26 week days mass reflection of the year 23

02 - 07 OCTOBER 2023, HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS   02 OCTOBER 2023: ZEC 8.1-8; LUKE 9.46-50, GUARDIAN ANGELS Thrust: God who guards! Focus: God always watches over us, and guards us against all the evil attacks. The guardian angels are concrete testimonies of God's abiding care for us. He will never abandon us unguarded 1.       02 October we celebrate the memory of the guardian angels. It is believed that God has assigned a guardian angel to the care of each of us. This shows the personal attention and care that God nurtures for everyone. We are not just numbers for God. We are not one among many, but each one counts for God and in His providential care. 2.       Jesus says, "In heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father in heaven". This clearly indicates that the guardian angels are in intimate communion and service of God. Thus they can effectively work on behalf of us. 3.       The guardian angels' primary duty is to guard us. This implies that they are ever watchful over us to protect us from the snares and assaults of the evil one. They take care that we are not lost. They assist us and supply the necessary strength to us to combat the evil. 4.       This is what we hear in Exodus 23. 20-23: Behold, I send an angel before you, to guard you on the way". "The angel will go before you and bring you into the enemies so that God will blot them out". Besides, "he will also bring you to the place which I have prepared". 5.       Thus, the guardian angel also accompanies us on our way of the Lord. He guards that we are not easily distracted and deviated from the right path. He will also lead us to our eternal destination. He directs and orients us to reach that destination, to "enter the kingdom of heaven", by helping us to "become like little children". 6.       Therefore, on our part, we are exhorted to "give heed to him and hearken to his voice, not to rebel against him". In fact, our obedience and adherence is not so much to this or that particular guardian angel, but to God who guards us through them. It is God Himself who is acting through them. 7.       Today, we also remember with reverence, admiration, and gratitude the great Mahatma Gandhi on his birthday. He deserves our homage because he too was like a guardian angel for the mother India, who was languishing like a little child under the British bondage. His selfless sacrifices and unswerving dedication brought freedom to the enslaved India. Let us not only admire him but also imitate him and in turn become ourselves the guardians and custodians of our dear mother India   Direction: The fact that we are guarded personally by a guardian angel should make us deeply grateful to God for His meticulous concern for us amidst our human fragilities and precarity. We should also become more responsible by being more receptive and cooperative, to be guarded and guided (Reflection 2)   Focus: God in His love, guards over us and guards us against forces of evil. When the Lord is our refuge and shield, can any evil or harm knock us down or sweep us away?   1.      “The angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father” – these words of Jesus clearly attest the intimate communion of the angels with God. Today, we commemorate the guardian angels. 2.      The guardian angels are the channels and heavenly agents of God’s own guarding over us. They concretely manifest to us that God watches over us always and everywhere. They are our never-leaving companions who travel with us along this journey of life. 3.      Each one of us is assigned with one guardian angel and this shows how personally God takes care of us. Through the instrumentality of the guardian angels, God continues to be our guardian and guard. 4.      As a guardian, He takes charge of us, cares for and sustains us and holds full responsibility for our progress in maturity. As a guard, He protects us and guards us against all opposing and harmful forces of evil and guides us on even and holy paths. 5.      In the light of the gospel, they concretely assist us in “becoming like little children because only thus we can enter the kingdom of heaven”. And specifically, they help us to become “humble like a little child”, and to “receive even a tiny, insignificant child in the Lord’s name”, thereby meaning to treat everyone with respect, regardless of age or capacity.   Direction: Blessed are we to be personally cared for and guided by God! We are safe, secure and serene under His guarding and guiding mantle   03 OCTOBER 2023: ZECH 8. 20-23; LUKE 9. 51-56 Thrust: Focused and oriented! Focus: When our focus is clear and set on the goal, nothing can stop us on the way. It will be a forward march   1.      In the gospel we find Jesus is turned, directed toward Jerusalem. Jerusalem was the destined place of his last phase. It is where his ill fate of suffering and death awaits him. But it is not merely a place of his final destiny on earth. It in fact symbolizes his whole sense of focus, direction and determination. He was always conscious of his mission and he would never shirk from it. 2.       He was also conscious of the challenge and the struggle of this mission. He never lost sight of the truth that this involves a lot of misunderstanding, rejection, persecution and finally an ignominious death. An impending ill fate would be certainly frightening. But he never allowed himself to be frightened. 3.       The rejection by the Samaritans would naturally bring ego hurt. Perhaps this was the case with Jesus' disciples. Their ego was hurt: such a popular master, such a holy teacher was rejected. They feel sad and angry at people's unbelief. They feel they should be punished. Therefore, they wish to bid fire from heaven and consume them. 4.       Apparently, it is zeal for their master, to safeguard his honor. It is also a corrective and just measure, to make people more conscious and responsible. Their punishment would be a lesson to all others about destruction as an effect of rejection. 5.       But they did not realize that suffering and death are inevitable for salvation. It is part of God's plans and purposes. Therefore, any attempt that thwarts such a journey of destiny would be indeed against God's mission itself. Jesus would never allow it. That is why, Jesus rebukes his disciples. 6.       What God wants is not the destruction of the sinners but the destruction of their sin. He wants their repentance and conversion. In the light of the first reading, God wants His people to recognize that He is their God and is with them, just as the other nations acclaim it.   Direction: God always offers His message of salvation and also the needed grace to receive and follow it. But sin rejects it.   (Reflection 2) Thrust: Directed to destiny! Indicative: In the face of our infidelity and failures, God is not hasty to condemn and destroy us. He waits patiently. But what is our attitude and how do we go about it? 1.      Suffering and affliction is the lot of all. No one is exempt from it. The difference between humans is not about having or not having troubles and problems. The difference is in how we look at them, how we face them, and respond to them. 2.      There can be different kinds of reactions. Some are easily upset when they come across some difficulty. They may become agitated and violent. They may begin to criticise or lament. They may become depressed or cynical. They may be shaken in their faith and may even give up. They may quit their journey of authenticity and commitment. 3.      Some of these negative reactions are found in today’s gospel. A Samaritan village rejects Jesus because of the prejudice or jealousy against the Jews as Jesus was set toward Jerusalem. James and John become annoyed and furious and want to destroy them by fire from heaven. 4.      But some others remain steadfast. The more they are tested, the more they remain rooted and loyal. The trials do not succeed in discouraging them but challenge them and strengthen them. Jesus is emblematic of this positive mind. He does not condemn the non-receptive Samaritans and rebukes the disciples’ wish for their destruction. 5.      Instead, he moves ahead on his journey toward Jerusalem. He is not disheartened nor is he deterred in his focus and mission. Imperative: We need to check our own reactions and responses in the face of adversities and afflictions, especially for the sake of our faith and values. Do we persevere and continue our journey valiantly?   04 OCTOBER 2023: NEH 2.1-8; LUKE 9.57-62   Thrust: Surrender and follow! Indicative: Whatever may happen in our life, good things or bad things, right things or wrong things, positive or negative, there is only one right thing that should guide us and that is priority to God   1.      Today’s word of God places before us three essential features or conditions of a true follower of God, a disciple of Christ. They are namely,  focus, detachment, and commitment. The gospel text presents before us three men at the threshold of discipleship. 2.      All three encounter the invitation to follow Jesus but all three fail because they lack the three essential prerequisites. They were not focused, not detached, and committed. Hence no discipleship. 3.      Now let us test this first man in the light of the three conditions and features of discipleship. He fails in all three:  he is not focused on the goal of being with the Lord. He was not clear on the priorities, namely following the Lord and proclamation of the kingdom. There was no detachment, as he was not ready to detach/part from securities. He was not committed to the following of the Lord and the life, the work/mission of the Lord. He declines the call, is not ready to follow the demands of Jesus, and thus fails to be a disciple. 4.      Now let us also test this second man in the light of the three conditions and features of discipleship. He too fails in all three:  he was not focused on the goal of being with the Lord. He was not clear of the priorities, namely following the Lord and proclamation of the kingdom. He was not prompt in his acceptance of the call. There was no detachment, as he was not ready to leave the family attachments and obligations. He was not committed to following the Lord, readily living with him, and working for his kingdom. He declines the call, and the demands of Jesus, and fails to become a disciple. 5.      Now here too, we shall test this third man in the light of the three conditions and features of discipleship. He too fails in all three:  he was not focused on the goal of being with the Lord. He was not clear of the priorities, namely following the Lord and proclamation of the kingdom. Laying hands on the plough and looking behind shows there is no focus but is attached to what was left behind (the past). He did not give the first place to follow the Lord and did not see the urgency in it. He was not prompt in his acceptance of the call. There was no detachment, as he was not ready to leave the family ties or attachments. He was not committed to following the Lord, belonging to the spiritual family, and working for his kingdom. He declines the call, and the demands of Jesus, and fails to become a disciple, and Jesus too declares him to be “not fit” for the kingdom. Imperative: Following the Lord is not a part-time job. It is not one option among many others. It demands a clear and wholehearted priority to Jesus and his mission (A Special Reflection on St Francis of Assisi) Focus: Harmony with nature is not a mere matter of nature-meditation or ecological consciousness; rather it is a life in harmony with all 1.      St Francis of Assisi is a saint of all times. His austerity, renunciation, detachment, simplicity, and humility may be hard to imitate. His harmony with nature to the extent of calling them, “brother sun”, “sister moon”, etc. may look rather strange and mystical. His total renunciation of ancestral property and royal mode of life in affluence and comfort may look impractical. But these are worth imitating and are timely remedies and healing antidotes. Many may admire this saint but argue that his virtues are not realistic and even not so relevant. But this is a hasty observation and conclusion. His spirit never dies and is never stale and outdated. His virtues are never dry or insipid but ever fresh and vibrant. His utter humility is seen in naming his order as Friars Minor. This denotes his mind that his followers must regard themselves as the least among the religious. This humility is further seen in his remaining as a permanent deacon because he considered himself unworthy of such an immense grace of priesthood. It is very good that many subscribe to his spirituality. Many are well-versed with his life and teachings and offer great knowledge about him. All this is very good. But ultimately, life trickles down to simple details and questions: how much of his life and spirituality concretely influences and changes our life? He is great not because he has numerous followers and is popular, He is great because he lived according to the words of Jesus. He understood Law not as a bundle of rules and regulations but as the spirit of life. So, to follow the law is to live the supreme law of love. Love God totally without reserve and measure and love the neighbor selflessly with no self-interests or disparities or prejudices. Love God as a priority and in its entirety. Love neighbor with fraternity and parity.  Direction: We have numerous saints before us but not much sanctity in us. Change is possible only when we make them from objects of devotion and pilgrimage to companions in devotion and dedication 05 OCTOBER 2023: NEH 8. 1-4a, 5-6, 7b-12; LUKE 10. 1-12   Thrust: Charged for Mission! Focus: We are on a mission and that is the very same mission of the Lord. In carrying out this mission, he is always with us to sustain us and guide us   1.      In the first place, we need to remember that we all received a mission. Therefore, life is duty-bound and must be mission-directed. If so, a life which is not dutiful and missionary, a life which is careless and negligent to duties in life, a life which is not driven by a sense of mission but is purposeless and directionless, is a failure in its very nature and meaning. 2.      Our life is a mission with a destiny. The Lord himself appoints us and sends us on duty. This missionary duty is to establish the kingdom of God. This is like cultivating a field and reaping the harvest. 3.      That is why, Jesus uses the metaphor of harvest as he says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few”. We are the labourers who have to toil in the field. This would constantly keep us as committed and assiduous labourers. 4.      This mission is not anyone’s self-creation or private agenda. It is the mission of the Lord himself. Our mission is nothing but a sharing in his very mission, a continuation of the same. This is to spread God’s kingdom by bearing abundant fruits of the harvest. This will guard us against our privatizing or monopolizing the God-given mission. 5.      This mission is challenging and tough because we will be like lambs among wolves. The world is like the free zone of a lot of wolves, always ready to pounce and harm. There are many evil forces and false values that tempt us and torment us. No doubt we need to face a lot of opposition and persecution. 6.      Jesus never assured a smooth mission without adversities. He never promised his disciples all success always. In fact, he already warns them of the possible resistance and rejection and prepares them to accept such unsuccessful situations without getting upset. It is enough that they do their duty with utmost dedication and perseverance. 7.      But there is nothing to worry about because the Lord himself is with us. He accompanies and sustains us unceasingly. His own power will equip us to preach and to heal. The words of Nehemiah in the first reading from Nehemiah are truly the guiding and strengthening lines in their lives: “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength”. 8.       Consequently, there is no need at all to depend on worldly securities like “purse, bag or sandals”. It is not that we do not make use of the available resources that can help us in our mission. 9.      It only means that we should not give excessive importance to material resources or securities, as if the whole mission depends only on them. We should not be overdependent on them. Our primary resourcefulness and equipment is God’s own Spirit.   Direction: As disciples of Christ, we share his life and mission as well. Therefore, we are constantly urged to live as authentic disciples and work as effective apostles, equipped with his own power   (Reflection 2)   1.      Today we are reminded that not only the missionaries by the title of their vocation are missionaries, but all of us without exception. Each one called by the Lord to follow His ways is a missionary irrespective of the walk of life. 2.      The modes of carrying out this mission may vary depending on whether one is a clergy, religious or layperson, and depending on the different ministries. But the basic and common factor is: every disciple shares the same mission of the Lord. 3.      It is to bring everyone closer to the kingdom of God and to bring God’s kingdom closer to everyone. The mission is to grow in the vicinity and intimacy, in loyalty and commitment to God’s reign. 4.      This is a strenuous task, like “lambs among wolves”. It involves risk and challenge and even failure and no worldly securities and supports like a purse, bag, etc. count. But nothing to worry about. Everything is in God’s purview and He will sustain and steer everything to its destined end. 5.      The evil may threaten to devour the good like wolves devour the lambs. But we, the lambs follow the Lamb of God and have nothing to lose. 06 OCTOBER 2023: BAR 1.15-22; LUKE 10.13-16 Thrust: Repent and relive! Indicative: To believe is to repent, repair and renovate life. Lack of faith is not only a matter of beliefs and doctrines but is a matter of trusting in God and entrusting wholly to Him 1.      Self-pride and self-glory are two ugly trends that are reigning high in the present society. These are affecting adversely both the individual life and the collective life. The quality of life is declining and the beauty and depth of inter-relationships are also at a lower ebb. This results in a heightened spirit of selfishness and self-righteousness. 2.      Consequently, people become dominant and despise others, oversizing themselves and minimising others. They become blind to the good in others and the good of others. They also become blind to their imperfections and defects. 3.      This is exactly a culture of unbelief and lack of faith. When a man becomes full of himself, there is no space for God and others. This is what is affecting our world. Many do not realise the indispensable need for God in our lives. Many do not value and respect the human dignity of others. 4.      This is what happened in the case of the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum in the time of Jesus. God’s own love and power were quite vivid before their eyes in and through the life and mission of Jesus. Jesus’ preaching and healing ministry and his authentic living were the strongest proofs urging them to believe and follow Jesus. 5.      But they were so stubborn and closed. They felt sufficient by themselves. They contented themselves with their traditions and blind observance of laws. They rejected Jesus and refused his invitation to repent. Thus they forfeit the grace abundantly offered by God through Jesus. Hence, they incur Jesus’ rebuke. Imperative: God readily accepts and tolerates and condones any weakness and failure. But He detests arrogance and obstinacy. They block repentance and faith (Reflection 2) Thrust: Unbelief is arrogance! Indicative: The sad thing with many is not that they only make mistakes and others do not do them. The whole pity is they do not realise, repent and convert themselves 1.      We find in the present times a growing religious indifference and mediocrity. Many either do not have faith in God or have a very shallow faith. In the life of many, God does not matter at all. In the case of others, their faith is limited to certain rituals, traditions, and activities. In any case, in truth, this is a godless and faithless culture. 2.       This is what is typified in the gospel by the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. Jesus denounces them because they refuse to see and accept God’s grace, manifested through mighty miracles. They were full of themselves and refused to turn to God. They were so arrogant that they would not see their iniquities and would not repent. 3.      Like the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, there are many who are full of self-pride and seek self-glory. They are adamant, resistant, unrepentant, and thus unconverted. 4.      On the other hand, we too are not much different. We may claim to believe in Jesus but is often shallow, because we refuse to humble ourselves, refuse to repent, and be converted, despite his unceasing signs and invitations. Imperative: Intelligence and competence without humility, fear of God, and repentance will land up in arrogance and self-glory. And that is the doorstep for destruction   07 OCTOBER 2023: BAR 4.5-12,27-29; LUKE 10.17-24 Thrust: True joy: only from good for God! Focus: True joy consists only in accomplishing something for God. Such a true and profound joy cannot be matched by any other enjoyment, gratification or accomplishment   1.      Everyone wants and seeks happiness. But the difference is in regard to where they seek it and how they seek to obtain it. The happiness that is sought in worldly things is superficial, shallow, short-lived, delusive, deviating and even harmful. At times, even the happiness that is found in spiritual successes can be misleading because it is a short-sighted motive and benefit. 2.      This was the joy of the disciples on their return after a successful mission of preaching and healing. They were excited at the grand success of stirring many hearts and expelling many evil spirits. This was a legitimate and reasonable joy. It is nothing wrong. 3.      But Jesus invites them to a higher realm of joy by a higher realm of motive and success, and that is “being registered in the Book of Life”, “being counted by God”, and not so much “being reckoned in the sight of the world”. 4.      Rejoice, not so much for defeating the evil, but rather for standing for God and good! Rejoice, not so much for being recognised and appreciated for the success, but rather for pleasing God and for collaborating to spread His reign! Rejoice, not so much for being acclaimed as great and powerful in the sight of the world, but rather for being “blessed” in the sight of the world. 5.      Today we venerate Mary as Our Lady of the Holy Rosary. She truly leads us to this true joy. And the powerful weapon is the holy rosary. She went to the aid of the believers who sought her intervention in their battle against their evil enemies. They could defeat their enemies. Let us be faithful to the holy rosary so that we too experience the true joy in battling against the evil one.   Direction: What is the motive of our satisfaction and happiness in our mission – is it because of the worth-admirable works or the sole motive of heavenly glory?