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.