TWELFTH WEEK DAYS MASS REFLECTION 23

26 JUNE - 01 JULY 2023,7 HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS   26 JUNE 2023:  GEN 12. 1-9; MATTHEW 7. 1-5   Highlight: Bless and not judge! Focus: A life that pleases God will be blessed by Him. Thereby the person himself becomes a blessing and a source of blessings for others   1.      We are living in a world where humility and sincerity, fairness and goodness toward others are becoming rarities. That is why, when some people show these qualities, it becomes big news as if it is something out of the way. Instead, arrogance and duplicity, injustice and wickedness are aggressively prevalent. In other words, it is truly a culture of evil and curse. 2.      It is in such a context, the Word of God shows us a surer way to foster a culture of blessing. In the first reading from Genesis, God blesses Abram and makes him a blessing himself and a source of blessing for others. God is pleased with his humility and sincerity, his piety and obedience to God’s ways, and his sense of fairness and kindness toward others. 3.      In the gospel, Jesus addresses one big block against such a culture of blessing. It is the malaise of self-righteousness. This is accompanied by rash and uncharitable judgment of others. Jesus confronts the self-righteous attitude of the Pharisees and scribes. 4.      This attitude refuses to do any self-check. It rates itself better than others. Consequently, it judges and condemns them. It is blind to the weakness of oneself or diminishes their faults. But on the other hand, it magnifies and exaggerates the wrongs of others. It is clearly applying double standards. 5.      St Francis de Sales has something wise said about this. He says, many are eager to accuse others even for the slightest mistake, while they excuse themselves even for the greatest blunder. People clamour for justice in the neighbour’s house while they plead for mercy in their own house. 6.      So, it is better to place oneself in the place of the other and see and feel from their perspective. Jesus too insists that it is better to "see the log in one's own eye instead of making noise about the speck in other's eye".   Direction: In a virulent atmosphere of judgment and condemnation, of which criticism and slander are the offshoots, we must cultivate a humble spirit of self-examination and self-realization   (Reflection 2 from 2022, 20 June)   Thrust: Liable to judgment! 8Indicative: Failure in fidelity to God and charity toward others makes one culpable and liable to God’s judgment and punishment   1.      We see in the history of salvation that Israel becomes liable to God’s judgment and subsequent punishment in the form of foreign invasions, exile, and slavery. This is because of their sinfulness and infidelity to their true God. 2.       They forget God’s mighty intervention and works in their history. They turn ungrateful and highly unfaithful. They abandon the true God and go after false gods. Despite the warnings from many prophets, they would not listen; they were stubborn. 3.       They despised His statutes, His warnings, and His covenant. They would not turn from their evil ways and keep His commandments. Thus obstinacy and infidelity were their greatest sins that invited God’s judgment. 4.       Similar was the case of the Pharisees and scribes in the time of Jesus. They were stubborn and self-righteous. They would not listen to Jesus. They would judge themselves as merited and meritorious. But they would judge others as unrighteous. 5.       They would find fault with others even concerning the smallest matters while they would ignore their own bigger lapses. They see eagerly even the “speck” in the other’s eye while they close their eyes even to the big “log” in their own eye. And they readily make themselves as saviours over others, saying to them, “Let me take the speck out of your eye”. 6.       Therefore, stop this judgmental attitude toward others in which we judge them hastily, wrongly, and uncharitably. Let us remember that the more we are judgmental, the more we will become judgment-liable before God. So, instead of judging others, it is better that we judge ourselves.   Imperative: Let us always remember the famous saying, “You get back what you give”. Every action will have its due consequences. Be benevolent and merciful to others so that we can at least plead for God’s mercy for us   27 JUNE 2023: GEN 13. 2, 5-18; MATTHEW 7. 12-14   Highlight: The Golden Rule! Focus: It needs deep faith to choose the right path of God and walk it steadily. This includes a benevolent approach toward others   1.      Faith and benevolence are the most effective powers of a true follower of God. The Word of God reiterates this today. It is a faith that is unswerving and wisely discerning. And it is a benevolence that is empathetic and generous. 2.      It is this faith which Jesus speaks as something holy and pearl. This should be preserved without throwing to dogs or swine that indicate evil and worldly forces. We should be judicious not to expose and submit our faith to the endangering nature and ways of the world. 3.      The world does not realize the value of the sacredness and preciousness of faith. The world may trample it underfoot as something useless. It may wrongly show us that faith is not worth it. The world will choose the broader way of ease and pleasure, and will falsely make us think that it is the best way. 4.      It is in such situations we should preserve and safeguard our faith. We must wisely discern and choose the narrow way against the broader way. We must persistently walk the narrow way. It is difficult but it alone leads to salvation. 5.      This narrow way of faith involves a life of benevolence. It is a kindness that empathetically understands and thinks of the good of others. In Jesus’ own words, it does to others what it wishes for itself from others. 6.      In simple details, true benevolence is marked by empathy and altruism. It gives others that understanding, respect, concern, love, encouragement, appreciation and support, which it expects from others. And it is generous as well. 7.      In the first reading from Genesis, we have Abram as a concrete example of this empathetic and generous benevolence. He gives preference to his nephew Lot when it comes to the choice of land to occupy. This is rewarded abundantly by God.   Direction: Realizing the worth of faith, clarity of priorities and walking the right way - these are the fundamental norms of a good and godly life   (Reflection 2 from 2022, 21 June)   Thrust: Wisdom to discern! Indicative: Many fail in taking the right decisions and implementing them into the right actions. It is because they fail in discerning between right and wrong. Further, this is because they lack wisdom   1.      One dominant theme in today’s word of God is divine discernment. In the gospel, 3 cases call for discernment: not throwing what is holy to the dogs, and pearls before the pigs; doing to others what we want them to do to you; entering through the narrow gate and way and not the broader. 2.       What is holy and precious like a pearl may be our faith, our life. They are so sacred and valuable. So we must always safeguard and preserve them intact. We should not tamper with them or taint them. 3.       We should not expose them to dogs and pigs, meaning evil forces or pressures. We should not deal with our faith and life thoughtlessly and carelessly. This is also a caution against the evil to be careful and not being taken for a ride. 4.       The second aspect of discernment is to opt for altruism. In Jesus’ words, it is to “do to others what you want them to do to you”. Accordingly, it would mean that we always think, feel, speak and do only what is good and positive toward others. No one would wish bad or harm for one’s own self. This in fact is the “Golden Rule”. 5.       The third aspect of discernment is between the narrow gate and way and the broader gate and way. The former is difficult but leads to salvation. But the latter, the broader is easier but leads to destruction.   Imperative: The man of today lacks this power of discernment. That is why he easily falls to the fierce attacks of evil, the dogs and pigs. He is not able to preserve intact his life and faith. He fails in altruism. He is prone and eager to walk the broader way and meets with discernment   28 JUNE 2023: GEN 15. 1-18; MATTHEW 7. 15-20   Highlight: God, our shield and reward! Focus: Those who trust in God even in seemingly impossible situations and live righteously will please God and be blessed by God beyond measures   1.      Falsity is always detestable in the sight of God because He knows humans through and through. Those who are false may disguise themselves in the garbs of holiness. They may be able to fool and deceive others. 2.      But they cannot fool God. God will certainly take them to task. This is how Jesus warns in the gospel about the false people in the holy garb of prophets. These are inwardly violent wolves but outwardly meek sheep. 3.      They are bad trees that appear to bear good fruits. But they bear only bad fruits. And they are judged by their bad fruits. Accordingly, just like the bad trees they will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 4.      Therefore, what is important is that we are sincere and authentic with no false disguises. We must grow and live like good trees that bear good fruits. We must prove ourselves by the quality of our fruits. 5.      Then surely God will bless us and reward us abundantly. This is what we see in the case of Abram in Genesis. Abram is obedient to God. With utter faith, he believes in God’s promises and8 assurances, even though they seem humanly impossible. 6.      If not for his faith, how would he believe God’s promise of making him the father of a multitude of descendants, when he is already advanced in age and without an heir? Abram is truly a good tree that bears the abundant fruits of faith and righteousness. That is why, he is rewarded with an heir, numerous descendants and spacious land. 7.      We find thus a contrast between Abram, a pagan and the false prophets of the race of believers. Though pagan, Abram won God’s favour because of his faith in God and the righteousness of life. On the contrary, the Pharisees and the scribes proved themselves to be false prophets and incurred God’s judgment because of their falsity and lack of fruits.   Direction: In our life, ultimately what matters is not mere exterior allegiance like race or nation, but the interior spirit of faith that authenticates itself in good fruits   (Reflection 2 from 2022, 22 June)   Thrust: Wickedness in disguise? Indicative: Mere external appearances cannot prove the real quality of something or someone. They can be clever devices and deceptive disguises. Only authentic actions matter   1.      There is a rampant “mask” culture. The real character often is under pretensions and disguises. Many go about with a lot of duplicities, giving an appearance and colouring of being good and holy. But in truth, they are only hiding their bad nature under a good cover. This is what Jesus calls, “wolves in sheep’s clothing”. 2.       Quite true to Jesus’ warning, there are many false prophets all around us who wear sheep’s clothing but are inwardly ravenous wolves. These project themselves as meek, humble, and pure like sheep. They appear to be harmless. But inside they are full of aggressiveness, and destructive nature. 3.       They wait for every little chance to pounce on others and harm them grievously. But how do we find them out? Is there any criterion, any test to uncover their real colour? It is by looking at their fruits. 4.       As Jesus cautions, these are the bad or diseased trees. They pretend to bear good fruit. But they bear only bad fruit. A bad tree cannot bear good fruit. These are the thorn bushes and they cannot produce grapes or figs. Their end will only be destruction, just as every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 5.       The falsity, deceptiveness, and failing the test of the authenticity of these false prophets should serve as a caution, warning, and challenge for all of us not to fall into the same trap. Instead of bad or diseased trees, we must be good trees that bear good fruits. We must not be wolves in sheep’s clothing. Rather we must be sheep in sheep’s clothing.   Imperative: Claiming to be good and healthy trees but bearing bad fruits is a contradiction. Let us try to be good trees not only in appearance but in truth by bearing good fruits   29 JUNE 2023: ACTS 12. 1-11; 2 TIM 4. 6-8, 17-18; MT 16. 13-19; STS PETER AND PAUL   Highlight: Loyal to the Royal Master! Focus: The greatness of faith is not so much in what one does by oneself for the Lord, but in what one allows God to do in and through oneself, in surrender and dedication   1.      Today we celebrate the solemnity of Sts Peter and Paul. In a way, they are the two prime craftsmen of the edifice of the Church,  after the heart of Christ, the real Founder, and the Master Architect. They are the master servants of the Supreme Master and the servant leaders of the community of believers. 2.      What is striking and awe-inspiring in both of them is their unbounded passion for Christ. It is this passionate love for him that makes them stand solid like a rock even in the face of terrible adversities and persecutions, leading to martyrdom as well. 3.      It is this passion that makes Peter announce with conviction, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mt 16. 16). It is this passion that makes Peter affirm with indefectible loyalty, “To whom shall we go, Lord? You have the words of eternal life” (cf. Jn 6. 68). 4.      It is this passion that makes him confess his love with total heart, “Lord, you know that I love you” (cf. Jn 21. 15-19). It is the same passion that keeps his faith undaunted despite the imprisonments or other sufferings. 5.      The same passion is amply manifest in Paul as well. See what a fire of love consumes him when he professes his love for Christ, “Who or what can separate us from the love of Christ?” Nothing and no one can ever work against us when Christ is with us and when we love him (cf. Rom 8. 35-39). 6.      However, this passion is not merely sentimental or limited only to words. It is deeply actual and authentic in action. It shows itself in total detachment and sacrifice. That is why Peter left everything and followed the Lord at his call (cf. Luke 5. 8-11). He would also attest, “You see we have given up everything to follow you” (Mt 20. 27). 7.      That is why, Paul would exclaim in Phil 3. 7-8: “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake, I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ”. 8.      Further, this same passion would set them on fire in the same mission of Christ, charged with perseverance, loyalty, and commitment. It makes them selfless and fearless in carrying out the mission of Christ. Their passionate mission knew no bounds and so it cut across all boundaries. 9.      They remained true to their Master to the end. They testified their love and passion for their Lord by their blood. It is this authenticity of commitment that makes Paul declare in today’s second reading from 2 Timothy 4. 6-8, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith”. 6.      Today, perhaps, this fiery passion of Peter and Paul may be covered under the ashes of fabrics of authority and administration in line with Peter, or under the garbs of eloquent preaching and supervision in line with Paul. 7.      We will be doing great injustice to Peter and Paul if we limit them to suit our rungs of power and word. Their passion, their loyalty, and their self-emptying commitment should be rediscovered and reactivated.   Direction: Passion for Christ should never diminish on account of other worthless passions. Zeal for the mission of Christ should not be dominated by self-oriented ministries.   (Reflection 2)   1.      Saints Peter and Paul – two greatest saints, the two solid pillars, pilasters, and columns of the magnificent edifice of the Church of Christ, the two earliest proponents of the way of the Lord, the two wise and illumined guides and leaders of the believing communities. 2.      Our concern now is not so much the divergence of their background or appearance or temperament or mental frame or intellectual acumen or skill or recipients. It is very interesting that these two greatest saints are put together for one single feast day of 29 June, while one each other day is also marked for them, namely, 22 February as the day of Chair of St Peter, and 25 January as the day of the conversion of St Paul. 3.      This one common feast day celebration can be very indicative of the oneness and unity, the solidity and the vitality, the spread and the growth of the Church, irrespective of the diversities. In the plan of God, in the journey of salvation, in the mystical body of Christ, in the community of believers, in the reign of God, what matters most is communion and commitment, and nothing else. 4.      It is these two that put them together in one single frame, on the same plane. The lives of Peter and Paul are the tallest proclamations and testimonies of how God’s grace is unfathomable and immense and what abundant fruits it bears when responded with generosity. 5.      What makes them alike is their deepest love and the craziest passion for Christ. This is what makes Peter declare unequivocally: “Lord, you know everything and you know that I love you” (Jn 21. 15-17). 6.      It is this that makes Paul attest convincingly: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord “ (Rom 8. 35, 37-39). 7.      This flows into an inseparable intimacy and indissoluble communion with the Lord. And this rootedness and bonding with the Lord soak them into depths of humility, docility, and surrender towards God’s will and plans. 8.      (cf. Rom 9. 20-21: “But who are you, a man, to answer back to God? Will what is moulded say to its moulder, “Why have you made me thus?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for beauty and another for menial use?”; cf. Jn 6. 68: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life”). 9.      This throws them into a radical shock and convulsion of conversion, thus rendering them totally self-effacing (cf. Mt 20. 27: “Then Peter spoke up and said, ‘You see we have given up everything to follow you’ “; Phil 3. 7-8: “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed I count everything as a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake, I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ”). 10.  Love and surrender will never keep one at rest but will overpower one with a “divine restlessness”. Thus, they are led to the heights of fidelity and commitment to the Lord’s mission, overwhelmed by the power of the Holy Spirit. The spread of the faith and faith communities are the most concrete attestations of their abundant fruition and the epitomes of their faith and charity. 11.  In sum, it is their passionate love of Christ that takes their whole life by storm and makes it an unending story of humility, docility, fidelity, and charity. Today it is not fair to be content that we are on the same line as Peter and Paul, mostly in terms of authority of administration and power of eloquence. 12.  This will not suffice. We need to be imitators of them, not only in leadership and preaching but much more in their virtue. We need to be moulded in the same intensity of love, authenticity of humility, profundity of surrender, credibility of detachment, density of loyalty, vibrancy of charity, and the radicalism of missionary commitment.     30 JUNE 2023: GEN 17. 1-10, 15-22; MATTHEW 8. 1-4   Highlight: Covenant with a radical change! Focus: Everyone stands in need of healing and for this, one should be aware of his unhealthy condition, deeply feel the desire for health and the need for healing, and in faith approach the Lord   1.      God enters into a covenant with Abram. But this is not like any other covenants or contracts that are usually for mutual benefit. This is a covenant that is totally for the benefit of Abram and his descendants. His life changes completely. 2.      This is symbolized explicitly by the change of his name from Abram to Abraham. He would become exceedingly fruitful and the father of many nations. They would inherit Canaan as an everlasting possession. 3.      Even at their ripe age of hundred and ninety respectively, Abraham and Sarah would get a son, Isaac. This is a covenant that is not time-bound but everlasting that extends to Isaac and the descendants thereafter. 4.      In return, what is expected from Abraham and his descendants is fidelity and consecration, symbolized by circumcision. They shall consecrate themselves to God as His people and possession. 5.      They shall walk before him and be blameless. One need not object that this is a disguised condition. It is not a condition but a natural outflow and expression of their fidelity to the covenant. 6.      If one really loves God, he would respect his sacred covenant with God. He would keep away all that infects this relationship, and foster all that helps him to live it. Every covenanted person would seek to be clean, healthy and whole. 7.      In the light of the gospel, it is to be healed of leprosy that corrodes a person and alienates him from society. One should get rid of the interior and spiritual leprosy that eats away the sanity and wholeness of the person. 8.      All of us need healing and restoration of our lost health. For this, like the leper, we need an earnest desire to approach the Lord, and to get cleaned and healed by God. We must humbly plead to the Lord, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean”. 9.      And the Lord is always ready to heal us, saying, “I will; be clean”. Many a time, many continue unhealed and unclean because they lack this deep desire and fail to turn to God.   Direction: In a world that becomes more and more health-conscious and beauty-conscious, one should aim at and strive for interior and holistic health and beautification   01 JULY 2023: GEN 18. 1-15; MATTHEW 8. 5-17   Highlight: Goodness, never a waste! Focus: Faith is not so much a matter of one's greatness but rather total trust in God's greatness and the height of one's littleness   1.      Pride is one infection that is attacking many. There are different kinds of pride, such as material, physical, intellectual, social, etc. But there is also another kind of pride, more subtle but more harmful. That is spiritual pride. 2.      It is when one feels great and proud of one's spiritual gifts and abilities. It is in this context, one should remember that faith is never a matter of one's credit or merit. The more we are gifted and able, the more we should be humble. 3.      See the humility of the centurion in the gospel. He himself is a man in authority. But in all humility, he realizes his littleness before Jesus' divine and spiritual authority. He realizes that Jesus’ authority is such that can subjugate and expel the evil powers even with a single simple word even over a distance. 4.      In that same humility, he admits his unworthiness and sinfulness. At the same time, he readily acknowledges the holiness and greatness of Jesus. Thus, his humility blended with deep trust in Jesus’ power and mercy brings him the reward of his servant’s healing. This is real faith which comprises humility and trust. 5.      The same faith is seen in Peter’s mother-in-law and many others sick and possessed. Jesus heals them. This healing spree is very much indicative of the nature of his mission. His mission is vicarious. 6.      This is to suffer for our sake, to become expiation on our behalf. He bears the burden of our sins in order to release us from the bondage of sin. He takes our infirmities and bears our diseases. 7.      One who experiences God’s blessing and healing will certainly put himself into good action, into serving. This is what is seen in the instance of Peter’s mother-in-law. No sooner was she cured of her fever, but she immediately rose and served Jesus. 8.      This is what Abraham does in the first reading from Genesis. Abraham experiences God’s blessing in God’s intimate covenantal relationship, in a steady gradual fulfilment of His promises. 9.      He shows this blessedness in a hearty spirit of hospitality and service to three guests who are actually God-sent angels. Again, this service is rewarded by the confirmation of the birth of an heir.   Direction: The world of today can be healthy and happy only when it realizes its sickness and turn to the Lord and gets healing