SIXTEENTH WEEK DAYS MASS REFLECTION 23

24 – 29 JULY 2023; HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS 24 JULY 2023: EXODUS 14. 5-18; MATTHEW 12. 38-42 Punch line: Cannot see the signs! Guideline: Signs are not tests or proofs of the power of God or the efficacy of faith. They are reminders and reassurances of God’s unfailing intervention and the reward for one’s trust 1.      In the gospel Matthew 12. 38-42, some Pharisees and scribes demand a sign from Jesus to convince them and make them believe him. Actually, signs are meant to deepen and strengthen the faith. 2.      But their intention is the opposite. They want to validate their unfaith, and not consolidate their faith. They seek excuses for not believing, rather than confirmations for believing. True faith generates from a humble openness to God’s grace, a profound experience of God and a strong conviction. 3.      In this way, no one can generate or create faith. A faith that is based on mere favours and signs, a faith that builds itself on proofs and evidence will be shallow and unsteady. Signs must help us to deepen our faith because they are manifestations of God’s powerful and merciful intervention. 4.      There is nothing wrong with expecting signs. But the problem is to expect them as proof of God’s power. Signs are not the measuring rods for the power of God or the power of faith. They are not the primary things. 5.      Unfailing trust in God and a loyal relationship with Him are the real matters. Signs can make sense only in such an atmosphere of trust and loyalty. Jesus accuses those people of being an “evil and adulterous generation” because they were evil-intentioned and unfaithful as marital infidelity. 6.      Had they not seen the mighty works of God in their history? Do they easily forget how God worked wonders to liberate them from slavery in Egypt? Do they forget the sign of God’s sparing the Ninevites at the preaching of Jonah and their consequent repentance? Do they easily lose sight of the wisdom of Solomon? 7.      Are these and numberless acts of God’s intervention not enough signs to stabilize their faith? And Jesus himself is the greatest sign of God’s love, wisdom and mercy. The authenticity of his life and the effectiveness of his ministry are the most compelling signs. Lifeline: In times of adversity and crisis, the solution is not to lament or reproach like the frightened Israelites. The fitting response is: Not to fear, but stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will work for you today. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be still   (Reflection 2) Thrust: Incredulity is infidelity! Indicative: Lack of openness and docility leads to a lack of faith and refusal of God’s grace. This leads to the loss of grace and the eventual judgment of God 1.      “Judgment and indictment” of God is the underlying theme today. In the first reading, God judged and indicted the Pharoah and his army leading to destruction. He was so adamant and refused to see the power of Yahweh despite His mighty interventions and wonders. 2.       In the gospel, Jesus is stern in his accusation against the people of his time, calling them, “An evil and adulterous generation”. Idolatry is (spiritual) adultery and thus every act of infidelity is adultery. Therefore, they are truly evil and adulterous. 3.       All through the history of salvation, the reasons for God’s indictment and judgment are clear. It is being steeply unmindful and ungrateful toward God’s mighty deliverance and redemption from slavery, toward His wise guidance through great leaders and prophets. It is being least bothered to try to remain loyal to God. 4.       Time and again people abandoned their true God and went after false gods. They did not pay attention to God’s numberless admonitions and warnings. They were not open to God’s grace. They were not spiritually sensitive to seeing God’s hand or experiencing God’s love. They were never satisfied with numberless acts of God’s immense mercy. 5.       Instead, they always pressured and annoyed God. They demanded, again and again, proofs and wonders from God. They did not learn and grow from God’s teachings and signs of His care and guidance. They continued to demand signs and signs. 6.       This is how the Pharisees acted toward Jesus. They had already seen God’s abundant wisdom and mercy in and through Jesus. Still, they demand signs from Jesus. What more signs do they still need? Their history of God’s recurrent saving interventions – is it not an adequate sign? 7.       Prophet Jonah whose preaching converted the sinful Ninevites – is he not a sufficient sign? The wise king Solomon whose wisdom crossed the boundaries too to attract to him the visit of the queen of the south – is he not an adequate sign? 8.       Jesus himself with all his mission of preaching, teaching, and healing is the greatest sign of God. How could they miss these signs that are powerful and available and still demand more? Do they not realize that all that the Lord requires of us is to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God?   Imperative: The problem with many is not the lack of signs. There are enough and more signs that signify God’s presence, guidance, and power. All that is needed is to sense them and give response to them in a life of true faith   25 JULY 2023: ST JAMES. FEAST: 2 COR 4. 7-15; MATTHEW 20. 20-28 Punch line: Powerful, full of God’s power!   Guideline: Left to ourselves, we may be weak and our life may be bleak. But if we offer ourselves in docility to God and remain close to him, then He will take over our life to make it a memorable record   1.      The feast of St James the apostle that we celebrate today once again discloses to us the secret and seedbed of true discipleship. Our human fragility and imperfection is no matter at all. As we hear in Paul’s words to the Corinthians, though we are unworthy and ordinary as a clay vessel, God pours into us the precious treasure of His grace. 2.      Therefore, what matters is not our weakness but God’s power. It is enough that we entrust our fragility to the sanctity and solidity of God. This is what Saint James did. Willingly and joyfully, he submitted himself to the formation by the Lord. It is all a matter of a journey, a transition, an evolution from self to Jesus. 3.      It leads to a transformation from self-centred interests to Christ-centred mission, from domination to submission, from gratification to martyrdom, from possession to detachment, from recognition to humiliation, from exaltation to persecution, from self-demarcated kingdom to expanded kingdom of God. James lived with the Lord in intimate bonding and loved him with such an intensity as to be the first martyr for the Lord. 4.      This is the life of a disciple: love the Lord, live with him, live for him and die for him. Discipleship is not a matter of privilege or prestige but is an act of obedience and service. Service is not a favour done at one’s will but an obligation fulfilled at God’s will.   Lifeline: Lord, continue to mould us as true disciples, teaching us at your feet, purifying us from our self-vested interests, and perfecting us in humility and benevolence.   (Reflection 2)   Thrust: Trust and entrust! Indicative: The greatness of a follower is not in doing extraordinary things but in surrendering totally even the ordinary things. It is not winning the laurels of the world but winning the heart of the Master   1.      We celebrate today the feast of St James, one of the Twelve Apostles, a son of Zebedee and the brother of John the Apostle, He is also known as James the Great in order to distinguish him from the other James, the son of Alphaeus and the brother of Jesus (James the Just). He is considered to be the first apostle martyred. 2.       The gospel passage of the day may present him as a self-seeker, interested in power and position, through the recommendation by his mother. We need not blame him for this spirit of worldliness. It may be understandable to aspire for some honour and privilege especially when one follows a new master whom they do not understand fully. 3.       But what is important is how he makes a transition, a journey from inadequate and worldly motives to perfect and godly motives. He gets groomed as a perfect disciple in the company of Jesus. He grows into the perfect mould and stature of a worthy disciple of Christ. This is in perfect tune with the direction of both readings. 4.       He becomes that clay jar mentioned by St Paul in the first reading. He becomes the container and the carrier of the immense treasure of God’s grace. He is also quite humble being aware that all power belongs to God while weakness pertains to us as humans. 5.       Unceasingly and progressively he allows the Lord to form and transform him. Thereby he would be purified from all the traces of worldliness and be filled with the spirit of the Lord. Such a spirit is marked by becoming a servant who obeys and serves just as the master did. 6.       This is in contrast to the spirit of the world that wants to be a boss who dominates over others and demands to be served by all. 7.       Such spirit of the Lord is willing and prompt to “drink the cup” of suffering for the sake of the Lord. This is in perfect symphony with the master, and quite in line with St Paul in the first reading. 8.       This is to be “afflicted in every way but not crushed or perplexed”, “always carrying the death of Jesus in his body”. This is why he joyfully embraced martyrdom, so that “death is at work in us, but life in others”.   Imperative: St James, the apostle was on the Lord’s own mission of bringing people closer to God. He persevered even to the point of death. All this was possible only because he had a passionate love for the Lord   26 JULY 2023: STS JOACHIM AND ANN: EX 16. 1-5, 9-15; MATTHEW 13.1-9 Punch line: Simple are the noble! Guideline: Greatness is not a matter of big money or position or capacity. Neither is it a matter of more influence, more importance, more affluence, or more convenience. Real greatness is holiness and goodness. And Simplicity and fidelity to God are the secrets of sanctity   1.      The feast of St Anne that we celebrate today is a grand celebration for many women religious congregations that have St Anne as their Patroness. 2.       It is a fact that hardly anything is known in history or in the Bible about them. From the long tradition, the account of their lives startlingly parallels the story of the barren Hannah in the OT and her conception of Samuel (1 Samuel 1); she also dedicated her child to the service of God. Information concerning their lives and names is found in the 2nd century in the Protoevangelium of James (“First Gospel of James”) and the 3rd-century Evangelium de nativitate Mariae (“Gospel of the Nativity of Mary”). According to these non-canonical sources, Anne (Hebrew: Ḥannah) was born in Bethlehem in Judaea. She married Joachim. They shared a wealthy and devout life in Nazareth, Israel but were very much troubled by their childlessness. Joachim was reproached at the Temple for his sterility and so he withdrew into the countryside to pray. Anne, grief-stricken by his disappearance and by her barrenness, solemnly promised God that, if given a child, she would dedicate it to the Lord’s service. Both received the vision of an angel, who announced that Anne would conceive and bear a most wondrous child. The couple rejoiced at the birth of their daughter, whom Anne named Mary. When the child was three years old, Joachim and Anne, in fulfilment of her divine promise, brought Mary to the temple of Jerusalem, where they left her to be brought up. Whether these accounts are really historical or only devotional, is not a crucial matter. Certainly, it will not be a mere fabricated story if we hold them to be good and holy people. The reason is simple: “Every tree is known by its fruits. A good tree produces good fruits and a bad tree produces bad fruits” (Mt 7. 16-20). This is very true in the case of St Ann. If you want to see, understand, and appreciate the greatness of Ann, look at her daughter Mary. If Mary is so simple and humble, gentle and noble, docile and surrendered, magnanimous and generous, pure and immaculate, surely we can imagine how Ann nurtured these qualities in Mary and brought her up in the way of God. Mary mirrors the virtues of Ann. Therefore, their feast invites us to focus once again intently on this great saint, draw inspiration and guidance, encouragement and support from her, check and review our life and mission in the light of her life and example and thus strive for a fresh renewal and better commitment. This feast of St Anne and St Joachim is in no way irrelevant for others, especially the lay faithful because they stand before all as great models for good parenting. Let us clearly remember that the greatest tribute to St Ann is not only singing her praises on this day but much more making our life, in imitation of her, a living song and praise in God’s glory. Let us not only venerate her but also imitate her virtues, especially her simplicity, fear of God, holiness, and good example. St Ann should be not only a model for admiration but a role model for emulation. She should be an inspiration for all those entrusted with the care of others in different roles to guide them on the right path with sound values. In tune with their great example, we must realise that what matters in life is not so much to have many things, but to have healthy values; it is not to have a lot of money, but to have a solid heart; it is not to have beautiful clothes, but to be dressed with a beautiful character; it is not to take care of a beautiful body, but to nourish a good soul; it is not to have high and expensive education, but to have a noble formation of faith; it is not so much to grow in well-being, but to grow in well-living; it is not so much to be competent but to be benevolent.  In particular, as Saints Anne Joachim are patron saints of the grandparents, they are great role models for all the parents who should hold more responsibility for bringing up their children in a culture of faith and good values. This is all a question of good parenting. Bearing and bringing up children is not just something physical or material. Parenting is not just providing the children bundles of money, costly clothes, comfortable housing, fat-paid education, lucrative jobs, and prestigious matches. It is much more than that. Parenting is a concern of grooming the children in a sane culture of faith and values. It is educating, forming, fostering, and maturing them to live a healthy, holy, good, and happy life. It is a matter of growing the young generation into fine human beings, good family members, caring neighbours, and responsible and committed citizens. This is a noble task and it places certain conditions on each parent and grandparent. It is a sacred duty of teaching the children by word and example, accompanying and guiding them with clarity, conviction, and patience, blending freedom with responsibility, indulgence with discipline. Children are a gift from the Lord and therefore they should be treated not only with respect but with reverence and should be brought up with a sense of utmost responsibility. Every parent and grandparent should be conscious that they stand answerable and accountable before God whether they bring up their children as integral and integrated human persons.    Lifeline: The beauty and value of life do not consist in acquiring what is big in the sight of the world, but in growing great in the fear and intimacy of God and love and sensitivity towards the other humans (Reflection 2, on the Readings of the Day)   Thrust: Mercy never weary! Focus: People’s faith and faithfulness are wavering and easily deviating. But God is ever merciful and faithful. He does not act immediately according to people’s infidelity but His fidelity 1.      The people were hungry in the wilderness. They begin to murmur once again against Moses and God. They recall and even relish the food as slaves in Egypt. They forget the disgrace of their slavery. Rather material concern dominates the higher concerns like freedom, dignity, faith, fidelity, etc. 2.      But God is not angered by their ingratitude or fluctuating faith. He is aware of their concern. He is also clear about His priorities. In that context, what was most needed and urgent was food and spiritual discourse. 3.      He provides them with manna from heaven. Yes, our God is a God who cares and provides. Certainly, He knows our various concerns. But, He wants us to give priority to the higher concerns above the merely physical and material. 4.      Our story should not be like that of the Israelites. Again and again, they become forgetful, ungrateful and unfaithful. They succumb to the pressure of worldly preoccupations. They fail to rise up to the higher designs of God. They fail to understand God’s grace and fail to respond and cooperate. 5.      Ultimately what matters in our life is our receptivity and productivity. This is what Jesus teaches us through the parable of the sower. God always supplies us and plants in us the seeds of His grace. 6.      There are four types of soil – wayside, rocky, thorny and fertile. The question is not so much which category of soil we are in. In fact, we have all the foul kinds within us. 7.      At times, we are like the roadside soil, so indifferent and completely closed to God’s grace. At times, we are like the rocky soil, with no roots and depth and easily exposed to and scorched by the heat of difficulties. At times, we are the bushy and thorny soil, choked by many needless pressures and pleasures of the world. And at times, we are also like the fertile soil, producing a rich harvest. Direction: The beauty of our Christian life is in constantly turning our roadside, rocky and bushy soils into fertile soil. The more we succeed in making ourselves receptive and fertile, the more we will be productive and fruitful 27 JULY 2023: EX 19. 1-2, 9-11, 16-20b; MATTHEW 13. 10-17 Punch line: Know but do not follow! Guideline: The problem often with many is that they know what is good and right but they do not follow it. They knowingly make wrong choices because they are pleasurable or promoting in the worldly sense   1.      Today in the readings, we find a contrast between two sets of encounters, responses and consequences. On one hand, there is the encounter with Yahweh by Moses and Israel, and the encounter with Jesus by his disciples. They see and hear the Lord. This experience leads to “blessedness”. 2.      On the other hand, the Pharisees and scribes fail to have a personal encounter with Jesus and experience of him. They do not see his true identity. Neither do they listen to the voice of God through Jesus. Consequently, they become obstinate and reject Jesus. 3.       That is why, Jesus refers to Isaiah concerning them. These are the people, “who hear but do not understand, see but do not perceive”. Their heart has grown dull, and their ears and eyes are closed. It is a spirit of closedness and stubbornness, indifference, and non-cooperation. Consequently, the Lord cannot heal them. 4.      They are given in abundance but they resent and resist and fail to cooperate. Therefore, even the little they have will be taken away and will be given to those who are open and cooperative. In this way, the disciples are “blessed” because they receive it joyfully and fructify it abundantly. 5.      This is what Jesus means when he says, “For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away”. There are no guarantees of God’s grace. The effect of God’s grace depends on our reception and cooperation.   Lifeline: Ingratitude and infidelity are the two greatest evils that disfigure the beauty of human relationships, disrupt the joy of interaction, and diminish the value of life   28 JULY 2023: EXODUS 20. 1-17; MATTHEW 13. 18-23, ST ALPHONSA Punch line: Nurture and Produce! Guideline: In a world of noise and commotion, many times we fail to be attentive and to hear the words clearly. We are then constantly invited to sharpen our attention and listen to the word of God because it alone helps us to grow and be fruitful 1.      “Receive, nurture and produce”. This is the simple threefold principle for any growth and fruition. For example, a farmer receives the seed, cultivates and nurtures it through various cares and makes it grow and then reaps a rich harvest, producing abundant fruits. 2.      On His part, God ever provides the seeds of His grace and Word to plant in the soil of our hearts. He avails to us all the possible requirements that facilitate and nurture the growth of His seeds. He never deprives us of anything that enhances our growth and fruition. We as followers of Christ receive abundantly the seeds of the words of the kingdom. 3.      But the question always remains on our part. The reason why often many do not bear good and abundant fruits is the lack of transparency, lack of perseverance and lack of diligence. This is what we see in the first 3 types of soil in the gospel parable of the sower, namely the roadside soil, rocky and thorny soils. 4.      We must guard against being the roadside soil where evil snatches away the seeds. We must guard against being the rocky ground where we are not deep-rooted but waver at any little adversity. We must guard against bushes and thorns where worldly interests dominate and suffocate our growth. 5.      Instead, we must constantly strive to become more and more fertile so as to produce an abundant harvest of fruits. We must always try to provide the best conducive soil for the seeds. 6.      The Decalogue or the Ten Commandments in the Old Testament, Exodus 20. 1-17 are the authentic means and expressions of this growth and fruitfulness. The more we adhere to him, the more we will be authentic and effective. 7.      They are not just some formal code of ethics, a set of do’s and don’ts. They are the manifestations of a meaningful relationship with God and with others. They are the expressions of the right way of conducting oneself toward God and others. 8.      They are the embodiment of a holistic life of sanctity and morality. In this way, the commandments are no more forced burdens or coercions for fear or favour. Rather, they are free expressions of a spirit of true religion and social life. 9.      They are like railway tracks that guard us against deviations and ensure a surer and right direction. They are not barriers but barricades. They are not curtailments of freedom but safeguards of constructive freedom. 10.   St Alphonsa (1910–1946), the first woman saint of Indian origin was such a fertile soil that produced a rich harvest of sanctity and charity. In docility and surrender, she consecrated her entire life to the Lord. Like the fertile soil, she never resisted God’s will and action. She was fully receptive and cooperative to God’s grace. That is why she could be so joyful even amidst her daily martyrdom of suffering. Lifeline: We must foster a positive perspective toward laws and commandments. They help for self-discipline and self-mastery which go a long way in being spiritual and fraternal   29 JULY 2023: 1 JOHN 4. 7-16; JOHN 11. 19-27, SAINT MARTHA Punch line: Not conflict but harmony! Guideline: True faith is seen not merely in great overflows of praise and worship or impressive wonders, miracles, or preaching, but much more in sincere tears and an abandoning surrender to God   1.      Often the mention of Martha immediately brings to one’s mind the reproach of Jesus for being frantic and anxious (cf. Lk 10. 38-42). So, lightly or seriously Martha is referred to as one excessively engrossed in many affairs, negligent toward Jesus, and complaining against her own sister. Some overenthusiastic preachers can also exhort their audience not to be like Martha. 2.      But this is unfair to Martha, who is actually an emblem of faith. Just listen to the words of Martha at the death of her beloved brother Lazarus and at the delayed visit and condolences of Jesus, which is apparently an act of negligence and unconcern. But there are no complaints or blame. 3.      Instead, a confession of total surrender and trust: “If you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask” (Vv. 21-22). These are really words of tremendous and unshaken faith that attest to a profound trust in God and in His presence and benevolence, “always and everywhere”. God’s care reaches beyond space and time. 4.      Therefore, Jesus’ rebuke is not to be taken as fault-finding or undermining her value. Jesus points to a possible danger of losing sight of his presence and not giving priority to him amidst many activities. What makes a disciple is love for Jesus, priority to him, and firm faith in him. 5.      Martha demonstrates this unswerving faith in Jesus, rooted in a personal intimacy, even in such a testing time as her brother’s death. This is the true faith: to continue to cling to God even in knockout moments. She is in fact a model for all to be committed to God in deep loving faith and active service.   Lifeline: We are assaulted and tormented by many things to do. But help us Lord never to lose sight of you and not to mess up our priorities.   (Reflection 2)   Thrust: Faith that stands and withstands! Indicative: Often an artificial conflict is created between work and prayer. But a true lover and follower of Christ will not fall into such temptation   1.      Often we find two camps of persons, one that gives more importance to work and the other, to prayer. In fact, it is all a misnomer of the truth. The truth is that work and prayer are not rivals. They must go together because one needs the other for authentication and approval. Work will not be appreciated if it is devoid of prayer. Similarly, prayer too will not be appreciated if it is devoid of concrete action. 2.       Actually, there is no confusion or no need for any confusion. For, there is total clarity that prayer is the priority in the sense that nothing else can take away its place and become its substitute and alternative. It is irreplaceable and indispensable. But true and perfect prayer will necessarily lead to work and service. Thus, a life of faith must include sincere and committed action. 3.       Saint Martha whom we venerate today reminds us of this beautiful blend of prayer and work, faith and service. The two passages where she is mentioned indicate these two aspects. In Luke 10. 38-42, we see her as an activist, a server. She was so much engrossed in work and service that she would lose the intimate moments of sitting with Jesus in his company like her sister Mary. 4.       But, in John 11. 19-27, at the episode of Jesus’ visit at Lazarus’ death, we find Martha as a woman of profound faith. She believes in Jesus even after a few days of death. She professes her faith in him even in such a painful situation. It is her faith that occasions the famous declaration of Jesus about the resurrection: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die”. 5.       How were such faith and service possible? The answer is found explicitly in the first reading from 1 John. It is love that makes one faithful in prayer and active in service. There was an intimate relationship between Jesus and the family of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. 6.       We see in John 11. 5, “Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus”. There was intense love on the part of Martha. She truly loved him and she constantly abode in his love and he abode in her. It is this love for Jesus that led her to love and serve others.   Imperative: Our prayer manifests that we love God and abide in His love. And our work and service manifest that we love others for the sake of that same love for God. If so, they can never oppose or exclude each other