Second week days of Lent 24

26 FEBRUARY - 02 MARCH 2024 HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS 26 FEBRUARY 2024: DANIEL 9. 4b-10; LUKE 6. 36-38 Focus: The greatest Model! Indicative: As the children of God and as the disciples of Christ, we are called to imitate and resemble them. This is the only way to testify to our belonging to them 1.      All seek models and we need them. But the question is whether they are right and truly imitable or wrong and detestable. The irony in society is often wrong models are more followed. Models are often associated with excellence in some fields and not necessarily with virtue and character. In other words, the models are not always virtuous or character-people. 2.      Thus, we live in a context where there is the influence of wrong models and disconnection between models and virtue. In such a context, today Jesus is proposing to us the greatest and best model to follow. 3.      That is God the Father Himself. Jesus specifies also what we must imitate. It is mercy. He admonishes us, “Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful”. The first reading from Daniel also highlights this, saying, “To the Lord, our God belong mercy and forgiveness”. 4.      Jesus further clarifies what this mercy is. It is a mercy that does not judge, does not condemn. He keeps covenant and steadfast love. He only chastises the people when they go astray. He is never keen on destroying them. He is enormously patient and so gives ample opportunities to His people to repent and return to Him. He is ever generous in His forgiveness and reward. 5.      If God is so merciful and forgiving, then what is our duty? The first reading is amply clear about these details. First of all, realize our sinfulness and unworthiness; repent for not obeying the voice of the Lord; for not listening to His servants, the prophets; for rebelling and turning aside from His commandments and rules; for not walking in His laws; for doing wrong and acting wickedly. Realizing and repenting for our infidelity, then seeking His forgiveness. 6.      Secondly, live what you experience; give what you receive. If we are not judged and condemned, and if we do not want to be judged and condemned, then do not judge and condemn others. If we are forgiven, then forgive others as well. If God and others are so generous toward us, then we too must be generous to them.   Direction: Let us always bear in mind that we receive as we give; we will get back as we do. Therefore, let us be always just and fair in our measurements toward others. The measure we apply will be the measure that will be applied to us  (Reflection 2) Focus: True repentance is healing because it removes the weight of sin and the shame of guilt. It is not lowering of dignity but regaining true dignity   1.      The people of Israel plead for God's mercy with true repentant hearts. They recall God's recurrent mercy despite their recurrent infidelity. They are conscious of the stark contrast between God’s righteousness and human treachery, between God’s grace and human sinfulness, between God’s fidelity and human disobedience, and between God’s forgiveness and human wrongdoing. 2.      This awareness is very crucial because it can make us humble and surrendered on the one hand, and repentant and determined to change on the other hand. This humble consciousness leads us to focus on God as the source to derive strength and a model to imitate. 3.      In the gospel, Jesus urges us to inculcate and practice the same spirit of the mercy of God towards others: Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful. What a lofty model we have to emulate! It is nothing less than God the Father Himself. 4.      This can indicate to us that our standard and dignity are high, as our target is high. What does this imitation or resemblance with God mean? Four simple practical implications: do not judge others; do not condemn others; forgive others; be abundantly generous towards others. 5.      This is the life of witness by contrast, in a world that is judgmental, condemnatory, retaliating, and greedy. Such a merciful way will obtain for us God's own abundant mercies. And it will also spare us from God's just judgment without mercy, because the measure we apply to others, will be the same measure that will be applied to us by God.   Imperative: What a pity it is that many unnecessarily carry the burden of resentment, revenge, and retaliation, not realizing that it is self-ruinous!   27 FEBRUARY 2024: ISAIAH 1. 10, 16-20; MATTHEW 23. 1-12   Focus: If you repent and humble yourself… Indicative: God is so merciful that He does not abandon us or condemn us for our sins. Rather He is so lenient and waits upon us to repent and renew our lives   1.      God never ceases to call us for repentance and renewal. All the more during this holy season of Lent, this call is strong and straight. Thus we hear in the first reading from Isaiah, saying, “Hear the word of the Lord… Give ear to the teaching of our God! Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean”. 2.      Now what does this mean and imply? We need to remove the evil of our deeds from before His eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, and plead the widow’s cause. 3.      In the light of the gospel, this repentance and renewal would mean removing all the traces of hypocrisy. Jesus cautions us against the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and scribes. Its forms are manifold: 4.      Preaching but not practising; demanding too much from others but doing very little themselves; making a show to impress others and not out of genuine conviction or devotion; seeking recognition and honour. 5.      The greatest antidote is humility, for “the greatest among you shall be your servant”. In simple details, it is to have the mind of a disciple and learner and not a teacher or rabbi; it is to be a brother to others and not to be revered as a father, for we all have only one Father; it is to be an instructee under the one instructor, the Christ, and not projecting oneself as a great instructor. 6.      If one cultivates this humility and strives to renew life, then the fruits are enormously great: the Lord will completely wipe away all the stains and weight of sin. The Lord himself assures: even though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. 7.      This means that the Lord will thoroughly cleanse us and make us pure. Further, if you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; you shall be exalted to the heights, for “whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted”.   Imperative: Let us be aware that pride and hypocrisy are the two biggest blocks against repentance and renewal. Let us then cultivate the spirit of humility and of a servant   (Reflection 2)   Focus: God is exceedingly patient and merciful and He is never tired of offering us opportunities to repent and be converted   What a consolation and comforting note it is to hear again and again how infinitely God is patient with us and is boundlessly hopeful about our transformation. God never closes the doors of His love in benevolence and mercy. He is never stuck with our aberrant past but is very hopeful and interested in our sincere present for a reformed future. He never stops offering us numberless possibilities and opportunities to repair our damages, to re-gather what has been scattered, to regain what has been lost, and to recuperate what has been missing. He is so open and flexible, even to the extent of exuberant lenience. He ceaselessly invites us as He did through Isaiah to wash ourselves clean, to turn away from evil, to cease to do evil, and to hold on eagerly and ardently to good. If we heed His call and change our ways, then surely He will forgive us, cleanse us and remake us as sane and bright. If not, we ourselves will bring judgment upon ourselves and perish. For this repentance and change, the biggest block is hypocrisy, as that of the Pharisees. It is preaching but not practising. It is being rigid and stringent toward others but lenient and loose towards one's own self. It is seeking recognition and making a show of devotion without interior depth. In contrast, what is required is humility to acknowledge one's own weakness and unworthiness; and the docility to be totally open to God to receive His healing touch.   Direction: God may readily forgive the weak but humble, but He will detest the hypocrites who pretend to be strong but self-conceited.   28 FEBRUARY 2024: JER 18. 18-20; MATTHEW 20. 17- 28   Focus: Life as ransom! Indicative: We are living in such a world where often good is repaid with evil; sacrifice is repaid with ingratitude and harm. In the face of such experiences, what is needed is a spirit of surrender, sacrifice and service   1.      The life of a disciple of Christ is for sacrifice and service. It is not something new or out of the way. It is the same with the master. Jesus too lived a life of sacrifice and service. He sacrificed many things in life and spent his whole time and energy serving others. 2.      He declares, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many”.  Yes, he had to pay a heavy price for his commitment. He had to face opposition, persecution, suffering, and even death. 3.      The same was the fate of the prophet Jeremiah as we see in the first reading. The very people for whom he struggled hard and pleaded with God would turn against him and plot to kill him. The life of a disciple is not meant for comfort and convenience. 4.       It does not go well that a disciple of Christ seeks power and position, honour and glory. A disciple does not lord or boss over others. Rather, he manifests an attitude of a servant: Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave. 5.      In the gospel, the mother of the sons of Zebedee approaches Jesus to grant the two best seats beside him for her sons. This episode typically represents the situation of the church authorities of our own times. 6.      There is so much craving and fighting for power and position. Domination replaces humility. Lording over dominates obeying. Being served becomes a status-symbol in the place of serving others.   Imperative: The religious authority is also getting tainted by worldly authority. There is so much manipulation and domination. It is high time to do a thorough self-check and recapture the spirit of sacrifice and service   (Reflection 2)   Focus: Standing for God and for good, will not exempt anyone from affliction and persecution, but it is inevitable    Can one imagine the piercing anguish and legitimate frustration of Jeremiah at his people's acting toward him? His heart languished for them. He pleaded persistently with God on their behalf to spare them. Now it is these very people who denounce and calumniate against him, betray him and plot to kill him even.   Apparently, evil seems to be the recompense for all his good, and this is really frustrating. The same is the case with Jesus in the gospel. The mental agony of Jesus too is not much different from Jeremiah's. What pains Jesus so much is not a physical lot of his passion and death. But, rather it is the infidelity and betrayal of the very people for whom he struggles. In simple psychology, his constant reference to his suffering is a simple way of preparing himself mentally to meet such eventuality. It is also a way of shattering the disciples' false ideas and illusions about his power and kingdom. The worldly ambition and the request of the mother of the sons of Zebedee is a clear sign of such a shallow understanding of Jesus' role and mission.   Perhaps, we may get annoyed with such a false perspective of them. We may blame them for their worldliness. But what is better is to understand this instance as a corrective for all. It is not just the case of the sons of Zebedee. Anyone and every one of us is certainly infected by the same sting of worldly interests and temporary gains. All are prone to evade suffering and seek glory. All want to ride high and not bend low. In such a context, we should deeply bear in mind that suffering alone is the path to glory, and the following of Jesus necessarily involves the way of struggle. The kingdom of Jesus is not a domain of worldly power for domination and being served. It is a reign of serving others in humility.   Direction: Many authorities of today seem to be busy with giving others many directives, forgetting the essential corrective that all power is for service in humility.   29 FEBRUARY 2024: JER 17. 5-10; LUKE 16. 19-31   Focus: Reverse fates! Indicative: There is always a contrast between being blessed and being cursed. This difference is on the basis of where we place our trust. Trusting in God makes one blessed while trusting in things makes one cursed   1.      For sure, everyone wants to be a blessed one and not a cursed one. But the whole problem is how one understands blessedness and cursedness and how one pursues the path that leads to them. These are two modes of being and living, namely being blessed and being cursed. They are fundamental to human living and are mutually contrasting. They also determine the whole meaning and the direction of life. 2.      Sadly, despite all intelligence, the world equates blessedness with worldly abundance, pleasure, and success; and cursedness with deprivation, failure, and misery. In simple words, those who have plenty of money and things, those who dictate others, and those who enjoy comforts and pleasures are considered blessed. 3.      On the other hand, those who are poor, those who struggle in life, those who are low in status and are under some others, and those who cannot have even the minimum joys of life are rated cursed and despicable. 4.      But today’s readings dismantle this thinking of the world. True blessedness is placing trust in God. And cursedness is placing trust in the world and its things. The blessed are like the tree planted by water. It is deeply rooted, fresh, healthy, blooming, and fruit-bearing. The cursed are like a shrub in the desert. It is dry, barren, and fruitless. 5.      The gospel elaborates on this contrast between being blessed and cursed by a touching parable of a rich man and poor Lazarus. In the sight of the world, the rich man is blessed because he lacks nothing and enjoys everything. 6.      But in the true sense, he is cursed because he places excessive trust in his riches. He is like a dry and useless shrub. In the sight of the world, poor Lazarus is cursed because he is miserable. But he is truly blessed because he places his total trust in God. He is deeply rooted in God and blossoms with God’s own freshness. 7.      The gospel adds another essential feature to this contrast, and that is sensitivity toward others. Accordingly blessed are those who are sensitive and generous toward others; cursed are those who are selfish and indifferent toward others. The rich man is cursed because he failed in his fraternal duty toward the poor man. 8.      Their fates are also contrasting. The rich man is condemned to the fire of hell; the poor Lazarus is rewarded with heaven. While on earth, the rich man enjoys but in heaven, he suffers. While on earth, the poor Lazarus suffered but in heaven, he enjoyed heavenly bliss. 9.      There is another interesting detail to note. The poor man has a name but the rich man’s name is not mentioned. This indicates something profound: the poor are “counted” in the sight of God. They have a special identity.   Indicative: Those who are worried only about the worldly and temporary riches and enjoyments are certainly cursed. They will be liable to God’s judgment   (Reflection 2)   Focus: Those who place their trust in worldly things and spend all their time and energies on temporal pursuits and interests will meet a fateful destiny   The first reading from Jeremiah declares one of the most fundamental principles and contrasts of life: Trusting in one's own self and the world, and on the other hand, trusting in God. Trusting in self or the world and investing and consuming all the energies over self and worldly interests, may bring temporary profit and satisfaction. But the end is disastrous.   Not only the end but also the way towards the end: Those who vainly pursue human and earthly concerns, are like a bush in the desert, dry and barren and eventually drained and dead; but those who are oriented to God in trust and loyalty are like the plant by the streams, evergreen and fresh, ever flourishing and productive.   The same theme of the fateful end of trust in one’s own self and the world is powerfully illustrated in the gospel by the parable of the rich man and poor Lazarus. The problem here is not the matter of having more riches.   But, the real problem is placing too much trust in the things of the world. It is the neglect of God and a total lack of sensitivity and concrete concern toward the needy. The rich man was totally tied up with his own self, his self-comfort, and enjoyment. He could not rise up to God, or at least could not reach up to the poor Lazarus   Hence, the ends are reversed: the high rich man languishes in the bottoms and the low Lazarus enjoys in the heights. This parable is the clearest mirror of our own society. We live in a society that is steeped in abyssal indifference and selfishness. It is no more a story of a certain rich man in the gospel but is the replica of the live heights of unconcern and insensitivity.   Direction: One reaps what one sows. We cannot expect to reap a rich harvest of real joy if we have planted a scanty crop of goodness, whether on earth or in heaven   01 MARCH 2024: GEN 37. 3-4, 12-13A, 17B- 28A; MATTHEW 21. 33-46 Focus: Greed and envy are monstrous! Indicative: The world of today is torn apart by so much malice. At the root are greed and envy. One cannot see and tolerate the good of the other, and one cannot think and follow other than the good of one’s own self   1.      There is so much evil and malice in our world. This causes enormous destruction. It destroys life in all its senses. People are killed; the beauty, value, dignity, joy and peace of human life and the human person are destroyed because evil destroys the good. The two stories in both readings show this destructive effect of evil. 2.      In the first reading from Genesis, the brothers of Joseph sell their own brother into slavery. In the gospel, the tenants of the vineyard maltreat and kill the master’s servants and finally his own son. Joseph’s brothers become malicious because of jealousy. The tenants become evil because of greed. Thus jealousy and greed lead to the heights of evil. 3.      Both stories point to the evil conduct of the people of Israel. Particularly, Jesus is the Joseph and the son of the owner of the vineyard in the two stories respectively. He becomes the target of the evil and envy of the Jews. They cannot tolerate his rising popularity. They cannot accept him challenging their shallow legalism and hypocrisy. 4.      All the more, they cannot bear that he challenges their authority, and undervalues their knowledge and credibility. They cannot digest the fact that he becomes the champion of the poor, the sinful, and the despicable in society. Much more, it is just intolerable when he exalts those low-class people over and above them. This reversal and subversion are highly inflammable. 5.      This story of envy, greed, and evil is not only a thing of the past. It is a present reality. Immense harm is being done because of greed and envy. We too succumb often to their onslaughts. Therefore, we need to become more conscious and cautious about the sad fate they would bring upon us. All those who are envious and avaricious and act maliciously will incur God’s wrath. 6.      “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons”. “The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits”. Failures in fidelity, especially in the fraternity will not go light in God’s sight.   Imperative: One cannot obtain God’s grace by force. One cannot force one’s entry into the kingdom of God by mere allegiance to a religion or by mere observance of some laws and activities. Ultimately all depends on one’s openness and fruitfulness   (Reflection 2)   Focus: The more we give in to evil inclinations and actions, the more we lose our humaneness and become liable to a strict divine justice   Jealousy, greed, and malice destroy the goodness of the human soul, throw him into the abyss of evil intentions and finally lead to enormous damage to others. Human history from its very beginnings bears ample testimonies to this play of human perversions.   The story of Joseph in Genesis and the story of the wicked tenants in the gospel are vivid examples of the ugly heads of jealousy, greed and malice. The brothers of Joseph are consumed by the fire of jealousy; they completely forget their fraternal bond and responsibility toward Joseph. The tenants in the gospel are consumed by greed. They forget the fact that they are only tenants and not the owners.   They overstep! They completely lose sight of the benevolence of the owner toward them. They fail to be grateful. They fail in their duty of being accountable and render to the owner what is his due. They covet the master's property. They become so malicious to plot and kill all who are a threat to achieving what they desire.   The world of today is no different from those times. Perhaps, it may be even worse. How deplorable it is that the heights of knowledge and progress have not cleansed man from the diseases of jealousy, greed and malice! What a sea of offence, violence, and destruction is created, because of malice, rooted in jealousy and avarice!   Direction: Only a few realize that jealousy, greed, and malice are devilish and are self-destructive and utterly detestable before God   02 MARCH 2024: MICAH 7. 14-15, 18-20; LUKE 15. 1-32 Focus: Love, bounteously forgiving! Indicative: The greatest beauty of our God is His mercy and eagerness to forgive us and re-embrace us, no sooner than we repent and return to Him   1.      The prayer in Micah is a reaffirmation of God's unconditioned and untiring mercy to forgive and restore His people to prosperity and bliss. The parable of the prodigal son in the gospel is a vivid illustration and dramatization of this truth. 2.      What is noteworthy and praiseworthy is the unfailing love of the father. He readily forgets and forgives the whole perversion of the prodigal son and the ruin he brought about. He has no rebukes, no blames, no lessons on morality, no reminders about his past wrongdoings, no conditions to accept back. 3.      There are no renewal programs or punitive measures. The point here is not to dispute whether doing wrong is culpable and punishable or not. It is also not undermining the value of preventive, reformative or retributive measures. 4.      The whole focus and emphasis is on the mercy of the Father which has no bounds and no reasons. He knows that his son realized and repented. It is enough that he returns and mends his ways. The faulty past does not matter but the changed present. What he was or what he did till then, does not matter, but what he will be and what he will do then on, will only matter. 5.      The elder son is a typical human character like many of us: so self-righteous, judging and condemning others. Strictly speaking, he has nothing to lose, with the return of his younger brother. 6.      What are his due remain - his share of the property, his respect, his position, etc. Is he feeling bad that he could not be "free" and "enjoy" like his brother? Is he feeling sad that his obedience and discipline are a waste? Does he feel jealous and he cannot digest the fact that his brother is restored to his lost dignity, which he does not deserve at all?   Imperative: God's mercy and forgiveness, His eagerness to reconcile and restore us are our richest founts of hope and consolation. These should drive us to sincere repentance and not a tendency to take for granted.   (Reflection 2)   1.      We have the famous parable of the Prodigal son in today’s gospel. What is conspicuous in this parable is the "lost" aspect, the"prodigality" on one hand, and on the other hand, the spirit of condescension, search and the joy of finding the lost and the celebration of the occasion 2.      The fact of loss pertains to human nature and that of merciful search pertains to God. All of us are imperfect, vulnerable and prone to falling and being lost. The awareness of this fact teaches and instils in us a deep sense of inadequacy and humility. This guards us against an undue sense of self-sufficiency and arrogance. This dispels our false airs and keeps our feet on the ground 3.      How sad it is that some are so blind to their human fragility, and do not accept their fallibility! They rate themselves to be perfect and infallible and behave very self-righteous and arrogantly. They become so hypocritical 4.      On the other hand, there is the indulgent mercy of God to overlook, condone and forgive our wayward tendency to be lost and to get deviated. How comforting and elevating it is to know that our God is so merciful to us that He does not abandon us to our fate, does not judge and condemn us for our human defectibility, and does not penalise us! 5.      This sublime divine exuberance should not make us lenient and self-indulgent. Often this trust in God's mercy makes some take for granted His grace of forgiving mercy and become easy-going. But instead, it should make us more responsible to live up to the gift of His mercy. 6.      It should make us more determined and committed to merit His mercy, to keep up His trust in our docility to change, to deeply nurture a genuine sense of repentance, and to spare no efforts to be converted and live a renewed life.