27 week days mass reflection

09 – 14 OCTOBER 2023: HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS   09 OCTOBER 2023: JON 1. 1-17, 2.10; LUKE 10. 25-37 Focus: Charity has no bounds! Indicative: Our God is a God of sensitivity and solidarity. The whole history of salvation bears witness to this. We are called to imitate His model in fraternal sensitivity 1.      The parable of the Good Samaritan is one of the most familiar, outstanding, and inspiring teachings of all times. It has been the inspiration for many humanitarian and charitable services, both individual and collective. Not to reduce the positive, this parable is also at times used to demand help and service from others, quoting the example of the Good Samaritan. 2.      The supreme command of God is very clear: Love God in totality and love the neighbour as one loves one’s own self. Only this will bring us to inherit eternity, if at all one truly believes in such a destiny beyond the temporary and temporal. 3.      Now the parable dwells on the crucial question, “Who is my neighbour?” This is very crucial and relevant especially in our own times and in our society. The first duty today is to clarify our own hopelessly restricted and narrowed notion of a neighbour. 4.      The neighbourhood is demarcated by the boundaries of physical proximity, confined by affinities like country, race, lineage, caste, region, language, culture, religion, rite, occupation, or controlled by concerns like profit, gratification, convenience, etc. 5.      Accordingly, we find different kinds of neighbours: those who are totally indifferent and unconcerned toward others, being totally self-interested and self-serving; those who harm others for their gain; those who help others but with ulterior motives, expecting a return or good impression; those who are selectively and conveniently good, only to some or only in some matters or situations. What kind of neighbours are we? 6.      Today we are reminded and challenged to rise beyond our narrow demarcations. A neighbour is anyone in need, who is in difficulty. The neighbourhood is a matter of assistance and service to attend to the needs. 7.      It is not a matter of self-gain or convenience. It is not a choice but a duty. It is not an option but an obligation. It is not a favour but a mandate. It is not a possibility but a priority. Always and everywhere, one should seek to be a good neighbour to the other. 8.      One should not look for good neighbours who can help us and fulfil our needs but should strive to be good neighbours to others in need. Fraternity is our identity, sensitivity is our quality and charity is our priority – this simply is the essence of being a good neighbour. 9.      The fault of the priest and the Levite in the gospel is that they failed in their primary identity of being brothers and sisters, failed in the quality of being sensitive to the victim’s need, and failed in giving priority to charity. They might even be a good priest and Levites, doing well their duty and profession. 10.   They might have their own reasons to avoid helping the victim, to go away in haste. But nothing of these can justify their failure in fraternity, sensitivity, and charity. But the Good Samaritan had no botheration about his convenience or gain or schedule or work or time or money. 11.   Real charity demands not to “pass by on the other side” like the priest and the Levite, but to “see aside and turn around our attention by the roadside”, to “stop and create space” from one’s busy schedule, to “take the trouble and be humble to get down” from one’s riding on self and self-interests, to “take courage to go out of one’s way”, to “take time to move” to those in need, to “care the wounds of others”, to “accompany them in a process of healing and recovery of strength”. 12.   There is also a spiritual side to this story of Good Samaritan, along with the fraternal side. God is the Supreme Good Samaritan because He always keeps close to us in our need and suffering. He is sensitive and benevolent to us always and everywhere, even without any merit or return on our part. He cares for our wounds inflicted by sin and troubles of life. He cleans us, heals us and makes us sane again, with his own blood. Imperative: How many of us are Good Samaritans, genuinely and selflessly? How much are we aware of the boundless compassion of God, the supreme Good Samaritan? How much are we grateful and appreciative of numerous Good Samaritans?   (Reflection 2) Thrust: Charity is to see beyond! Indicative: We are living in a world where human sensitivities are losing teeth. Many are losing that capacity of the heart to feel and be moved by the pain and difficulty of the other 1.      “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” This was the question of a lawyer to Jesus. Was he genuine in his question because he was religious-minded and destiny-oriented? We need not probe into the intention of this lawyer.  For us, this question is not so vital. He might have been sincerely desirous of inheriting eternal life. Or, he might have intended to trap Jesus forcing him to answer controversial questions. 2.      But for us, the question itself is more important. It is so dense. It shows two essential aspects of our life: the loftiness of our purpose, a higher goal for our life; and also the personal responsibility to reach that goal, to accomplish that purpose. The goal or the purpose of the lawyer in the gospel is “inheriting the eternal life”. To realise this, he is also aware of the effort on his part, raising the question, “What shall I do?” 3.      The answer to this is found in the parable of the good Samaritan in the person of the Samaritan. What must we do to inherit eternal life? Do like him. Be a good neighbour to others, especially in times of pain and need. 4.      The lawyer asks the question, “Who is my neighbour?” In the understanding of the Jews, the neighbourhood was confined only to their race and nation. Thus, the neighbourhood was a matter of kinsmanship, affinity, and some allegiance. In the case of many, this is the same understanding. A neighbour is one who belongs to the same caste, region, religion, culture, language, etc. 5.  In the case of some others, the neighbourhood is a matter of geographical vicinity and physical nearness. Further, some others consider others as neighbours who are good and helpful to them. Accordingly, those whom one needs, who are useful to him, are considered neighbours. 6.  But, Jesus reverses the whole question, the whole perspective, and the approach. The question is   no more "Who is my neighbour?" but "To whom I am a neighbour?" Such a change of question is not merely a change of words. It is a change in the entire attitude and way of life. It is a concrete experience and exercise of profound sensitivity. It is a sensitivity that sees the pain and struggle of the other, feels for them, takes time to go for their help, and spares time and resources to care for them. 7.  A neighbour is no longer one who is near or dear to me by affinities of blood, vicinity, or interests. A neighbour is anyone and everyone who is in need, who needs my help. A neighbour is not so much who can help me, but rather one whom I can help. The good Samaritan stands as an icon of this true and perfect neighbourliness. Imperative: A good life is not merely good knowledge, good intentions, and good words. Ultimately it must be seen in good actions of sensitivity.   10 OCTOBER 2023: JON 3. 1-10; LUKE 10. 38-42   Focus: Integrity in Integration! Indicative: The beauty and joy of life consist not in dichotomy and conflict between prayer and work, but harmony.   1.      The story of Mary and Martha in the gospel is a familiar one. Apparently, it is a story of two individuals who were very close to Jesus. But it is in fact the story of constant tension and struggle between prayer and work, symbolized by Mary and Martha respectively. This is a very real experience for everyone. It is not just a practical problem but an existential problem. It is a constant pull between spiritual concerns and secular tasks. 2.      What is needed is that both prayer and action should go together. We should not neglect work and duties in the name of prayer and spiritual duties. Similarly, we should not neglect or reduce our spiritual concerns under the pretext of heavy loads of work. One should not throw away or substitute the other. Because both complement and support each other. Prayer breathes "spirit" into the "flesh" of works. And work supplies "flesh" to the spirit of prayer. 3.      However, we should bear in mind that as followers of Christ, prayer is our highest priority. By prayer we mean not just a number of prayers or spiritual activities. It means essentially an intimate communion, loyalty, and commitment to Christ. Nothing can be equal or substitute or alternative to this primacy. 4.      Especially in our own times, where there is the viral trend of activism, where people are so negligent toward God and the spiritual because of their worldly pursuits, preoccupations, and self-interests, we need to reiterate this priority of prayer and devotion. In fact, true prayer and spirituality are certainly one to be more responsible and hardworking.    Direction: Work built on and guided by prayer, becomes deep and productive. Work devoid of prayer runs the risk of becoming shallow and superficial.   (Reflection 2) Thrust: Be integrated! Indicative: The life of many becomes insipid and full of tension because there is no proper coordination and integration among the various aspects of life 1.      The gospel presents before us the story of two sisters of Lazarus, Martha and Mary, a family of Bethany, very close to Jesus. Usually, this episode is used to speak of the importance and priority of prayer. That is very true. No work even the best, can substitute prayer. No one can neglect or give up spiritual duties under the pretext of work. 2.      Jesus rebukes Martha, saying, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” 3.      Clearly, this is a caution for all of us that prayer should be our priority and it should not be sidelined or relegated in preference to some work. The rebuke of Martha by Jesus need not be taken as something personal, directed only to her. Rather it is a warning and admonition to anyone who is tempted to neglect the personal intimacy with Jesus in the face of some activity. 4.      But here we can focus on the attitude of Martha in that context. If she had not gone to the Lord and complained against her sister Mary, perhaps she would have not received that rebuke. She feels so self-righteous. She feels that only she is doing the right thing and Mary is doing the wrong thing. Or at least she feels that she is doing a better thing and her sister, a less good thing. 5.  This is a misguided notion of self-righteousness. This is widely prevalent in every circle of life, be it the political, the economic, or the religious as well. A corrupt politician will accuse others of corruption. A deceptive businessman condemns cheating and manipulation. An inauthentic and dishonest religious and spiritual person will criticize heavily about the loss of integrity. 6.  All these kinds of double standards are because of the deeper spirit of self-pride of rating themselves better and greater than others. They look down upon others, complain against others, and dictate to others what they should do. They lack a sense of self-awareness and clarity of priorities. Imperative: Sitting at the feet of the Lord and listening to him is the portion of life that is indispensable. This cannot be taken away for the sake of anything else    11 OCTOBER 2023: JONAH 4. 1-11; LUKE 11.1-4   Focus: All-pervasive! Indicative: True prayer is never confined to the spiritual domain alone but outflows into all the spheres of life and changes the whole person   1.      Often prayer appears to intend to change God's intention and action. I get sick and I pray that the sickness is healed. I fail and I pray to taste success. I am discouraged and I pray to be encouraged. I feel like giving up and I pray for perseverance. In all these, it is not so much changing God's mind but changing our own person and life- situation. 2.      True prayer is deeply trusting and confiding in God being "gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love" as Jonah in the first reading acknowledges. God never intends evil as punishment. He allows evil either for our purification or sanctification. That is, suffering is a way of just reparation for our sins or is a way of holiness offering for the salvation of others. 3.      True prayer, on one hand, purifies us and on the other hand, sanctifies us. In humility and repentance, we seek His forgiveness. And once forgiven and purified, we also strive to become like Him, in sanctity and similarity. 4.      This fosters in us the spirit of one family of God's children in the midst of a culture of disunity and dissension. It makes us commit ourselves to work to spread God's kingdom by doing always His holy will amid petty and ill-motivated kingdoms. It fills us with the spirit of contentment amid greed and accumulation. 5.      Further, amid a culture of grudges and retaliation, true prayer helps us to become merciful and forgiving, just as God is infinitely merciful and just as we receive an abundance of forgiveness from God and others. It also solidifies us to remain firm amidst all evil pressures and temptations.   Direction: The great prayer "Our Father" does not teach us some formulations for reciting a prayer. Rather, it teaches us the spirit and end of all our prayers. It betters our person and life.   (Reflection 2)   Thrust: An authentic prayer! Indicative: An authentic prayer is not only praying with authentic expression and manner. It is more of an authentic way of living 1.      Today the word of God teaches us about true prayer. First of all, it becomes clear that prayer is not a matter of words but of heart and life. Praying is not about what words we are using, the standard of them, the knack for the right use of the words, or the effect of them. 2.  We are not taking away the importance of the due words. We cannot be simply negligent and use any words. We should be well-prepared and use meaningful words. But here the point is that the expressions and formulations, the modulation or the techniques or the tactics of the effective presentation should not dominate and minimize the primacy of the spirit of prayer. 3.  The selection and the presentation of our expression must be the tools and channels for communicating and transmitting the depth of experience and the power of the Spirit. Thus, it is not our words but the Word that is most important. 4.  It is not the efficiency and the power of our communication or presentation but the efficacy and the power of God's own Spirit communicating with us. 5.  A good many times, human skill and medium of presentation are eclipsing the vitality of the depth and effect of the essence and the content. Ultimately, all our prayers must deepen our authenticity concerning God and others. It means, our prayers must make us more authentic. There is no true spirituality without authenticity. 6.  It is in this same context of authentic prayer that Jesus teaches the sublime prayer, ‘Our Father’. It is not just one of many prayers. It is the model of true prayer. It shows how our prayer must be, and what are the essential ingredients of it. 7.  A prayer becomes authentic when there is a sense of family that holds God as our one Father. It must commit us to keep holy God’s name. This consists in striving to grow holy constantly and to spread His kingdom of love and justice. 8.  Further, authentic prayer makes us contented with the minimum. It makes us contrite to seek forgiveness from God and also forgive others magnanimously. It makes constant efforts to guard ourselves against the attacks of the evil one. Imperative: The whole aim of all our activities and devotions is to become more and more authentic in concrete life. There is no room for hypocrisy in true prayer  12 OCTOBER 2023: MAL 3.13-20b; LUKE 11. 5-13  Focus: Intercede to Intervene! Indicative: Prayer is such an inexhaustible font of grace and we can never speak enough   1.      Today again Jesus continues his sublime teaching on prayer. He calls us for perseverance. A sincere prayer must persevere especially when things look bleak or go upside down or all doors are shut. The two biggest challenges for prayer not to persevere are presented in the first reading and the gospel respectively. 2.      One challenge is, evil prospers and good suffers. The evil-doers go on sinning, becoming arrogant and harmful. God seems to be not taking any action. So, they continue their evil ways. At the same time, the righteous seem to be fighting a lost battle and only suffering seems to be their lot. Such experiences are really upsetting and frustrating. 3.      The Second challenge is that of refusal and rejection. In the gospel story, a man goes to his friend late at night seeking a little bread for his unexpected guests. Initially, his request was turned down because it was very late and all were asleep. But because of his insistence, he received what he wanted. Similarly, in our life too, the battle and struggle continue. Many a time, we do not receive what we genuinely ask for. 4.      It is in such times we must deepen our trust in God’s abiding and unfailing care and justice. Jesus assures us: “If you then who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him”. 5.      He will never be unjust to the righteous, those who fear God and serve Him. “Behold the day comes... He shall distinguish between the righteous and the wicked... for those who fear His name, the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings”. Imperative: All that is needed is to confide and persevere in the power of prayer, in the power of intercession. (Reflection 2) Thrust: Persevere to confide! Indicative: Lack of perseverance and commitment is one big sickness that is infecting today’s society. Many start great and big with bundles of enthusiasm and dedication but for how long? 1.      We are going through an “instant” culture. This means a mentality that wants things to happen instantly and immediately. People are not willing, ready, and prepared to be patient and wait. They expect things to happen within no time. They want quick results. When this does not happen, when there is a delay, then easily they get upset, impatient, intolerant, irritated, annoyed, and even frustrated. 2.      From this “fast food culture” and impatience, people fail to persevere. Thus many good things have a slow natural death because of the lack of stability and continuity. This was what happened in the case of the Galatians. Initially, they were so faithful. But they did not persevere in their faith and fidelity. They did not continue in the genuineness of their tradition. 3.      In contrast, we have an example of perseverance in the gospel story. A friend goes to another friend at midnight asking for a little bread for his guest. His friend tries to excuse and exempt himself from giving what is asked for. However, because of the persistence of the seeker, he would give in and do the request. 4.      The point is not to pester God and get things by all means. The contrast between a wicked father and a benevolent Father is to press hard on the effect of perseverance. The straight message is, God is ever-giving and keen to grant us readily what we stand in need of. If the wicked humans themselves are so good to their children. how much more an all-good will be good to His beloved children? 5.      God will never fail us in our needs. The only thing, we must not limit this receiving of favours only to material things. Jesus makes it clear that it is primarily pertaining to the Holy Spirit, that is, the spiritual things. In simple, God would never deny or fail to supply what contributes to our holistic growth. Imperative:  Surely, we trust Jesus’s assurance, “Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find, and knock and it will be opened to you.” But we must always give space for God’s will, time, and ways of granting us   13 OCTOBER 2023: JOEL 1. 13-15; 2. 1-2; LUKE 11. 15-26   Focus: Open to see the good! Indicative: We are living in a world where there is a malaise of negativity and slander. Good is twisted and accused with wrong motives. It is here we need to bear witness to positive holiness and genuine goodness   1.      Often the problem is not so much the lack of goodness but the lack of openness to see it and encourage it. There is so much blindness and stubbornness toward truth and good. Consequently, good is not only not recognized and appreciated, but it is presented as bad. 2.      This is what happened in the case of Jesus. Jesus in all benevolence heals many sick and demon-possessed. Instead of recognizing God’s power in and through him, the Jewish people accuse him of healing with the help of Beelzebul, the prince of demons. They already see so many signs that evidence God’s power but still, they demand signs. 3.      Jesus makes it very clear that good cannot come from evil. Any trace of bad and division, weakness, and spiritual blindness is nothing but the work of the devil. At times, evil may promote itself in the disguise of good. 4.      But its ultimate result is harm and destruction. How foolish the people are not to see that all of Jesus’ holiness and goodness, all his power comes and can come only from God! 5.      The devil is the strong man in the gospel. For a while, he is fully armed and has control over all. But once Jesus, the stronger one comes, the evil one has to give way. The power of God assails and overcomes the evil one. 6.      However, we can never take for granted the evil one and its whereabouts and crooked designs. Like the unclean spirit in the gospel, for a while, it may have left us and gone away. But it can return any time more powerfully with more force. 7.      Therefore, in our spiritual life, there can never be moments of being unalert and lax. We can never keep ourselves empty. We must constantly fill ourselves with the clean and Holy Spirit. For this, in the light of the first reading from Joel, one most effective means is fasting and penance in sincere repentance.   Imperative: There is always the lurking danger of falling into the snares of jealousy and stubbornness. This would lead to prejudice and slander. Instead, let us foster the spirit of optimism and spiritual diligence (Reflection 2) Thrust: Faith is counting on God! Indicative: Many times, the power and the greatness of faith are measured in terms of human capacities to perform great things. But great faith is great trust and surrender to God 1.      We must know that we are spiritually and morally weak. We must know that we are constantly assailed by evil forces. We also must know that we are susceptible to fail and fall. This knowing is not enough. We must also know that God is the strongest man and stronger than the devil who is stronger than the human. 2.      Our strength alone will not be enough to confront and defeat evil. We need to depend on God. Only with His strength can we stand firm against the evil one. It is not enough that we keep the house clean and in order. It indicates using human resources and capacities. But this house that is released from the evil spirit must be filled with the clean and holy spirit. Otherwise, the unclean spirit will enter and possess more powerfully an empty heart. 3.  This Trust in God and entrustment to God implies that we are humble and open enough to see and acknowledge the power of God working in our life. We should not be like Pharisees and scribes who were so jealous, stubborn and closed. Consequently, they will not accept and appreciate the good that surrounds them. 4.  Still further, they will make wrong attributions even to the healing acts of Jesus. They wrongly attributed the miracles to Jesus’ coalition with Satan. They accused him, “he casts out demons with the help of Beelzebul, the prince of demons.” Imperative: God does not expect that we are super-strong and resist and overcome the devil all the time. There are never guarantees that we will come out as victors against Satan always. We will not succeed as long as we depend only on human resources and not on God   14 OCTOBER 2023: JOEL 3. 12-21; LUKE 11. 27-28 Focus: Blessedness is Belonging! Indicative: Greatness or blessedness does not come from birth or lineage. It does not depend upon physical relationships. Rather, one is blessed if he is born of God and exercises spiritual relationships   1.      When the children do great, automatically the credit and praise go to the parents. Similarly, looking at Jesus, someone extols his mother, saying, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked”. Immediately Jesus declares, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it”. 2.      Here, it is not a dishonour to his mother, not a disowning of his belonging to his mother. Rather, it is a reallocation of the true greatness of his mother. Jesus wants to show clearly what is the true greatness of his mother. He wants to show her blessedness on a different level higher than the merely physical. 3.      Mary is great and blessed not just because she is the physical mother of Jesus. She is blessed because of her spiritual fecundity. She constantly gives birth to the spirit of Jesus. She “hears the word of God and keeps it”. 4.      As Joel in the first reading affirms, Mary totally believed that the “Lord is a refuge to His people, a stronghold to the people of Israel”. She believed in the benevolent promises of God who assures: “And in that day the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk...” 5.      Mary was a perfect disciple, one who heard God’s word attentively and followed it diligently. She is truly that wise person in Matthew 7. 24-27, one who builds his house on a foundation of rock. 6.      No floods, no rains, no winds can make it collapse because it is solidly founded on a rock. Mary remained firm like a rock even amidst storms of life. She is blessed because all through her life, hearing the word and keeping it was the norm and guiding force of her life.   Direction: In a world that seeks greatness based on affinities and allegiances of caste, region, religion, culture, status, position, et cetera, let us seek true greatness in spiritual tenacity and holistic integrity   (Reflection 2) Thrust: Being blessed! Indicative: Real greatness is liberation from the imprisonment of sin. Sin takes away our freedom and brings upon us a curse 1.      There is a constant fight and war between God and Satan, good and bad. It is a fight that God owns up on our behalf. He justifies us by faith. Through Jesus, we are reconciled, cleansed and made God’s children. Thereby we put on Christ. Thus, we become God’s royal inheritance without any discrimination. 2.      That is why Paul affirms this perfect equality, saying, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus… heirs according to promise.” 3.      This is the right blessedness that Jesus utters and offers. To the one who acclaims, “Blessed the womb that bore you,” intending to praise his mother Mary, Jesus clarifies that true greatness does not come from allegiance to a region, religion, physical lineage or cultural heritage. 4.  Apparently, there is a belittlement of his mother. But actually, there is an elevation in the right perspective, for the right reason. Mary is great and blessed not by the mere physical belonging and allegiance as the mother of Jesus. She is blessed because she “hears the word of God and keeps it.” 5.  Thereby, all of us are exhorted to seek such blessedness by the Spirit. It is a blessedness by our spiritual bonding and communion. The ultimate criterion to belong to Christ and his family is to listen to God’s voice and will and follow it. Imperative: Blessed are those who become God’s children, not by tradition but by devotion and relation, direction and dedication