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".