imperative: Commitment to God and His kingdom of values and relationships is a fundamental choice. We should be prepared to face the challenges and stand firm (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021, 21 OCTOBER) Focus: Living for God will certainly contrast with those who live for the world and evil. This will lead to opposition and division 1. Love for Christ and following him calls for a radical and committed stand. It in fact involves a life of righteousness for sanctification. It will transform persons into slaves of God. But this slavery is something meritorious and dignified. It endows them with new freedom. Such conviction and commitment, such freedom and purity are in direct contrast to the impurity and iniquity of sin. 2. This contrast will automatically land the followers of Christ into situations of opposition, division, and loss of peace. It is not that they make themselves causes and agents of division and unrest. It is in fact caused by the resistance and refusal of those who oppose them. In a world of duplicity, when men of God live with integrity, for sure it would cause division and disturbance. When convictions are upheld in contrast to compromises, for sure there will be division and loss of peace. 3. When some are on fire with love for Christ, it will automatically disturb those who are tepid and whose fire is under ashes. A true follower of Christ cannot side with the false values of a mediocre man. A fundamental option for Christ will certainly put one at odds with the rest. 4. One need not feel bad or guilty about it. Such division and disturbance are not negative but are consequences of evil and inauthentic lives. The division and discord caused by fidelity to Christ are the natural outflows of the unswerving adherence to him. In the name of maintaining peaceful and undisturbed relationships, one should not give up values and fall to compromises. Direction: Many play safe because they do not want to get into any trouble and be disturbed. They want to be in peace. But they do not realize that such peace is only false and not godly. A peace that comes because of compromise is cheap peace! (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2020, 22 OCTOBER) Focus: It is only the energy and vitality of the Lord that can rejuvenate a world, steeped in tepidity and lethargy The Lord declares, “I have come to bring fire on the earth; I have come to bring division and not peace”. A surface reading of these words can surprise and disturb one. We adore Jesus as the king of unity and peace. But now, Jesus affirms the opposite. What does it mean? A burning fire will surely bring about division and disturbed peace. It is the fire of love for Christ. It is to be rooted and founded in love. It is to understand and embrace the width, length, height, and depth of the love of Christ that surpasses all knowledge. It is the fire of love and compassion, light and guidance, justice and dignity, joy and contentment, empowerment and fulfillment. He offers the light of clarity and direction, certainty and solidity to a world that is shrouded in the dark traces of confusion, uncertainty, insecurity, and misguidance. He enlivens and revitalizes a world wounded by hatred and violence with the balm of love and forbearance. He elevates a world that has lost charm by misery and hopelessness, with the remedy of God’s own comfort and hope. But this is a “contrast mission” and certainly triggers displeasure and opposition and division. But this division is not a negative division, caused by the clashes of ego and self-interests. It is a “holy division” for the sake of God and good. It is a division that is the result of refusal to compromise. It is a division in virtue of a fundamental option for the Lord. It is a division because of the uncompromising priority and loyalty to God, beyond and above worldly pressures and human relations. Direction: What the world desperately needs is not heaps of ashes but sparks of fire. In a world that is becoming more and more rootless and uprooted, more and more shaken in foundations and unfounded, one needs to be rooted and founded in the love of God 21 OCTOBER 2022: EPH 4. 1-6; LUKE 12. 54-59 Thrust: Worthy of our call! Indicative: A lot have a lot of intelligence and knowledge. But we wonder whether all this is used for really judging and following what is right. 1. In the first reading, we are urged to “walk in a manner worthy of our calling.” What is our calling? We were already told earlier in Ephesians 1. 3-12, we are called and destined to be ‘holy and blameless,” so that we obtain salvation and life eternity. 2. Today’s word of God lays before us various ingredients of such a worthy living. In the first place, it implies being deeply aware of our oneness and living it, The whole pursuit can be summed up in three words: conscious, judicious, and assiduous. 3. We must be conscious that we are one in the one Spirit – one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Therefore, a worthy living would be incompatible with all disunity, division, and discrimination. 4. A life worthy of our call calls us to be judicious, and judge what is right. Understand, assess and interpret the present time. Be prepared to meet the eternal. Do not live a life that makes us blameworthy. culpable and punishable. 5. Then, be assiduous. This means that we must work hard, working out our salvation “with all love, humility, patience, and forbearance. We must use all our knowledge and competence, the intellectual and the others to grow wise and discerning. Imperative: Life becomes worthy when we live it for something worthy. A worthy life cannot go together with worthless affairs (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021, 22 OCTOBER) Focus: Men of today claim to be intelligent and capable persons who can unravel and control so many things of nature. But how much are they able to control and direct themselves? 1. People of today pride themselves on their ability to discover and control many things. They claim to read the signs of time and organize their life accordingly. They believe that they are competent experts in understanding and interpreting the realities. 2. There is certainly no doubt about progress and advancement. But such a development is only uneven and ill-proportioned. There is no holistic growth. Especially in terms of integrity and spirituality, social responsibility, and commitment, there is so much inadequacy and failure. 3. This is the same tone as of Jesus. He questions the dichotomy and shallowness of people’s abilities. Many are capable of reading the signs of the time in terms of seasons and climatic conditions of nature like heat and rain. But why do not understand and judge for themselves what is right? While they try to gain control over external things, why don’t try to gain control over themselves and their lives? 4. In specific reference to his mission, why don’t the people understand God’s invitation to realize and repent over their sinfulness? Why do they resist and reject his call to free themselves from sin and turn to God? Why do they lose sight of the eternal damnation that will be the result of such unbelief? Direction: Human intelligence and capacities are good and useful as they help to increase our understanding and ease of living. But how much do they help us to understand and live better as good human beings? (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2020, 23 OCTOBER) Focus: Human intelligence and knowledge should be raised and oriented to a higher level beyond the earth and mere secular concerns Certainly, commendable is human intelligence which acts brightly from simple common sense to great scientific and technological progress. In his intelligence, man is able to read and ascertain seasons and times, assess many practical situations, and dissolve many complexities. He is able to regulate and master many conditions to his advantage and ease of life. But how much this great sense and intelligence is used for something higher and loftier? Most of the considerations and efforts are often earth-bound and are driven by worldly motives and gains. How is it that man who acts cautiously and judiciously in earthly and transient matters, fails to act wisely and diligently toward spiritual and eternal concerns? Devoid of focus, foresight, and heaven-directedness, man runs the risk of eternal judgment and condemnation. In the gospel, Jesus very strongly objects to such a shallow human enterprise. This is truly the shallowness and superficiality of the present times as well. They are able to read, understand, interpret and assess, and thus control the seasons and times. But how sadly they fail to recognize the signs of the times and learn and grow from them! They gain mastery over the forces of nature, but they become slaves to the pressures of their own nature. They claim and pretend to be masters and freemen. But little do they realize that they lose true interior freedom in the name of the very freedom they seek. The freedom which they glorify is nothing but a disguised yoke of slavery to sin and evil. In fact, to truly read the signs of the times is “to live the vocation we have received. It is to be humble, kind, patient and to bear one another in love”. Direction: We live often in a world of shallow intelligence and superficial knowledge because they are so short-sighted and so badly limited to the material concerns 22 OCTOBER 2022: EPH 4. 7-16; LUKE 13. 1-9 Thrust: Receptive and productive! Indicative: God wants us to realise and repent over our sinfulness and fruitlessness. With this turnover, we need to progressively grow and bear abundant fruits 1. God never desires to punish or destroy us. Despite our repeated infidelity and failures, He is enormously patient. He goes on to give opportunities so that we repent. correct and rectify our wrongdoings. This is the right way of growing. In the words of the first reading, it means to grow mature in Christ’s likeness. 2. This requires profound repentance. It is crucial because “Unless you repent, you will all perish.” It implies three aspects: turning away from evil; growing into Christ, to the “measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” 3. Some concrete details of repentance are given in the first reading: It is to shun all our wavering and worldliness. We live in such a way that we “may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” 4. On the other hand, positively we need to keep growing in our union with God and with one another. We need to function properly like every part in the body so that the whole body grows. We must guard against our unproductivity. 5. Our life is like a fig tree. We must take care of this fig tree. God provides every help for its growth. We must cooperate with His sincere efforts to make us fertile and fruit-bearing. Imperative: If we do not repent and continue to grow mature in Christic life and not bear fruit, God will ask us for a reckoning. He will cut us down (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021, 23 OCTOBER) Focus: It is not status or intelligence that matters in the sight of God. Ultimately it is a repentant heart that lives according to the Spirit of God and produces fruits in abundance 1. “Unless you repent, you will all perish likewise”, Jesus is very clear and straight. The context is the death of some Galileans, by Pilate or by accident. Very easily people may think that they met such a fateful death because of their sin. They may also feel complacent that they are better than them. It is not necessarily so. All of us are sinful and prone to sin. There are no guarantees of one’s holiness and goodness at any moment. 2. What is important is not to judge and condemn others. Self-reflection, self-realization, and self-renewal are the most important. These need real repentance and conversion. This concretely implies a constant willingness and determination to fight the battle between the Spirit and the flesh. Repentance and conversion invite us to be humble and open to the Spirit. 3. Such a life makes us walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. It is to set the minds on the things of the Spirit and not on the things of the flesh. For to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace while to set the mind on the flesh is death and damnation. Those who are set on the flesh are hostile to God and do not please God. In fact, they do not belong to Christ. 4. If we walk according to the Spirit, our spirits will be alive because of righteousness. We will be productive and fruitful. Those who walk according to the flesh are like the fig tree in the gospel that simply uses up the ground for 3 years without any fruit. However, God is immensely patient. He will not immediately destroy us. As the vinedresser pleads for one more year, Jesus is pleading on our behalf for some more time to become fruit-bearing. Direction: Let us not disappoint God who is looking for fruits from us, after providing all the possible care for our growth and fruition. Let us repent and live converted lives of walking according to the Spirit and not flesh (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2020, 24 OCTOBER) Focus: God is immensely patient and hopeful, waiting for us to be converted, to change our ways, and thus become productive and bear abundant fruits God created us in His own image. He sent us into this world to bear witness to this divine identity in commitment and fruitfulness. As humans with fragility, at times we succumb to sin and we disfigure this image and rupture this communion. Therefore, we need to repent and be converted. In the gospel, Jesus minces no words. He bluntly states: You will all perish unless you change your ways. We shall not take for granted God’s immense grace. Neither shall we remain complacent, thinking that God has spared us or evil is not striking us. There are no exceptions concerning the consequences of sin. No evil shall go unaccounted. It is not a matter of God keeping strict accounts of life. Rather, it is a matter of us becoming more accountable and answerable. It shows itself in a changed life. A changed life consists of receptivity to God’s grace and productivity to bear the fruits of good actions. Fruitfulness is incumbent upon us and unproductivity stands condemnable. Direction: Certainly, God is immensely benevolent and patient and He never denies us chances to change for the better. But His patience shall not be a cause for mediocrity and easy-going.