FIRST WEEK OF LENT 2023

27 FEB - 04 MARCH 2023, HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS 27 FEBRUARY 2023: LEVITICUS 19. 1-2, 11-18; MATTHEW 25. 31-46 Pivot: Love is the sum! Indicative: Love is the greatest commandment. It is twofold: for God and others. It is the same love that manifests itself in two aspects 1. The whole focus of the word of God is on love, with its emphasis on love for others. Fraternal love is both the expression and also the evidence and testimony of love for God. Accordingly, it also becomes the crucial criterion for the last judgment. 2. All the questions of the judgment are concerning fraternal duties, like feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, sheltering the stranger, clothing the naked, caring for the sick, and visiting the imprisoned 3. In fact, all these fraternal concerns are not just nice acts of kindness. They are also not merely moral matters of doing good or not doing. They are essential and fundamental human obligations. They are non-negotiable principles of justice. In this sense, they are not favours that we do according to our liking or convenience. They are inescapably binding 4. The commandments of God in the first reading also carry this fundamentally binding character. Unfortunately many look at them from a mere religious or legal or moral perspective, that is as matters of religion or laws or ethics 5. We do not deny their religious or legal or ethical nature. But they are not just that. They pertain to the whole life. They affect the whole person, inter-relationships, and society. They are profound issues of integrity, sensitivity, and justice 6. They are the “religion in action”, God in humanity, and holiness in goodness. That is why, Jesus says, “Whatever you do to the needy brethren, you do it for me”. This kind of integral understanding of religion is very exigent in our times. 7. We find in our times a distorted and narrow perspective of religion. It is limited to mere rituals or some religious activities with total disrespect and damage to the basic principles of humanity and justice. Imperative: What kind of religion it is when it fails in the spirit of unity, fraternity, and charity? A religion that is inhuman and destructive in the name of God and religion is only demoniac. It is high time that our devotion is re-clothed with humanness (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2022, 07 MARCH) Focus: Love for others and charity to them is the ultimate criterion that decides the fate of the last judgment. Those who fail in the principle of charity will be liable to judgment and punishment 1. Very often, segregation is made between the spiritual domain and the actual. Accordingly, we see a lot of dichotomy between one’s devotion and one’s action. Often we find people to be very spiritual but not integral, very prayerful but not charitable. It is in this context today’s liturgy of the word affirms once again the inseparable harmony between holiness and goodness, between faith in God and charity to others. 2. In the first reading, God commands His people to be holy as He is holy. But, immediately all the later directives concern duties toward the neighbour. This implies that being good and just to others is the real expression of being holy and faithful to God. 3. In the gospel too, in the context and light of the last judgment, Jesus drives home that charity is the supreme principle and love in action is the ultimate criterion for the last judgment. The central focus of the last judgment is the bond of fraternity and the duty of charity. Charity to others especially those in need becomes the concrete expression and testimony of the love of God in action. 4. Charity is a binding obligation on every disciple of Christ. It is the ultimate criterion that pivots the whole direction of divine justice. In the last judgment what is striking is that the acts of charity which express the love of neighbour are tantamount to the love of God itself. 5. In doing all those benevolent acts of love, one is loving God Himself (v. 40: “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ “; v. 45: “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me’”). 6. This love of neighbor is further so noble that it does all the good without any ulterior motive, so selfless even to the extent of not being aware of doing it for God; they are devoid of even this holy motive of doing everything to please God. 7. However, we need to bear in mind one important factor. It will be unfair to attest that God judges on the basis of actions, so devotion and prayer are not primary matters. Even though the spiritual aspect is not explicitly mentioned, it is profoundly present. A true charity, a life of good actions is possible only when there is a deep spiritual foundation. 8. One who is prayerful cannot but be charitable. One who is genuinely and joyfully charitable and committed to good, cannot but be solidly rooted in God and prayer because it is there that he derives his motivation and strength. One cannot do good unless inspired and prompted by the Holy Spirit. Direction: Devotion without charity will be without flesh. That is why, the great Saint Francis de Sales exclaimed: “Charity is the perfection of devotion”, that is, the apex and culmination of devotion is the ecstasy of charity. 28 FEBRUARY 2023:ISAIAH 55. 10-11; MATTHEW 6. 7-15 Pivot: Pray and do! Indicative: It is not enough that we pray. Praying is not just a matter of reciting prayers but surrendering to God’s will and doing it 1. The main focus today is on prayer. Our prayer ought to be qualitative. However, quality does not mean the quality of words, the length, or the eloquence of it. The quality of prayer is determined by how much it is productive and transformative 2. In the light of the first reading from Isaiah, true prayer is like rain that nourishes nature and produces fruit. It derives its spirit and strength from constant communication with God both through His holy word and prayer of the heart 3. The gospel presents to us the sublime prayer, “Our Father” as the model for true prayer. This prayer offers us some essential tenets of true prayer. Accordingly, true prayer is always permeated with a deep family sense. As such, it nurtures a filial devotion toward God and a fraternal concern for others 4. True prayer is always intent on doing God’s will and establishing His kingdom. Very particularly, true prayer is imbued with a profound sense of forgiveness. Forgiving others becomes the indispensable pre-requisite for obtaining God’s forgiveness Imperative: We need to guard against shallow praying that lacks depth and interiority and fails to renew one’s life, especially a life of surrender and forgiveness (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2022, 08 MARCH) Focus: Prayer is not just a matter of reciting some prayers or making some supplications. Prayer is a matter of realising, relating, and reforming 1. We have in today’s gospel the sublime prayer ‘Our Father’. It is unique because it is the only prayer that is formulated, taught, and ordered by Jesus to pray. However, the prayer ‘Our Father’ is not just a single, individual prayer. It is not so much what to pray. It is not so much about what are the contents or formulations. Rather, what matters is how to pray, and with what spirit to pray. Thus, the prayer ‘Our Father’ is not a prayer but the way of praying. 2. ‘Our Father’ is the model or summary-prayer. It denotes the essence of the spirit of praying. Some of the essential ingredients of this spirit of praying are the sense of family and belonging; the sense of reverence; the sense of surrender; the sense of mission; the sense of contentment; the sense of forgiveness, and the sense of resistance and steadfastness amidst trials and temptations. 3. “Sense of family and belonging”: In calling God ‘Our Father’, we affirm and remind ourselves that we all belong to one family of God as His children and brothers and sisters. Therefore, a good prayer must always carry this note and tone of filial and fraternal bonding. 4. “Sense of reverence”: “Holy be your name!” implies that we not only honour and revere God but also live a life that keeps up His holy name. We keep Him holy by living holy and worthy lives. “Sense of surrender”: “Your will be done!” Our prayer is that we do not cling to or do our will but God’s will. His will becomes our norm and doing His will becomes our only concern and priority. 5. “Sense of mission”: We wish and pray that God reigns everywhere and always. We pray that His kingdom of love, justice, and peace is established. Further, we also commit ourselves to promote this kingdom. “Sense of content”: “Give us our daily bread” denotes that we become satisfied with what is minimum. We shall not be ridden by greed and accumulation. 6. “Sense of forgiveness”: This is a crucial attitude and approach for genuine prayer. A prayer that has no forgiving heart is not acceptable to God. A heart that prays but harbours a grudge, resentment, and negativity cannot win God’s grace. To the extent we forgive others. to that extent, we will obtain God’s forgiveness. “Sense of steadfastness”: Surrounded and tormented by trials and tribulation. In the face of them, we must remain stable, not lament, and become efficacious; lest we succumb easily to any little stroke of evil. Direction: The quality of prayer does not depend upon the quantity of words but the quality of faith. It consists of filiality, fraternity, and fraternity (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2021, 23 FEBRUARY) Focus: True prayer is not merely reciting a number of words but being with God and seeking His holy will. Praying is not reciting but relating, not submitting petitions, but submitting one’s own self 1. Jesus once again teaches us what and how to pray through the prayer 'Our Father', a sublime prayer. Certainly, it is unique because it is taught by Jesus himself. But perhaps, our focus and emphasis should be on its spirit, thrust, and direction, rather than its formulations and contents. 2. The power of prayer comes from God who makes them efficacious and not so much from the words themselves. Therefore, the spirit with which the heart prays is more important than the pomposity of the words. The purpose is not to impress God but to relate deeply with Him. 3. Certainly, God is not impressed by the quantity of words, but by the quality of heart. Thus, words that come from a shallow heart become empty and superfluous. Prayer is not a tool of information or application to God about our needs, but an ambiance of a personal relationship with Him and with others. 4. There are some essential ingredients. True prayer should be done with a deep sense of a spiritual family where God is the Father of all and all are sisters and brothers. True prayer should be always intent on seeking His holy will and committing oneself to God's reign. It should be imbued with and animated by a spirit of utter dependence on God's providence. 5. It should be embalmed with a pleasant spirit of contentment. True prayer should breathe from a resolute heart that resents and resists evil with God's strength. And the spirit of forgiveness becomes vital for a true prayer because God never accepts a prayer with an unforgiving heart. 6. In the light of the first reading from Isaiah, a true prayer should be open to the productive power of God’s Word which is like rain. It should make a person productive and effective because ultimately productivity is the real effect and sign of true prayer. Direction: A genuine prayer is like a rain pour that enlivens and revitalizes all life. It springs from the heart and unites it with God who gives the effect. Thus no true prayer is insipid and unproductive. 01 MARCH 2023: JONAH 3. 1-10; LUKE 11. 29-32 Pivot: See the signs and repent! Indicative: One becomes evil when he fails to discover the signs, learn from them, repent, and change his life 1. Jesus reproves his own people as an evil generation. His criticism is well-founded. They do not see the amply available signs. They demand for more. Consequently, they fail to repent and renew themselves 2. The rebuke of Jesus applies to our own times as well. Our generation too is truly evil because the goodness of heart is diminishing. There is not enough goodness to see the goodness of God and others 3. There is no sight, no willingness, and no openness to see the signs that are present everywhere. There are plenty of blessings and good things that we enjoy but do not truly deserve. There are also many lessons and indicators that strongly point to God’s mercy and His ways 4. For example, one strong sign for our times is the futility of human achievements and successes. Another sign of caution is the insane pursuits of violence and destruction, deception and self-gain, cheap tactics, and vain self-glory 5. The people of Nineveh repented at Jonah’s preaching. But today not many people pay heed to the prophetic warnings and refuse to repent. The queen of Sheba travelled far to witness the wisdom of Solomon. But today not many people take the trouble to seek wisdom and thus prefer to ruin themselves in their folly Imperative: God is unceasingly sending us so many signs to make us understand, repent and follow His ways. If we continue evil-directed, then doom awaits us (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2022, 09 MARCH) Focus: One big tragedy of today’s society is the lack of openness and receptivity to the good and the positive. Still, further, there is unreflected haste to embrace fully the evil and the negative 1. In today’s gospel, Jesus is very strong in his rebuke of the people of his time. He says, “This generation is an evil generation”. He also makes the reason explicit. It is because they seek signs to believe in God’s power working through Jesus. 2. In fact, there may not be anything wrong with seeking signs. And many times, we too seek signs. But the problem is not the lack of them. They are always there but people are not ready to recognise and accept them. And even if they see them, they are not ready to follow what they signify. 3. Besides, the problem was also the purpose and the intention with which they wanted the signs. It is not to confirm their faith, or to be assured and strengthened. Rather, it was a pretext, an excuse not to believe Jesus. It was an “evasive” mechanism. 4. There were plenty of signs throughout their history. God performed numberless signs in the form of mighty works and wonders during their slavery, exile, and sojourns. Again and again, numerous encounters and events confirmed to them God’s protection, care, guidance, and empowerment. The reference to the prophet Jonah and his mission is itself a sign of repentance and God’s mercy. 5. Not only in their history but in their present time itself, in the person and mission of Jesus himself, there were many signs through his preaching, teaching, and healing. His life and mission are themselves ample signs and testimonies of God’s love, mercy, and compassion. They were meant to arouse repentance in the people and lead them to conversion. Direction: The world of today is no different from that generation. This generation too adamantly refuses to see and follow signs (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021, 24 FEBRUARY) Focus: One great perversity of this generation is not recognising neither the presence nor the purpose of the signs 1. Jesus is justly agonised over the obstinacy of the people of his time. Why? They closed their hearts to perceive and understand the signs from God. These were meant to make them see God's presence and repent. The teaching and the miracles of Jesus were already powerful signs. 2. In fact, the very person of Jesus was the greatest sign. His call for repentance surpasses that of Jonah, and his wisdom is above that of Solomon. But unlike them, Jesus was rejected. The people of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah and converted their ways. The Wisdom of Solomon was greatly acknowledged and admired even by the queen of the South from distance. 3. But the people of Jesus’ time did not respond to Jesus’ invitation for conversion. They did not accept his divine wisdom and power. Truly this is evil, and it is an evil generation because they refused to see the signs and their message. They fail to experience their power and effect. 4. The same reproach constantly looms large over our generation also. It is an evil generation to the extent it fails to understand, and accept plenty of signs. The same fate will befall us when we too ignore the message of these different signs and refuse to cooperate and change. 5. Jesus incessantly invites us to grow wise and to repent. In wisdom, we need to choose God and good, and in repentance, we must turn away from evil and turn to God. Failing in this will surely make us liable to judgment and condemnation. 6. But it is never late. We can always hope and confide in God's condescending mercy, as seen towards the Ninevites. God's pleasure is not in destroying the sinners. He detests sin but not sinners. Direction: God is not hasty or impatient or intent to punish or destroy us. In His magnanimity, He continues to invite us for repentance. He will relent from His just judgment if only we repent. 02 MARCH 2023: ESTHER 14. 1, 3-5, 12-14; MATTHEW 7. 7-12 Pivot: Help me, I am alone! Indicative: The greatest prayer is not the power of eloquence or wonder-working. It is that which springs from the heart in total surrender 1. A great prayer is not a popular prayer. What makes a prayer great is that it springs from the heart, a heart that acutely feels the need of God and intensely surrenders to Him and passionately clings to Him 2. Such intensity and passion presuppose a profound humility and resolute trust. This is what we find in the prayer of Esther in the first reading. What a model and imitable prayer! Her prayer wells up from deep within. 3. In utter honesty, she realises her utter misery and helplessness. She admits, “I am alone and have no help but you”. She repeats, “I am alone and have no one but you”, and “Come to help me, an orphan” 4. What a humble plea with firm hope: “Save us from the hand of our enemies. Turn our mourning into gladness and our sorrows into wholeness”. This is exactly what Jesus exhorts us to do: “Ask, seek, and knock”. Jesus assures that we will not be turned down as he says, “Ask and you shall be given; seek and you shall find, and knock and it shall be opened unto you”. 5. Another great feature of Esther’s prayer is it is thoroughly altruistic. She prays, not for her sake, not for any self-interest but for the safety of her nation. How much does she teach to many whose prayers are mostly self-oriented? 6. For sure, God will not neglect or reject any of our prayers. The only thing, we need to make sure that we ask with deep trust and surrender. We must ask, not with a selfish motive but for the larger and higher good. This can be what is hinted by the sudden intrusion of Jesus’ statement, “Do to others what you want them to do to you” Imperative: We may not get always everything that we pray for. But we must always believe that God always knows and does what is good for us (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2022, 10 MARCH) Focus: The power of genuine prayer is tremendous. It can change the whole course of action. It can reverse the events. And a genuine prayer is that which comes from a heart that abandons itself to God 1. Today’s word of God pivots around the need and power of prayer. Turn to God in prayer. Lay your cares at His feet. Surrender yourself totally to Him. This is what Queen Esther does. She was seized with deadly anxiety at the impending danger of the destruction of her people. She feels all alone and helpless, as she prays twice: “Help me, who am alone and have no helper but you”. 2. But she does not give up hope. She is not disillusioned. Her helplessness does not lead her to hopelessness but to complete abandonment. Even in desperate and seemingly “gone-the-case” situations, she puts her trust totally in God. 3. And this is what exactly Jesus exhorts us for: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you”. What is the basis for this trust? It is nothing but God’s unconditioned love and care for us. He is a loving Father who never lets down His children. 4. Now, the effects of a genuine prayer are: One, receiving God’s blessings and favours. Second, practising the golden rule, that is, doing to others what we want them to do to us. In the context of prayer, it can mean, if I want God to do all good things to me, then I must also do all good things to others. This certainly leads to the context of fraternity. Direction: If you follow the golden rule, life will become golden. Relationships will become highly empathetic, understanding, and magnanimous. Very specially, double standards can be restricted (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021, 25 FEBRUARY) Focus: Deep trust in God is the most basic requirement for a genuine prayer, a trust in God's love and benevolence towards us. Such a prayer will never be unheard or unanswered 1. "Ask and it shall be given; knock and it shall be opened; seek and you will find". Perhaps, this is one of the most oft-cited verses of Jesus. This is to assure the efficacy and effect of prayer. Jesus himself is assuring us very clearly and explicitly. 2. Such firm confidence and trust that God listens to our prayers, and grants us what we ask from Him is very good and is also very much required. But this assurance should not be taken as an absolute guarantee. 3. Why? It can make us ask anything and everything. Thus, we may implicitly place expectations on God to grant them. Usually, We ask God what we think is good and profitable for us. But is it really good and needed? What is our understanding of good for us? 4. Is it only in the worldly sense, in terms of money, health, comfort, happiness, etc.?Are we aware that there is a hierarchy of good and good things, that is, all the good things are not equally good? Do we understand that often we judge good only in terms of temporary pleasure and satisfaction? Do we realize that many times our worry is for the material good? Are we really judicious to discern that certain favours we desire may be unethical and even harmful? 5. Further, if we expect God to grant all that we ask of Him, then where is the freedom for Him to discern what is good and necessary for us? Do we know better than Him? Do we know His will and holy designs? Can we equate God's love and goodness only with granting of favours? Can we test and assess the quality of prayers just by receiving whatever we ask? 6. In this context, two broader criteria for asking rightly are: whether our prayers are for the spiritual benefit and whether they are altruistic. At this point, the prayer of Esther in the first reading from the book of Esther is a great example. She prays to God with total trust and surrender. She prays to Him not for any self-benefits, but for the larger good of her people. Direction: While our dependence on God and trust in Him make us ask Him freely anything, a true prayer should be primarily motivated by surrender to God's will and higher good. 03 MARCH 2023: EZEK18. 21-28; MATTHEW 5. 20-26 Pivot: Rise above! Indicative: God’s mindset is totally in contrast to the worldly mindset. We are called to put on God’s mindset 1. Modern society claims to be more justice-conscious. There is so much clamour and fight for rights, social justice, and human dignity. But if analyse a little carefully, it is mostly shallow. The world’s justice is often equated with revenge, retaliation, and punishment 2. In simple, worldly justice operates on the three D’s: dominate, damage, and destroy. The more you are able to suppress others, torment them and cause as much harm and destruction as possible, the more you are great 3. But the mindset of God is a total contrast. For God, justice is always blended with mercy. His justice is never oriented to harm or destroy the person. It is always for the good and betterment of the person 4. The first reading from Ezekiel makes this way of God’s acting crystal clear. God asks, “Do I have any pleasure from the death of the wicked?”What God wants is the end of sin and not the sinner. That is why He readily forgives and saves even the greatest sinner when he repents and turns away from sin. He does not keep an account of his past sins and punishes him. For God, not the past but the present matters 5. Some may object to this type of God’s justice that He forgives the repentant sinner but punishes the strayed righteous. They will argue, how can God simply ignore a whole past of good deeds of a just man and punish him for his present deviation? 6. Here the point is not a logical or mathematical calculation. The issue is simple and clear: God is merciful even to the sinner. And disloyalty and inconsistency in a right living will be liable to judgment 7. Jesus furthers this divine mindset in the gospel. God expects us not to be content with the minimums but strive for the maximum. For instance, it is not enough to avoid murder but is needed to avoid even anger, humiliation, and retaliation Imperative: In a world that lives and propagates a culture of the minimum and “dry justice” that stoops to aggression and retaliation, we are called to be fully committed, just, and merciful (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2022, 11 MARCH) Focus: In a world that always contents itself with the minimums, the disciples of Christ must go farther to the maximum. Minimums will not reach us to the kingdom 1. As followers of Christ, certainly we desire to enter heaven. Jesus gives us the way to make it. It is to make our righteousness exceed that of the Pharisees and scribes. Now their righteousness consisted of the observance of laws and traditions. It was righteousness confined to legalism, that is, to follow the letter of the law. 2. Instead, we must go beyond, the letter to the spirit of the law. The letter gets caught with the details of the law. But the spirit goes behind and beneath, beyond and above, to the purpose and the aim of it. Their righteousness lacked the right intention and the depth of following the law. It was heartless and shallow 3. True following of the law blends together both the right intention and action, both the heart and life, both devotion and dedication, and both faith and charity. In other words, it is going from the minimum to the maximum. The minimum is to be bothered only about how to keep the law. But the maximum is concerned about how to live the law. The minimum thinks only of avoiding the negative, what is prohibited. But the maximum seeks to fulfill the positive, what is required, praiseworthy, and beneficial. 4. In the light of the gospel, the minimum is to avoid murder but the maximum is to avoid even the subtle forms of murder, like anger, humiliation, and offence. The minimum is to avoid or ignore the enemies or keep away from them, those who are not good to us. But the maximum is to take initiative to get reconciled with them. 5. In the light of the first reading from Ezekiel, true righteousness is to repent over the evil, turn to good and persevere in the good. Anyone who does not continue faithful to the good but turns away from it will incur God’s judgment. 6. Even if one has been righteous for long and then turns away from good and turns toward evil, he is liable to God’s punishment. The point here is not a mathematical comparison of how much good or evil. Or how long? Or which is more and longer? The whole issue is whether one turns away from evil and turns to good and remains steadfast in the good. Direction: We must constantly rise above practising devotions to experiencing devotion, rise above observing laws to living their spirit. What is important is not following a religion but following the Lord (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2021, 26 FEBRUARY) Focus: Repentance to turn away from evil and perseverance in the good we have turned to, are both essential for a life pleasing to God 1. The judgment of God in the first reading from Ezekiel seems rather disconcerting, unreasonable, and unkind. In simple, a wicked man's past sins will not be counted, if he repents, and a good man's past good acts will not be counted, if he turns to evil. 2. We may not have much problem accepting the first case, because God is merciful. But, the second case is difficult to accept because it looks as if God is harsh in throwing away all the past good. Here let us not argue about it. 3. Here what is emphasized is: repent and turn to God, and persevere in the good. It is not a matter of how many good actions one does or how long one is good. Rather, consistently we must be loyal to God. 4. Our journey should be progressive and not regressive, that is, from evil to good and not from good to evil. This should be from the minimum to the maximum. This is very clear in the gospel: It is no more just doing what the letter of the law demands, but following its spirit. 5. We strive to be righteous holistically and not only legalistically, in contrast to the old way (Mt 5. 20). Following the letter is the minimum, but following the spirit, is the maximum. To avoid physical killing is the minimum, and to avoid even oral and psychological killing by anger and insult is the maximum. 6. To make an offering to God to please Him or reconcile with Him is the minimum, but to offer to God with a heart that is reconciled with the other, is the maximum. As long as one is satisfied with doing what is ordinary or what is normally expected, there is no greatness. 7. But one should go beyond, one should surpass the ordinary scale. One should constantly raise the heights of one’s virtue and quality of life. And this is the real persistence and stability in the path of righteousness, which God calls for in the first reading. Direction: In a society that always seeks minimum trouble and maximum profit, less effort, and more effect, we are called to be persons with maximum commitment, irrespective of self-interest. 04 MARCH 2023: DEUT 26. 16-19; MATTHEW 5. 43-48 Pivot: Fidelity counts the most! Indicative: Often we are caught up with human considerations, calculations, evaluations, and courses of action. But we need to look up to God’s ways 1. There is a lot of unnoticed superficiality in the human mentality. In terms of philosophy, it is the failure to get into and see deeply the deeper realities of life. In reference to the first reading, many look at the commandments, decrees, and statutes as matters only of religion and ethics. They consider them as clusters of do’s and do not’s. The laws are felt as burdens. Hence there is always a hidden sense of resentment and resistance 2. Subsequently, there is always a tendency to follow only what the letter of the law says, and search for any possible loopholes to break them and do away with them. That is why today God invites us for a different perspective and approach. 3. The commandments are not only written directives but essentially ways of relating with God and others. Thereby they become expressions of relationship. They are not merely following some rules but the mode of being and ways of doing and living 4. The main point is not whether we are keeping the law or breaking it. It is rather whether we are living our identity of belonging to God and living as people in relationship with God. This is a holistic perspective 5. In such an integral perspective of living, there is no discrimination, hatred, inequality, or harm to others. There is only love and equity. There is magnanimity to be good and do good even to the enemies Imperative: God calls us to seek perfection after His model. His perfection is not in terms of worldly competence or excellence but in terms of love and benevolence (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2022, 12 MARCH) Focus: True religion is true faith. True faith is nothing but living a life according to the statutes and commandments of God 1. True faith always aims at perfection. Perfect faith constantly strives to walk the path of perfection. Our God is perfect and we need to model our lives by nothing less than Him. That is why Jesus commands us, “You must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect”. 2. Mark! This is not an appeal but an imperative, not an option but an obligation. If we are the children of God, if we are the followers of Christ, then we must try to imitate Him and resemble Him in His perfection. How to do this? 3. First, Be obedient and adherent to His statutes, rules, and commandments. Walk in God’s ways. Obey His voice. And this we must do with all our heart and all our soul. Second, Be holy before the Lord our God, just as He is holy. 4. Third, Be Equitable to all. God shows no discrimination against anyone. He avails His grace justly to all. Whether people are receptive and cooperative or not is another thing. Irrespectively, He lets His sun shine on all, be it good or evil; lets His rain fall on all, be it just or unjust. 5. Fourth, Be magnanimous: Love not only our friends and kinsmen but even our enemies. Pray for those who persecute us. It is a call to cut across our self-created barricades like friends - foes, kin - aliens. Direction: Amidst all the pulls and pressures of imperfections, we are called to tread the path of perfection. It consists of obedience, love, and magnanimity (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2021, 27 FEBRUARY) Focus: The beauty, value, and perfection of life consist in love and equity. This is possible when it is modelled on God 1. True religion is not a matter of mere commandments and doctrines, but a way of life in a loving relationship with God. God enters into a covenant with us, whereby He becomes our God and we become His people. This is what is fundamental to all faith and spirituality: We belong to God and there is a total mutual owning - He owns us and we own Him. 2. Thereupon, we are unequivocally called to be like our God because we are His own possession. In Deuteronomy, God through Moses urges us: "You shall be a people holy to the Lord your God”. In this sense, commandments, precepts, and observances become not restrictions but expressions of love and fidelity. 3. This bonding and fidelity entail us to constantly orient and model our life on Him so that we become more like Him. Jesus exhorts us: Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. We have a model nothing less than the Father Himself. 4. Concretely it means to manifest a love that is undiscriminating. True love is like God's love which has no confines or boundaries. It is not conditioned by human calculations or niceties or biases. It goes beyond the narrow boundaries of my people, relatives, friends, or 'useful’ people, and extends even to enemies. 5. This implies a spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation, in contrast to revenge and retaliation; a spirit of magnanimity in giving and doing the maximum, more than expected and required. It also calls us to manifest a sense of equity and fairness towards all, making no distinction or discrimination between friend or foe, good or bad 6. Thus, to become perfect means to constantly model our life on God's mindset, His mercy and compassion, His going beyond the minimums and dry obligations, and His perfection, and this is the culmination of true devotion and charity. Rightly the sweet saint St Francis de Sales affirms: "Charity is the perfection of devotion".

FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT 2023

I SUNDAY LENT, 26 FEBRUARY 2023, GEN 2. 7-9, 3. 1-7; ROM 5. 12-19; MATTHEW 4. 1-11 Pivot: Tempted and Tested and Proved! Indicative: The Lord himself was tempted. This fact shows not his weakness but his solidarity with us. Thereby he also shows us the way to overcome them 1. The question of temptation is not centred on the number, sequence, or time of temptations. What is most important to note is that Jesus also was subjected to temptation. Hence, temptation is a human reality, part of human life, and fragility. To be tempted in itself is not wrong. And we need not feel uneasy or ashamed of being tempted, as some do. But what to do? How to face it? This is what matters. 2. According to St Francis de Sales, there are three phases in every temptation; proposal, entertainment, and consent (yielding to). The temptations of Jesus would be the model/sample of temptations. The devil knows how to play with human psychology (the ego). He provokes the false self-pride, challenging, "If you are the Son of God". The three temptations are rather surface level with more basic underlying inclinations First Temptation: “Change stones into bread and satisfy your hunger” Two underlying temptations: 1) Using God-given power /gifts for lesser motives, self-interests, mere material/physical 2) Giving priority to the material/physical over the spiritual Our task is to confront and overcome the temptations as Jesus did: 1) Refuse to use God-given talents for lesser gains. Jesus does not use his divine power to satisfy his hunger, to bring out physical satisfaction. He is hungry, and it appears perfectly legitimate to use his power to alleviate his hunger. But Jesus makes discernment among the priorities. He discerns that it is not worth using his higher power for something lower. 2) Give priority to the spiritual (Word of God) - man does not live by bread alone. What nourishes a person is not the material but the spiritual. How often and how easily do we use our God-given talents, capacities, and resources, for self-interests or wrong ends or lower motives, or shallow profits? How many times do we readily give more importance to the physical and material concerns, over and above the spiritual? Second Temptation: “Throw yourself down from heights and God will send His angels and protect you unharmed” The underlying temptations: 1) Test God, 2) Show/display power, 3) Craving for recognition/cheap popularity; seeking self-glory Jesus confronted these temptations and overcame them: 1) Trust God 2) No making show/display of power 3) No craving for recognition but humility; only seeking God’s glory Very often we want and pressure God to act quickly in our favour, to grant us favours. We want Him to work wonders and miracles. We want Him to intervene immediately and spectacularly. If not, we easily become impatient, dissipated, and also are shaken in our faith. It is not sure, when people pray, whether it is asking Him to do our own will and plans, or surrendering to His holy will. How many of our intercessions and petitions are directed mostly to temporary, temporal, and material benefits and worldly gains? How many of us really pray for growth in holiness and goodness, in virtues and values? How often do we use even the spiritual occasions for self-projection and self-promotion? Third Temptation: “Bow down and worship me and I will give you power over everything in the world” Underlying temptations 1) The temptation here is to dethrone God from one’s heart, from the centre of life 2) To be disloyal to God (defection) 3) Pressure/attraction of material/worldly riches, power, position 4) Short-cuts (Jesus was to win/save the world by the way of the cross) How Jesus overcomes these temptations: 1) He ever enthrones God, only God at the centre: Nothing can be on the throne, can be at the centre, nothing can replace God on the throne of heart; Only God is the master and Lord. All worship and all serving/surrender to him alone 2) No being dominated or carried away by the worldly allurements and enticements 3) No disloyalty and no defection; never failing, ever faithful to God, come what may 4) No short-cuts for achieving the goal of salvation, but only through the loyal way, the way of the cross As disciples, we also pass through the same road when we are tempted to dethrone God or to take shortcuts for achieving some good. But in the face of some difficulty or adversity, some testing and trying time for the sake of faith or good, how easily we fail in our patience and perseverance! In the face of some worldly gain and immediate advantage, that is clearly contrary to our loyalty to God and Christian values, how fast do we succumb to defection, without a prick of conscience or justifying our infidelity in the name of human frailty? When assaulted by some self-gratifying temptations, how easily do we yield and indulge in them? In our family life or work life or personal life or social life, in our plans, decisions, and actions, how often do we deny God the central and primary place, but make money or worldly concerns very central? How often do we compromise on God's ways and values, for the sake of some momentary or monetary gains? Imperative: The greatness of our faith does not consist in not having temptations at all but confronting them and overcoming them with trust in God and surrender to Him, following the example of Jesus (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2022, 06 MARCH Focus: The greatness of Christian life is not to have temptations at all but to face them, fight them, and overcome them 1. In today’s gospel, we have the episode of the temptations of Jesus. They are three. They take place in the wilderness. They happen after forty days of fasting and prayer. And soon after them, Jesus begins his public ministry. We can pick up different indicators from this temptations narrative. 2. One indicator: Temptations are willed or allowed by God. They form part of human life and divine mission. For we are told that Jesus was led by the Spirit to be tempted. Therefore, temptations are quite real in everyone’s life. No one is exempted. One need not feel guilty or ashamed of them. In the light of St Francis de Sales’ teaching, what makes one blameworthy is not having or getting temptations but entertaining, indulging in them, and consenting to them. 3. Second indicator: Jesus is in full solidarity with our human struggle. The fact that even Jesus himself was tempted shows that God partakes in the struggle of human fragility. He became one like us in everything except sin. Jesus is sinless and remains so. Yet this does not exempt him from the struggle to remain sinless. As divine, he is sinless. But as a human, he had to confront the assaults of the tempter. This is what makes him praiseworthy: he remains sinless even amidst a sinful situation. This makes both his divinity and humanity more convincing. His divinity shines amidst humanity and his humanity shines amidst divinity. 4. Third indicator: the temptations of Jesus are summary temptations. This would mean, they are not necessarily literally happened temptations. We are not sure whether Jesus was factually tempted to change stones into bread, to worship Satan to gain the whole world or to jump down from a height. Rather, they summarize the whole life struggle of Jesus. There were always temptations to use his divine power for self-interest, to test God, and to seek worldly riches and powers. 5. Fourth indicator: the temptations of Jesus are allusive to Israel in the OT (cf. Deut 8.3; 6. 13, 16). The first temptation about food alludes to Israel in the desert, how they grumble and complain about food and drink. The second temptation alludes to how Israel was allured by the world, the material possessions, and false gods time and again. The third temptation alludes to how Israel adamantly tests God despite all his numerous mighty works. 6. Fifth indicator: the temptations of Jesus are suggestive and indicative of our own temptations. In a simple way, the temptations of Jesus can be categorised as physical, social, and material. The temptation to change stones into bread, eat and thus satisfy hunger indicates our frequent temptation for physical things, like food and drink, physical pleasures, and easy and temporary gratifications. The temptation to jump down from the height and remain unharmed indicates our social temptation for name, fame, and popularity through shortcuts. 7. Sixth indicator: the crux of temptations is self-seeking and self-glory. In each of the three temptations, there is seeking self-interests and self-glory. It is in terms of physical satisfaction, material accumulation, and social recognition and domination. So often we are assaulted by these temptations. Just one glance is enough. We can easily see how these three temptations are ruling high. Flesh, power, money, and cheap glory dominate today’s world and the church is no exception. What then are the remedies? Follow the way of Jesus. Let the spiritual sublimate the physical: “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord”. Let the trust in God overpower the tendency to test God: “Do not put God to the test”. Let loyalty to God surpass worldly allurements: “You shall worship the Lord your God alone”. Direction: In a life that is constantly attacked and even inflicted by temptations, let us arm ourselves with the weapons of prayer, fasting, and charity. They help us to cling to God, to be self-restrained and unselfishly self-giving

7th week days mass reflection of the year 1

20 – 25 FEBRUARY 2023, HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS   20 FEBRUARY 2023: SIRACH 1. 1-10; MARK 9. 14-29 Pivot: No substitute for prayer! Indicative: The world of today bothers so much to develop intelligence and knowledge. But it miserably lacks and fails in wisdom. It does not realise that wisdom is the most important need 1.      In the gospel, we have a very vivid description of a boy possessed by an unclean spirit. It makes him deaf and mute. It seizes him violently and often throws him down, rolling around. he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. Often throws him into fire and water to kill him. 2.      This exactly represents our present society. It is a society that is possessed by unclean spirits. The signs and effects are quite obvious. Many have an unclean spirit. They are so polluted and corrupted. 3.      Many are deaf and mute. They cannot hear God and good. They do not pay attention at all. They have neither the time nor the heart to listen to others. They are mute. They do not speak God and good. They do not raise their voice to stand for justice or to offer comfort to others. 4.      These possessed people are violent. They emit foam and fury. They grind their teeth in hatred and retaliation. They are so rigid and hard-hearted. They throw themselves down, roll around and make a mess of things. They create scenes and fear in others. Often these become self-ruinous and ruin others as well. 5.      Therefore, the world needs healing. And as we are God’s chosen people, the world may turn to us for healing before they approach the Lord. It is sad that often we too fail just as the disciples failed to drive out the unclean spirit. 6.      When asked, Jesus plainly tells them that the failure to heal is due to the lack of prayer. Matthew adds in 17.21 “fasting” too to prayer. Therefore, it is clear that it is only prayer that can drive out the demon. Prayer is surrender to God in faith, 7.      Perhaps this is what the disciples lacked and so failed. They trusted in themselves. Perhaps they were complacent. They forget that their power is not their own. It is derived from the Lord and is delegated by him. Therefore, their power works only when they depend on their Lord. 8.      Perhaps they were also tempted toward self-glory. They wanted to display their power before the people. They wanted to make impression on the people about their greatness. In this process, they fail to pray and seek their power from the Lord. 9.      In this context, the first reading suggests to us that we need wisdom. Yes, that wisdom that comes from the Lord, which is eternal, prudent understanding, and discerning and which springs from the fountain of the word of God, is needed to seek our power and light from the Lord on the ground of prayer. Imperative: As gifted with God’s power and engaged actively in His mission, we may be in the limelight and popular. But let us always bear in mind that if left to us, we will fail. Let us then never be self-seeking   (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2022, 21 FEBRUARY) Focus: Wisdom is not merely a matter of intelligence, knowledge, and capacity. Rather it is a matter of a clean heart and a virtuous living.   1.      The first reading speaks of wisdom. In the gospel, Jesus shows what blocks such wisdom. It is the unclean spirit. This needs then healing from the unclean spirit. Accordingly, Jesus heals a deaf and mute boy with an unclean spirit. The details of this unclean spirit are indicative of a lack of true wisdom. When one lacks wisdom, he becomes mute and deaf to the promptings of the Spirit.  He becomes unsteady. He is thrown down. He falls into frequent convulsions, foaming at the mouth, and grinding his teeth. He becomes rigid. All these are but signs of evil. 2.      Then, what are the conditions to drive away the evil spirit? The most essential is prayer and faith in the power of Jesus. The disciples could not do the healing because of the lack of the spirit of prayer. The boy’s father could obtain his son’s healing because of faith. 3.      What is faith? Faith is turning to Jesus in humility and prayer. What is prayer? Prayer is turning to Jesus in humility and faith. The boy’s father trusted in Jesus in his need with deep humility, saying, “I believe; help my unbelief”. On the other hand, the disciples fell inadequate in this spirit of humility and faith. 4.      Here we do not debate the disciples’ faith in Jesus. We do not also contend that they wanted to sideline Jesus. We may not attribute any wrong intention to their attempt to heal. Perhaps, they sincerely intended not to “disturb” their master. They might have thought that they can “manage” the thing by themselves. They might have also sought some self-recognition. However, all these factors are not so important for us. 5.      What is important to note is that the disciples did not turn to Jesus. They did not direct the boy’s father to their master. They did not approach him for his intervention. They lacked the humility to refer the matter to their Lord. They fail to be aware that their power comes from the Lord. This is the failure in prayer!   Direction: True wisdom leads us to seek to nurture a clean heart, a devout spirit that fears God, to get healed by the Lord, and to live a life of true spirituality and integrity.    21 FEBRUARY 2023: SIRACH 2. 1-11; MARK 9. 30-37 Pivot: Desire to be great but how? Indicative: To desire to be great is not wrong. But what are the means that we seek to pursue and obtain this greatness, is the real issue 1.      Today’s word of God focuses on the theme of greatness. Who is great? How does one become great? What is true greatness? First of all, the greatness that Jesus teaches and proposes is unlike the greatness of the world. 2.      For the world, to be great means to be first, to be placed over others, and to exercise power to command them. It also means to be associated with big and important people, that is to have an “elite circle”. To be great is to feel and display one’s importance. 3.      Thus, often worldly greatness is understood in terms of importance, power, position, status, domination, commandability, influencing, controlling, and leading others. In this way, greatness is not necessarily connected to the character and virtue of the person. 4.      But Jesus challenges this idea of greatness. He proposes a new one. It is to be first by being “the last and the servant of all”. In other words, to be great is to be humble and serviceable. True greatness consists in humility and service. That is why Jesus says, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all”. 5.      It is also to receive even the small, insignificant people, associate with them, and treat them with respect. That is why Jesus says, “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me”. A child generally indicates vulnerability and insignificance. To be great also means to be prepared to walk the way of the cross and suffer like Jesus. 6.      The first reading from Sirach gives us some more concrete details about greatness. It is “to serve the Lord”. It is to “stand in justice and fear”. It is to “prepare oneself for trials, remain undisturbed in adversity, patient when tested in the crucible of humiliation”. It is to be “sincere and steadfast of heart”. It is to “incline one’s ear and receive the word of understanding”. 7.      True greatness waits on God with patience. It clings to him and never forsakes him. To be great is to “fear the Lord” always and in everything. Thereby those who fear the Lord would trust the Lord, hope for good things, and love him.   Imperative: Whatever happens, those who are great would not turn away from the Lord. Rather they would be steadfast in his mercy. And they will be wise in all their ways.   (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021, 19 SEPTEMBER)   Focus: Greatness is a natural desire and aspiration of everyone. There is nothing wrong in itself. But the problem is when it is wrongly understood and wrongly pursued and acquired through false ways and means   1.      In the gospel, the disciples were engaged in a discussion about who was the greatest. Today we are invited to reflect once again a little deeply and sincerely about our own concept, pursuit, and means of gaining that greatness. Jesus dispels the wrong notions of greatness and clarifies what it means to be truly great and how to become rightly great. 2.      In the first place, real greatness is not something material. It does not consist in money and material possessions. But the world wrongly thinks that the more you have money and an abundance of things, the more you are great. Those who have little or less, those who are not well-to-do, and poor are regarded as insignificant, unimportant, and not worthy, and thus are treated with disrespect and contempt. 3.      Accordingly, the whole concern and struggle of life is to accumulate as much money and material things as possible. There is a total disregard for the kind of means that are employed to acquire them. All that matters is to become moneyed and possess things by hook or crook. That is why we find steep materialism and consumerism, deception, and unaccountability. Sane values are often thrown into the sea. 4.      Real greatness is not something merely social. It does not consist in power and position, status and prestige. But the world wrongly thinks that the more you are in power and authority, the more you are in a big position and hold a high social status and prestige, and the more you are great. Those who are ordinary, those who do not hold a notable post or job, and those who do not have an above-the-ordinary standing and ranking in society, are not respected and not taken seriously. 5.      Accordingly, the efforts of many are always geared to climb to the higher rungs in society, regardless of the rightness of their actions. That is why we find so much spirit of power-mongering and power-corruption. We find corrosion of the right values and an explosion of compromises. We also find excessive eagerness to dominate and suppress others, with the feeling that "I am superior to others, am greater, better, and worthier than others”. 6.      Further, real greatness is not merely intellectual. It does not consist in great intellectual calibre, academic excellence, and achievement or bundles of knowledge or reckoning honours of educative contribution. The world wrongly thinks that the more you are intelligent and competent, the more you excel academically, and the more you are considered great. Those who are just average or dull, those who are poor in grasping, and those who do have a poor performance track, are despised as useless. 7.      Accordingly,  some spend an enormous time and energies on their intellectual pursuits. In the process, they do not realise that they become "brain-wise monsters and heart-wise dwarfs ". 8.      Then what is true greatness? How does one obtain it? The gospel and the other readings make it clear. True greatness consists in not desiring to be placed over others, dominating and bossing over them. It is not eager to be first in power and position but first in service. 9.      True greatness is the commitment to God's will and mission. Subsequently, it also implies the readiness and courage to face the consequences, to go through the ordeal of the way of the cross, even to the extent of death. This is what Jesus did. This is what we find in the lives of the prophets, the righteous exemplified by the suffering servant of Yahweh. 10.  True greatness is receiving even children that is, the vulnerable and the uncountables and negligibles in society. It accepts and respects them. This is contrary to the mindset that one becomes great by association with big people. This is why often we find that great people may have their own "social circles", or "privileged elite". They create an aura around them that there is an air of inaccessibility and unconcern and uninvolvement. 11.  Further, true greatness consists in receiving the exa mple of a child. Among numerous qualities of a child, in this context, those that the truly great would embody are purity and guilelessness of heart, total trust and dependence on God, love for God and always seeking to please Him.   Direction: In the ultimate analysis, to be truly great is to consistently nurture spiritual tenacity and productivity and to lead a righteous and forbearing life   22 FEBRUARY 2023:  JOEL 2. 12-18; 2 COR 5.20 – 6.2; MATTHEW 6. 1-6, 16-18, ASH WEDNESDAY   Pivot: Repent and return! Indicative: Repent and turn away from your sin, so that God may relent from His just judgment and His mercy may be resent 1.      Today is a very special day. We enter the season of Lent, a season of grace, a call for repentance and conversion. The purpose is to remit, rearrange, transform, and elevate our life which is often disordered and disfigured because of sin and evil. Thus we can live a more beautiful, more tranquil, more joyful, and more pleasant life. 2.      Therefore this season is also a season of joy, and not of sadness, as many think or imagine. Repentance and penitence are not signs of sadness, but the expressions of our awareness of sin, of our desire to make reparation and recuperation, of our firmness to detach ourselves from everything that separates us from God, of our concrete effort to grow in faith and charity, and in sum, to enhance in a life of devotion and virtue. Therefore, when there is work and the increase of grace, there is certainly an increase in holy joy. 3.      Today, the ashes we place on us, indicate and teach us how we must spend these days of Lent. 1)      First of all, the ashes indicate our origin and our end: therefore the words are pronounced: you have come from dust, and you will go back into dust. God created us, He gave us this life, He breathed his own life inside us, and He shaped us in his own image. So we must always have a deep and lively sense of gratitude, of dependence, of an inseparable bond, and then always try to grow in the spirit of trust and likeness. 2)      We must never forget our origins. But unfortunately, it happens in our days, that man neglects God and the spiritual side, because of development, material comfort, of human capacities. The world thinks it is self-sufficient, and does not need God, and therefore tries to organize its life, throwing God out of the space of life. Truly a situation that reminds us and relives the time of the "tower of Babel". 3)      We must always remember our end. Our goal is to re-go to God where we came from. Reaching our origin is the last point of this earthly journey. Therefore we must always recognise the transience of life on earth. Life on earth is only a limited duration. Everybody someday and in some way has to go away. The earthly life is like a journey, a pilgrimage, with a stabilized destination, with a destiny beyond. 4)      So we cannot attach ourselves to this world, we cannot behave like being permanent on earth. As St. Paul says to the Corinthians in his second letter in 5. 1, 9-10: when this dwelling of the body, the tent of earthly life, is destroyed, we all have an eternal home, prepared and made ready by God for each of us. On that day everyone must stand before the Lord for his judgment, and each one will be judged according to his good works and evils, according to the quality of his way of life. How many are foolish, living without any sense of responsibility and accountability? How miserable their fate will be! Those who refuse imperishable in preference to the perishable will certainly be rejected for the same imperishable. We reap what we sow! 5)      The ashes also denote our weakness, our fragility, and our human unworthiness. Without God, without His help, we are nothing like dust and ashes. Without the breath of His Spirit, we will be without life, without energy. This awareness must safeguard us against arrogance and unbridled autonomy, and grow in us the spirit of humility. 6)      The ashes still indicate the state of annihilation. Nothing remains at the end. This fact must arise in us a profound spirit of detachment, of sacrifice. Be careful of too much attachment to things, to worldly profits, to great avarice. What is worth acquiring the whole world, but losing our soul? How much stupidity to cling to superficial things but to let go of the essential things! How much sadness to accumulate useless things but not obtain anything worthwhile! Imperative: We are given three pillars to construct the edifice of the Lenten season, and three equipments to continue our Lenten journey. They are namely, prayer, fasting, and charity. Let us then begin our steps forward with confidence and firmness.   (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2022, 02 MARCH) Focus: Reflect, Repent, convert, and live rightly! This is a constant invitation for us. Blessed are they who hearken to this call for a worthwhile life and live accordingly! 1.      Today we celebrate Ash Wednesday, a very unique day whereby we step into a new liturgical season. It is the holy season of Lent. Lent is very special in the life of the church and of many Christians. Not that the other seasons are not important. But lent makes a difference because of its very nature and the process and the purpose. 2.       Lent addresses directly our human fragility. It lays bare before us our vulnerability that is prone to fall. It reminds us of our basic transience. Ashes with which we are smeared today indicate this sense of earthly nothingness, perishability, and impermanence. This sense is quite explicit in the pronouncement, “From dust, you have come and unto dust, you shall return”. 3.       Thereby the holy lent urges us to focus our attention on our sinfulness that fails us in faith and charity. In lent, there is a focused concern with sin and evil. But the purpose is not to feel guilty, melancholic, and discouraged. The purpose is essentially positive. It is to repent and return to the Lord. 4.       That is why in the first reading, God summons us through prophet Joel, “Rend your hearts and not your garments; return to me with all your heart”. In the second reading, in his first letter to the Corinthians, St Paul exhorts, “Be reconciled to God… so that we might become the righteousness of God”. 5.       How to tread this journey of repentance and conversion? In the gospel, Jesus takes our attention to the three fundamental means of our whole Christian living and growth. These are in fact the three Jewish pilastric practices. They are namely prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Jesus cautions us against hypocrisy in practising them. It is not to make a show or display one’s religiosity. 6.        All these should be done in a spirit of humility, and right intention. The purpose is to grow righteous in the sight of God and toward others. Accordingly, our prayers must help us to draw closer to God. Our fasting must help us to be more self-disciplined. Our almsgiving must deepen our sensitivity and fraternal responsibility and charity.   Direction: Behold, now is the favourable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. God will certainly listen to us and help us. For He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; He will relent over disaster. He will reward you (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2021, 17 FEBRUARY)   Focus: Lent is a God-gifted time to be bent on God, to repent for evil, and to be intent on good   1.      We step into the holy season of Lent. Let us entrust our whole journey of Lent to the loving guidance of the Lord, so that this time may be truly a duration of renewal. 2.      This is Ash Wednesday! What does this day of ashes signify? What do the ashes denote? In the practical sense, ashes indicate total annihilation and nothingness. Hence the expression: "gone/reduced to ashes". 3.      In the ordinary common religious sense, ashes denote sacrifice, renunciation, and detachment. Hence the expression: "I have nothing but ashes". 4.      In the biblical spiritual sense, ashes denote repentance and penance. We find in the Bible, applying ashes to atone, repent, and do penance. 5.      The day of the ashes, with the call, from dust you have come, and unto dust, you shall return", or "repent and believe in the gospel", reminds us of the temporariness and transience of our earthly existence, and also our origin from God and our destiny to Him. Life is a temporary transit, we are due to God, we are his due, destined to reach him and be with him. 6.      Therefore, in this temporary and impermanent sojourn, toward our eternal destination, how to conduct our life? With the spirit and lessons of the ashes positively. That is, in surrender to God, with a sense of nothingness; in attachment to God, with a sense of detachment; and in renewal and transformation, with a sense of repentance and penance. 7.       In the light of the gospel, to conduct and travel this journey, 3 acts are proposed as effective means: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. However, the insistence is not so much on the activity itself, i.e. prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, but rather on their purpose and end They are namely, love and intimacy with God; self-discipline and self-restraint; and concern and charity. 8.      Therefore, in love, let us grow close and surrendered to God; in renunciation, let us grow more disciplined and charitable; in renewal, let us grow more and more transformed!   Direction: Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are not merely religious practices, but are true means and testimonies of religious spirit and living.   23 FEBRUARY 2023: DEUT 30. 15-20; LUKE 9. 22-25 Pivot: Destined for life! Indicative: In life, often many make wrong choices and decisions. This clearly shows that mere intelligence and knowledge are not enough. Something more is needed 1.      We can condense the whole thrust and direction of the word of God into two themes: Life and wisdom. Life is our ultimate end and goal. We are destined for life and life in eternity. God wants us to live fully and joyfully here and now and later eternally. 2.      We can live so only when we have wisdom. First of all, wisdom is a precious gift of God. It is a fundamental choice for God that leads to all other choices. It is not only an intellectual assent but clarity, conviction, and commitment 3.      A wise person is illumined and solidified by God to see clearly, to be convinced strongly, and to be committed fully. Accordingly, a wise person chooses life in preference to death, prosperity in preference to doom, the true God in preference to the false gods, the blessing in preference to curse, and the world in preference to the soul 4.      This leads him to a particular way of living and acting. He would love the Lord, walk in his ways, and obey and keep His commandments, statutes, and decrees. He would not turn away his heart and be led astray and adore and serve other gods. He would prefer to lose the world and the earthly gains for the sake of the Lord and the spiritual benefits 5.      The most authentic effect and evidence of wisdom and a wise life is becoming a disciple of the Lord. A wise person who is intent on eternal life will surely become a disciple. He would fulfill the three essential conditions for discipleship, namely self-denial, cross-bearing, and loyalty to follow 6.      A disciple in wisdom gives up his false self instead of propping up self-interests and blown-up ego. He would cultivate a spirit of detachment and retrenchment. He would bear his various crosses in patience and surrender. He would ceaselessly commit himself to emulate the Lord in virtue and life Imperative: Let our constant prayer be not only for this or that particular favour or benefit but primarily for the gift of wisdom to love the Lord and be committed to him (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2022, 03 MARCH)   Focus: Know the ways of the Lord, and obey them; love the Lord and follow him. But, this is a strenuous and challenging path. But it is undoubtedly rewarding!   1.      Many people today possess many things. But there is one thing that is drastically lacking. That is wisdom. Wisdom is not mere intelligence and knowledge. It is the essential inner capacity to distinguish, discern, and decide between good and evil, blessing and curse, life and death, and true God and false gods. It enables one to lose one’s life for the sake of the Lord instead of gaining and preserving it for the sake of the world. It realises that it is no use to gain the whole world but lose one’s own self. 2.       Wisdom thus makes us make a fundamental option for God. It strives ever to obey God, love Him, cling to Him, walk in His ways, and keep His commandments, His statutes, and His rules. In the gospel, in Jesus’ own words, it would be a threefold way of life of a disciple: to deny the self, to take up the cross, and follow the Lord. 3.       In fact, this triple path is the way of the cross. This is the way of the cross of the disciple which is actually the replica of the way of the cross of the Lord. The Lord’s suffering and death are the climax and summing up of an entire life of self-denial, cross-bearing, and doing God’s will. 4.       A follower of Christ has no other way except the way of the master. We must renounce all the self-centrism and self-interests; we must retrench all the layers of the ego, the false self. We must accept and bear patiently and perseveringly all our daily crosses and difficulties. We must constantly imitate the Lord in his virtues and mission with untiring zeal and commitment.   Direction: Following the Lord is not an easy thing. It involves a lot of sacrifice and suffering. But it is not a futile task. It is very rewarding. The Lord will bless us abundantly   (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2021, 18 FEBRUARY)   Focus: To live a worthy life is to live in the spirit of wisdom; true wisdom consists of an essential choice between two sets of values.   1.      The essence of a right and happy living is growing in wisdom. This wisdom shows us clearly how foolish it is to bother so much to gain the whole world but lose one's own precious soul, that is, lose the spiritual wealth and depth and authentic happiness. 2.      Wisdom also realises that it is more worthwhile and beneficial to choose God, life, blessing, and holistic prosperity, in contrast to the world, death, curse, and doom. Then wisdom consistently pursues the path of these right choices. 3.      This is the way of wise choices that are laid down in concrete details in Deuteronomy: Love God, listen to Him, be loyal to Him, follow His commandments, and walk His way. In the words of Jesus in the gospel, it is: deny self, take up the cross, and follow him. 4.      “Denying the self” is not self-rejection, but self-injection. This implies, on one hand, ejecting out all that is the false self, ego-swelling, and self-interests, and on the other hand, injecting into the self, the positive attitudes and pursuit of self-emptying and self-giving. 5.      “Take up the cross” does not mean to go about as burdened and crushed people under the weight of the cross of suffering. Rather, it means to accept our daily crosses of unfavourable and unpleasant situations, to bear patiently, lovingly, and trustingly loads of difficulties and challenges. 6.      And “follow Jesus” means to walk constantly in his footsteps, to imitate his life and mission in the practice of virtues and values. In the words of Deuteronomy from the first reading, all these conditions of discipleship would mean: obeying the voice and commandments of God, loving Him, cleaving to Him, walking in His ways, by keeping His commandments, statutes, and ordinances. But all this struggle and fidelity is not a futile project. It is highly rewarding: God will bless abundantly.   Direction: There is no use in claiming and boasting about one's intelligence unless one makes the right choices and follows them.   24 FEBRUARY 2023: ISAIAH 58. 1-9a; MATTHEW 9. 14-15 Pivot: Not only the act but the whole life! Indicative: In all religions, there are many religious practices and activities. It is not enough that they are done devoutly but they must bring about a change in life 1.      No religion lacks some devotional exercises and religious obligations. Many perform them faithfully. For sure, prayers, fasting, and almsgiving are practised in every religion. But the real issue is how much change takes place in their concrete life 2.      Often, their devotion does not correspond to their life. The fidelity, rigour, enthusiasm, and generosity shown in the religious domain often are not seen in day-to-day life. Thus, we see many who donate huge sums in their temples but are either so greedy or indifferent to the needy. Many are so faithful to their prayers but are very deceptive toward others. Many are so rigorous in fasting but are devoid of self-discipline 3.      Their bundles of prayers do not really bring them closer to God. Their fasting does not help them to be pure before God. Their almsgiving does not increase their spirit of sensitivity and compassion 4.      Thus we see often religious actions fail to groom persons in an intimate relationship with God and steady kindness and justice toward others. Pious practices may abound but they do not touch and change the spirit, attitudes, and perspectives of the person. In short, religious fidelity may not lead to an authentic life of faith and charity 5.      So it is no wonder that there are many who believe and perform many things in the religious domain but do not live a good and holy life. This is where a life of contradiction emerges and religion and spirituality become shallow and lose their credibility 6.      It is in this context that God is outspoken in both readings. In the first reading from Isaiah, God speaks out his mind that fasting which fails in justice and charity is not pleasing and even detestable in his sight. 7.      In the gospel, Jesus indicates that fasting (and for that matter all religious practices) will lose their value if they do not lead to the presence and intimacy of the Lord, the real “bridegroom”. They must help us to celebrate his presence and also to regain his lost company if it happens so. Imperative: It is the right time that we examine whether our religious practices renew our life and make us more holy and charitable   (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2022, 04 MARCH)   Focus: The practice of religious activities like prayers and fasting is very good and needed. But we must check and see whether they remain limited only to the domain of religion and piety or do they lead to a change in daily life   1.      Very often the religion of many is limited only to some religious practices. Their devotion is confined mainly to some pious prayers or proclamations. What they believe is not shown in how they live. What they profess is not lived in what they practise. What they proclaim is not testified in their real life. It is like the wedding guests who celebrate the feast but ignore the bridegroom who is the cause and centre of their celebration. Or it is like mourning at a wedding. 2.      Similarly, all our religious practices and activities will become empty and meaningless if they fail to take us closer to God and to others. Just as the whole wedding moments are directed toward and centered around the bridegroom, so also all the religious practices are oriented toward the Lord. They must take us into intimacy with him, to enjoy his presence, to celebrate life with him. 3.      The fault of the Israel people was this: they followed a dry and shallow religion. For their daily schedule was filled with bundles of practices but their hearts were empty of any real spirit of faith. They prayed, fasted, and gave alms. But they were estranged from God. They were self-blown and self-filling. They were indifferent and unconcerned toward others. 4.      They lacked humility, charity, and fidelity. They were self-righteous and complacent. They were insensitive, ununderstanding, and unsympathetic. They were despising and offensive. They always rated themselves far above the other ordinary mortals. They were demanding and exacting toward people. But toward their own selves, they were lenient and self-indulgent. 5.      Further, the greatest deficiency in any religion is a lack of charity toward others. It is a failure to loosen the bonds of wickedness and undo the straps of the yoke of injustice and oppression. It is to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, and clothe the naked. The right type of fasting (in fact all the religious observances) is to humble oneself, not to seek our own pleasure, not to quarrel and fight and hit.   Direction: There is an eager tendency in the present times either to do away with all the traditional practices like fasting, or not to connect them to real-life renewal   (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2021, 19 FEBRUARY)   Focus: All our religious practices gain their full meaning and merit when they are blended with good works.   1.      Insistently, the Word of God makes it clear to us that our spiritual life and actual life should go together. They are not two separate and dissociated domains. Religious disciplines like Fasting become more pleasing to God and meritorious when they take us close to God and others. 2.      The purpose and end of all our spiritual observances are twofold: one is, to enjoy the presence and closeness of Jesus, "the bridegroom"; the other is, to overflow the spirit of the religious practice into the practice of concrete duties of fraternity and acts of charity. Isaiah details some of these: act justly, set free the oppressed, feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, clothe the naked, etc. 3.      Therefore, there is no use in doing all religious practices without changing the concrete life. Why fast without giving up self-pleasure? Why fast, if we do not abstain from oppressing others? Why fast, if we do not refrain from quarreling and fighting? Why fast, if one does not turn away from his wickedness? Why fast, if one does not grow humble? 4.      The point is not only concerning the particular practice of fasting. This applies to all our religious observances. God wants that all our religious practices lead us to a good life. They become means as well as expressions of a life of righteousness before God and toward others. Thus, when piety and fraternity, when devotion and justice, and religiosity and integrity blend together, they will find God closer and more pleased.   Direction: It is a mistake that some think the Word of God is downplaying and even substituting the practice of fasting with the practice of charitable acts. No. They are not substitutions but restitutions of the true spirit, extensions, completion, and perfection of the same.   25 FEBRUARY 2023: ISAIAH 58. 9b – 14; LUKE 5. 27-32 Pivot: Leave and live! Indicative: The Lord calls us any time and anywhere to follow him. He does not bother about our qualifications or worthiness. All that matters is the willingness to follow him 1.      The call of Matthew can be emblematic of any other call. In the first place, it gives us a profound sense of consolation and encouragement with great assurance that the Lord is never conditioned by our weaknesses and failures. He is not influenced or swayed over by human judgments or labels 2.      The Lord was least bothered about the sinful condition of Matthe and the social stigmatisation of him as a sinner. What matters for him is not the background check-up but the forward march. He does not expect readymade saints or already fully-fit disciples 3.      He knows what he can make of us if only we respond to his call and cooperate with his training and formation. Apart from Jesus’ unconditional mercy in calling Matthew, what is striking is Matthew’s instant and prompt response 4.      No sooner Jesus calls him, “Follow me”, than “leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him”. What an act of promptness! What a spirit of total detachment and renunciation! For a man who was always preoccupied with accumulating and hoarding, leaving everything would be terrible 5.      Mark! he did leave, not only something but everything. Discipleship becomes meaningful when the giving up is total and not partial or half-measures. He left everything “behind” because the Lord is in front. When the priceless treasure is before him, why cling on to what is behind which is of minor value? 6.      The clause that he “got up” denotes not only a physical act of getting up from his place but it symbolises the very life that he takes up. It is getting up from his sinful life, a life of deception, injustice, and self-promotion. In the words of the first reading, it is to turn away from “following his own ways, seeking his own interests and speaking malice” 7.      With this decisive turn, Matthew begins to follow the Lord. His life changes totally. It is no more living for himself but for the Lord. It is no more cheating the people but being authentic. It is no more working for money and temporary profits but for the kingdom and the heavenly riches Imperative: The real call of the Lord is not one time or one-day affair. It is an unceasing process, a daily striving, a consistent transition from the world to the Lord and his kingdom (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2022, 05 MARCH)   Focus: The most consoling and encouraging feature of our God is that He is never judgmental or condemnatory. All that He wants is that we turn away from our sin and begin to follow Him   1.      The Lord calls Levi or Matthew in today’s gospel. It was something annoying and radical to call a tax collector to follow him. For as known, tax collectors were labeled and despised as sinners. It would certainly invite a lot of criticism and the Lord knew it. Yet, he goes ahead unperturbed. This call is in perfect tune with the very purpose of his coming to earth. He declares emphatically: “I have come not to call the righteous but the sinners to repentance”. 2.       This does not mean that one continues in the same state of sin. In a way, being sinful becomes a launching pad for soaring high. The Lord does not care much for our backgrounds or our credentials. All that matters the most is whether we hearken to his call and respond to him and follow him; whether we are willing to repent and change our life. 3.       This repentance and renewal consist in making a decisive transition, a shift from having sinned to becoming graced. Some of the details of this transition are well-marked in the first reading from the prophet Isaiah. On one hand, it is turning away from a life of sin. It would mean not going our own ways, not seeking our own pleasures, not talking idly; it would call for taking away the yoke of oppression and injustice, the accusing of others wickedly. 4.       On the other hand, it would commit us to care unselfishly for the hungry and the afflicted; to keep the Sabbath holy and honorable and delightful; to repair the breaches, and to restore the strayed and scattered. 5.       Then, the results are marvelous. Our light will rise in the darkness; we will be revitalized; we shall be like a watered garden, like a never-drying spring of water; our ancient ruins shall be rebuilt. The Lord will make us ride on the heights of the earth.   Direction: A worthy living of our vocation means deep gratitude for the bounteous gift of it, a deep awareness of our sinfulness and unworthiness, and a constant striving to shift from sin to grace  

7th SUNDAY OF THE YEAR A

7TH ORDINARY SUNDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 2023: LEVITICUS 19:1-2, 17-18; 1 COR 3. 16-23; MATTHEW 5. 38-48   Pivot: Be holy like God! Indicative: True faith and holiness can never be dissociated or exempted from fraternity and charity   1.      "Be holy for I, Lord your God, am holy". This is how God urges us in the first reading from Leviticus. In the second reading, Paul reminds us that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. In the gospel, Jesus exhorts us to be perfect as our heavenly Father is. Thus, our call is to be like God, to be holy as He is. 2.      But what is this holiness? What does it mean to be holy? It is very interesting and it is the right thing too. Holiness is understood not merely in terms of some devotions, some religious activities, or some spiritual traditions or practices. True holiness is to become like God, to put on His mindset, and to act like Him. 3.      Very specifically, holiness is explained in the concrete details of fraternity and charity: have no grudge against your neighbour in your heart, nurture no hatred, take no revenge, but love your neighbour. 4.      You are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, do not desecrate such a holy abode by the stains and blemishes of self-conceit and lack of charity. You are the holy children of a holy God. Therefore, your life must always resemble and testify to His way and His mode of relating and acting. 5.      This implies a spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation, in contrast to revenge and retaliation; a spirit of magnanimity in giving and doing the maximum, more than expected and required; a spirit of equity and fairness toward all without discrimination. 6.      This is what Jesus invites us for. It is to put on God’s own mindset: a selfless love even to embrace the enemy, to bless them, to pray for them, to be courteous to all and to help all, to show equity toward all without any disparity, just as “God sends His rain and sunshine upon all”, both the good and the evil. 7.      Thus, our model is God Himself in His compassion, mercy, and perfection: “Be merciful AS your heavenly Father is merciful”. Therefore, to be holy means to constantly model our life on God's mindset, His mercy and compassion, His going beyond the minimums and dry obligations, and His perfection. 8.      This is truly the culmination of true devotion and charity. Rightly the sweet saint St Francis de Sales affirms: "Charity is the perfection of devotion". So let us not domesticate holiness only to some pious gestures and acts. But let us give it free rein and true face in the concrete spirit of fraternity and acts of charity.   Imperative: True holiness is the wholeness of life. It consists not only in acts of devotion but much more in the integrity of life, a life of right relationship with God and others   (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2022, 13, 14 JUNE) Indicative: There is always a sharp contrast between the people of God and the people of the world. The former often seem to be losers and despised and the latter, winners and victors. But in God’s sight, it is the reverse! 1.      Against a worldly mentality of false values, Jesus proposes a contrast-set of values. Jesus invites us to follow a new set of rules, a reversal of the values. It is not the spirit of unforgiveness, grudge, and retaliation that seeks “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth". But it is Christ’s spirit of forbearance and forgiveness that offers the other cheek also to the one who slaps on one. 2.       It is not the spirit of greed or profit or self-interest. But it is the new spirit of sensitivity and generosity that gives readily to those who beg or borrow. It is not the spirit of fighting for rights suing you to take away your tunic. But it is the contrast-spirit of giving up one’s legitimate rights and parting with the cloak as well. It is not the spirit of becoming so calculative and refusing to walk a mile with the other. But it is the generous spirit of walking an “extra mile”. 3.       This is the ideal of perfection for every follower of Christ. And who is the model for this perfection? It is none other than God Himself. Our God not only teaches us and demands from us a life of sound values. But He Himself follows them and sets an example for us. He is a God who does what He says. 4.       “You be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect”, exhorts Jesus in the gospel. He proposes God the Father Himself as the model of perfection. Perfection is a catchword and is the target and goal of many. Many aspire to and strive for perfection. But mostly it is a perfection concerning worldly matters and interests. 5.       Mostly, people seek perfection in intelligence, competence, talent, and skill. Accordingly, perfection is equated with excellence and success. One is perfect when he excels and succeeds in a particular aspect or field of life. The problem with this kind of understanding of perfection is, that it is very partial, limited, and shallow. 6.       For example, one may be perfect in his job, profession, business, art, or capacity. But he may be miserably imperfect and morally inadequate in the rest of his life. That is why they are not worth-imitable for a holistic life. 7.       It is in this context, Jesus places before us the model par excellence – God Himself. In which way God is perfect and His perfection is the model? His perfection is holistic. It is a perfection of virtue and value. Jesus further clarifies this in the gospel. 8.       It is a perfection of love that loves even the enemies; that prays even for those who persecute us. It is a perfection that greets and is courteous even to strangers. It is a perfection that is equitable to all without any discrimination because He lets His sun shine and rain fall both on the just and unjust. It is a perfection that does good selflessly without expecting any return or reward.   Imperative: What is the type of perfection we are seeking? Where are the best of our efforts directed? Is it to perfect ourselves in some competence and skill only? How keen are we to become perfect in the path of virtue and character and commitment?  

6 th week days mass reflection of the year 1

13 - 18 FEBRUARY 2023, HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS 13 FEBRUARY 2023: GENESIS 4. 1-15, 25; MARK 8. 11-13 Pivot: Demand for signs? Indicative: True faith does not seek and demand signs from heaven. A deep faith does not depend upon favours and blessings alone 1.      Jesus invites all to believe in him and be saved. But the Pharisees want a sign to prove his identity and credentials. They argue with Jesus. Seeking a sign in itself is not wrong. We see that in the gospel of John, miracles are called ‘signs’. So, signs are important and they are given. 2.      But the whole problem is concerning the motive and purpose of seeking them, the kind of signs, and the openness to recognise them. They demanded signs with the motive of testing him. They forgot that the purpose of signs is to strengthen faith. 3.      Their purpose was to strengthen their unfaith. Seeking a sign was a pretext not to have faith in him. They would easily justify that they did not believe because there was no sufficient evidence. Thus their very motive was vitiated. It was “not to trust him and only to test him”. 4.      A genuine seeking of signs indicates that we face a difficult situation that is beyond our human capacity to resolve. It indicates that we realise our human insufficiency. We turn to God. We depend on His intervention. We trust in His love. Thus a sign is meant to deepen our faith in God and our relationship with Him. 5.      We also need to understand what is a sign. Often like the Pharisees, there is a tendency to equate signs with miracles and favours. They are also signs as they manifest God’s power and intervention. But signs are not only they and we shall not expect them always. 6.      But there are many general and regular signs in the form of insight, message, inspiration, comfort, encouragement, guidance, caution, and discernment or forbearance and surrender. In different problematic or unclear situations in life, these signs help us either to resolve and overcome the difficulty if possible or surrender and bear with patience. 7.      Thus a sign essentially is an indicator, a pointer, a signpost, or an aid from the above. It is a light that illumines our path and guides us. A sign is not a tool to evade our responsibility but a way to deeper commitment. Through signs, God helps us to help ourselves. In this sense, signs are never lacking. They always abound. 8.      But we need to be open to see and recognise them. The Pharisees could not see them. Even if they saw, they would not accept them. The reason was their prejudice and jealousy against Jesus. This negative mindset was a block to see and accept signs, of which Jesus himself was the biggest sign. 9.      In the light of the first reading, this was because of the lack of fraternity and benevolence. Cain killed his own brother Abel because of the lack of fraternal love and benevolence. His fraternity and benevolence were dominated and clouded by prejudice and jealousy. Imperative: There are still plenty of signs of God’s power and goodness in different ways. But we need to deepen our humility and trust in Him on one hand, and also a sense of fraternity and benevolence on the other hand   (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021, 15 FEBRUARY)   Focus: External signs such as miracles and grand interventions may help faith but cannot generate faith or prove God's power   1.      As humans we are, many times our faith depends on seeing and experiencing concretely God's action and intervention. Accordingly, we wish that our intercessions for various needs are granted immediately. 2.      In other words, miracles and favours become the proof for the efficacy of our prayer, and also for the attention and care of God. In a way, we are unconsciously putting God to test, to prove His goodness and power by granting what we plead for. 3.      This is the same mentality of people of Jesus' own time, who demanded signs from heaven. How foolish and unbelieving they were! There were already many miracles, so much preaching the gospel of God's love and mercy, comfort, and consolation. 4.      And more than all these, Jesus himself is the biggest sign. Therefore, what is needed is not to test God but trust; not asking God to prove His power but to prove our fidelity to Him through our perseverance. 5.      If we sincerely examine, many of us are no different from those Pharisees who demanded signs from heaven. It is not because they wanted to believe and confirm their belief, but rather they wanted to justify and disguise their unbelief. 6.      Are there not enough more signs in our own times? Why do we want signs at all? What are actually signs meant for? Do we realise that primarily signs are meant to direct our focus and attention in the right direction? 7.      They are meant to comfort and strengthen us in the wrong times and ignite us with renewed courage and commitment. They are not to substitute but only to complement our responsibility. Many times, signs are demanded to shirk away from our responsibility. 8.      Like Cain from Genesis, why do wrong and then have the countenance fall? If we do well, surely God will accept and bless us. We will not need special signs. The greatest sign of God’s presence is charity, that is, to be a “keeper, a custodian of the other” as a brother and sister. Jealousy, violence, and destruction are countersigns.     Direction: If in every prayer, we only ask God to fulfill our desires and grant us favours, then why at all pray especially for God's will to be done?   (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2022, 14 FEBRUARY) Focus: Many times the problem in faith-life is not the absence of God’s grace but the openness to see it, receive it, and cooperate with it; it also requires a humble and trusting heart to understand God’s ways of acting   1.      In the gospel, the Pharisees demand Jesus for a sign from heaven. The purpose is not to strengthen their faith but only to test his power. Surely there were enough and more signs in the form of his teaching, preaching, and healing. His miracles were powerful signs of God’s mercy and power through him. In fact, he himself was the greatest sign of God’s presence, guidance, and power. 2.       They see all these signs but they refuse to accept them. How many today are like these Pharisees? Signs of God’s love, goodness, and holiness abound. His care, His light, and his power are abundant. But many just reject them 3.       Therefore, what are we to do? “Trust God and not test God”. We need not test God’s power and fidelity. We shall not test His concern by the mere granting of favours to us. We shall not test His power by the mere removal of all difficulties from our life. We shall not test His mercy by the mere healing of us always. Rather, we need to trust and surrender wholeheartedly. Let us trust Him even when things go wrong, even when we do not receive what we want. 4.       “See the signs and follow what they signify”. If only we are a little more open and humble, there are plenty of signs of God’s grace all around us. Signs are not necessarily miracles and healings alone. A sign is anything that signifies to us the ways of God. A sign is anything that indicates God’s grace and teaches us to be responsive and effective. In that way, even negative experiences like Corona, sickness, failure, persecution, et cetera also are signs. 5.       “Test your faith and bear testimony to it”. Our faith is tested by trials and adversities. Through our perseverance, we bear testimony to the depth of our faith. True faith does not seek exemption from afflictions as a sign of the power of faith. Rather, it accepts them and endures through them as a sign of its genuineness.   Direction: In the name of the power of faith, let us not put God to the test. Let us not reduce the quality of faith merely to the quantity and the number of favours received. Let us check and see whether we too are making the Lord sigh with a sense of disappointment and helplessness over our lack of receptivity   14 FEBRUARY 2023: GENESIS 6. 5-8, 7. 1-5, 10; MARK 8. 14-21 Pivot: Evil is pervasive! Indicative: It is a fact that evil is on increase. There are many misguiding pressures and influences. We need to focus on Jesus and remain clear and firm 1.      God “regretted” that he had made man on the earth, and His heart was “grieved”. This was the experience of God in Noah’s time. It was because man’s wickedness engulfed the whole earth. As it is said, the weight of sin was so unbearable that the earth was not able to bear it. Therefore, God decides to “revamp” the earth, wipe out the sinning creatures, and thus “lighten” the burden of the earth 2.      In our times too, this is very true. Evil and wickedness are on a whirlwind tour. The earth is acutely engulfed in sin. Evil hardens and closes the hearts toward God’s works and wonders that are always active. Many have cognition power but do not recognise God’s presence and action. Many have memory power but do not remember them. Many have intellect but do not understand or comprehend. Many have eyes but do not see. Many have ears but do not hear. 3.      Further, many easily allow themselves to be influenced and led astray by evil influences and temptations. They do not discern and decide. Jesus indicates this by the symbolism of the “leaven of the Pharisees and that of Herod”. 4.      In such an evil prevalence, what must we do? Let us be like Noah. Even when all the rest were steeped in evil, Noah was found to be “truly just”. He did not allow himself to be contaminated by the dirt of the evil that surrounded him. He did not eat the bread, baked with the “leaven” of wickedness and falsity of others. He did not drown himself in the “flood” of sin. Rather, he was “floating” and sailing ahead amidst the flood in the “ark” of God’s grace. 5.      Today too, for sure God must be regretting and grieving over humanity because of the increasing wickedness. Perhaps, the various natural calamities and disasters are strong indicators and consequences of this sin-infected flood. We need to guard and rise against such flood by getting into the “Ark” of faith and righteousness. Imperative: God is both just and merciful. In His justice, He wants us to live justly, guarding ourselves against all the infection and ruin by sin. In His mercy, He wants to save us through the ark of faith (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021, 16 FEBRUARY)    Focus: Negative influences assail us at any time and all the time, and we need to be cautious about them. 1.      This is our human predicament that is being constantly exposed to evil. All the more, in our own times, evil seems to be on a rampage. Exactly as in the time of Noah, we see that the wickedness of man is great on earth and all the thoughts seem to be thoroughly evil-oriented. 2.      In Jesus’ time too, there were negative examples and the false influence of the Pharisees and scribes that shake true faith and misguided others. This is exactly the leaven of the Pharisees and that of Herod. We will never lack these wrong-footed influences, deviations, and distortions. Many are under false influences. 3.      Consequently, as Jesus reproaches in the gospel, hearts are hardened. Having eyes, many do not see and having ears, they do not hear. They easily forget the immense good that happens in their life. The disciples had already seen the miraculous power of Jesus when he fed the multitude with a few loaves and fish. Yet, they were much worried about lacking enough bread. In these aspects, they too fall into the same category of faithless Pharisees and Jews. 4.      What then is the remedy? We should constantly lean on Jesus and remember his miracles which are powerful manifestations of his love for us. In the face of wrong influences and pressures against faith, we must cultivate the spirit of turning to God in surrender and perseverance. 5.      Like Noah in Genesis, we must keep ourselves uncontaminated and righteous even amidst evil and misguided generations, with false leaders like the Pharisees and Herod.   Direction: What we must try is not so much avoid all the negative influences, which is not at all possible. But rather, to resist them, and to persevere till the end, resting on Jesus   (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2022, 15 FEBRUARY) Focus: Temptations and deceptions often torment us and all the time we are not able to surmount them. Therefore we must be ever conscious, cautious, and judicious   1.      The word of God today cautions us against the power and pressure of negative influences. In the gospel, Jesus cautions his disciples about the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod. The leaven of the Pharisees indicates their self-righteousness and hypocrisy. The leaven of Herod signifies his ruthless worldliness and power-seeking. Just as the leaven can ferment the whole dough, so also the wrong ways of the Pharisees and Herod can strongly exert a negative influence on his disciples. 2.       Therefore, the disciples of Jesus must be deeply alert and attentive to sense any such evil influences that try to lure them and lead them astray. They must be conscious to discern such deceptive forces. In the light of Jesus’ warning, they must try to perceive and understand, have the eyes to see, and have the ears to hear. They shall not harden their hearts. Instead, they will keep them ever flexible and open to God’s power. 3.       Particularly, they shall constantly remind themselves of the many wonders that God has been doing and continues to do in their lives. Jesus asks them to remember the miraculous feeding of thousands with a few loaves and fish. In the same way, he is asking all his present disciples never to lose sight of God’s blessings and favours received without ceasing. They must always bear in mind that whenever God takes control of our life situations, there is full satisfaction and even surplus.   Direction: Often the evil influences are too strong to counter. A strong evil influence can be fittingly countered only by a stronger good influence and that is from God. Therefore, allow yourself to be influenced and led by God and not by the evil   15 FEBRUARY 2023: GENESIS 8. 6-13, 20-22; MARK 8. 22-26 Pivot: Get rid of blindness! Indicative: In life, all of us suffer from some degree of blindness. Often we do not see God or others or our own self with clear sight. We need healing from Jesus 1.      Life becomes meaningful when there is Progress, change, and renewal. And these can be lasting when it is a steady and gradual process. The subsiding of the flood in the time of Noah was a gradual and steady process. It took time. 2.      The healing of the blind man in the gospel was again a gradational process. From the state of total blindness, he came to be partially blind when he could “see people looking like trees and walking”. Then he became fully sighted when he could “see everything distinctly”. 3.      Many questions may remain unanswered such as why Jesus led him outside the village. Why he did not heal at a stretch but in a second phase or attempt? Why did he order the healed blind man not to go into the village? et cetera. These may not be unimportant. However, we need not make speculations 4.      But we can draw some plausible lessons and indications. One lesson is, that our recovery and restoration is a process that must be progressive and gradational. We need not expect a sudden and total change all of a sudden and at one shot. 5.      The fact that Jesus took him outside the village before the healing and he told him not to go into the village after the healing shows a dissociation from the village. This may indicate that Jesus did not want the blind man to be unnecessarily disturbed or distracted by others. 6.      Whether before or after the healing, the presence of others may create a situation of needless discussions or apprehensions, or judgments. This can take away the main focus on healing. Dissociation from such a situation can make the blind man more focused on his blindness and on God’s compassion that restores his sight 7.      Being away from the people can also avoid all the clamour and glamour of applause and popularity at the healing. What is important is not that the people sing his laurels but the blindness is removed. There is no self-seeking glory. 8.      Further, all the simple details in the healing episode indicate the personal touch and concern of the Lord. He took the blind man by the hand. He led him outside the village. He put spittle on his eyes. He laid his hands on the man. Then he laid his hands on the man’s eyes a second time. He restored sight to him. Then he sent him home. 9.      Let us take note of blindness, whether total or partial. At times we may be totally blind, filled with egoism or indifference. We may fail to see God, others, and our own selves. At other times, we may be partially blind by prejudices and lack of clarity. We may misjudge and misinterpret others. Imperative: Often, we are blind. We do not see God and good. We do not see God as our liberator and restorer. We do not see others with a fraternal eye. We do not see ourselves honestly. We need to regain our sight   (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2022+2021)   Focus: The religion of many is false and shallow because they reduce their religion only to some practices and traditions, but their hearts are far from God; their hearts are impure and contaminated by the world, and they miserably fail in the supreme principle of charity   1.      In the light of the gospel, we are invited to be healed of our blindness. In the case of the blind man in the gospel, we see three phases or stages: one is his first condition of total blindness. Second is his partial healing and partial sight when he has a blurred vision of seeing people as trees, walking. The third is his total recovery of sight when he saw everything clearly. 2.       Many do not have this right vision and continue to live blindly. We too are affected by the same blindness. We need to approach Jesus to have our sight restored. It may not be instantaneous healing. It is steady progress. But steadily we need to be fully clear-sighted. We need to grow from complete blindness of egoism and greed through a partial sight of mediocrity and negligence to the perfect sight of fraternity and generous charity. 3.       Now to which of the three phases do I belong? Am I completely blind? Am I so indifferent and distant from God, failing to see His love and His will? Am I partially blind? Do I look at others through prejudice and narrow sight, not as humans but as trees, walking? Or am I really a healed person, able to see everything clearly?   Direction: “Do you see anything?” is the question of Jesus to the blind man in the process of healing. Our recovery of sight need not be always sudden and whole. It can be progressive. But what is important is that we constantly approach Jesus and beg him to touch us, so that we can see clearly the true religion and follow it   16 FEBRUARY 2023: GENESIS 9. 1-13; MARK 8. 27-33 Pivot: Live and abound! Indicative: In creating the whole creation and especially creating the humans in His own image and likeness, God has a definite purpose: to live fully and let others live joyfully 1.      We are reeling through a devastating culture of death. Aggression, violence, and destruction mark this culture. Life is not valued. Values of life are not appreciated. Life is stifled and suffocated. In such a context, we need to rediscover and restore the value and beauty of life. We need to foster a culture of life. 2.      Today’s first reading of God’s dialogue with Noah makes this clear. God is concerned about life. He declares very clearly that He will demand a strict accounting for any life and all the more human life. No life should be tampered with because all life is the gift of God and thus any violation of life is a violation against God Himself. 3.      God makes a covenant with Noah and this is a covenant of life. It is an assurance that life shall not be destroyed but protected and promoted. God is a living God and He is a life-giving God. God lives and His covenant lives whenever and wherever the value and the values of life are safeguarded. 4.      Seen in this perspective, sin is whatever disrupts and destroys life. When men fall to the sway of sin and destroy their life, God sends His only Son to be the Saviour, the Christ. Jesus then truly is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. This is his identity and his mission is to save life and restore it to its original beauty and dignity. 5.      Blessed are those who realise this identity and mission of the Lord and surrender and commit themselves to the Lord! Peter declares this realisation. He answers to Jesus’question, “Who do you say I am?”, by saying, “You are the Christ”. 6.      This is clearly not his knowledge. This is the knowledge, the revelation by God. Whoever thinks as God thinks and does what God wants to do, is with God. But whoever thinks as ordinary human beings according to human considerations and calculations, is in company with Satan. 7.      That is why when Peter rebuked Jesus against the path of suffering, rejection, persecution, and eventual death, Jesus sternly rebukes him in return. He reproaches, saying, “Get behind me, Satan”. Imperative: In life, oftentimes, we may not understand God’s ways. We may think quite humanly according to human standards. Particularly we may not understand the salvific value of suffering. We may resent and resist. But let us realise it is God’s way and surrender to it (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021, 18 FEBRUARY) Focus: Faith is essentially a personal love and experience of Jesus and a personal imitation of him   1.      "Who do people say I am?", and who do you say I am?" These questions of Jesus are not so much questions of curiosity or self-check or indirect eagerness to hear good about him. They are fundamental indicators of true and profound faith. 2.      True faith cannot depend only on the knowledge or the experience of others. It is ultimately a matter of personal encounter, a personal experience, and a relationship with Jesus. My faith should make him "live" and "live to me". My life should be a testimony that "he is the Son of the living God, the Messiah". 3.      Such faith should make me rise from the ordinary and false perspectives and standards of the world. This is seen in Peter's objection that the Messiah should not suffer, as he too succumbs to a cozy and pompous picture of the Messiah. 4.      Concretely, such a genuine and personal faith makes us rise above the worldly spirit of discrimination based on external factors like money and status. One who has faith is faithful to God and charitable indiscriminately to others.   Direction: We need to go on praying and striving for the gift of such wisdom that cultivates and fosters a sense and bond of equality and fairness toward every human person.   (REFLECTION 3)   Focus: Following Jesus is a call for a deeply personal God experience, and nothing else can substitute for it. It essentially involves struggle and sacrifice 1.      Discipleship is essentially a call to be rooted in God, in the intimacy of His experience, and nothing else can substitute for it. And this has to be something very personal, though it will certainly have wider implications in collective experience and commitment. 2.       The crucial question is who is Jesus for me? What is my personal experience of Jesus? What counts most is the personal experience of Jesus, and not merely what is heard or learned from others. What others say, what we learn from others, and what we receive from them, comes only to a certain point of the journey of encounter with the Lord. But ultimately it is each one personally that has to make the journey with the Lord. 3.       “Who do people say I am?”, “Who do you say I am?”, is a question posed by Jesus to his disciples. The same is today addressed to each of us personally. Is the question of Jesus, “Who am I?” (for the people / for you), a sign of identity crisis? A sign of a psychological process of self-realisation and self-discovery? A sign of natural human curiosity or inquisitiveness to know what others say about oneself? A sign of a natural, ordinary human seeking recognition and affirmation? The answer is a definitive NO. 4.       The question of Jesus, who am I? is a question that invites and challenges us for a sincere and authentic self-discovery, and for a profound and core identity. We can discover our true self, and realise our core identity, only in relation to Jesus, only in bonding with him, in intimacy and communion with him. 5.       “What Jesus is to us, makes us what we are”. It is not a mere matter of saying who Jesus is but experiencing and living who he is. Not enough that words and expressions about Jesus do abound unless experience does abound. All our acclamations and assertions, professions, and proclamations should not be mere collections of formulations, but rather expressions, extensions, and expansions of deeper and consistent experience and love of the Lord.   Direction: We the followers of the Lord can become more credible if our external proclamation is really rooted in a profound personal experience of the Lord and the spirit of surrender to the will and ways of God (REFLECTION 4 FROM 2022, 17 FEBRUARY) Focus: Learning and knowing more and more about Jesus is very good and needed. But it will not suffice. All our knowledge must lead to a personal experience of Jesus   1.      “Who do you say that I am?” was the question of Jesus to his disciples. This is not a question for self-knowledge or self-boost. This is also not a search for the discovery of self-identity. The purpose is to make them aware of his true identity. It is to make them aware of who he is to them. 2.       The question, “Who do you say I am?” becomes more important than the question, “Who do people say I am?” Personal encounter with Jesus, personal experience of him, and relationship with him are greater priorities than all the knowledge about him from others and various sources. 3.       The purpose of knowing the identity of Jesus is not intellectual but experiential and relational and thus personal. I will try to know who Jesus is because I want to experience who he is to me personally. I will discover his identity so that I can discover my own identity and live it. I will realise that my identity is only in relation to his identity. My identity ceases if it loses its essential connectivity to the Lord’s identity. I will not be who I am if I do not experience who he is. 4.       If I really know and experience him, then I must become like him. I must put on his mindset. I must set my mind on the things of God, and not on the things of the world. Like Christ, my core identity of belonging to him as his disciple must be seen and shown in doing the same mission. And this mission essentially includes suffering and the way of the cross. Anything that contradicts and resists this way of the Lord is satanic.   Direction: All our increase in the knowledge of Christ and familiarity with the Bible is something praiseworthy. However, all this is worth it if only it leads us to a deeper experience of the Lord and commitment to him   17 FEBRUARY 2023: GENESIS 11. 1-9; MARK 8.34 – 9.1   Pivot: To follow the Lord is not to follow the self! Indicative: Many desire many things in life. But how many desire to follow the Lord? If some want to follow him, they must also know what are the conditions. Mere wish is not enough   1.      In life, many good things do not happen because people do not put their intention into action. We have often the best of intentions, words, promises, and decisions but not actions. It is because they limit themselves to mere wishful thinking but not implementing what they wish. 2.      So today the Lord is drawing our attention to this fact of life. He is speaking about discipleship. He clarifies, “Whoever wishes to come after me, must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me”. Therefore mere wishing is not enough. It must follow the required course of action. It must fulfill certain conditions. 3.      Now the Lord lays down three essential conditions to be his disciple. Deny one’s own self, Take up one’s own cross, and Follow the Lord. All these are mutually inclusive. The following of one condition faithfully implies that of the other two as well. Therefore one cannot say, “I follow one and the others, No”. 4.      To deny self is to restrain and overcome our ego, and egoistic interests. It is to constantly purify and rise above our selfish inclinations. In a world where life is becoming more and more self-centred, where ego has become the centre and norm of everything, we need to set aside our ego. This also calls for a deep spirit of detachment and self-sacrifice. 5.      Taking up one’s own cross is the second condition. Each has his own crosses in life. These crosses can be varied. They are the difficulties, problems, and sufferings that we come across. In every cross, there is a sense of burden, struggle, and pain. We need to realise that no one is exempted from crosses. 6.      So, first, we need realism to see the crosses as part of life and all the more as part of discipleship. We need to accept them. We need the spirit of courage and determination to struggle to overcome them when it is possible. And we need patience, forbearance, and perseverance when they are not under our control. 7.      Finally, follow the Lord. Follow him not only where it is convenient but always and everywhere. We need to follow him especially when it is a matter of standing firm and bearing witness to him. It is a matter of practicing his virtues and values, his approach, and ways of action. 8.      All this needs focus and wisdom. We need the wisdom to discern that following the Lord, and gaining one’s soul for eternal life is more important than gaining the whole world. This makes us focused on the Lord and committed to following him. 9.      The people in the first reading who start to construct the tower of Babel lacked this wisdom and focus. They were foolish, worldly, and focused on self-glory. Hence, God thwarts their earthly designs.   Imperative: Many in the world suffer from short-sight and short-term goals. They do not go beyond the self and the world. Their whole life is spent boosting up the self and pleasing the world. They are lost!   (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2022, 18 FEBRUARY)   Focus: Today there are some staunch so-called “religious” people. They claim themselves to be faithful followers and adherents of the religion. But they hopelessly lack the spirit of holiness and human goodness   1.      In the present times, we are going through a new type of religious crisis. What does this imply? We see a religion devoid of fraternity and charity. We watch a spirituality without the integrity of character. We witness a religious fidelity without sanctity. We observe a religious adherence without coherence of life and benevolence to others. We have many who loudly declare to follow God but never follow His ways of sacrifice and love. 2.       This is the malaise that corrodes many religions today. Religious allegiance and adherence are equated with religious fanaticism. Religious passion and dedication are equated with hate and aggression toward other religious followers. This is really a false practice of religion. What religiosity it is, what spirituality it is, what fidelity it is if there is no holiness and no goodness? 3.       Jesus presents the same theme of harmony between faith and works in the light of discipleship. True discipleship fulfills three essential conditions: self-denial, cross-bearing, and following the Lord. Self-denial is not self-hate or self-despisal. It is giving up of the ego, a denial, and restraint of all selfish interests, a spirit of renunciation and retrenchment 4.       Carrying the cross implies the spirit of humble acceptance of the afflictions and adversities of life, and patience and forbearance amidst them. It also means that there is no grumbling or lamenting or despair in the face of difficulties. It is a holy resignation and joyful surrender to everything that befalls us. Good or bad, positive or negative, everything becomes an occasion for self-offering to the Lord. 5.       Following the Lord implies walking in his footsteps, imitating his example, resembling his life, and being loyal and committed to his mission, come what may. Unbounded zeal and undaunted commitment mark a true disciple of Christ. There is no lethargy or sluggishness in the case of a true follower.   Direction: In our society and times, there are many who are rated super brains with high intelligence and competence. But what is so much lacking is wisdom; it is a wisdom that realises that “it is no use to gain the whole world but lose one’s own soul”   (REFLECTION 3)   Focus: True faith is always authentic and concrete. It always shows itself in concrete works of charity and helps to others. To be truly faithful to God is to be charitable to others   1.      In our present times, faith is becoming very expressive and acclamative. People want to demonstrate their faith and their religious allegiance. Consequently, we find the performance of many religious activities, organisation of many religious programmes, and conduction of many spiritual sessions and conventions. 2.       All this is very good. They can help toward manifesting as well as deepening our faith. But what is missing and what is essential is that our experience and concrete life of witness must go together. Our faith must be seen and shown in the quality of life of good actions. 3.       In the gospel, Jesus makes this very clear that faith is following him concretely in the real details of life. And they are A spirit of self-sacrifice in giving up ego, a spirit of patience and perseverance in carrying the cross of one's own burdens and vicissitudes of life, and also the cross of trouble, discomfort, and deprivation for the sake of God and good, and a spirit of indefectible loyalty and commitment in walking his path in imitating his footsteps. 4.       Therefore, it is not enough to say ‘Lord, Lord’ but is also needed to surrender to him. It is not enough to call Jesus ‘Master’, but is also needed to be loyal to him and to follow in his footsteps. It is not enough to acclaim him as ‘Saviour’ but is also needed to be saved and liberated, to experience and live that touch and power of salvation and liberation. 5.       It is not enough to praise him as a ‘Healer’ but also needed to be healed, to show the effects and signs of healing. It is not enough to proclaim his as a ‘guide’, but it also needed to be rightly guided and to avoid all tendencies to be wrongly influenced and misguided. It is not enough to attest him as ‘Light’ but is needed to be illumined, to be enlightened. 6.       It is not enough to sing him as ‘Love’, but is also needed to love him totally and passionately. It is not enough to claim him as our strength and power but it also needed to be strengthened and empowered by him. It is not enough to believe in him as our nourishment but is also needed to be nurtured by him.   Direction:  We must go beyond our contradictory tendencies and live a more harmonious life of grace. We must integrate faith and works. We must be ready to lose ourselves so as to gain it for eternity 18 FEBRUARY 2023: HEBREWS 11. 1-17; MARK 9. 2-13 Pivot: Be transfigured! Indicative: God created us in His own image and likeness. He wants us to be like Him. Sin reduces this likeness and makes us unlike Him. We need then to recuperate what we have lost 1.      We are living in a world where life is increasingly disfigured. Often, life is losing its beauty and charm. Thus many do not experience the joy and value of life. Dehumanisation in its various forms such as injustice, inequality, lack of respect and dignity, deception, dishonesty, selfishness, greed, and violence causes this disfiguration. 2.      Therefore, we need transfiguration so that the beauty and joy of life can be resurged. This transfiguration will be possible only with the help of the Lord because he himself is the Lord of transfiguration. Today’s gospel narrates the scene of the transfiguration of the Lord. 3.      This episode occurred not so much to display his greatness or parade his glory before the poor disciples. It is not to prove himself or impress them. The main purpose is to make them aware of his original identity so that their faith will not be shaken in testing times. Rather they will remain firm looking back and drawing their courage and strength from this transfiguration of the Lord. 4.      Thus the Lord transfigures himself with his heavenly glory before them so as to confirm them in their faith and re-commit them to him. His transfiguration is a prefiguration of our own transfiguration one day when we finish our earthly pilgrimage. 5.      Now how will we be transfigured on the last day? We will be transfigured on the last day when we strive to be transfigured every day. What does this imply? The gospel gives us some pointers. We need to be led up a high mountain apart by ourselves. 6.      That is we need to withdraw and raise ourselves from the earth, from the low and below interests. From time to time, we need to climb up from our ordinary preoccupations to be alone with God in silence and serenity. 7.      We need to stay in intimacy with him and relish his presence. It is this ecstatic joy that made Peter acclaim, “Lord, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents”. It was so cherishable that Peter did not want to miss it. 8.      We need to listen to Jesus because he is the beloved Son of the Father. We too will become the beloved sons and daughters of the Father if we listen to His Son. Listening to him implies that we accompany him always, encounter him and be in dialogue with him like Moses and Elijah. It also implies that we transfigure ourselves both interiorly and exteriorly. Imperative: There is an excessive concern about the external figure and its transfiguration. So much money and time are spent on beautifying the external body and material features. But what about the interior transfiguration, which is the beauty of the heart, and the worth of living? (REFLECTION 2 ON TRANSFIGURATION) Focus: Glory is our destiny and transfiguration is the way. Let us not be upset at the fact of misery but always raise our hearts to the destiny of glory by constant transfigured life, transformed heart   1.      Jesus is transfigured on Mount Tabor in the presence of 3 of his disciples. It is not a display of self-glory but a manifestation of his true identity. It is not to impress them but to confirm them in faith. His glory is not partial but total, both interior and exterior, as indicated by the glow of his face and clothes respectively. The experience of divine glory is so relishing, as indicated by Peter’s exclamation: “it is nice to be here; let us make three tents”. 2.       Jesus’ transfiguration points to our own transfiguration, being adorned with divine glory. This is possible through a constant integral transformation of our both interior and exterior, by attentive listening and adhering to the Lord. 3.       The event of Jesus' transfiguration is a manifestation of his original divinity, identity, and glory. The purpose is not to display his glory, not to impress upon the three disciples his greatness. It is not self-directed, seeking self-glory. 4.       Rather, it serves as a fount of hope that prepares and strengthens the disciples, in the face of the cross and the death of Jesus ahead. The transfigured glory of Jesus illumines and assures the disciples that Jesus who meets the fate of the cross, is not a helpless failure, forced to such a miserable end; rather he is the glorious Son of God, who willingly and freely accepts the cross as God's will for salvation. 5.       It is not a fate of misery and damnation,  but a destiny of glory and salvation. Thereby when faced with the ignominy of the cross, let them not be shaken or shocked; let them not be dissipated or frustrated. Let them not be stuck with the cross and death, but rather let their focus go beyond the glory and eternity. Behind and beyond the disfigured crucified, one should see the transfigured resurrected Lord, re-vested with the original heavenly glory. 6.       Thus that simple Jesus, who is walking along with them as an ordinary man, that suffering Jesus, who will be subjected to the humiliation of the cross, is not a disgraced and defeated man. Instead, he is the glorious "beloved Son of the Father", attested so by the Father Himself from heaven. So do not lose faith in him, when things go contrary, but continue to keep trust and hope in him. 7.       Jesus' transfiguration is also an indicator, a forecast, and a foretaste of our own resurrection and the glory of the resurrection. It is a prefiguration of our own future glory. The frequent disfiguration of life, with all the vicissitudes and adversities, is not the final or permanent reality. 8.       Transfiguration is the ultimate and definitive experience. Misery is not an absolute fate, but glory is our eternal destiny. Therefore, the transfiguring experience must trigger us to direct our focus, beyond the temporary upsets of the cross, to the eternal upheaval of resurrection. 9.       This is possible only through a constant  REINVIGORATION of our original identity of being God's image and likeness. This in turn is possible through a faithful CONFIGURATION with Jesus. The more we are tuned and communed to him, the more we live and grow like him, the more we adhere to him In "attentive listening to him",  the more we shall experience and share the same transfiguring glory. 7.      If sin disfigures us, depriving us of our original beauty and dignity of being God's images, grace through Jesus transfigures us, restoring to us that lost light and radiance. The shining light and brightened glow will indicate that our transfiguration is more a matter of illuminating and brightening our darkened selves and false lives. 8.       The more we are enlightened, breaking off the sheaths and layers of darkness that often block and blur our radiance, the more we re-discover our real identity and radiate the light of that true image. 9.      Thus real transfiguration lies in the daily process of brightening up our lives. Light up the life, Daily on the "mountain" - of the vicinity, proximity, and intimacy with God, in a spirit and ambiance of solitude and serenity, in the heights of our spirits, in the focused moments of prayer, in a personal encounter with Moses and Elijah, signifying the Law and Prophets, i.e. the entire Scripture and Tradition. 10.   Transform and glorify life, wholly and fully, by changing both the interior,  indicated by the change of face, which is the index of the interior, and the exterior, indicated by the change in clothes. 11.    Let our every day be a continuous journey of removing the shades of darkness that reduce our glow. Let it be a vibrant march of regaining our lost radiance. Let the light of Christ make our hearts, and our life, more bright, with more hope and more renewal.   Direction: Often we want to see only glory and cling to such moments. But only the path of the cross and following Jesus will lead to glory.   (REFLECTION 3 FROM 2022, 19 FEBRUARY)    1.      In the gospel today, we have the transfiguration episode. This indicates that what is very important is to be deeply aware of the various “disfigurements” of our life. Then, strive sincerely for a “transfiguration” of it. For this, first of all, we need to participate and share the “transfiguration experience” of Jesus himself. We need to behold his heavenly glory and sanctity. We need to confirm our faith in his divinity despite the garbs of human fragilities. 2.       We need to relish the moments of being with him and desire to abide close to him again and again. Hear what Peter exclaims at the transfiguration experience of Jesus: It is good to be here. Let us make … tents”. We need to listen to the Lord as the beloved of the Father. 3.       However, we cannot hide ourselves only in such ecstatic moments. Taking our courage and strength from such deepening and strengthening experiences, we need to come down the mountain of Tabor. We need to gird ourselves with the task of living the transfiguring experience in our daily living. We need to change both our ‘face’ and our ‘clothes’ that is the face of our interior life and the clothes of our exterior actions and behavior.   Direction: Total transfiguration comes only with our resurrection. But we can commit ourselves to a daily transfiguration. This does happen when we constantly try to become more and more renewed and transformed persons