22 SUNDAY OF THE YEAR 25

22nd SUNDAY: HUMILITY 31 AUGUST 2025, SIRACH 3. 17-18, 20, 28-29; HEB 12. 18-19, 22-24; LUKE 14. 1, 7-14 Thrust: Humble yourself! Indicative: In a world that is neck-deep in self-pride and rides on destructive self-glory, humility is the greatest healing and restoring balm 1. “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” is the central teaching of Jesus in today’s gospel. This is highly relevant and exigent for our present society. 2. The world suffers so much from the lack of humility. There is a boisterous ego that shows itself in unbridled arrogance, false dignity, and cheap popularity. This leads to hurtful and harmful resentments, hatred, conflicts, violence, and eventual destruction. 3. Therefore, it is worthwhile to reflect a little deeper on humility. Humility is not so much feeling or saying, I am despicable, True humility does not despise or reduce one’s worth or dignity, because it is God’s valuable gift. Humility neither trumpets nor rejects the positive in one’s own self. 4. Humility is not seen in a bent head or bent position, but in a bent heart and bent disposition. Humility is not just repeating every time that ‘I am good for nothing', but constantly realising that ‘nothing can be good without God’, ‘nothing good we can do without God’ and discreetly trying to ‘do everything good’. 5. Humility guards one against all self-complacency, self-righteousness, and self-glory. Specifically, humility guards against undue craving for honours and titles, against excessive seeking powers and positions. It is because they can easily puff up one’s spirit, and lead one to pride, arrogance, and self-glory. 6. An excessive craving for them and attachment to them easily make one behave bigger than one’s own real self, contrary to his real self and identity. Thus, they can degenerate into hypocrisy and duplicity, trying to act and pretend. 7. Contrary to the above-mentioned pride, self-seeking, and false humility, True humility constantly realises the fallibility of the self and thus never relies on one’s own ego. True humility readily feels the deep sense of inadequacy and the vanity of self-complacency. 8. True humility sincerely realises how small, restricted, confined and ‘congested’ it is in its own space, and so willingly and reverently makes ‘space’ for God. The more we consciously reduce our ego, the more we grow in humility. True humility manifests itself in deep respect, an unoffensive approach, and a patient listening and understanding of the other 9. True humility readily clings to the Lord, overwhelmed by His tender love and abundant mercy, despite our recurrent imperfections. True humility hastens its steps to embrace the Lord with its weak and tiny hands, making a total surrender of the whole self. 10. If only we have a little ounce of humility, how many problems can be avoided, how many needless arguments, disputes, and conflicts can be resolved, how much beauty and joy can increase in our lives, how much love and fraternity can abound in our relationships, how much authentic and effective we can become in our mission and ministries! Imperative: Blessed is that humility which keeps a correct image of the self, regards the other with esteem, and surrenders to God in simple love!

21 st SUNDAY OF THE YEAR 25

21st SUNDAY, 24 AUGUST 2025, IS 66. 18-21; HEB 12. 5-7, 11-13; LUKE 13. 22-30 Focus: Our destiny is to enter the reign of God, to be in eternal communion with Him, to celebrate life with Him. But how to enter there? What will qualify us to enter the reign of God? 1. Hear what the Lord says in the gospel: “Many will say, ‘we ate and drank with you, we listened to you teaching us’. But I will respond, ‘I never knew you, depart from me, you evildoers”. 2. Really Shocking and frightening words of Jesus in the gospel. The God who said, “I knew you even before you were formed in your mother’s womb” (Jer 5. 1); He who said, “I know you by your name” (Is 43. 1); He who said, “I have written your names in the palm of my hands” (Is 49. 16). The same Lord says to us now, “I do not know you”. What does this mean? 3. In the first place, just celebrating some occasions of eating and drinking together, or some occasions of listening to the teachings of the Lord, will not merit anyone to enter the kingdom. These are good but not enough. 4. These may be matters of convenience, which do not demand much. But what the Lord expects is sacrifice and commitment. In other words, this is entering through the narrow door. 5. Many times many try to enter through the broad door, and not through the narrow door. That is, many prefer to do what is convenient, what does not demand much from them, and not what is difficult and committing. We can examine some simple details: 6. It may be convenient to eat and drink together in partying, but is more difficult to participate in the Eucharistic meal. It may be convenient to listen to the Lord’s teachings but is more difficult to put them into practice. It is convenient to participate in a function that is organized but is more difficult to work towards organizing it. 7. It is convenient to spend time happily in a shallow chatting and yapping, but is more difficult to allot some time to speak about God and good things. It is convenient to divert oneself to worthless things but is more difficult to concentrate on worthwhile things. 8. It is convenient to take a dog for a daily walk or go to the gym or shopping mall but is more difficult to walk to God’s place even once a week. It is convenient to find space and time for some relaxation and diversion but is more difficult to find even a little moment for a little reflection. 9. It is convenient to spend money on what is for pleasure but is difficult to give away a little money for what is good for others. It is convenient to participate in some holy activities but is difficult to become holy. It is convenient to run here and there, day and night even for family obligations or work demands but is difficult to care for the duties toward God and good. 10. It is convenient to do some charity once in a while but is difficult to be charitable in everyday life. It is convenient to sing beautifully God’s praises but is difficult to restrain criticism and slander. It is still convenient to attend holy mass as a holy tradition but is difficult to live daily that spirit of the holy mass in unity, humility, sacrifice, and love. 11. What to do then? Enter through the narrow door. What does it mean? Do not seek shortcuts or easy means. Do not seek convenience or compromise. Understand the love of the Lord. Understand the value and role of discipline in our life. 12. Understand that God disciplines His children whom He loves. Allow God to discipline us. Be enduring even though for the moment all discipline seems painful and unpleasant. Be sure that it yields later the peaceful fruit of righteousness. 13. Therefore, as the Lord exhorts us, “Lift your drooping hands. Strengthen your weak knees. Make straight paths for your feet. And heal what is lame and dislocated”. Imperative: We shall be clear that we cannot please God merely with our wonderful celebrations or spiritual activities. They should lead us to be workers of good

20th SUNDAY OF THE YEAR

20th SUNDAY, 17 AUGUST 2025: JER 38. 4-6, 8-10; HEB 12. 1-4; LUKE 12. 49-53 Thrust: Fire that divides! Indicative: In a world that is often lukewarm and indifferent with regard to God and good, we need to be persons ablaze with fire 1. In today’s gospel, Jesus states shockingly: I came to bring division and not peace”. This really disturbs and upsets anyone and everyone because we believe that he is the prince of peace. 2. We pray to him for peace amidst all our troubles and disturbances. But, he openly states that he came not to bring peace but to disturb it. 3. Further, in a world that is torn by dissensions and divisions, we always pray for unity. But strangely Jesus declares that he has come to bring division. 4. This requires then to understand what exactly Jesus means by this division caused and the peace disturbed. 5. Clearly, the division that is caused by Jesus is not the negative, unhealthy and harmful division that is caused by narrow-mindedness, prejudices, and self-vested interests, in the name of factors like race, nation, religion, language, culture, caste, rite, et cetera. Such a division is a manifestation of a shrunken and narrowed world. 6. Also, the peace that is disturbed by Jesus’ coming is only the false peace that is built on comfort, convenience, compromise, indifference, lack of involvement, concern, and non-committal attitude. 7. It is thus a peace that shelters itself in self-demarcations and self-confinements. It does not allow anyone to enter into one’s self-made territories. 8. These divisions and disturbances are created because of the fire that Jesus has spread. What is this fire? It is the fire of passion, conviction, authenticity, vigour, and commitment. 9. Therefore, one who is passionate for God, convinced, authentic, vigorous, and committed will surely experience division and disturbance. 10. The reason is quite clear. It is because of the “contrast”. Such persons are on “fire”, that is, burning for God and His values are in contrast to the rest of the people of the world. 11. Their passion is in contrast to the tepidity of many others. Their conviction is in contrast to the compromise of many others. Their authenticity is in contrast to the duplicity of many others. Their vigour is in contrast to the passivity of many others. And their commitment is in contrast to the mediocrity and non-committal attitude of many others. 12. There is certainly difference and division between the true and false, between commitment and convenience, responsibility and escapism, between conviction and compromise, between firmness and instability, between sensitivity and indifference, between fervor and lethargy, between passion and mediocrity, between fidelity and defection, between honesty and deception, between authenticity and duplicity, between surrender and self-indulgence, between love and hatred, between altruism and egoism, between patience and aggression, between sentiment and resentment, between forgiveness and retaliation, between generosity and greed, between benevolence and malice, between magnanimity and jealousy, between sharing and grabbing. 13. Therefore such contrast automatically leads to resentment, opposition, division, aggression, and persecution. But then what should be our approach and response? 14. The word of God always provides some basic answers. Be focused, be surrendered, and be enduring. Jeremiah in the first reading and Jesus himself in the second reading stand before us as the models for this focus, surrender, and endurance. Imperative: The fire of many followers of Christ is either dwindling or almost extinguishing. We need to re-ignite it and make it again burning brightly and steadily