4th week days mass reflection of the year 1

30 JANUARY – 04 FEBRUARY 2023: HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS 30 JANUARY 2023: HEB 11. 32-40; MARK 5. 1-20 Pivot: Faith changes all! Pointer: Faith is most urgent today. Faith is not just believing and following some doctrines and traditions. Faith is to be deeply spiritual and faithful 1.      Once again the theme of faith continues strong in the first reading. Many names are cited, of those who were men of faith. In these men, we see what is true faith, what faith does to them, what faith enables them to do, and how faith transforms them as well as rewards them. 2.      In the light of the first reading, true faith is essentially trusting and obeying God and enduring everything for His sake. They believed in God’s promises and the resurrection. No torture or mockery or stoning or scourging or imprisonment or deprivation or affliction or abandonment or hunger would deter them from their faithfulness. They always submitted to God. They remained faithful to Him. They always did what was righteous. 3.      The gospel further elucidates what is true faith in the light of the healing of a possessed man. True faith is to be free from the unclean spirit. There are some striking marks of this unclean spirit. 4.      It is to dwell among the tombs, and that means to live a life that is estranged from others, a life that is lifeless. It is to be uncontrolled, indisciplined with unsubdued passions. It is to be perpetually crying out, and that means to be lamenting and melancholic. To be with an unclean spirit also means to harm oneself and others through unruly behavior. 5.      Therefore, if one has faith, it means that he totally confides in God and receives healing and lives a changed life of sanity and clean spirit. Today, we must make our faith more integral. Faith is not just a matter of a few prayers or spiritual activities or events. Faith is also not some miracles and impressive healings. Orientation: Faith is a matter of surrender to God’s will. It is endurance. It is being healed. It is to be liberated from unclean spirit. Faith is to live a clean life with a clean spirit (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021, 01 FEBRUARY) Focus: Faith puts a clean spirit into us, strengthens us, and makes us worthy in God’s sight; But the unclean cannot stand the presence of the Holy One, and cannot resist the power of grace as well   In the gospel, Jesus encounters and confronts a man with an unclean spirit. There are very precise details regarding the possessed man's condition. These are very indicative. They indicate what are some of the clear signs of being evil-possessed. Living among the tombs indicates living aloof, cut off, and estranged from others. Shouting and crying indicate the spirit of grumbling, lamenting, and arguing. Bound in chains indicates being bound in the fetters of sin and evil. Not being controlled and subdued indicates undisciplined and unreined freedom. Bruising himself and others as well indicates all the acts and habits of self-ruin and harm to others. Legion indicates that evil is not a single isolated act but is always a bundle, a pack, and a series of wrongs. All these unclean forces always surmount and torment us also. All of us need healing and need to be made clean. But many a time, like the possessed man, we do not want to be healed. And like the people, we do not value and appreciate the healing, because we are more concerned about the material interests (loss of swine), rather than the persons. Only faith makes us approach Jesus, seek his healing touch, and be clean.   Direction: Let us come out of our wandering aimlessly among the tombs of our estrangement from God and others, and run to God to be restored to sanity and integrity.   (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2022, 31 JANUARY) Focus: Our behavior depends on the kind of spirit that we possess. If it is a good and Holy Spirit, our conduct will be upright, and if it is an evil spirit, our conduct will be wrong 1.      In the gospel, we have a man possessed by an unclean spirit. He lives among the tombs, indicating his alienation from others. He was bound with chains and shackles, indicating boundedness by sin. He could not be subdued by anyone, indicating being uncontrollable and rebellious. He was always crying, indicating the nature of grumbling and lamenting. He was cutting himself with stones, indicating self-inflicting actions. All these are the typical characteristics of an evil spirit. 2.       Jesus heals the demon-possessed man whereby he becomes well-clothed and regains his right mind. Interestingly, Jesus sends the legion of demons into a herd of two thousand pigs. They run and get drowned in the sea. Certainly a huge loss! Perhaps through this, Jesus wants to make it very clear that the sanity and well-being of a human person are far more important than any material gain.   Direction: The healed demon-possessed man goes around and bears testimony to God’s mercy. The greatest sign of our healing will be when we become zealous witnesses to the mercy of God  31 JANUARY 2023: HEB 12. 1-4; MARK 5. 21-43, Memory of St John Bosco Pivot: Run the race! Pointer: Our life is a race of faith that we need to keep running. We need to follow certain rules so as to do it to the best 1.       To live a life of faith is like running a race. This has certain guidelines. First is, to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader, and perfecter of faith. The Second is, to rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us. The third is, to get encouraged and motivated by a great cloud of witnesses. The fourth is, to persevere in running the race despite all the hurdles, without growing weary and losing heart. The fifth is, to be directed and ignited by the abiding joy that awaits us. 2.       The gospel illustrates two live examples of true faith. One is Jairus, one of the synagogue officials and the other is a  woman with a haemorrhage. Both are extreme cases. The 12 years old daughter of Jairus was at the point of death and then dead. The bleeding woman had been suffering for 12 years spending all she had on treatment but with no use. 3.       Two aspects become very clear in these two healings: on one hand the power of Jesus, and on the other hand, the faith of these two persons. The power of Jesus is so immense that he raises to life the dead girl with the mere touch of the hand. He cured the bleeding woman with the mere touch of his cloth. 4.      Their faith is also remarkable. Even in such desperate situations, they did not give up their hope in Jesus’ power. That is why Jesus magnanimously ascribes great credit to their faith as the cause of healing. In all the senses of faith, we can attest that Saint John Bosco whom we commemorate today was a man of deep faith. He ran the race to the end with focus and endurance. He extended the touch of Jesus and rehabilitated many poor and delinquent youth in a race of virtue and vigour. Orientation: Faith is essentially a matter of touch. Approach Jesus and touch him personally, like the bleeding woman. If not able to touch by ourselves like the dead girl, at least be open to receive his touch. In either case, touch brings healing and new life (REFLECTION 2) Our life is a race of faith. Jesus is the destination. He is both the model as well as the mentor of this race. Focused on him and oriented to him, modelled on him and sustained by him, we must run ahead, in determination and perseverance. This also calls for getting rid of every unnecessary encumbrance, the weight of sin, so that we can run easier and faster. No seldom, the strain of the course, the hurdles, and the discouragements on the way, reduce our enthusiasm and push us toward quitting. It is in such times, we must keep ourselves, inspired, propelled, enthused, and encouraged by a great “cloud of witnesses” (cf. Heb.12.1). Such are the two figures of exemplary faith in the Gospel, namely Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, and the woman with a haemorrhage. Their faith in Jesus brings them the desired healing, dispels fear, and restores peace. Their faith is commendable, all the more, given the extremity and desperateness of their situation: Jairus’ daughter is initially at the point of death and then dead; and the woman has been suffering from a haemorrhage for 12 years, has spent all that she had but in vain. They seek Jesus, not as one of the many alternatives, as many do, but as the only and ultimate resort. “Either he or nothing else” is the “irreversibility” of their faith in him. This is true faith – turn to him and continue to trust him, even when everything seems lost and hopeless, to rise from our frequent fallenness, experience the power of his touch, and re-commence walking on.  (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2021, 27 JUNE) Focus: True faith is not at all a matter of the power of one’s belief and getting things done by God. Rather, it is a matter of believing totally in the power of God, with total humility   1.      Very often, faith is regarded as one’s credit.  That is why, we hear compliments like, “Oh, what faith he has! Oh, how great is her faith!” This can easily give the impression that faith is one’s greatness. This is actually a defective conception. The focus should not be on the person who believes but on God whom one believes. The greatness is not of the one who pleads and receives from God, but of God who listens and gives. 2.       In fact, the more faith thinks nothing of itself, the more it is creditable. In other words, a person with true faith must always be humble. He must be deeply conscious of his unworthiness and littleness. One may be great and big in the sight of the world. But before God, before His greatness and holiness, we are all unworthy and undeserving. This is not self-deprecation or self-lowering, which may be negative as poor self-esteem. This is realistic self-realisation and self-acceptance. 3.       Therefore, when faith is devoid of humility, it cannot be sincere and profound. It can easily become arrogant and even self-righteous. Such a humility-lacking faith would make even God’s grace a necessary result of its greatness and not of God’s benevolence. Certainly, very often, Jesus praises the faith of those who seek favours from him. And in today’s gospel also, he compliments the faith of one ruler of a synagogue and one woman with a haemorrhage. Jesus does the healing and gives the credit to their faith. 4.       However, this does not mean that it is their faith that does things happen. It is God who makes things happen. Their faith is great in the sense that they are totally open to receiving God’s power. Therefore, the greatness of faith does not lie in the person himself but in God. In other words, faith becomes great when there is humility, trust, and surrender. 5.       In this sense, let us reflect on the two healings in the gospel: the raising from death to life of the daughter of Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, and the healing of a woman with a haemorrhage. Truly the faith of the official and that of the woman is praiseworthy and meritorious. They place their total trust in Jesus' power and compassion. The official believes. He firmly thinks it is enough that Jesus lays his hands over his daughter. When he approached Jesus, she was at the point of death, and as he was rushing home with Jesus to heal her, she was already dead. But even then, he believes and takes Jesus to his home. 6.       His faith is marked by deep humility. Seeing Jesus, he falls at his feet and beseeches him. He keeps aside all his authority as a ruler of the synagogue. He does not consider it below his dignity to bend his knee before Jesus. Deep within, he acknowledges and believes the power of Jesus that is far superior to his own as a ruler. He knows that the divine and spiritual power of Jesus surpasses his worldly power. Such genuine humility is accompanied by an unswerving trust in Jesus’ merciful power. That is why he pleads to Jesus, “Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live”. 7.       The woman with the bleeding disease too believes. She firmly thinks it is enough that she touches the edge of his cloak. Unlike Jairus, her approach to Jesus was a silent act. She touches Jesus’ garment from behind and gets instant healing. But she confesses the healing at Jesus’ query, “Who touched me?” 8.       What is very remarkable in their faith is the extremity of their condition. The ruler believes in Jesus, even at death point, and the woman believes in Jesus even after 12 long years. Even in their most desperate situations, they do not give up hope. There were funebrial cries all around Jairus’ house. And the woman consulted every possible doctor and spent her every penny on her haemorrhage. Both were facing the most desperate and depressing situations. 9.       We can also note on the part of Jesus a couple of simple but significant factors. He shows personal concern. He goes personally to the house of the ruler. There was a great crowd around him. He was fully engaged. But he does not turn down the plea of the ruler. He takes the girl by the hand as he brings her back to life. He also tells the people to give her something to eat. Yes, Jesus never rejects our pleas. He listens to us. Of course, at times, we may not get what we pray for. But that does not mean that he does not care for us. His goodness to us cannot be calculated only in terms of favours. 10.   Another factor is he always transmits his power to us. It is this power that went to the diseased woman and healed her and raised to life Jairus’ daughter. Further, what is striking is that he seeks no recognition or fame. What a fantastic miracle of raising from death! It is the best means and time to shoot into gigantic popularity. But, he tries to minimize the glory of it, by saying that the girl is not dead but is just sleeping. He puts all the crowd outside the girl’s room, except the girl’s parents and his three disciples Peter, James, and John. After the miracle, he strictly charges them not to tell anyone. What a contrast to many of us that do a drop but do bundles of publicity and get mountains of popularity! 11.   At the end of all, what is needed on our part is to approach him in deepest trust and get into the realm of his touch. Jesus’ touch transmits power that gives new life. The diseased woman begins a new life with health, joy, and serenity. The ruler’s daughter receives a second life. 12.    Today, Jesus continues the same life-giving words that he pronounced to the dead girl, “Talitha cumi”, “Little girl, I say to you, arise”. Just as the girl instantly got up and walked, so too we must constantly allow Jesus to lay his hands and touch us. Once touched and healed, we must get up and walk steady and sane.   Direction: Faith may go through trials and may be tested. But God will never deny and deprive His grace and never frustrates the trust and hope of those who confide in Him   (REFLECTION 4 FROM 2022, 01 FEBRUARY) Focus: Healing is nothing but a matter of touch. Whoever encounters Jesus and experiences his touch, will surely be healed and begins a new life 1.      True faith is never mediocre. True faith believes even the impossible to happen, for as Bible says, “Nothing is impossible for God”. True faith is to hope for the best even in the worst and hopeless situations. This is what we see in the gospel. There are two miracles by Jesus: one is the miraculous healing of a twelve-year-long hemorrhage of a woman; the other is, bringing to life the dead daughter of a certain Jairus, an official. 2.       Tremendous was the faith needed to believe in Jesus’ power even in such desperate situations. Jairus continued to believe even when he got the news of the death of his ailing daughter. The woman with the bleeding disease persisted to believe even after twelve years of huge resultless spending. 3.       Both miracles were the effects of the power of the touch of Jesus. The woman was cured because she touched the garment of Jesus. The dead girl was restored to life because Jesus touched her with his hand. This confirms that the touch of Jesus is powerful and healing. Those who come in touch with Jesus cannot continue sick or dead. They will be healed and revived. 4.       Both miracles bring new life to the concerned persons. For the woman with a hemorrhage, it was really a new life. She was on the verge of total ruin: all her resources were exhausted; all her human dignity was exasperated; her hopes evaporated; the beauty of living was disfigured, and the joy of life was robbed. She was literally dying. Thus, her healing was not merely a physical matter. It was much more: it was a new life with a new dignity of the person, and new beauty and joy of life. 5.       The mention of 12 years can be indicative. The girl raised to life was twelve years old, and the woman suffered from a hemorrhage for 12 years. The girl began a new life at 12. The woman too began a new life after 12 years of intense suffering. Jesus’ healing command, Talitha cumi (Little girl, arise) to the dead girl can be very indicative. It indicates that essentially all healing is a matter of rising. It is a rising from our misery, from our sickness, and our death.   Direction: True healing is a constant rising from hopelessness to hopefulness, from sickness to health, and from death to life. As long as we do not rise up and walk, we are not healed!   01 FEBRUARY 2023: HEB. 12.4-7, 11-15; MK. 6.1-6 Pivot: Faith is a must! Pointer: There is no doubt that God is all-powerful and everything is possible for Him. But, in His love for us, He respects us and gives us freedom. It is for us to allow Him to teach and discipline us and thus we grow 1.      Reproof, correction, and discipline are generally resented and resisted because they are not in good taste. Accordingly, often, unfavourable situations, unpleasant experiences, sufferings, and adversities are considered punishments from the Lord. 2.      But today the word of God reminds us that they are part of discipline for a child by his father. A certain discipline and chastisement is a necessary ingredient of any true love, and a steady training process. For the moment, discipline may look painful and unpleasant, but it yields rich fruits of peace and righteousness. Therefore what is needed is, not to easily succumb to dissipation, not to waver and stumble, not to grow bitter, and not to get defiled and unholy. 3.      But this is possible, only when one really “believes” in the Lord. Such faith demands that one is not easily caught up with mere external factors, or carried away by human considerations or calculations. Sadly, Jesus’ people were stuck to the earthly origins of Jesus and failed to see beyond. They refuse to recognise and accept his divine wisdom and power. 4.      Their lack of faith came in the way of Jesus’ abundant healing ministry. It cautions us to rise above and beyond the merely physical and material realms and to penetrate into the higher horizons of the love and power of the Lord. 5.      When one fails to look beyond and trust in the above, one will not recognise the real identity and power of Jesus, and thus not experience his miracles in life. We need to bear in mind that the true miracle of faith is not the absence of any adversity. Rather, it is the sense of discipline and forbearance that looks beyond what is apparent and convenient. Orientation: All growth requires some discipline. Discipline is not a curtailment of freedom, but is an entailment of maturity and responsibility. Discipline is not stifling growth, but channelling and directing growth. 02 FEBRUARY 2023: MALACHI 3.1-4; HEB. 2.14-18; LUKE 2.22-40, Presentation of the Lord Pivot: A call to purify and sanctify! Pointer: The child Jesus is presented in the temple as per the ritual of his tradition. This indicates the very purpose of his coming to us, that is his self-offering for our salvation The Festivity of the Presentation of the Lord in the temple denotes purification ritually, and consecration spiritually. The rite of presentation indeed forecasts and prefigures our own purification. It is an act of self-offering and self-immolation of Jesus, by God the Father, through the mediation of his parents. In his presentation, there is the expiation of our sins, and thus purification from the stain and weight of our sins. This testifies to Jesus’ own consecration to God’s eternal plan of salvation, for the sake of humanity. Thus in his consecration, we have our purification and liberation from the bondage of sin. This purification does not stop there. Rather it has a ‘transferring’ and ‘transmitting’ effect, which consists of ‘transformation’. One who is purified is rightly presented to the Lord, as a pure offering, and is sanctified as a consecrated gift. Orientation: One who is consecrated by God, is consecrated to His holy mission of consecrating others as well to the same Lord. One who is consecrated, cannot befriend the forces of desecration! (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2022) Focus: Our life will be meaningful only to the extent it is presented to God in the spirit of self-offering and for the good of others in the spirit of self-giving 1.      02 February marks the feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the temple. It was after 40 days of his birth according to Jewish law. In fact, he had no need to follow the laws and traditions. There was no need to be purified or offered as holy to the Lord because he is purity and holiness itself. 2.       His presentation in the temple is symbolic and significative. It signifies the function and effect of his messianic role. As the incarnate savior and the messiah, he presents and offers himself to the Father in humble obedience. He becomes like us in every respect except sin. He subjects himself to human law and obligations in total solidarity with us. 3.       Further, his presentation ritual also indicates the effect of his messianic role. By his self-offering, he offers all as “pleasing” to the Lord. His purification ceremony indicates the purification that he brings to all. He propitiates the sins of the people. And the words in Malachi apply very well to his doing. “He is like a refiner’s fire and like fuller’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver”. 4.       From the presence of Simeon, a righteous and devout man, in the temple it becomes still clear that the presented Jesus was destined for the “consolation of Israel”, “salvation that God has prepared in the presence of all peoples”, “a light for revelation to the Gentiles”, and for “glory to the people Israel”. 5.       The presentation of the Lord in the temple is a sacred call for each one of us, to be ever on the holy project of presentation, purification, and salvation. We are called to present ourselves as pleasing offerings to God. We need to constantly purify ourselves from all our burdens of sin. And we need to continue the same mission of salvation. Direction: The presentation of the Lord is a reminder of the beauty and duty of our consecration. We are consecrated to the Lord as offerings and we need to be committed to offering others also to God (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2021) Focus: To offer oneself totally for one's own good is good but not great or out of the way. But to offer oneself for others' good is great and noble   1.      Today we celebrate the festivity of the presentation of the Lord in the temple. This is clearly symbolic and indicative of the nature and purpose of Jesus' life and mission. His human earthly life is an offering of the Father to humanity and for humanity for their salvation and redemption. 2.       Thus his life is sacrificial and his mission is redemptive. The ritual presentation of the Lord symbolizes his actual presentation through his death and resurrection. What a destiny and mystery! He came to die, but it is not to remain under the shackles of death to disappear completely. It is only to rise gloriously and thus make us live again. 3.       In his presentation is seen in one scene the whole story of his life and the culmination of it. In his presentation, we witness a totally different God, not a God who waits and appeases himself through various presentations and offerings by humans but a God who offers his own self. He does not offer merely some gifts and boons but offers his most precious Son. 4.       Thereby God reveals and reminds us of His very nature and the nature of true love and also of the essence of salvation. Our God is a self-offering God; true love is self-offering and salvation consists in self-offering for others. 5.       Jesus' presentation in the temple is not merely a ritual fulfillment, not merely a chronological event in the history of his life, and not merely a part of his natural human growth. It is already an integral part of the redemptive process. 6.       His presentation is also a representation and invitation for our own presentation. Just as he is presented by the Father through his parents for the whole of humanity, so too we must present and offer ourselves to God for the sake of others. It is only in self-giving and surrender that we obtain our salvation. And it is only in this life of offering that we fulfill our mission of salvation of others. 7.       As long as we refuse to offer and surrender ourselves to God for the good of others, our life will have no meaning and no destiny. All the forces of self-centeredness, self-closure, defiance, and unreined freedom are clear contradictions to the very essence of our life and mission!   Direction: Undue self-clinging and self-indulgence, losing sight of surrender to God, and commitment to others' good are self-destructive!   03 FEBRUARY 2023: HEB 13. 1-8; MARK 6. 14-29 Pivot: Let righteousness reign! Pointer: God is love and we learn to love and live in love like Him. It is this love that makes us righteous, confident, and courageous to accept any adversity for the sake of the same love of God 1.      We have different characters in today’s gospel episode, mainly in two categories – the negative and the positive. On the negative side, we have Herod, Herodias, Herodias’ daughter, and the courtiers and dignitaries at Herod’s party. On the positive side, we have Jesus and John the Baptist. Each of them indicates some significant lessons for us. 2.      As in the words of the first reading, Herod and Herodias are immoral and adulterous. They dishonour marriage and defile marriage bed. He was not free from the love of money. He was not content with what he had. Herod succumbs to the pressure of pleasure, power, and money. He gets John the Baptist beheaded, even though he knew John to be righteous and holy, and knew himself to be wrong. He neither resists the wrong, nor abstains from it, nor questions Herodias. 3.       Herodias knew herself to be immoral and in the wrong. But instead of changing herself, she resents John the Baptist who exposes her wrong. She uses her daughter as a pawn. Thus, cunningly she does away with him. Herodias’ daughter, without any moral scruple, allows herself to be manipulated by her mother, to behead John the Baptist. Herod’s courtiers and dignitaries at the party become partners in that murder, by their culpable indifference, even though they could advise him against it. 4.      On the other hand, on the positive side, we have John the Baptist and Jesus. They are authentic in life and prophetic in action. They are fearless and truthful, even to the extent of death. True to the words in the first reading, they were convinced of God’s assurance, “I will never forsake you or abandon you”. They stood firm against all opposition and persecution, saying with confidence: The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?” Whose side are we? Orientation: When pleasure, power, false dignity, and money overpower man, he loses self-control, forfeits discernment, fears the truth, resists change, and succumbs to evil. Are we also like that?   04 FEBRUARY 2023: HEB 13. 15-17, 20-21; MARK 6. 30-34 Pivot: Be sensitive and compassionate! Pointer: Our God is very sensitive toward us. He senses and feels our needs and struggles. He is ever moved with compassion and promptly comes to our aid 1.      We have today a clear image of a true Master and a disciple like the Master. The Lord is truly the great Shepherd of the sheep. He feels compassion for the people and cares for them, teaching them, guiding, and healing them. His spirit is undaunted, and his mission is untiring, to the extent of not bothering even about rest or food. 2.      Quite true to the words in the first reading, Letter to Hebrews, the Master equips his disciples with every good that they may always do God’s will. He works in them that which is pleasing in God’s sight. He keeps watch over them and feels deeply concerned for them. 3.      The disciples too inherit the same mission and imbibe the same spirit of relentless commitment. They passionately imitate their Master. They readily submit to their sole Leader. Like their Master, they offer pleasing sacrifices to God. 4.      These sacrifices consist in never neglecting to do good, and ever sharing the immense treasure of faith they have. With a clear conscience, they desire to act honourably in all things. They do everything joyfully and not grudgingly. They live lives accountable to their Master. 5.      We are the disciples for today, and also the leaders, and the shepherds of the people entrusted to us. If we are to be true to our call and mission, then we need to be imbued with and ignited by the same spirit of surrender, joy, and benevolence in unswerving commitment. Orientation: There may be rest for the body. But there is no rest for the spirit. There may be a pause from physical work and activity, but no pause for God’s mission. Food may satisfy physical hunger, but only doing God’s will is the nourishment that satiates the deep spiritual hunger. (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021, 06 FEBRUARY) Focus: In life, the priced things are not so many possessions and positions, but wisdom, integrity, compassion, and dedication   In the gospel, once again we see the deep compassion of Jesus towards his disciples and the people. He does not bother about himself but thinks of the tiredness and hunger of his disciples and the need for food and relaxation. He is concerned about the lack of guidance and inner sustenance of the people, and their need to quench their spiritual hunger. That's why he teaches them, boosts up, and elevates their spirits.   And one concern that is impelling and challenging is the situation of “sheep without a shepherd”. What a profound and realistic observation and evaluation of Jesus on the people of his time! Our times are no different from those. Truly, many people today are like sheep without shepherds. Many are indeed without direction and due care. Many are like sheep without proper guidance and sufficient nourishment, be it spiritual, psychological, or moral. They need good shepherds.   In fact, strictly speaking, there is only one supreme shepherd and that is Jesus. And all those who are entrusted with the task of shepherding the sheep, are actually the herdsmen, the caretakers. Today, a serious reflection and self-check must be done on the quality of these herdsmen. Their main failure in their shepherding is not following the sole shepherd Jesus. These herdsmen ought to keep watch over the souls. They need to be conscious that one day they must give account. They must do their duty joyfully, and not reluctantly or sadly.   And all, both the sheep and the shepherds must have a clear conscience. Their desire must be to act honorably in all things. The constant striving must be to equip themselves with everything good, so as to do his will, and whatever is pleasing in his sight.   Direction: Passion for God and compassion for others should always make our life tireless and our mission relentless. If we bother about God's work and others' good, God will bother about what we need.   (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2022, 05 FEBRUARY) Focus: Perhaps the greatest defect of today’s world is the lack of wisdom. While it is so frantically seeking riches and honor, it is so badly devoid of the inner power to discern between good and evil   1.      In the NT, a leader is presented more in terms of a shepherd. Jesus himself presents himself as a good shepherd. He also expects his leaders over his people to be true shepherds. In the gospel, Jesus feels compassion for the people. This certainly shows the very nature of God as compassionate. He feels concerned for us. He senses our needs. He feels deeply moved by our plight. 2.       But apart from God’s nature of compassion, the reason for his compassion is a note to reflect upon. He feels compassion for the people because they were like sheep without a shepherd. This speaks both of the sheep and the shepherds as well. The sheep are directionless and deviant, either because there is no true shepherd to follow or because they do not follow the true shepherd. The shepherds too are culpable because they do not shepherd their sheep. 3.       The shepherds fail to be good shepherds because they lack the essential trait of wisdom. They lack that understanding and wise mind to discern between good and evil. They are more worried about riches, honor, long life, and success over their rivals, rather than wise governance. They substitute wisdom with the things of the world.   Direction: The gospel notes that the disciples had no leisure even to eat. In the light of this, what many of the present shepherds lack is that ceaseless and relentless commitment to God’s work. Shepherds who do not love and lead their sheep; and sheep who do not follow their shepherds!   FEAST OF ST JOHN DE BITTO: 1 COR 9. 19-27; JOHN 12. 20-32 Focus: When one loves the Lord intensely and passionately, then he lives and dies only for him. Life or death makes no difference because both are for his sake 1.      04 February is a special spiritual feast for India as it celebrates St John de Britto. He was born in 1647 in Portugal became a Jesuit priest and worked and martyred in Tamil Nadu in 1693. He is the patron saint of the diocese of Sivagangai. Both the readings of the day mirror the life and mission of this great saint. 2.       He loved the Lord passionately and for the sake of his gospel, he embraced enormous sufferings and tortures. He became all things to all (enculturated himself, learned the local language, lived in solidarity with the poor) so as to gain at least some for Christ. Like the grain of wheat, he sacrifices himself in order to give life and help others through the abundant fruits of good works. He loses his life on earth so as to gain life in eternity. 3.       Like a runner set on his target, he ran the race of faith to the end and deserved the imperishable prize of eternal life. That is why, as Jesus promises, he will be there where the Lord is. And since he glorified God by his life and martyrdom, the Father also glorifies him with heavenly glory. 4.       The life and martyrdom of Saint John de Britto are an inspiration and challenge to all of us. A foreigner left his motherland, became totally one with the people of the foreign land, sacrificed many legitimate comforts, underwent numerous tortures, toiled tirelessly for the sake of the Lord and his gospel, and finally gave up his very life. Direction: What is the intensity of my love for the Lord? How deep is my conviction? How loyal I am to the spread of the gospel and its values? How courageous I am to suffer and even offer my very life for the sake of the Lord?  (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021) Focus: It is really the metal of a saint to live totally for the Lord, and also to die for him; one who is not ready to die for him, would not also live with him and for him   Today we celebrate the feast of Saint John de Britto. He was born in Lisbon and worked and was martyred in Tamilnadu, India. He is the patron saint of the diocese of Sivagangai, India. Today’s readings are very much applicable to saint Britto.   Like Paul, he “became all things to all, that by all means, he might save some”. He made himself a slave to all, that he might win the more. Quite true to Jesus’ teaching, Britto makes himself like the grain of wheat that falls into the earth and dies and bears much fruit. He willingly loses his life in temporality, so as to gain life in eternity. He is convinced like Paul that he does it all for the sake of the gospel, so that he may share in its blessings.   Like a committed runner, he ran the race of faith that he may obtain the eternal prize. He is deeply clear that his faith and his faith struggles are never a waste. He does not run aimlessly. He does not box as one beating in the air. He passionately loved the Lord and so loses his life for Jesus’ sake. Like Jesus, Britto always sought to glorify the Father through his very life of abundant fruits. He runs the race of faith, not for a perishable prize or wreathes, but for an imperishable. He qualifies himself by pommelling and subduing his body.   That is why he truly deserves the reward promised by Jesus. Jesus says, “If anyone serves me, he must follow me, and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if anyone serves me, the Father will honor him”. Accordingly, Britto in his martyrdom glorifies the Father; and the Father in turn glorifies him with eternal life. Like Britto, we too must follow Jesus’ path of paradoxes by losing our life for his sake, so as to gain it for eternity.   Direction: When one’s love for the Lord is intense, then he will not retain anything for himself, even his very life. But this giving up will be richly rewarded by receiving the eternal life