ASH WEDNESDAY 2024

14 FEBRUARY 2024, ASH WEDNESDAY, JOEL 2. 12-18; 2 COR 5.20 – 6.2; MAT 6. 1-6, 16-18 Focus: Reflect, Repent, convert and live rightly! Indicative: Conversion is the constant invitation for us. Blessed are they who hearken to this call for a worthwhile life and live accordingly! 1.      Today we celebrate Ash Wednesday, a very unique day whereby we step into a new liturgical season. It is the holy season of Lent. Lent is very special in the life of the church and of many Christians. Not that the other seasons are not important. But lent makes a difference because of its very nature, the process and the purpose. 2.      Lent addresses directly our human fragility. It lays bare before us our vulnerability that is prone to fall. It reminds us of our basic transience. Ashes with which we are smeared today indicate this sense of earthly nothingness, perishability, and impermanence. This sense is quite explicit in the pronouncement, “From dust, you have come and unto dust, you shall return”. 3.      Thereby the holy lent urges us to focus our attention on our sinfulness that fails us in faith and charity. In Lent, there is a focused concern with sin and evil. But the purpose is not to feel guilty, melancholic, and discouraged. The purpose is essentially positive. It is to repent and return to the Lord. 4.      That is why in the first reading, God summons us through prophet Joel, “Rend your hearts and not your garments; return to me with all your heart”. In the second reading, in his first letter to the Corinthians, St Paul exhorts, “Be reconciled to God… so that we might become the righteousness of God”. 5.      How to tread this journey of repentance and conversion? In the gospel, Jesus takes our attention to the three fundamental means of our whole Christian living and growth. These are in fact the three Jewish pilastric practices. 6.      They are namely prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Jesus cautions us against hypocrisy in practising them. It is not to make a show or display one’s religiosity. All these should be done in a spirit of humility, and right intention. 7.      The purpose is to grow righteous in the sight of God and toward others. Accordingly, our prayers must help us to draw closer to God. Our fasting must help us to be more self-disciplined. Our almsgiving must deepen our sensitivity, fraternal responsibility and charity. Imperative: Behold, now is the favourable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. God will certainly listen to us and help us. For He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; He will relent over disaster. He will reward us  (Reflection 2) 1.      Today is a very special day. We enter the season of Lent, a season of grace, a call for repentance and conversion. The reason is that our life, which is often failed, disordered, and disfigured because of sin and evil, can be remitted, rearranged, transformed, and elevated. Thus we can live a more beautiful, more tranquil, more joyful, and more pleasant life. 2.      Therefore this season is also a season of joy, This is not of sadness, as many think or imagine. Repentance and penitence are not signs of sadness, but the expressions of our awareness of sin, of our desire to make reparation and recuperation 3.      They are manifestations of our firmness to detach ourselves from everything that separates us from God, of our concrete effort to grow in faith and charity, and in sum, to enhance in a life of devotion and virtue. Therefore, when there is work and the increase of grace, there is certainly an increase in holy joy. 3. Today, the ashes we place on us indicate and teach us how we must spend these days of Lent 1) First of all, the ashes indicate our origin and our end: therefore the words are pronounced: you have come from dust, and you will go back into dust. God created us, He gave us this life, He breathed His own life inside us, He shaped us in his own image. So we must always have a deep and lively sense of gratitude, of dependence, of an inseparable bond, and then always try to grow in the spirit of trust and likeness. We must never forget our origins. But unfortunately, it happens in our days, that man neglects God and the spiritual side, because of development, material comfort, of human capacities. The world thinks it is self-sufficient and does not need God, and therefore tries to organize its life, throwing God out of the space of life. Truly a situation that reminds us and relives the time of the "tower of Babel". 2) We must always remember our end. Our goal is to re-go to God where we came from. Reaching our origin is the last point of this earthly journey. Therefore we must always recognize the transience of life on earth. Life on earth is only a limited duration. Everybody someday and in some way has to go away. The earthly life is like a journey, a pilgrimage, with a stabilized destination, with a destiny beyond. So we cannot attach ourselves to this world, we cannot behave like we are permanent on earth. As St Paul says to the Corinthians in his second letter in 5. 1, 9-10: when this dwelling of the body, the tent of earthly life, is destroyed, we all have an eternal home, prepared and made ready by God for each of us. On that day everyone must stand before the Lord for his judgment, and each one will be judged according to his good works and evils, according to the quality of his way of life. How many are foolish, living without any sense of responsibility and accountability? How miserable their fate will be! Those who refuse imperishable in preference to the perishable will certainly be rejected for the same imperishable. We reap what we sow! 3) The ashes also denote our weakness, our fragility, our human unworthiness. Without God, without His help, we are nothing like dust and ashes. Without the breath of His Spirit, we will be without life, without energy. This awareness must safeguard us against arrogance and unbridled autonomy, and grow in us the spirit of humility. 4) The ashes still indicate the state of annihilation. Nothing remains at the end. This fact must arise in us a profound spirit of detachment, of sacrifice. Be careful of too much attachment to things, to worldly profits, to great avarice. What is worth acquiring the whole world, but losing our soul? How much stupidity to cling to superficial things but to let go of the essential things! How much sadness to accumulate useless things but not obtain anything worthwhile! 4. The three pillars, that is, prayer, fasting, and charity, help us in this Lenten journey. Then let us begin our steps forward with confidence and firmness. (Reflection 3)  Focus: Lent is a God-gifted time to be bent on God, to repent for evil, and to be intent on good. 1.      We step into the holy season of Lent. Let us entrust our whole journey of Lent to the loving guidance of the Lord, so that this time may be truly a duration of renewal. 2.      This is Ash Wednesday! What does this day of ashes signify? What do the ashes denote? In the practical sense, ashes indicate total annihilation and nothingness. Hence the expression: "gone/reduced to ashes". 3.      In the ordinary common religious sense, ashes denote sacrifice, renunciation, and detachment. Hence the expression: "I have nothing but ashes". 4.      In the biblical spiritual sense, ashes denote repentance and penance. We find in the Bible, applying ashes to atone, to repent, and to do penance. 5.      The day of the ashes, with the call, “from dust you have come, and unto dust, you shall return", or "repent and believe in the gospel", reminds us of the temporariness and transience of our earthly existence, and also our origin from God and our destiny to Him. Life is a temporary transit, we are due to God, we are his due, destined to reach him and be with him. 6.      Therefore, in this temporary and impermanent sojourn, toward our eternal destination, how to conduct our lives? With the spirit and lessons of the ashes positively. That is, in surrender to God, with a sense of nothingness; in attachment to God, with a sense of detachment; and in renewal and transformation, with a sense of repentance and penance. 7.      In the light of the gospel, to conduct and travel this journey, 3 acts are proposed as effective means: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. However, the insistence is not so much on the activity itself, i.e. prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, but rather on their purpose and end 8.      They are namely, love and intimacy with God; self-discipline and self-restraint; and concern and charity. Therefore, in love, let us grow close and surrendered to God; in renunciation, let us grow more disciplined and charitable; in renewal, let us grow more and more transformed!   Direction: Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are not merely religious practices, but are true means and testimonies of religious spirit and living.    

VI SUNDAY OF THE YEAR B 24

6TH SUNDAY, 11 FEBRUARY 2024, LEV13. 1-2, 45-46; 1 COR 10. 31 – 11.1; MARK 1. 40-45 Focus: I will! Be clean! Indicative: Our ultimate motto is to glorify God through a life of goodness and holiness, bearing abundant fruits 1.      We live in a prevalent situation of sickness. It is not only the physical, but much more the emotional, moral and spiritual. In the biblical context, in reference to today’s Word of God, this is the “leprosy”. There are always traces of woundedness, uncleanness, corroding of values and estrangement from others – the typical leprous situation. In the light of the leper in the gospel, we can draw some lessons for our life: 1.      Realize: realize that we are lepers, unclean. This is the first thing in the process of healing. Realize that we are unworthy, undeserving, and we do not really merit God’s grace and mercy. That is why, the leper addresses Jesus, “If you will, you can make me clean”. 2.      Desire: Nurture a genuine desire to be healed. Be genuinely motivated to get rid of the interior leprosy. Desire or motivation is the driving force toward healing, and often the lack of it obstructs the process of healing. 3.      Trust: Trust in him that he will heal us. Trusting is also not something propositional, which is merely believing some truths and doctrines. Trusting is more a matter of deep conviction in the power and goodness of God. Trusting involves a warm and intimate relationship with the Lord. 4.      Surrender: With awareness and motivation, one needs to surrender oneself totally to God. Surrender is not a sense of helplessness or a passive resignation to overhauling situations. True surrender implies a profound trust in God and readily and eagerly approaching the Lord. 5.      Bear witness: Once healed and cleaned, what next? Bear witness! In the light of the second reading from the first letter to the Corinthians, we can easily pool together certain features of this bearing witness, especially from the second reading, 1 Corinthians 10.31 – 11.1. 1)      One ingredient is: “All for God’s glory”. There is no self-seeking, no seeking self-glory. Self is not at the centre but God alone. Whatever one does, in all that one does, whether big or small and whatever be the domain of action, whether spiritual or material, one does everything for God’s glory. 2)      Another component of witness is “Imitate Christ”. Paul confidently exhorts others to imitate him just as he imitates Christ. Let one not blame Paul for being complacent or self-righteous. Rather, such a statement only shows the depth of his conviction and authenticity.   One can declare so, only when one is sincere about it, only when one’s imitation of Christ is not debatable or spurious. Today, some gifted or highly competent followers of Christ may claim that they are imitators of Christ. May be!   But one has to constantly check and see whether such claims are ugly heads of overbearing self and self-projection. The only criterion for one’s imitating Jesus is the quality of life. The simplest test is whether one’s life conforms with Jesus’ own person, life and mission. 3)      Another feature is “No offence to anyone”. If one is a healed person, one becomes highly respectful toward others. He will take utmost care that he does not become offensive to anyone. In the present times, this hurting and offensive trend is increasing. In the name of fighting for justice or rights, standing for truth, opposing injustice and demanding good governance, or promoting right values, many become so ruthlessly offensive and condemnatory. One should remember that charity is the supreme principle, and no one has a right to offend another, whatever be the issue. 4)      The other features that can be assembled together are: “No self-advantage”, “But the advantage of many”, and “Pleasing all”. In contrast to a virulent search for self-interests, self-advantage and self-pleasing, we are called to set aside our selfish gains and pleasures. Always be focused on how to help and benefit others, and how to promote the larger good. Imperative: As humans, we may be often thrown into situations of sickness and sinfulness; what is needed is not to simply lament or blame, but to work upon remedying those situations, in humility, surrender and commitment. (Reflection 2) Thrust: Lord, make me clean! Indicative: God understands our human weaknesses and so He understands our failures. But He wants us to be aware of them and approach Him for healing 1.      We have a picture of simple but profound and genuine faith in the gospel. This is seen in a leper. Oh, What humility! What an openness! What confidence! What surrender! And what a sense of mission! 2.      He comes to Jesus. He kneels before him. He begs him. It is a gentle plea as he says, “If you wish”. He confides totally both in the goodness and power of the Lord, saying, “You can make me clean”. 3.      Will God refuse such a humble and faithful heart? The Lord is moved with pity. He stretches out his hand. He touches the leper. He says, “I will; Be healed”. And he heals him. 4.      We detect here the solidarity of Jesus with the suffering humanity. This is seen in his respect and acceptance of the leper, considered impure and excluded from society (Lev 13. 45-46; Num 5. 2-3). 5.      Any contact with lepers would subject one to resentment and disdain from others with the risk of ritual impurity and ritual obligations. But Jesus is least bothered about these issues. For him what matters the most is the person and his healing. So he heals. 6.      We also see Jesus’ total detachment from any self-recognition or publicity. He warns strictly the healed leper not to tell anyone anything. 7.      What a contrast with many today who eagerly and frantically seek cheap popularity and self-glory! Today the church too abounds with publicity-hunger. 8.      We also see the positive effect of real healing. Once healed, the leper goes around publicising the whole matter. He shares with others what he personally experienced. Imperative: I need to be open to the healing touch of the Lord. For this, I need to realise the need for healing. Also, I must become a sharer of God’s goodness to others                                                                    

V week days mass reflection of the year 24

05 - 10 FEBRUARY 2024: HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS 05 FEBRUARY 2024: 1 KINGS 8. 1-7, 9-13; MARK 6. 53-56 Focus: To live a new life is to be healed! Indicative: Life of sin invariably brings sickness in various aspects. It will be spiritual, moral, psychological, social and even physical. Such deformation by sin needs transformation by God 1.      In the gospel, Jesus is on an extensive ministry of healing the sick. He is always ready and available. It remains then how one approaches Jesus for this healing. For this, some basic requirements are there. 2.      What is needed is to hear and know about him, to recognize his presence, go near him wherever he is, to place oneself disposed to be touched by him, and thus get healed. We can marvel at the depth of people's faith in Jesus. They believe that even a touch of him can heal their sickness. 3.      However, all this is not just a matter of sickness and healing. It is more than that. It is a matter of contrast between sin and grace. While the touch of sin brought sickness and misery, the touch of grace, transmitted by the re-creator brings healing, health, and joy. 4.      Sin brings sickness, not necessarily a physical one, but a radical sickness. This disrupts human dignity, beauty, and propensity for good. We need then the power of new creation, to heal us and restore wholeness to us. 5.      In the first account of creation, God brings life from emptiness. In the gospel, we see a new account of a new creation or a “re-creation”. Jesus is the author of this new life. He brings forth health and wholeness through the touch of healing. 6.      This in fact is the real spirit of creation. And we will be faithful to this spirit of creation when we allow God to create in us a new spirit. This new spirit will make a decisive break from sin and strive ever to live a new life of grace. This transition and renewal need the healing touch of the Lord. 7.      St Agatha, virgin and martyr whom we venerate today, stands emblematic of this new life of grace. She was so cruelly persecuted and later killed because she consecrated her virginity to the Lord and did not yield to the sensual advances of her governor of Sicily in Italy.   Imperative: All of us need to be re-created and renewed. This is possible only when we seek the author of new life, only when we allow him to touch and heal us 06    FEBRUARY 2024: 1 KINGS 8. 22-23, 27-30; MARK 7. 1-13, Sts Gonzalo Garcia, Paul Miki & Co. Focus: God detests hypocrisy Indicative: We are truly steeped into a situation of duplicity where there is a contradiction between the interior and the exterior; often the external actions do not correspond to the internal disposition 1.      One main saddening defect of the practice of religion is hypocrisy. Many contend to be religious-minded people because they practice many religious activities and traditions. But their hearts are not really close to God and their lives are not in harmony with what they believe and practice. There is so much dichotomy between their faith observances and concrete way of living 2.       This is what we find in many religious followers today, irrespective of religion. In the name of staunch loyalty to God, they hate others so much and speak and act violently. In the name of strict adherence to religious principles, they totally violate the supreme principles of love, justice, and equality. In the name of faith in a living God, they can mercilessly kill others. 3.       This is all a fake and false religion. This is all a shallow and evil practice of faith. A religion that has no clean heart, a faith that lacks charity, a tradition that does harm to others – none of these are true. In other words, this is hypocrisy, a lack of correspondence between the exterior religious activities and the interior intentions and perspectives. 4.       There is also a lack of harmony between the religious practices and concrete demands and obligations of fraternity and charity. Hypocrisy exaggerates man-made traditions and policies and neglects and discards the divine precepts and true spiritual injunctions. Hypocrisy also cleverly distorts the understanding and interpretation of the Scripture and the laws of religion. 5.       Jesus recurrently confronts such hypocrisy of the Pharisees and scribes. They blame his disciples for eating with unwashed hands. But little do they realize that their own unwashed and unclean hearts are more detestable. 6.       They do many purificative ablutions but their hearts are not purified and not pure. As we see in Solomon’s prayer in the first reading, what is most important for true faith and religion is “to walk before God with all the heart”.   Direction: A religious activity, a spiritual practice or a traditional observance by itself is not a guarantee of true faith. All these must make one more integral, authentic, and upright (Reflection 2) Focus: The external traditions and activities alone do not guarantee the authenticity of a person. The externals should help one to become more authentic and also should express one’s being authentic   1.      God created us in His own image and likeness. This shows our human beauty, dignity as well as sanctity. This interiority is the most important aspect of the human person and society. No externals should mar or breach this. Rather, every external activity or tradition should help to live and foster this interior greatness. 2.      An exterior is sound when it corresponds to the interior and channels a clean and good interior. Whenever there is no such harmony between the interior and the exterior, whenever a good exterior becomes only a cover-up for a defective and unclean interior, then clearly it is hypocrisy. Unfortunately, hypocrisy is so prevalent always and everywhere. 3.      In the gospel, Jesus exposes once again the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and scribes. Following traditions, rules, and religious obligations is good. But all these should make one more authentic and benevolent. They alone cannot decide the quality of a person. 4.      This hypocrisy lies in the following aspects: 1) giving more importance to human traditions and observances and neglecting the more essential divine spirit and moral precepts, 2) twisting the explanation of religious matters to suit one's convenience and interests, 3) ignoring inner purity and using the external purifications and purity as a cover-up for internal impurity and a substitute for the internal purity. 5.      The human person will be true to his image and dignity if there is harmony and not a dichotomy between his inner self and outer acts. Life will be beautiful when there is a blend of a good exterior and a good interior and not a conflict. 6.      Therefore, we should guard against the two possible dangers: one is, a bad interior and a show-off exterior; the other is, a good interior but not shown in a good exterior. Both are defective! 7.      In contrast to this blameworthy hypocrisy, we have today the 26 martyrs of Japan in 1597, the first canonized martyrs of East Asia, who include St Paul Miki, a popular Japanese Jesuit martyr and St Gonzalo Garcia, the first Indian-origin martyr from Vasai, Mumbai   Direction: True integrity is an integration of both interior purity and external purity, being religious-minded and charity-directed.   07 FEBRUARY 2024: 1 KINGS 10. 1-10; MARK 7. 14-23 Focus: To be interiorly clean! Indicative: Cleanliness is mostly seen and judged in terms of the exterior. A person is regarded as neat and tidy depending on appearance. But what about the interior? 1.      Jesus once again draws our attention to the issue of defilement and uncleanness. He teaches in the clearest terms that we must pay more attention to interior defilement. We must check and see how our hearts are getting defiled and contaminated by all sorts of evil, negative, and impure thoughts. 2.       In Jesus’ own words, from the heart emerge all evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things come from within. Subsequently, they defile his words and actions. Thus, the whole person is defiled. 3.       The interior is the oven of all the evil fire of offensive speech and harmful behaviour. The interior impurity is like the pest at the root that quietly and subtly corrodes and destroys the whole plant. Unfortunately, many think that defilement comes from the externals. 4.       That is why we have seen and still see many taboos, many prohibitions, and many discriminations, in cultures, societies, and religions. Some foods and some persons are kept away because they are considered defiling, unclean and untouchable. 5.       In the present times, there is an increased concern for environmental and ecological cleanliness. There is a concerted drive against various pollutions. There is also more beauty or appearance-consciousness. All these are good and needed. 6.       But we must make sure that this concern with the external purity and cleanliness should not override the concern for the internal cleanliness. We must feel more responsible and committed to an inner drive, to a process of inner cleansing. 7.       We must collect and throw away the inner garbage. We must make our hearts, our thoughts, our attitudes, our perspectives, our modes of judging and deciding more clean, guileless, and maliceless.   Imperative: The present society will do better if it reduces its obsession with mere externals and appearances and starts giving more importance to the interiority and depth  (Reflection 2) Focus: Inner pollution is more dangerous and destructive than external pollution. The life of a person or society degenerates when a person’s interior degenerates   1.      We are living in a world which is concerned and worried about pollution of various sorts. It is anxious about ecological cleanliness. Thus, it also comes up on many diet regulations and restrictions. 2.      The whole purpose behind is sanity and sanitation. Such a concern is reasonable and helpful. However, the problem is an excessive concern for the externals and overriding neglect of internal sanity and sobriety. 3.      How many are really aware that there is another pollution that is more dangerous and alarming, and that is the inner pollution, the pollution by sin and evil? How many really bother to keep their hearts clean? 4.      How many sincerely check their inner health, that is, the quality of their thoughts, the quality of their words, their actions, and their whole character and behaviour? How many take upon a course of inner diet, with certain self-regulation and self-restraint? 5.      How many defy God’s constant warning to avoid what leads to a culture of death? How many knowingly disobey God’s explicit commands, warnings, and admonitions? How many give excessive importance to the features of their bodies while disfiguring their heart and soul? 6.      How many keep their external so clean and tidy while they defile their interior? How many invest so much of their money, time, energies, and capacities on what is temporary and worldly but spend very little on what is eternal and heavenly?   Direction: The profile of a person will be good when he guards his file of life against what defiles his interior and negatively compiles his heart   08 FEBRUARY 2024: 1 KINGS 11. 4-13; MARK 7. 24-30   Focus: Faith is not mere allegiance! Indicative: It is not one’s status or long-standing allegiance to the religion that matters in the sight of the Lord. What is pleasing in God’s sight is the unfailing fidelity to cling to Him despite all the deviating pulls 1.      The greatest sin of Solomon was his defection from Yahweh the true God and disloyalty to Him. As we are told, he became so vulnerable as to be misled by his wives to turn away his heart after other gods. His heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. He did not wholly follow the Lord. 2.       In fact, the Lord appeared to him twice and cautioned him not to go after other gods. But Solomon did not pay heed to this explicit command of God. He does not keep God’s covenant and His statutes that the Lord God has commanded him. Consequently, he incurs the just wrath of God and forfeits the longevity of his kingdom. 3.       However, God in His benevolence and mercy, does not tear the kingdom from him but from his son’s hands. Besides, one tribe will be retained and not all of the kingdom. This is the interplay between God’s fidelity and mercy and human infidelity and evil. 4.       In the gospel, we have a contrasting figure for faith and turning to the true God. A certain Syrophoenician woman approaches Jesus for the healing of her possessed daughter. While Solomon the chosen one turns away from the true God to other false gods, the pagan woman turns toward the true God. 5.       Great was her faith because it was adorned with humility. She falls down at his feet with deep trust. Perhaps many may brush aside this humble act as of no merit but as a sheer act out of necessity. But what makes her faith great is her utter humility that accepts and swallows even an explicit offence and humiliation. 6.       Jesus not only turns down her plea but also speaks derogatively, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs”. Here some may argue, how could Jesus who is above every discrimination and respects everyone and despises no one, be so harsh and offensive? The point is not that. 7.       There can be different plausible explanations for this unusual offensiveness of Jesus. Whether Jesus wanted to test her faith? Whether Jesus wanted to give us an example of humble faith in her person? 8.       Whether Jesus wanted to dispel our wrong presumptions that God’s grace is no one’s prerogative on the basis of mere religious allegiance? Whether Jesus wanted to make it clear that his primary purpose was to regain the lost people of God? 9.       Whether these words are not actually Jesus’ own but put into Jesus’ mouth by the evangelist who reflects simply the Jewish mentality of despisal toward the Gentiles? 10.   Whatever it be, what steals the show is her unshaken faith that could respond, “Even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs”. True faith is deeply humble and persevering. It is not easily upset and does not give up.   Imperative: It is high time that people stop taking pride and credit in their long tradition of allegiance and adherence to the church. That proves nothing. What is most important is humility to turn to Him and surrender to Him, and the fidelity to cling to Him unswervingly   (Reflection 2) Focus: True faith is always humble and surrendered and it is rewarding. At times, faith may be challenged and tested, but those who persevere will reap the fruits   1.      True faith does not cancel all the problems. It means that if one has faith, it does not mean that there will not be any problems. Faith does not guarantee the absence of problems or suffering. In fact, true faith proves itself only in the face of challenges and adversities. 2.      Faith shows us the way to do when faced with a problem. It gives confidence and courage. It fills one with undying hope even in hopeless and desperate situations. It makes one deeply humble and totally surrendered to God. 3.      Humility and surrender are not against the self-dignity or honour of a human being. This is indeed the possession by the Holy Spirit. But at times, this is thwarted and distorted by the possession of the evil spirit. 4.      In such moments, what to do? Turn to Jesus for healing. The pagan woman in the gospel turns to Jesus. The pagan woman with her deep faith wins Jesus' mercy and thus the healing of her possessed daughter. 5.      Her humility makes her not retort when Jesus speaks derogatively, almost equaling her to a dog. Her perseverance makes her answer with a firm trust that even the dogs eat scraps fallen from the children's table.   Direction: The more we are blessed and go higher, the more we must remain humble and steadfast in our faith and loyalty. Let us not seek false dignity and greatness in false status and arrogance, but in humility and surrender   09 FEBRUARY 2024: 1 KINGS 11. 29-32; 12.19; MARK 7. 31-37   Focus: Open to be opened! Indicative: Sin is not merely a cluster of evil acts, but it is more a fundamental disposition and orientation; it is a fundamental alienation from God, a grievous rupture of the intimate relationship with Him   1.      The biggest temptation is man’s desperate search to organize his life without God, and thus to do away with God. In other words, this is a closure to God’s grace. As long as man is closed to God’s action, he cannot experience the fullness and fulfilment of life. 2.      Without openness to God, man will experience insufficiency and inability in many ways. Therefore, what is needed is “to be opened”. Precisely, it is to be opened to God’s grace. In fact, the whole fault of the first parents was that they were opened to the Evil one, and not to God. 3.      But Jesus in the gospel reverses the situation. Jesus heals a deaf and dumb man. His actions like putting his finger into the man's ears, spitting and touching his tongue, and pronouncing the healing command, "Ephphatha" - all show his personal concern and trouble for us. 4.      Today, the same invitation and command are addressed to each one of us: "Ephphata" (be opened). You who are deaf to God's voice and message, you who are deaf to the cries of the needy and struggling, be opened to your inner listening. 5.      You who are dumb and not speaking God's word and good word, be opened of inner speaking. For this, we need our hearts to be opened. Only when there is an opening to God’s grace, only when we are open to His touch and healing, we will be set free from our inner bondages, and our inner energies will overflow into streams of health and wholeness.   Imperative: This is high time that we sharpen our listening to become more attentive and clear and our speaking to become more responsive and concerned.   (Reflection 2)   1.      In the light of the gospel, the message of God is clear. It is to be more and more “opened” to God and to others. It is to respond to the healing words of Jesus in the gospel, Ephphata (Be opened). While healing a deaf and dumb man, Jesus pronounces this imperative. Thereby, the deaf man’s ears are opened and his hearing is restored; his tongue is loosened and his speech is restored. 2.       Obviously what is lacking and what is needed the most for the present world is openness. Most of the evils in society can be traced to the lack of openness. It is both spiritual and fraternal. This lack of openness leads to deafness and muteness. There is spiritual deafness and fraternal deafness. There is spiritual muteness and fraternal muteness. 3.      Many are so self-centred and indifferent toward God and others. They are not opened to listening to the voice of God speaking to them. They remain so insensitive and inattentive to any prompting and inspiration of the Spirit. This is truly spiritual deafness. 4.       They are also not opened to speaking, to sharing anything about God. They feel it is something impractical, and abstract; for them, God-issue is purely a different spiritual domain that has nothing to do with the concrete world and life. This is truly spiritual muteness. 5.       Then, there are many who are not opened to listening to the cries of others in need and struggle. They close their ears amidst their own noises and comfort zones so that they do not hear, are not disturbed by their shouts for help, and thus need not be moved within. This is fraternal deafness. 6.       Then there are also those who are not opened to speaking “to” others. There are iron walls of non-communication in many families, communities, and in many other spheres of life. People harbour a lot of resentment and negativity. They are not open to understanding and forgiving when done wrong. Hence speech gets frozen. This is truly fraternal muteness. 7.       Further, there are also some others who are not opened to speaking “for” others. They see many victims of injustice and oppression, being deprived of their human dignity and dignity of a decent living. 8.       They see many struggling in helpless situations but not able to speak and work for themselves. But these fraternally dumb people refuse to become “voices” for such suffering people.   Direction: Ephphata! is what is most needed today. Let us be opened spiritually and fraternally. Let us listen to God and others. Let us speak for God and others. Let us be healed of our deafness and dumbness   10 FEBRUARY 2024: 1 KINGS 12. 26-32; 13. 33-34; MARK 8. 1-10 Focus: Turn to God or Satan? Indicative: Human life is always a daily story of two options – either to turn to God and good or turn to Satan and evil. The former leads to true satisfaction and joy while the latter to increased dissatisfaction and frustration 1.      In today’s word of God, we have two contrasting figures and situations. In the first reading from 1 Kings, we have Jeroboam, the king of Israel turning to evil and misleading the people also to abandon the true God and turn to idols. But in the gospel, we see Jesus turning to God and leading the people to experience the providential care of God. 2.       In the gospel, we have the miracle of the multiplication of 7 loaves and a few fish and feeding four thousand. Jesus feels compassion for the people hungry for three days; he thinks of the good and need of the people. 3.       But in contrast, Jeroboam thinks of his own throne. He fears that people would be drawn to the Jerusalem temple and thus defect from their loyalty to him. So, He erects two golden calves, many temples to any gods, and anyone a priest. 4.       The consequence of Jeroboam’s evil doing is infidelity to the true God and eventual destruction. But the consequence of Jesus’ compassionate doing is deepened fidelity to God, superabundance, and satisfaction. The hungry people were not only fully satisfied but there were also 7 baskets full of leftovers. 5.       This miracle once again confirms that God is ever compassionate to us. He is so sensitive and concerned for us. He will not leave us hungry and struggling in our desert and deprived situations. He will not allow us to faint on the way. He intervenes to feed us and strengthen us. He takes care of us and satisfies us. 6.        So, we are invited to turn to Jesus when we are hungry and in need. Confide in him. We need not be worried about the magnitude of the need like four thousand and the smallness of our resources like 7 loaves and a few fish. 7.       He would multiply them into superabundance. All that is needed is to find out and pool together our limited resources, place them in the hands of Jesus, trust his power and be satisfied. Imperative: God has compassion for us and He constantly takes steps to give us satisfaction and fulfilment. From our part, what is required is to trust in God’s compassion and providence even in desperate situations and be satisfied and fulfilled  (Reflection 2) Focus: Sin may bring quick results, temporary benefits, and shallow pleasures, but eventually it lands one into misery and destruction   1.      Sin alienates humans from God. They lose that intimacy and freedom with God. They lose their sense of worth and dignity. They lose the sense of confidence and joy. The expulsion of the first parents from paradise is very symbolic of this essential loss. 2.      It is not merely being driven away from a place, but it is a basic being driven away from their original dignity, intimacy, beauty, and joy. In consequence, guilt and shame, hunger and thirst, struggle and toil, want and dissatisfaction become their lot. 3.      But, the Saviour averts this sinful situation with his offer of salvation. In the gospel, in Jesus, we see this contrasting situation. We see a contrast in how Jesus draws the people to himself and thus turns them to God. 4.      He understands our situations of struggle and want. He does not want to leave us to struggle with our desert of dryness and hunger. He feels compassion for us. He attends to our wants. He alleviates our hunger. He satisfies our needs. 5.      Those who approach Jesus will never be disappointed or turned down. They will never be allowed to collapse on their way. They will have their fill and full. They will have, not only enough but abundance (7 baskets still leftover). 6.      As humans we are, living on this earth, we cannot wish to be totally free from situations and experiences of dryness, want, and worry. The fact is struggle and toil is part of our human life. But, we can always find ways and means to address these concerns. 7.      We can have the direction and strength to resolve them appropriately. And the best means is to confide in Jesus and to turn to him. Also, from our part, offer to him all the little we have, the seven loaves and few fish, to join to his mighty abundance. He will surely multiply them to feed the multitude.   Direction: When we hunger and thirst for God, when we sacrifice something in preference to his presence and word, surely God will take care of our needs.         

LITURGY FOR WORLD DAY OF CONSECRATED LIFE

World Day for Consecrated Life - February 4, 2024. Introduction Dear brothers and sisters, we have gathered around the altar to solemnly celebrate the 28th World Day dedicated for the Consecrated men and women. In 1997, Pope Saint John Paul II instituted this solemnity for Consecrated Life. This global celebration is attached to the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, also called Candlemas day on February 2. This day in a way signifies the presentation of every consecrated woman and man to the Lord. The celebration of this day is shifted to Sunday following the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, in order to emphasize the preciousness of the gift of consecrated persons for the whole Church and with the intention the entire parish community can join in to praise and thank the Lord for the marvels the Lord has wrought to each one through our consecrated brothers and sisters. The theme for this year is PILGRIMS OF HOPE ON THE PATH OF PEACE. “What would become of the world if there were no religious?" St. Mother Teresa pointedly asked herself. This impels us to offer unceasing thanks to the Lord, who by this singular gift of the Spirit enriched the consecrated life of men and women. While all the baptized are called to be “religious” in a broader sense of the word, those who have voluntarily chosen to follow Jesus have consecrated their lives to Him. They observe a specific spirituality, often patterned after the life and teaching of the founder or foundress of their Congregation. This special day draws attention to the conscious renunciation they made to leave behind their families and all that is very dear and precious to them, in order to be enraptured by the gaze of Jesus and to be missionaries in different parts of the world. This is their vision and mission. Our Holy Father Pope Francis exhorts the Consecrated persons with this message: “Dear friends, today let us joyfully renew our consecration! Even if at times we experience fatigue and weariness, let us do as Simeon and Anna did. They did not allow themselves to be robbed of the joy of the encounter with the Lord!” We gratefully remember the contributions the consecrated men and women make to the Church in particular and to the society at large. May they continue to be inspired by Jesus Christ and respond generously to God's gift of their vocation. We need to appreciate the daring and caring women and men of our world, who by their selfless service are becoming defenders of peace and givers of Life! Let us therefore joyfully celebrate and pray for all our religious men and women, who have served and are serving in our parish with utmost dedication, zeal and selfless love. Vocations to religious life are fast dwindling. So, let us also fervently ask the Lord for the increase of laborers to continue His mission. Penitential Rite Lord! we have failed to be grateful to the services of our Consecrated men and women. Many a time we have taken them for granted; we have not acknowledged their generous ministry. We feel sorry for the times we failed to respect their dignity and sacrifice. Hence we pray.... I confess to Almighty God... Opening prayer Celebrant: God of love and mercy, by the promptings of the Holy Spirit, you have been calling men and women to closely follow your Son Jesus Christ with an undivided heart. Like the Apostles, they have left everything to be with you and to be at the service of your people. They have thus contributed to the renewal of our society. Help them Lord, to continue to build your Kingdom with their various charisms and with their all-embracing love and joyous presence. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord, Amen. Liturgy of the Word Introduction to the first Reading: This first reading, taken from the Book of Prophet Isaiah, contains an overwhelming experience of the prophet in the Temple and his commission and mission. Interestingly, Isaiah’s call comes not in the form of a divine command, but rather in the form of an exclamatory question: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for my mission?” They were not questions even remotely addressed to Isaiah. Rather, God was speaking to the heavenly council, and Isaiah incidentally overhears the conversation. Nonetheless, Isaiah had to reply: “Here am I; send me Lord!” For prophet Isaiah, there was no hesitation and there are no excuses, contingencies, or “what-ifs.” If God’s call for His mission were to comes to us, what would be our response? Let us ponderingly listen to the reading: A Reading from the Book of Prophet Isaiah 6:1-9 Responsorial Hymn: I the Lord of Sea and sky... Here I am Lord! Introduction to the Second Reading: When Christ came into the world, “God does away with all the sacrifices and offerings and puts the sacrifice of Christ in their place.” Yes! Christ replaced these with something simple and profound: “Here I am, O God, to do your Will.” Synod on Synodality repeatedly urges us to listen and to discern God’s Will with the ear of the heart. What is the Spirit telling us today? Let us, in all meekness, remember that it is God’s Will and not ours that we are called to do. Let us meditatively listen to the reading: A Reading from the Letter to Hebrews 10: 5-10 Alleluia, Alleluia: “You were not pleased with burnt offerings. Then I said: Here I am to do your Will, O God”. Alleluia. Gospel Reading: As the scene in the first reading took place in the Temple, we see here too, Simeon was led into the Temple, “moved by the spirit”. The Holy Spirit is the protagonist in this scene. He makes Simeon’s heart burn with desire for God. That is what the Holy Spirit does. We should be asking, as Pope Francis suggests, “Who mostly moves us? Is it the Holy Spirit, or the spirit of this world?” This is a candid question that everyone, especially the consecrated person, needs to ask. The Spirit beckons us to see God in the littleness and vulnerability. Yet, we, at times, risk seeing our consecration only in terms of results, goals and successes. We look for influence, clamor for visibility, for prestige, for numbers. This is a myopic temptation. All of us would do well today to examine our inner motivations and discern our spiritual movements, so that the renewal of consecrated life may come about from thereon. Let us contemplatively listen to the Gospel Reading: Luke 2: 22-32 Points for homily Today we are celebrating the World Day for Consecrated Life. The world often sees it as “a mere waste,” a relic of the past, something reduntant and useless. : When we look at the history of religious life, we find that just a few decades ago religious life was so fascinating to young boys and girls all over the world. It attracted even people from well-to-do families to embrace a life of poverty and service. Francis Assisi and Clare, who ran away from their families to follow the poor Christ, in turn attracted and inspired many men and women to follow suit. The form of religious life has changed in the course of history from monastic, through mendicant to apostolic congregations. Until the middle of the last century, there was no dearth of vocations. The Churches in Europe sent missionaries to the countries in the global South to live and work in the most challenging situations with mission as focus. : But a crisis seems to have set in even much before the Second Vatican Council, around the time of the Second World War. People began asking, not so much about the future of religious life, but rather about the kind of religious life we need in the present times. The Second Vatican Council came at an appropriate moment, thanks to the inspired initiative of Pope Saint John XXIII, who wished to open the windows of the Church to let fresh air come in and blow away the murkier air that was stifling the life of the Church. St. Paul tells the Hebrews: “In the past God spoke to our ancestors many times and in many ways through the Prophets but in these last days He has spoken to us through His Son” (Heb. 1:1-2). The Son of God visits His people continuously in history through several persons and events to liberate them from various bondages and blindness. Pope Saint John XXIII and the Second Vatican Council represent one such event of God’s visitation (Lk. 1:68) to make the Church relevant to our times. : Consecrated life is a gift and a challenge. The religious are a vital and important group of people in the Church.They make a radical choice in their life to be an authentic follower of Jesus of Nazareth. In this age where money, power and sex have become primary values, for someone to choose alternate life of poverty, obedience and chastity is something truly radical in nature and courageous by choice. Being quietly pious and silently holy is not Jesus’ way of life. But having willingly chosen to live a life like Jesus in this way, one has to be prepared to suffer likewise. : When we go through the history of the early Church, we find that Christians were the targets of persecution. Persecution was an integral part of the Christian experience. Many ancient Christians came to believe that "to be a Christian was to suffer." Their deaths were seen as a testimony of the truth of Christianity. God doesn’t call everyone to make the ultimate sacrifice; but the Bible calls all Christians to be prepared to give a defence of the hope within us (1 Pet. 3:14-15). The key to this passage lies in “being ready”. We are in a state of “warfare” (Eph. 6:12-20) and our Lord may call upon any of us to witness to our faith. Today we witness many consecrated people, who are disturbed and challenged by the realities, determined to change the situation by their radical involvement. They become victims of external forces and suffer living martyrdom. It is our wish and hope that every consecrated person will make this commitment her/his own. Let us pray that they may be sensitive to the cry of the people of God, especially to the poor and be progressive witnesses to Jesus of Nazareth through their very presence and ministries so that consecrated life may once again witness a new springtime in our times. Prayers of the Faithful Celebrant: Let us now place before the Lord all our intentions in the form of symbols and pray earnestly for all our Consecrated men and women. Response: Lord, graciously listen to our prayer! Symbol - Shepherd: We pray for those consecrated to God by the vows of Obedience, Chastity and Poverty that they may seek to live their baptismal promises more intensely. May they always receive the grace to persevere in their commitment to the Lord and navigate their flock to the green pastures. Help them to serve as shepherds to the sheep entrusted to their care joyfully and responsibly. We pray to you Lord… Symbol – Ring: Ring is a sign of the permanent bond of love between two persons. Lord! you have chosen and commissioned the consecrated men and women for your service. Help them to intensify their bond with you. Likewise, may they succeed in strengthening the bond between you and your people. Be their strength and courage, solace and support at all times. May they always reveal the love of Christ to those they encounter and continue to enrich our world by their dedicated lives of prayer and mission. We pray to you Lord… Symbol- Constitution Book: Constitutions contain guidelines to steer us to preserve the Charism and the Vision of our particular Congregation and to transmit this spirit to our followers in every age. May we interpret them in the light of the signs of the times. May we ever remain faithful to the inspiration and mission of our Founders and the Congregation, with utmost eagerness and urgency. We pray to you Lord... Symbol - Step: “I have called you by name and you are mine; when you pass through the water I will be with you; when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burnt.” With these assurances, you have sent us, your consecrated men and women, to be your messengers of mercy. Help us, O Lord to be rooted in you and to be ever vigilant and willing to serve the poor and the needy with compassion. We pray to you Lord… Symbol – Hands: Our Loving Lord, as we place this symbol before you, we pray for all those who are discerning their vocation in life, particularly those whom you are choosing to consecrated life. May they be committed in carrying forward the legacy their elders and predecessors have bequeathed in building your Kingdom. We also remember all those who actively support the promotion of vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. May they see the fruit of their efforts in a rich harvest of vocations. Give to all those who are aspiring to enter religious life the wisdom and discerning grace to respond to your call generously. We pray to you... Symbol- Dove: Dove is a symbol of peace. Lord, may we all be instruments of peace and forgiveness. By placing this symbol before you, we beseech your intervention in the lives of various groups of people who have become a threat and disturbing elements to our peaceful coexistence in this world. We surrender them to you so that they may listen to your voice that entreated Paul on the way to Damascus, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting” and be converted as agents of peace. We pray to you Lord… Bread: As we offer this bread which will soon be the Body of your Son Jesus Christ, we bring before you the Leaders of the Universal Church. We pray for our Pope Francis, our Archbishop Anil Couto, our Auxiliary Bishop Deepak Tauro and all the Priests of our Parish. Nourished by your Body, may they be able to witness your values and build your Kingdom of peace and fraternity. We pray to you Lord.... Wine: Lord, as we bring this gift of wine to this sacred table, we pray for our parents, formators, collogues and benefactors. Through their sacrifice and timely guidance, we have sustained our beautiful vocation. Continue to bless them with good health. May they experience your peace, protection and care. We pray to you Lord.... Let us pray: Our Loving and Living God, we thank you for this beautiful day dedicated to our Consecrated brothers and sisters. This day is the day of grace and blessing to all of them who have generously opted to serve in our Archdiocese of Delhi for your mission. Increase your laborers, inspire the youth and create an urge in their hearts to set apart their lives for serving in your vineyard. May they realize that their vocation is not accidental or co-incidental but providential and that it is not a mere chance but it is your choice! Let there be a renewal of interest in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. May all the priests and religious be re-energized and lovingly re-commit themselves to your service on this day. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, Amen. Prayer over the Offerings. May the offering made with exultation by your Church be pleasing to you, O Lord, we pray, for you willed that your Only Begotten Son be offered to you for the life of the world as the Lamb without blemish. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen. Post Communion Prayer Celebrant: Ever loving Father and Mother, as the Gospel presents Simeon as a simple man, righteous and devout, these our dear consecrated brothers and sisters are simple men and women who caught sight of the treasure worth more than any worldly riches and earthly fortunes. And so they left behind whatever was precious to them until then, fell in love with your Son Jesus and joyously followed seeing everything in Him. May they cherish this gift and embrace it with all their heart and remain faithful to it until their last breath. May they overcome all evils and every temptation the present ultramodern world throws at them. May they be comforted in their sorrow, sickness and loneliness. May they enjoy good health and peace of mind. We make our prayer in the precious name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen. Let us bow our heads to receive God’s solemn blessing: Celebrant : May you, who have said ‘Yes’ to God’s call, be embraced by Christ’s love and follow Him courageously in the light and power of the Holy Spirit with hope... Amen! : May you, who are of great importance for the Church and the society, live the precious gift of vocation, always striving upwards toward God, energized by the appreciation and support of all the brothers and sisters around them... Amen! : The Lord who has accomplished great things in your life, continue to assist you with the intercession of Mother Mary to return to your sources, to take stock of your lives and confirm your commitment to continue your mission in the Church… Amen! May Almighty God bless you...

V SUNDAY IN THE YEAR B 24

5TH ORDINARY SUNDAY, 04 FEBRUARY 2024: JOB 7. 1-4, 6-7; 1 COR 9. 16-19, 22-23; MARK 1. 29-39   Focus: Life is short; So then? Indicative: Life is short; it passes away swiftly; this fact must not dissipate us or push us to quick and instant enjoyments. Rather this brevity must make us more responsible for every bit of life and time   1.      Today, one main focus of the Word of God is our mission on this earth and as the disciples of Christ. We are given some essential ingredients of this mission. 2.      They are Sensitivity and solidarity, a sense of urgency, obligation and dedication, and a spirit of unattachment to the world and the earth. These are seen in three figures, namely Job, Paul and Jesus himself, respectively in the three readings. 3.      The whole ministry of Jesus shows this divine sensitivity and solidarity toward the suffering humanity. He preaches the good news and offers comfort and hope to the downcast. He heals the sick. He liberates those in bondage by driving out demons. He cures Peter's mother-in-law of her fever and cures many of their infirmities. 4.      Our reflection on the mission and its components is not merely to know about it, but to do it, because now it is our mission. The baton is passed on to us. It is the very same mission of preaching the good news and healing. 5.      Our mission can be effective and fruit-bearing if only it is driven by the same components that mark the mission of Jesus and Paul. In a world that is getting drowned in whirlwinds of bad news from all directions, we are called to be missionaries of the good news of comfort, assurance, positive energy, enthusiasm, and hopefulness. 6.      The world needs to hear something positive, something healthy, something uplifting, something noble. We have bundles of trash that are bombarded around us. We need some refreshing and relieving bash of good tidings. 7.      The world needs healing from various evil forces. Much more than the physical sicknesses which never cease, what is alarming is the infection of mind, heart and spirit. There are so many mental-intellectual viruses, emotional-psychological viruses, social-moral viruses, and spiritual-religious viruses. 8.      Prejudices and biases, resentments and negativities, closedness and stubbornness, arrogance and haughtiness, deception and selfishness are highly infecting and sickening the world of today. The ugly effects of these viruses and infections are hatred, indifference, violence, corruption and destruction. 9.      Therefore, the Lord is sending us on his behalf in his name, with his own mission. He is trusting us and is counting on us. What must be our response and duty? First of all, we ourselves must receive the gospel and the healing. 10.  Because we too are so much engulfed in the grip of negative vibrations. We need the fresh waves of good news to drench us. We too must open ourselves to the Lord’s healing touch. 11.  But what next? When touched and cured by the Lord, we need to share it with others and serve them. This is what Peter's mother-in-law did and those who got healed by Jesus. The world of today needs so much the gospel of comfort and hope. It stands in need of liberation from many oppressing forces. It needs healing from many contagions. 12.  But to fulfil this noble mission and task, what are our requirements and equipments? They are Sensitivity and solidarity, a sense of urgency, obligation and dedication, and a spirit of unattachment to the world and the earth. 13.  We need to be both spiritually and fraternally sensitive. We need to be eager and prompt to throw ourselves in solidarity with those who suffer and struggle in different ways. We must know its urgency, because it is already high time and there is no time left. 14.  We cannot afford to neglect it or postpone it. We must feel obligated and mandated; it is not an option but an obligation. We must totally commit ourselves to this great mission. 15.  For this, as Job exhorts us, we must be conscious of the impermanence of life and the futility and vanity of placing our trust in the world and worthlessly running in worthless pursuits. This must lead us to a spirit of distancing ourselves from undue clinging to the world.   Imperative: The world needs rediscovery, restoration and re-integration of the lost energies and the lost beauty and joy of life. Only that is the real effect of Jesus' redemptive mission.   (Reflection 2)   Thrust: Know why you are and live what you are! Life-Journey: This is the whole purpose and content of all our vocation and mission: To stay intimately with the Lord, to listen to him attentively, and to be a prophet of the Lord, set on his mission. This is what Jesus did   1.      The gospel text of today places before us one day in the life of Jesus. This gives us a beautiful summary of all the days of his life. It was one whole of praying, preaching, and healing. These were the essential ingredients of his life and ministry. They were a perfect blend and never in conflict. 2.      There was no neglecting one or excluding one because of the other two. They complemented and supported each other. There was no conflict at all between his personal life and public ministry. One flows into the other. It was a mission-oriented life and life-permeated mission. 3.      Jesus’ ministry is extensive and holistic. It is not limited only to his close ones, like Peter’s Jesus’ mother-in-law but all others in that town. It is not limited only to his place but extends also to other places in the whole of Galilee. 4.      His ministry is holistic because it comprises both word and deed. He preaches and heals. It is holistic because it is rooted in his deep communion with the Father. He does not excuse himself from prayer or does not substitute prayer with work, like many. 5.      No busyness of his ministry comes in the way of his intimate moments with the Father. Rather he finds time in the early morning. He perfectly integrates prayer with the ministry. Receiving Jesus’ message and healing touch, what must be our approach and response? 6.      This harmonious life and mission of Jesus is a great lesson for today where often there is a great tug of war between life and ministry. Often, there is excellence in ministry but indifference, indulgence, and incongruence in life. 7.      There is so much activity in ministry but without authenticity in real life. Thus, often the spirit and fact do not correspond with each other. Thus, often there is so much neglect of prayer and moral values in preference to the bundles of activities of the ministry. 8.      Therefore, we must realise that Life and ministry are not contradictory but complementary. What we are and what we do must go together. Otherwise, people may appreciate us for the works we do but blame us for the life we live 9.      Further, Peter’s mother-in-law gives us some lessons here. She receives Jesus’ nearness. She is grasped by hand by him. She is helped up. As soon as she gets cured, she begins to serve him. Do we also allow him to be near us, touch us by hand, and help us up? Do we also serve him as we are cured? Orientation: Integrity of life and integration of mission are the hallmarks of Jesus. Can we imbibe a little of the same spirit as his torch-bearers?

IV week days mass reflection of the year 24

29 JANUARY - 03 FEBRUARY 2024, HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS 29 JANUARY 2024: 2 SAM 15. 13-14. 30, 16. 5-13a; MARK 5. 1-20 Focus: Which spirit – benevolent or malevolent? Indicative: Our behaviour depends on the kind of spirit that we possess. If it is a good and Holy Spirit, our conduct will be upright, and if it is an evil spirit, our conduct will be wrong 1.      In today’s word of God, we have two contrasting spirits, a benevolent spirit, and a malevolent spirit. The benevolent spirit is a godly spirit, symbolized by David in the first reading, and the malevolent spirit is demoniac, symbolized by the demon-possessed man in the gospel. David was attacked to be dethroned by his own son Absalom and he was cursed by a relative of Saul. 2.       But, how noble and humble David was! He offers no resistance against Absalom. He did not react against the cursing man. Even when his men wanted to kill the cursing man, David rebuked them, saying that it was permitted by God Himself. 3.       If God Himself wanted it that way, then who are we to block the way of God? Besides, he believes that such humiliation can become an act of atonement and reparation to obtain God’s mercy. 4.       On the other hand, in the gospel, we have a man possessed by an unclean spirit. He lives among the tombs, indicating his alienation from others. He was bound with chains and shackles, indicating boundedness by sin. He could not be subdued by anyone, indicating being uncontrollable and rebellious. 5.       He was always crying, indicating the nature of grumbling and lamenting. He was cutting himself with stones, indicating self-inflicting actions. All these are the typical characteristics of an evil spirit. 6.       Jesus heals the demon-possessed man whereby he becomes well-clothed and regains the right mind. Interestingly, Jesus sends the legion of demons into a herd of two thousand pigs. They run and get drowned in the sea. 7.       Certainly a huge loss! Perhaps through this, Jesus wants to make it very clear that the sanity and well-being of a human person are far more important than any material gain.   Imperative: The healed demon-possessed man goes around and bears testimony to God’s mercy. The greatest sign of our healing will be when we become zealous witnesses to the mercy of God  (Reflection 2) Focus: Faith puts a clean spirit into us, strengthens us, and makes us worthy in God’s sight; But the unclean cannot stand the presence of the Holy One, and cannot resist the power of grace as well   1.      In the gospel, Jesus encounters and confronts a man with an unclean spirit. There are very precise details regarding the possessed man's condition. These are very indicative. They indicate what are some of the clear signs of being evil-possessed. 2.      Living among the tombs indicates living aloof, cut off, and estranged from others. Shouting and crying indicate the spirit of grumbling, lamenting, and arguing. Bound in chains indicates being bound in the fetters of sin and evil. 3.      Not being controlled and subdued indicates undisciplined and unreined freedom. Bruising himself and others as well indicates all the acts and habits of self-ruin and harm to others. Legion indicates that evil is not a single isolated act but is always a bundle, a pack, and a series of wrongs. 4.      All these unclean forces always surmount and torment us also. All of us need healing and need to be made clean. But many a time, like the possessed man, we do not want to be healed. And like the people, we do not value and appreciate the healing, because we are more concerned about the material interests (loss of swine), rather than the persons. Only faith makes us approach Jesus, seek his healing touch, and be clean.   Direction: Let us come out of our wandering aimlessly among the tombs of our estrangement from God and others, and run to God to be restored to sanity and integrity.   30 JANUARY 2024: 2 SAM 18. 9-10, 14, 24-25a, 30 – 19.3; MARK 5. 21-43 Focus: Touch that Enlivens! Indicative: Healing is nothing but a matter of touch. Whoever encounters Jesus and experiences his touch, will surely be healed and begins a new life 1.      True faith is never mediocre. True faith believes even the impossible to happen, for as the Bible says, “Nothing is impossible for God”. True faith is to hope for the best even in the worst and hopeless situations. 2.       This is what we see in the gospel. There are two miracles by Jesus: one is the miraculous healing of a twelve-year-long hemorrhage of a woman; the other is, bringing to life the dead daughter of a certain Jairus, an official. 3.       Tremendous was the faith needed to believe in Jesus’ power even in such desperate situations. Jairus continued to believe even when he got the news of the death of his ailing daughter. The woman with the bleeding disease persisted to believe even after twelve years of huge resultless spending. 4.       Both the miracles were the effects of the power of the touch of Jesus. The woman was cured because she touched the garment of Jesus. The dead girl was restored to life because Jesus touched her with his hand. This confirms that the touch of Jesus is powerful and is healing. Those who come in touch with Jesus cannot continue sick or dead. They will be healed and revived. 5.       Both the miracles bring new life to the concerned persons. For the woman with a haemorrhage, it was really a new life. She was on the verge of total ruin: all her resources were exhausted; all her human dignity was exasperated; her hopes evaporated; the beauty of living was disfigured, and the joy of life was robbed. 6.       She was literally dying. Thus, her healing was not merely a physical matter. It was much more: it was a new life with a new dignity of the person and new beauty and joy of life. 7.       The mention of 12 years can be indicative. The girl raised to life was twelve years old, and the woman suffered from a haemorrhage for 12 years. The girl began a new life at 12. The woman too began a new life after 12 years of intense suffering. 8.       Jesus’ healing command, Talitha cumi (Little girl, arise) to the dead girl can be very indicative. It indicates that essentially all healing is a matter of rising. It is a rising from our misery, from our sickness, and from our death.   Imperative: True healing is a constant rising from hopelessness to hopefulness, from sickness to health, and from death to life. As long as we do not rise up and walk, we are not healed! (Reflection 2) Focus: True faith is not at all a matter of the power of one’s belief and getting things done by God. Rather, it is a matter of believing totally in the power of God, with total humility   1.       Let us reflect on the two healings in the gospel: the raising from death to life of the daughter of Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, and the healing of a woman with a haemorrhage. Truly the faith of the official and that of the woman is praiseworthy and meritorious. They place their total trust in Jesus' power and compassion. 2.       The official believes. He firmly thinks it is enough that Jesus lays his hands over his daughter. When he approached Jesus, she was at the point of death, and as he was rushing home with Jesus to heal her, she was already dead. But even then, he believes and takes Jesus to his home. 3.       His faith is marked by deep humility. Seeing Jesus, he falls at his feet and beseeches him. He keeps aside all his authority as a ruler of the synagogue. He does not consider it below his dignity to bend his knee before Jesus. Deep within, he acknowledges and believes the power of Jesus that is far superior to his own as a ruler. 4.       He knows that the divine and spiritual power of Jesus surpasses his worldly power. Such genuine humility is accompanied by an unswerving trust in Jesus’ merciful power. That is why he pleads to Jesus, “Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live”. 5.       The woman with the bleeding disease too believes. She firmly thinks it is enough that she touches the edge of his cloak. Unlike Jairus, her approach to Jesus was a silent act. She touches Jesus’ garment from behind and gets instant healing. But she confesses the healing at Jesus’ query, “Who touched me?” 6.      What is very remarkable in their faith is the extremity of their condition. The ruler believes in Jesus, even at death point, and the woman believes in Jesus even after 12 long years. Even in their most desperate situations, they do not give up hope. 7.       There were funebrial cries all around Jairus’ house. And the woman consulted every possible doctor and spent her every penny on her haemorrhage. Both were facing the most desperate and depressing situations. 8.       We can also note on the part of Jesus a couple of simple but significant factors. He shows personal concern. He goes personally to the house of the ruler. There was a great crowd around him. He was fully engaged. But he does not turn down the plea of the ruler. He takes the girl by the hand as he brings her back to life. He also tells the people to give her something to eat. 9.       Yes, Jesus never rejects our pleas. He listens to us. Of course, at times, we may not get what we pray for. But that does not mean that he does not care for us. His goodness to us cannot be calculated only in terms of favours. 10.   Another factor is he always transmits his power to us. It is this power that went to the diseased woman and healed her and raised to life Jairus’ daughter. Further, what is striking is that he seeks no recognition or fame. What a fantastic miracle of raising from death! It is the best means and time to shoot into gigantic popularity. 11.   But, he tries to minimize the glory of it, by saying that the girl is not dead but is just sleeping. He puts all the crowd outside the girl’s room, except the girl’s parents and his three disciples Peter, James, and John. 12.   After the miracle, he strictly charges them not to tell anyone. What a contrast to many of us who do a drop but do bundles of publicity and get mountains of popularity! 13.   At the end of all, what is needed on our part is to approach him in deepest trust and get into the realm of his touch. Jesus’ touch transmits power that gives new life. The diseased woman begins a new life with health, joy, and serenity. The ruler’s daughter receives a second life. 14.   Today, Jesus continues the same life-giving words that he pronounced to the dead girl, “Talitha cumi”, “Little girl, I say to you, arise”. Just as the girl instantly got up and walked, so too we must constantly allow Jesus to lay his hands and touch us. Once touched and healed, we must get up and walk steady and sane.   Direction: Faith may go through trials and may be tested. But God will never deny and deprive His grace and never frustrate the trust and hope of those who confide in Him   31 JANUARY 2024: 2 SAM 24. 2, 9-17; MK. 6.1-6 Pivot: Faith is a must! Pointer: There is no doubt that God is all-powerful and everything is possible for Him. But, in His love for us, He respects us and gives us freedom. It is for us to allow Him to teach and discipline us and thus we grow 1.      Reproof, correction, and discipline are generally resented and resisted because they are not in good taste. Accordingly, often, unfavourable situations, unpleasant experiences, sufferings, and adversities are considered punishments from the Lord. 2.       But today the word of God reminds us that they are part of discipline for a child by his father. A certain discipline and chastisement is a necessary ingredient of any true love and a steady training process. 3.       For the moment, discipline may look painful and unpleasant, but it yields rich fruits of peace and righteousness. Therefore what is needed is, not to easily succumb to dissipation, not to waver and stumble, not to grow bitter, and not to get defiled and unholy. 4.       But this is possible, only when one really “believes” in the Lord. Such faith demands that one is not easily caught up with mere external factors, or carried away by human considerations or calculations. Sadly, Jesus’ people were stuck to the earthly origins of Jesus and his external credentials (Reflection 2) Focus: Faith opens up to the action of God's grace while lack of faith closes one's receptivity and forfeits the free gift of grace   1.      In the gospel, we see what lack of faith does not and cannot do. It is seen in Jesus' own people, in his own place. Those people are not able to rise above their narrow confines of territory and blood relationships. 2.      They see Jesus just as one of them and nothing more. They do not recognize the divinity in him. They cannot think of something beyond their human considerations and judgments. They are caught up in their human and cultural prejudices. 3.      Thus, his own people fail to believe in him and fail to accept him. Jesus is truly grieved over their unbelief. Consequently, they fail to obtain the grace of God offered through Jesus. 4.      The same danger of unbelief is ever real in our case as well. We too may grow so familiar with God’s grace that we take it for granted. We may lose the sense of the sacred. Therefore, it is high time that we “lift our drooping hands and strengthen our weak knees, and make straight paths for our feet”. It is the right time that we strive for peace with all and for holiness.   Direction: God is ever ready and eager to shower His grace upon us, but He wants our faith to be open to it, to receive it and to cooperate with it.   01 FEBRUARY 2024: 1 KINGS 2. 1-4, 10-12; MARK 6. 7-13   Focus: God’s presence: the greatest power! Indicative: Firmness and steadfastness are the main things that are lacking in the life of many. Instead, we find a lot of shakiness, wavering and compromising. This is all because of a lack of rootedness in God and in convictions 1.      As David was about to die, he exhorted his son Solomon to be steadfast in God’s ways. He says, Be strong and solid, and keep the charge of the Lord your God. Walk before Him in faithfulness with all your heart and with all your soul. Keep His statutes, His commandments, His rules, and His testimonies. 2.       And in fact, this is the same and simple mission of all of us. It is to cling to God always and to follow His ways. In other words, it is to establish God’s kingdom both within us and around us. It is the same mission that Jesus entrusts his disciples. 3.       He sends them two by two. They are told to bring people to repentance. They are empowered with his own authority to heal. They are ordered not to carry any material securities or conveniences like bread, bags, money, or tunics. They are told to move away shaking off the dust on their feet when rejected. 4.       The missionary implications are quite clear. To carry out and accomplish the mission, first of all, a personal adherence to the Lord in depth, intimacy, and commitment is essential. Doing the Lord’s work effectively depends on being with the Lord passionately. 5.       Mission is more a collective and collaborative work and not merely an individual enterprise. We need mutual support. The whole thrust of the mission is to lead people to repentance and not self-performance. The focal objective is to establish God’s kingdom and not petty kingdoms. 6.       In this process, the sole equipment is the Lord’s own power, and that is the power of the Spirit. Thereby, we should not excessively lean on worldly securities, guarantees, and conveniences. They can be made use but they cannot be the crucial determinants of our entire mission. 7.       The pursuit, as well as the quality of our missionary endeavours, cannot exclusively hinge on worldly securities. Nothing of the world can overpower or replace the power of God. 8.       An authority is truly the Lord’s when it is spiritual and divine and not secular or profane. And all power and authority are meant for healing and for no other purpose or objective. Any authority that does not bring forth healing is a false authority. 9.       Finally, we should be so detached even from the results. We should not expect only success but rather should be prepared even to shake off the dust from our feet.   Direction: Ultimately our mission is the Lord’s mission and not our private agenda. Success or failure is not our concern but doing God’s will and establishing His kingdom (Reflection 2) Focus: Fidelity to God is always rewarding and the greatest reward is God's own accompaniment and peace   1.      In the first reading, David in his last moments before death, gives Solomon his last message. What a testament and testimony! It is not property issues or business tactics. It is a clear and firm instruction to be faithful to God and to follow His ways. What a heritage he leaves to his son! How many parents hand over this God-fearing treasure to their children? 2.      In the gospel, Jesus sends his disciples on mission. It is not any mission, of one's will and fancy, but his own mission. This is very well-defined. It is a mission urging for repentance, expelling evil spirits and healing sicknesses of various sorts. 3.      The same mission is valid now and forever. We need to reawaken the sense of sin and repentance amidst a general situation of indifference, tepidity and permissibility where sin is permitted in the name of fun and progress. 4.      We need to dispel the evil and demonic forces of aggression and harm, selfishness and arrogance that powerfully cling to us and dictate our lives. We need to heal the sicknesses of hopelessness, distrust, distress and anger, fostering hope, trust, serenity and benevolence. 5.      The task is enormous and we need to be equipped. But the greatest equipments are not the worldly securities or facilities or human capacities. It is God's own light and power.   Direction: Mission is a constant journey, entrusted and accompanied by the Lord himself. A walking stick and sandals interestingly indicate this aspect of the journey 02 FEBRUARY 2024: MALACHI 3. 1-4; HEB 2. 14-18; LUKE 2. 22-40, PRESENTATION OF THE LORD Focus: Self-offering for Self-giving! Indicative: Our life will be meaningful only to the extent it is presented to God in the spirit of self-offering and for the good of others in the spirit of self-giving 1.      02 February marks the feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the temple. It was after 40 days of his birth according to the Jewish law. In fact, he did not need to follow the laws and traditions. There was no need to be purified or offered as holy to the Lord because he is purity and holiness itself. 2.       His presentation in the temple is symbolic and significative. It signifies the function and effect of his messianic role. As the incarnate saviour and the messiah, he presents and offers himself to the Father in humble obedience. He becomes like us in every respect except sin. He subjects himself to human law and obligations in total solidarity with us. 3.       Further, his presentation ritual also indicates the effect of his messianic role. By his self-offering, he offers all as “pleasing” to the Lord. His purification ceremony indicates the purification that he brings to all. He propitiates the sins of the people. 4.       And the words in Malachi apply very well to his doing. “He is like a refiner’s fire and like fuller’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver”. 5.       From the presence of Simeon, a righteous and devout man, in the temple, it becomes still clear that the presented Jesus was destined for the “consolation of Israel”, “salvation that God has prepared in the presence of all peoples”, “a light for revelation to the Gentiles”, and for “glory to the people Israel”. 6.       The presentation of the Lord in the temple is a sacred call for each one of us, to be ever on the holy project of presentation, purification, and salvation. We are called to present ourselves as pleasing offerings to God. We need to constantly purify ourselves from all our burdens of sin. And we need to continue the same mission of salvation.   Imperative: The presentation of the Lord is a reminder of the beauty and duty of our consecration. We are consecrated to the Lord as offerings and we need to be committed to offering others also to God (Reflection 2) Focus: To offer oneself totally for one's own good is good but not great or out of the way. But to offer oneself for others' good is great and noble   1.      Today we celebrate the festivity of the presentation of the Lord in the temple. This is clearly symbolic and indicative of the nature and purpose of Jesus' life and mission. His human earthly life is an offering of the Father to humanity and for humanity for their salvation and redemption. 2.       Thus his life is sacrificial and his mission is redemptive. The ritual presentation of the Lord symbolizes his actual presentation by his death and resurrection. What a destiny and mystery! He came to die, but it is not to remain under the shackles of death to disappear completely. It is only to rise gloriously and thus make us live again. 3.       In his presentation is seen in one scene the whole story of his life and the culmination of it. In his presentation, we witness a totally different God, not a God who waits and appeases himself through various presentations and offerings by humans but a God who offers his own self. He does not offer merely some gifts and boons but offers his most precious Son. 4.       Thereby God reveals and reminds us of His very nature and of the nature of true love and also of the essence of salvation. Our God is a self-offering God; true love is self-offering and salvation consists in self-offering for others. 5.       Jesus' presentation in the temple is not merely a ritual fulfilment, not merely a chronological event in the history of his life, and not merely a part of his natural human growth. It is already an integral part of the redemptive process. 6.       His presentation is also a representation and invitation for our own presentation. Just as he is presented by the Father through his parents for the whole of humanity, so too we must present and offer ourselves to God for the sake of others. 7.       It is only in self-giving and surrendering that we obtain our salvation. And it is only in this life of offering that we fulfil our mission of salvation of others. 8.       As long as we refuse to offer and surrender ourselves to God and for the good of others, our life will have no meaning and no destiny. All the forces of self-centeredness, self-closure, defiance, and unreined freedom are clear contradictions to the very essence of our life and mission!   Direction: Undue self-clinging and self-indulgence, losing sight of surrender to God, and commitment to others' good are self-destructive!   03 FEBRUARY 2024: 1 KINGS 3. 4-13; MARK 6. 30-34   Focus: Sensitivity leading to Compassion! Indicative: Perhaps the greatest defect of today’s world is the lack of wisdom. While it is so frantically seeking riches and honour, it is so badly devoid of the inner power to discern between good and evil   1.      King Solomon was really wise to ask God for wisdom in preference to riches, honour, long life, and victory over enemies. He knew that for a leader, an understanding and wise mind to discern between good and evil is crucial for good governance. Nothing else can really match and replace wisdom. 2.       God was so pleased with the wise supplication of Solomon and he grants him incomparable wisdom. Along with it, he also grants him riches and honour. However, such a gift of wisdom will abide only when one is faithful to God. 3.       For the Bible says clearly, “Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Thus, as long as Solomon was walking before the Lord like his father in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward God, he reigned in wisdom. But when he began to waver in his fidelity to the true God, his wisdom also began to wane. 4.       In the NT, a leader is presented more in terms of a shepherd. Jesus himself presents himself as a good shepherd. He also expects his leaders over his people to be true shepherds. In the gospel, Jesus feels compassion for the people. 5.       This certainly shows the very nature of God as compassionate. He feels concerned for us. He senses our needs. He feels deeply moved by our plight. 6.       But apart from God’s nature of compassion, the reason for his compassion is a note to reflect upon. He feels compassion for the people because they are like sheep without a shepherd. This speaks both of the sheep and the shepherds as well. 7.       The sheep are directionless and deviant, either because there is no true shepherd to follow or because they do not follow the true shepherd. The shepherds too are culpable because they do not shepherd their sheep. 8.       The shepherds fail to be good shepherds because they lack the essential trait of wisdom. They lack that understanding and wise mind to discern between good and evil. They are more worried about riches, honour, long life, and success over their rivals, rather than wise governance. They substitute wisdom with the things of the world.   Imperative: The gospel notes that the disciples had no leisure even to eat. In the light of this, what many of the present shepherds lack is that ceaseless and relentless commitment to God’s work. Shepherds who do not love and lead their sheep; and sheep who do not follow their shepherds!   (Reflection 2) Focus: In life, the priced things are not so many possessions and positions, but wisdom, integrity, compassion, and dedication   1.      In the gospel, once again we see the deep compassion of Jesus towards his disciples and the people. He does not bother about himself but thinks of the tiredness and hunger of his disciples and the need for food and relaxation. 2.      He is concerned about the lack of guidance and of inner sustenance of the people, and their need to quench their spiritual hunger. That's why he teaches them, boosts up, and elevates their spirits. 3.      One concern that is impelling and challenging is the situation of “sheep without a shepherd”. What a profound and realistic observation and evaluation of Jesus on the people of his time! Our times are no different from those. 4.      Truly, many people today are like sheep without shepherds. It is true that many are without direction and due care. Many are like sheep without proper guidance and sufficient nourishment, be it spiritual, psychological, or moral. They need good shepherds. 5.      In fact, strictly speaking, there is only one supreme shepherd and that is Jesus. And all those who are entrusted with the task of shepherding the sheep, are actually the herdsmen, the caretakers. Today, a serious reflection and self-check must be on the quality of these herdsmen. 6.      Their main failure in their shepherding is not following the sole shepherd Jesus. These herdsmen ought to keep watch over the souls. They need to be conscious that one day they must give account. They must do their duty joyfully, and not reluctantly or sadly. 7.      And all, both the sheep and the shepherds must have a clear conscience. Their desire must be to act honourably in all things. The constant striving must be to equip themselves with everything good, so as to do his will, and whatever is pleasing in his sight.   Direction: Passion for God and compassion for others should always make our life tireless and our mission relentless. If we bother about God's work and others' good, God will bother about what we need.  

IV SUNDAY OF THE YEAR B 24

IV SUNDAY, 28 JANUARY 2024, DEUT 18. 15-20; 1 COR 7. 32-35; Mk 1. 21a-28   Focus: An Authority that empowers and not overpowers! Indicative: When God’s power fills a person, he speaks and acts with an authority which no human authority can give, because it is a power that is from above and beyond the merely human   1.      Jesus preaches the gospel and does miracles. Perhaps, there may be some others also who preach and perform miracles. But, the difference of Jesus is his tone of authority, unlike the Pharisees and scribes. 2.      People are easily struck by this difference. But, what is this authority? Where does it come from? Jesus had no office or position, and thus no official or juridical power and authority. But he had a tremendous spiritual authority and a moral authority. 3.      It is an authority that is rooted in his communion with the Father. In the words of the first reading from Deuteronomy, it is the authority that comes from those words which are directly put in his mouth by God Himself. 4.      And in tune with the second reading from the 1 Corinthians, it is the authority that comes from being free from anxieties. It is the authority that comes from being anxious about the affairs of the Lord, and how to please the Lord. 5.      It is the authority that springs from an undivided devotion to the Lord. This is the profound spiritual authority, rooted in God. It is also an authority that testifies itself in a sound character and conduct. 6.      It is this authority that gives his teaching conviction and clarity, and gives his acting the power of healing. It is the power of God that is seen in holiness and goodness, in spirituality and integrity, in faith and charity, in devotion and dedication. 7.      It is the power that challenges and expels evil powers. It is the power that directly appeals to the heart, stirs up the interior and transforms a person. It is the real integral authority that embraces in one stretch both God and humanity. Precisely it is this power and authority that was lacking in the Pharisees and scribes, but was abounding in Jesus. Hence the difference! 8.      It is this spiritual and moral authority which is badly needed today for every follower of Christ. Sadly, often, power and authority corrupt persons, make them arrogant and lord over others and become doorsteps for unhealthy and unholy power politics. 9.      Authority is used as a tool to woo or intimidate others, and also as a bait and magic rod to establish and propagate oneself, rather than God and His reign. Those in authority must make sure that their role is not a power-wielding tool, but a grace-building channel. 10.  But, a follower of Christ should be a deeply spiritual and moral person. Spiritual and moral authority is much more important than mere juridical authority.   Imperative: A person who clings to and exercises only legal authority, but is devoid of spiritual and moral authority will be nothing but shallow and less effective   (Reflection 2) Punch Line: Authority: Not subjugation but Submission! Guideline: In a time of degenerating authority, we need to rediscover and recapture the right spirit of authority and learn to exercise the same type 1.      It is not a sweeping judgment to say that today authority is getting corrupted. It is becoming synonymous with manipulation, discrimination, and domination. The real spirit of authority which is nobility and dignity of character is corroding. The real purpose of authority which is service and benefit of others is sidelined. 2.       It is in this context the word of God is resurging the true authority. True authority is to be seen in terms of spiritual tenacity, moral credibility, and authenticity of life. 3.       In the gospel, Jesus had this true authority. It was an authority with a difference. People of Jesus’ time marvelled at his teaching because he taught with authority. It was a teaching that was straight and direct. It was not teaching that was rhetoric but authentic. It was not teaching seeking to impress others about himself but impress God’s message and word on their hearts. 4.       From where does this authority come? It was an authority rooted in God in a deep spirituality, lived in a life of integrity, based on virtue and value, and shown concretely in benevolence through acts of healing and kindness. 5.       Jesus was totally united with his Father, spiritually vibrant. He was integral and credible. He was so authentic without any trace of duplicity. This was his real authority and not merely the divine power to work some miracles. This was the authority that made him different and distinct from others in authority. 6.       In other words, Jesus’ authority was an authority that was characterized by humility, obedience to God’s will, and solidarity with others. Any authority that is arrogant, does not obey God’s will, and fails to be concerned and solidary with others, is not a godly authority. 7.       Jesus’ authority was thus holistic, both in words and deeds. That is why he could teach and preach powerfully and also could heal and exorcise authoritatively. This type of authority is a serious warning and challenge to those in authority in our present times. 8.       How sadly the authority of today is mostly devoid of spirituality, morality, and authenticity! How many today turn their authority into a tool for self-projection, self-promotion, and self-glory? How much does authority degenerate into a means for subjugating and overpowering others? 9.       Today each one must check upon the quality and direction of our authority. Everyone, in their own way, be it in family, company, or community exercises some kind of authority. But the question is, is it a spiritual, integral, and benevolent authority?   Life Line: Unless the present authority regains that lost touch of spiritual fervour and moral authenticity, it will not be powerful enough to demolish evil and establish good