Second week days mass reflection 24

15 - 20 JANUARY 2024, HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS 15 JANUARY 2024: 1 SAMUEL 15. 16-23; MARK 2. 18-22 Focus: Not hypocrisy but authenticity! Indicative: Obedience to God’s will is more important than all the best of the plans, undertakings, and accomplishments 1.      Presumption is a very strong force that often pressures us. Our intelligence, our competence, and our resourcefulness easily make us presumptuous. Consequently, we attach too much importance to our judgment and decisions and cling to them. 2.      This often leads us to bypass the will and the plans of God and to even go against them. This is the presumption that led King Saul to disobey God’s explicit command not to retain anything of the spoil of his victory against the enemies. 3.      But he disobeys the Lord’s voice by not destroying some of the best of the spoil. He defends his disobedient action saying that he preserved them in order to sacrifice to the Lord. This is a clear presumption that the Lord will be pleased with sacrifices and offerings. 4.      It is in this context Samuel makes it crystal clear to Saul that his presumption is wrong. For one cannot please God with mere offerings but only with an obedient heart. When there is no docile heart that obeys God’s will, all the other activities will be in vain. It is the offering of the heart that makes all the other offerings meaningful and pleasing to God. 5.      This was the same sin of presumption that misguided the Pharisees and scribes. They presumed that their mere observance of the laws and spiritual activities would appease God and bring them heaven. 6.      That is why they gave more importance to the rules and practices like fasting while they failed to grow closer to God. They fail to realize that the joy of the presence of the bridegroom is more important than the aloofness of fasting. They fail to realize that all our practices are ultimately meant to deepen our relationship with God. 7.      Offerings and sacrifices without a humble and renewed heart are like the “new patches” on the old cloth and “new wine” into the old wineskins. The external religious practices must go together with an obedient heart and a changed life. What is needed is “new cloth” and “new wineskins” for the new wine of God’s grace.   Imperative: God wants a thorough renewal of the entire life and not mere patchworks. Interior purity and exterior propriety must be blended together (Reflection 2) Thrust: No patchworks! Indicative: Our God is not one who is distant from us. He does not remain unconcerned. He does not abandon us when we suffer. He comes to our rescue. He fights evil on our behalf. He suffers for our sake 1.      Sin affects and infects us. It soils and weakens us. It diminishes our beauty and dignity. It reduces our energies and strength. It makes us sick and unwhole. Therefore, we need cleansing, healing, strengthening, and revitalising. 2.      But left to ourselves, we are not strong enough to confront and overcome evil. We need higher support and strength. And God, so sensitive and compassionate incarnates himself and suffers in our place. Unlike the other high priests, he offers no gifts and sacrifices for sins. He offers his own self. He does not offer them for his sake. He offers them for our sake. 3.      He became obedient to the extent of death so as to heal the wounds of our disobedience.  He made himself weak so as to strengthen us. He accepted to be imperfect so as to make us perfect. Such is the unbounded love and mercy of God. 4.      Therefore, we must crave for his presence. We must rejoice in his company. All our focus must be to experience his presence and grow in his intimacy. He is truly the bridegroom and we are his wedding guests. 5.      But there are times when we miss him. We do not recognise his presence. We do not nurture his closeness. It is in such times we must put in all our efforts to rekindle our lost love for him and regain the lost joy of his friendship. Religious practices like fasting, et cetera are meant for expressing our longing for him, and our anguish over missing him. 6.      Every spiritual activity must ultimately bring us closer to Jesus and express our love for him. They should not be pretensions or external patchwork. They should indicate genuine repentance for our sinfulness. They should spring from a humble and contrite heart. 7.      Often our religious activities do not touch and change our hearts and renew our life. It is a clear sign that what Jesus warned in the gospel is happening. That is, we are putting a new patch to the old cloth or pouring the new wine into old wineskins. 8.      The old garb and old wineskin of sin must be thrown away. We must put on the new garb of righteousness. We must pour the new wine of the grace of the Spirit into the renewed spirit. Imperative:  All our spiritual practices and religious works will lose their meaning and purpose if they fail to foster our love for the Lord and transform our life for the better 16 JANUARY 2024: 1 SAMUEL 16. 1-13; MARK 2. 23-28 Focus: Good is beyond laws! Indicative: Lack of depth and interiority often blur our perspective and vision; consequently we are deceived and misled by mere external factors and appearances   1.      Human thinking and reasoning are good and needed, but cannot supersede divine wisdom and will. Often despite the heights of intelligence and capacities, people go wrong in their perception, decisions, and actions. 2.       The reason is they do not get into the deep of their heart and the matter; they do not interiorize. They do not listen and adhere to the promptings of the Spirit. They remain stuck only to the external layers and fail to go beneath and beyond them. 3.       They think that they are using their reason and are reasonable. In fact, their reason is “clouded’. They are actually “prejudiced”. Consequently, they fail to see the reality in its depth. This is why many even though well-educated and highly placed, are easily carried away by external and peripheral factors like caste, region, religion, language, culture, et cetera. 4.       This is what differentiates God from humans. God states this clearly to Samuel, “the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart”. The context is Samuel choosing a king for Israel from the sons of Jesse. 5.       God cautions him not to be carried away by the externals like height and weight. Therein, God provides this corrective about His nature. God looks at the heart and so is not conditioned by the impressing external appearance of other sons of Jesse. Rather He looks at the heart of David. 6.       In the gospel too, this contrast is seen between Jesus’ perspective and that of the Pharisees regarding his disciples. Jesus looks at the simple hearts and the hunger of his disciples beyond their apparent breach of the Sabbath. 7.       But the Pharisees look at the disciples with a negative eye because of their spiritless practice of law. Jesus makes it clear that all the rules are under God’s reign and control, and no rule is above him. Besides, all the rules are to be benevolent, that is, for the good of humans.   Imperative: The simplest test of the good quality of any law and practice is whether it is in submission to God’s authority and whether it leads to the good of others   (Reflection 2) Thrust: All for good! Indicative: God is ever deeply concerned about us. He will never turn a deaf ear to pleas and problems. At the same time, He will also not take for granted our struggles and our sacrifices for His sake 1.      The disciples of Jesus pluck the grain and eat it on a Sabbath day. The Pharisees make a fuss about it and complain to Jesus that they are breaching the law. If we remember yesterday’s gospel passage, it is interesting to compare it with today’s. 2.      Yesterday. they blamed the disciple for not doing what is lawful (that is fasting). Today, they blame them for doing what is not lawful (working on Sabbath). This shows their evil nature. Right or wrong is not a matter for them. 3.      They are ever on the watch to catch Jesus on the wrong foot. They fail on different counts. First, picking the grains is not equal to reaping which is unlawful. Second, they fail to see the need and hunger of the disciples. 4.      Third, they are so negative-minded and prejudiced that they are quick and eager to find fault with Jesus and his disciples. Fourth, they fail to see the spiritual and moral authority of Jesus that surpasses any law. 5.      Jesus puts things clearly and in place. The good of the human person is far more important than all the laws. All the laws are ultimately aimed at the well-being of humans. Any law that does not lead to good is of no use. When people give more importance to the rules and fail to do good to others, their fidelity to the law will not count but their failure in charity will be culpable. 6.      Besides, God is the Lord of everything and no law and nothing is above him. One cannot put control and condition on God also. The Pharisees and scribes were foolish to put restrictions on the Master who controls and rules over everything. 7.      As the Master’s disciples, we are called to be clear of this priority of benevolence in our life. When we are committed to good, for sure we too will come across opposition from the modern Pharisees and scribes. We may be discouraged. We may feel it is a futile and lone battle. 8.      But we can be assured that “God is not unjust so as to overlook your good work and your love for his name in service”. We are also encouraged to continue to demonstrate the same eagerness. Imperative: At times, standing against the current, and the pressure of the false values will be very hard. But let us persevere in faith and patience because He who is faithful will “indeed bless you and multiply you”. 17 JANUARY 2024: 1 SAM 17. 32-33, 37, 40-51; MARK 3. 1-6   Focus: A withered life is a worthless life! Ì Indicative: Human strength and capacities can never overpower the all-surpassing power of God. For a while, they may appear to be overwhelming and overpowering, but their success and gain are short-lived and shallow   1.      Goliath, the huge and great Philistine warrior trusted in his own human capacities. But David, the inexperienced youth, totally trusted in God. That is why even the small staff and five stones from David's sling could kill the mighty opponent. Goliath depended on his sword and spear but David, on God's power. 2.       A heart that does not vibrate to the voice and grace of God, a heart that does not vibrate in sensitivity to the need of the other, a hand that does not extend itself to help the other, are truly withered. 3.       In the gospel, Jesus heals a man with a withered hand on a Sabbath day. As a result, the Pharisees and the scribes accuse Jesus of breaking the Sabbath law and begin to plot to kill him. This is truly absurd. They blame him because he did good. They want to kill him because he gave new life to the sick man. He receives only evil in return for his good. 4.       And this is the irony: the man with a withered hand was only physically sick. But the Pharisees and the scribes were physically healthy; still, actually, they were the really withered people. They had withered hands because they did not stretch forth to help others. 5.       They had withered hearts because they did not feel sensitive and concerned toward the needy and suffering. Thus, while the man with a withered hand got completely healed, the Pharisees and scribes who were healthy became sick and withered.   Imperative: We need not feel so happy that we are physically so healthy. It is important to check and see whether we are sick of mind, heart, and soul. Withered hearts and hands are more dreadful than a withered hand!   (Reflection 2) Thrust: Do not be shrunk! Indicative: Righteousness and peace have become mirages today. Peace is destroyed because righteousness is discarded 1.      Jesus, the Son of God, is a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek. He reigns righteously and brings about peace. The whole purpose of Jesus’ incarnation and life is to establish righteousness and peace. 2.      Preaching and healing are integral parts of his reign. They are not just two components of his mission. They are effective signs and testimonies of his very identity and mission. But sadly, the Pharisees and scribes fail to see him from this integral perspective. 3.      They look at him from an earth-bound view and so block him every time. Their whole lookout was to accuse him of anything and everything. Today we have one such instance. They wait to see whether he would cure a man with a withered hand on a Sabbath day. 4.      Jesus does not “disappoint” them. No fear, no other force would deter him from doing good. Jesus cures the man with the withered hand. He boldly challenges their wickedness with a crucial question: What is lawful on a Sabbath day – do good or evil, save life or destroy it? 5.      In fact, one could break the Sabbath rule when life is in danger. And as for them, there was no mighty hurry for that man to be cured. He could wait. But for Jesus, every act of good is urgent and an emergency! 6.      Lamentable was the hardness of the Pharisees and scribes. The very healing that does good and saves life leads them to further hatred and plot to kill Jesus. Imperative: What an irony! Jesus does good but he meets evil. He saves life but he will be put to death. He follows the supreme law of love but he is condemned as the violator of the law. We need to heal our withered hearts! 18 JANUARY 2024: 1 SAM 18. 6-9, 19. 1-7; MARK 3. 7-12   Focus: Ever ready to touch and heal! Indicative: Jealousy is the blindness of the heart that closes the eyes to the good a person is or does; often the problem is not the absence of good but the absence of the ability to see the good present   1.      Jealousy is a great monster that devours so many. King Saul was no exception to it. He was specially chosen and anointed by God as the king of Israel. But jealousy grips him as David is more praised than him and leads him even to plan to kill David. 2.       He feels insulted and gets infuriated when the women singing of David’s victory over the Philistines acclaim, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands”. He conveniently forgets the great risk that David undertook on his behalf. David risked his very life in fighting against Goliath. 3.       On the other hand, we find Jonathan, Saul's son who tries to mitigate and dissolve his father's evil intention. He symbolizes the opposite and antidote to jealousy and that is benevolence. It is this benevolence that constantly ignites Jesus. 4.       Thereby he sets himself on a relentless mission of healing and exorcism. The benevolence of Jesus knew no bounds, no blocks. The persistent opposition of the Pharisees and scribes could in no way discourage or decrease his fervour. Passion for God’s will and compassion for the struggles of others lead him on an unstoppable march of healing and restoration. 5.       Today as the followers of Christ, this is the same spirit that we must inherit and this is the same mission that we must carry on. It is the spirit of unconditioned benevolence. And it is the undaunted mission of liberation and integration. We too will confront numberless opposing forces and assaults. But we shall persevere!   Imperative: Hostility and problems may always confront us but nothing shall hinder us on our mission of benevolence.   (Reflection 2) Thrust: Hear and come! Indicative: Jesus is our highest high priest who sympathises with us, atones for our sins, and saves us. Those who approach him will surely be made clean without reproach 1.      Many claim today to be busy-bodies. They have too much to do. That may be true, though not all. Some pretend to be so. Some may be busy but not for the right things and with ulterior motives. For a good number, craving for cheap popularity and trying for self-glory are at peaks! 2.      We wonder whether they want to spread God’s name or theirs. That is why we see a flex and cut-out culture where their figure and power will overhaul Jesus and his power. Their so-called “testimonies” are at times disguises for boasting and ego-promotion. 3.      It is against self-seeking drive even in spiritual circles, we have Jesus. He was the busiest and the most perfect and powerful. But he never sought cheap popularity. In fact, many times he warns those healed not to make him known. 4.      Many hear about him and run to him. They press upon him to touch him so that they get cured. We can note two factors: positively, their eagerness to approach Jesus for healing. Negatively, their desire by and large for physical healing. 5.      Those people can pose some simple questions to us. Hearing about Jesus, they flock to him. But how many of us hear about the Lord but don’t bother to approach him? Do we long to touch him, to experience personally his healing touch? And are we bothered only about physical healing and worldly interests? Are we interested in inner healing? Imperative: Jesus was totally committed to an unceasing mission of healing and transformation. He urges us to be tirelessly committed to the same mission of inner healing and liberation 19 JANUARY 2024: 1SAM 24. 2-20; MARK 3. 13-19 Focus: Covenant, Built on fidelity! Indicative: Those who are on God's side are ever good and magnanimous and never intend evil for others. They resemble Him and continue His own mission of love   1.      What a magnanimity we see in David! Even though he knew that Saul was hunting to kill him, even though he knew that terminating Saul would make way for his easy access to the throne, even though he could in one single instant kill Saul, YET he abstains from killing him. Rather he shows so much reverence toward him and makes him realize that he is not an enemy or usurper. 2.       Saul himself confesses this in repentant words. He said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me with good, whereas I have repaid you evil … how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands. For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe?” 3.       That is why God raised David to heights. This magnanimity and fairness of dealing are the typical traits of a true disciple of Christ. In the gospel, we find Jesus choosing his twelve apostles, each by name. 4.       He personally calls each one by name to be with him and to be sent and set on his mission. We are not mere numbers or members of a crowd. Each one is significant and personal. In simple, every disciple puts on the same nature of his master and acts as the master would act. 5.       David was a true disciple of the real Master. God called us to be in intimacy with him and to do his work. Thus we become like him. We are not expected to work wonders or to create new domains. It is to enrobe ourselves with the same spirit and continue the same kingdom of love, justice, and peace.   Indicative: The more we are with the Lord, the more we will become like him. The more we are like him, the more we will make others like him and bring them to him  (Reflection 2) Thrust: A new covenant! Indicative: The old covenant is surpassed by the new covenant through the blood of Jesus Christ. God through His Son forgives our sins and establishes a new covenant   1.       We are the people of the new covenant. Jesus is the mediator and establisher of this new covenant. The newness of this covenant stands out due to a few key components: it is no longer written only on stone tablets. It is an interior inscription, written on hearts. 2.       It is a covenant of profound belonging where God owns us up wholly, attesting, “I will be their God and they shall be my people”. It is a covenant of forgiveness as God assures, “I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sins no more”. 3.       This new covenant becomes manifest and concrete in the life and mission of Jesus Christ, the incarnate Saviour. The faithful, the followers of Christ, and the Church are the new Israel, the new people of the new covenant. The twelve Apostles become the representatives of the twelve patriarchs of the twelve tribes of Israel. 4.       The church continues. The new covenant continues. Jesus symbolises and embodies this in calling the Twelve and forming the core body of the people of God. Thus, he calls them, names them, appoints them, commissions them, and empowers them. 5.       The purpose of this new covenant and mission is quite clear. It is twofold: to be with him as disciples and to be sent out as apostles. The mission too is specified. It is twofold: to preach and to drive out unclean spirits.   Imperative: We need to always bear in mind that the purpose of our call is twofold: to be with him and to be on his mission. Therefore, let us learn to be authentic disciples and effective apostles   20 JANUARY 2024: 2 SAM 1. 1-4, 11-12, 19, 23-27; MARK 3. 20-21, STS SEBASTIAN & FABIAN Focus: Different from the world! Indicative: Those who are humble, honest, and committed are certainly different from the world. The world misunderstands and misjudges them only according to its perspective and standards 1.      There is always a sharp contrast between the ways of God and the ways of the world. The ways of those who follow the Lord are not rightly understood or appreciated by those who follow the ways of the world. 2.       The reason is quite clear: Those who are on God’s side are in the light and truth. Their ways are just and fraternal. They are sincere and authentic. But those who are infected by the world are in the dark and falsity. They are unjust and uncharitable. They are dishonest and hypocritical. 3.       This difference causes a big distaste and resentment against those who are godly. In consequence, they are misjudged and even criticized and labelled to be “out of their senses”. They are considered to be foolish, not shrewd and prudent enough, not tactical and clever. They are thought to be unrealistic, mad, and crazy. 4.       These are different ways of self-defence and self-justification. The presence of sincerity pricks insincerity. The presence of altruism challenges egoism. The presence of patience and gentleness poses a question to anger and rudeness. The presence of authenticity exposes duplicity. 5.       Therefore, the only way is to put down those who are in the right and take away the credit for their virtue. This is what happens in the case of Jesus in the gospel. He was thought to be “out of mind” by his relatives. 6.       It was because he was not fitting into their judgment modes. He was so selfless and committed that he would not bother even about his meals. This is really madness according to worldly calculations. 7.       Similar is the case of David in the first reading. At the death of Saul, David mourns so much. He would not remember all the evil that Saul caused for him. Instead, he would exalt him. This is the way of the good-hearted and godly people. Sts Sebastian and Fabian too were men of God, in contrast to the world.   Imperative: Those who live “out of their heart” will certainly be regarded as “out of their mind”. It is because they are not led by mere senses or brains but by heart and spirit (Reflection 2) Thrust: Out of mind! Indicative: Following the way of the Lord may make us go “out of the way” of the world. Putting on the mind of Christ may label us as “out of mind”. But it is worth it! 1.      “He is out of mind”. The relatives of Jesus think that Jesus was out of his mind and forcefully take him home. The reasons are obvious. The crowds were enormous. There was no time even to eat. He was fully busy with the Father’s work, good to the people. So he was forgetful about himself. He did not seek his convenience, even the legitimate concern for food. 2.      We need not see any wrong intention or disrespect on the part of his relatives. Perhaps they were just concerned and worried about the health of their brother. They could not understand this craziness that was clearly out of the way. 3.      They just think, feel and act humanly. But they must realise that Jesus came on a definitive mission and the duration is prescribed and short. There is no time to waste or leisurely relax. Sense of urgency and fidelity to it is uppermost in his mind. In reference and preference to his fidelity to the mission, everything else will count as of no value. 4.      In fact, his mission is in perfect symphony with his very identity and God’s will, and the very purpose of his coming. He comes down as the perfect tabernacle enshrining the presence of the Holy God. 5.      As the unique high priest, he offers his very self and blood as an unblemished offering. Thereby he cleanses our defiled spirits, reconciles us to God, and restores the lost access and intimacy with him. Imperative: As his disciples, we must not be scared and must be prepared to be criticised and misinterpreted. It is better to be out of mind rather than to be “out of God’s mind”. It is better to be mad for God, rather than be mad without God