“Taking care that my life is neat and clean, so that the Lord may find me worthily waiting and He may dine with me!”

(Based on 1 Cor 1:1-9 and Mt 24:42-51 – Thursday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

Let’s get into some visual imagination to help today’s reflection process…

Imagine a Person comes into the room of your heart, this evening.
He is charming…
He is there with a purpose…
He is imposing with His charisma…

As this Fascinating Person approaches the door of your room, ready to step-in, some flash thoughts pass through your mind…

“The magazines and the books on my table…

Do I need to hide them or keep them away, so that He doesn’t feel shocked at the kind of materials I read?

The wallpaper on my laptop and mobile, and the pictures that are pasted in my room and stored in my phone…

Do I need to change them or dispose them off, so that He doesn’t realise the ‘visual food’ that is often fed to my mind?

The music that is blaring in my room, and to which I tap my feet…

Do I need to put it off and plunge the room into a silent mode, so that He doesn’t feel offended by the ‘audio junk’ that I dance to?

The websites that I go through, the history of webpages that I browse, the chats that I engage in and the jokes that I think of…

Do I need to forcefully shut-down my system or delete all the unnecessary files, so that He doesn’t come to know the ‘e-waste’ that I bombard my life with?”

Well, the time is too short…’cos He is fast approaching me!

Have I made a mess of my life…
… filling it with filth or unwanted aspects of life…?
… missing out on opportunities to do good or render service…?
… engaging in activities that are just not worth being exposed to…?

The Charismatic Person is all set to enter my room…

Have I made myself worthy and prepared, to allow Him to enter…?

Well, no prizes for guessing who this Mysterious Person is, that we are imagining about…
… Yes, JESUS – the Lord and Saviour, and the Judge who is coming into this world!

Is my heart ready to receive Him?

The Gospel of the Day is a powerful preaching by Jesus on the need to remain ready for His second coming.

Chapter 24 of the Gospel of St Matthew…
… begins with Jesus addressing His disciples on the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple (Mt 24:1 ff)
… and continues, with Jesus further explaining the forthcoming persecutions and calamities that were to befall

With this background, Jesus speaks of the need to be “watchful” at all times (Mt 24: 42)…
… and explicates it, with the help of the Parable of the Unfaithful Servant (Mt 24: 45-51)

One of the important realities of human life is “unexpectedness”

“Unexpectedness” strikes at many turns of life…
… an unexpected sickness or disease which pushes people into the pit of anxiety and worry
… an unexpected misunderstanding which damages and crushes our relationship with one another
… an unexpected financial crisis which drowns individuals or families into the sea of hopelessness

This “unexpectedness” can also strike our spiritual life!

And this is the danger, that to which the Lord raises our attention towards, by means of the parable of the Unfaithful Servant.

In the parable, the servant was entrusted with the duties of the household, while his master was away.

But when the worm of wickedness crept into the mind of the servant, he said, “My Master is delayed” (Mt 24: 48)

This is very much possible and practically happening in many of our lives.

As Christians, our Blessed Lord, the Great Master has entrusted many responsibilities and duties, to us, His servants.

But often, we tend to live in the comfort of telling ourselves that “My Master is delayed” or that “My Master is not watching me”

This feeling of the “Lord not being around me” makes us to somehow get into activities and engage in pastimes that are not worthy of our lives…

We let our moral lives be loosened..
We allow our prayer lives to be haywire…
We permit our sacramental life to be lethargic…
We enable our social life to be without the power of the Lord…

But the consequences of such “letting loose” can be disastrous, as the parable teaches us.

What is needed therefore….
… is a constant vigilance and a relentless perseverance in being faithful
… is an unfailing performance of our duties and being on the guard at all times

The Lord is knocking at the door of our hearts (Rev 3:20)

Is my life neat and clean to allow the Lord to enter in…?
… or do I need to make suitable alterations and necessary repentance
… so that the Lord may find me worthily waiting and He may dine with me?

We celebrate today the Feast of St Monica, that exemplary mother-saint, who was ever-vigilant in interceding for her child, to get back to the ways of the Lord.

She becomes an example for us to be always be focused on the Lord, and wait in patience and hope!

Her prayers bore fruit in St Augustine, the Great Doctor of the Church

May her intercession and example inspire us to live authentic and sincere Christian lives!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Beautifying our lives not just with an external show, but with an inner glow!”

(Based on 2 Thess 3:6-10, 16-18 and Mt 23:27-32 – Wednesday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

Wooowww!! Wooooaaah!!!

These are expressions which conveys feelings of surprise, wonder and great acclaim!

These feelings are articulated particularly when we come across a fascinating building or a great piece of architecture or a grand monument!

When we scan across through some of the fine buildings or monuments or structures around the globe, we find that many of these majestic edifices and constructions are actually tombs…
…or the burial places of many people.

A quick glance at some of those imposing constructions:

The Westminster Abbey in London…
… tomb for the monarchs and the famous people of England
The Terracotta Army…
… tombs, as sculptures, of the armies of the First Emperor of China
The Great Pyramids of Giza…
… tomb for the Pharaohs and the Kings of ancient Egypt
The Taj Mahal…
… tomb for Mumtaz Mahal, the wife of Shahjahan in Agra, India.

All these great wonders of human making, though tombstones, evoke feelings of Wooowww!! Woaaah!!
…Isn’t it?

The Gospel of the Day too, presents before us tombstones…
… in the form of the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law!

But what is the feeling of Jesus that is evoked?
… Not of surprise or wonder…
… but anguish and sadness… WOE!!

“WOE TO YOU!”

HE says….. “You are like whitewashed tombs!!”

We are at the last part of the condemnation of the Pharisees in Chapter 23 of Matthew.

And today, Jesus comes down heavily on them by describing them as whitewashed tombs!

They are beautiful in appearance from the outside…
… but full of dead bones and uncleanness inside!

It was the custom of the Jews to whiten graves, especially if they were in unusual places, so that people might avoid them…
… because of the ceremonial pollution contracted by the touch of a grave.

Num. 19:16, ” Anyone…who touches a grave shall be unclean for seven days”.

To avoid defilement by accidentally stepping on or touching a grave, the tombs in Palestine were painted with a lime paste or whitewash at the beginning of every year.

Whitewashing accomplished two purposes:
1) It identified tombs so they could be avoided
2) It beautified tombs so they could be admired.

Today, the Lord calls the Pharisees and the Teachers as these Whitewashed Tombs….

They were like tombs…
… dead, filthy.
But they were whitewashed…
… apparently beautiful and lovely outside!

They did many things to win people’s admiration…
… but they failed to please the Lord of the Law!

They exercised many times the practice of fasting…
… but they missed out on being merciful and charitable!

They performed many actions of prayer…
… but they were unsuccessful in helping and serving other people!

Human life has all through the ages been fascinated and attracted with the beauty of externals…

Anyone, anything which APPEARS good and captivating has captured the minds and hearts

Eve was tempted by the Serpent…
… with the delicious and good looking fruit

She got trapped!

Lot asked the whole Jordan plain from Abraham…
… because it looked nice

He got trapped!

Israelites made the golden calf as their god…
… because it appeared more attractive

They got trapped!

Today we are invited to check and examine…

Am I making my life a whitewashed tombstone..
… beautiful outside, but filthy within?

My life is adorned with a good house, fat-chequed job etc…
… but is my house is in tatters with fights and conflicts?

My prayer life is beautified with constant prayers and praises…
… but within, do I experience unforgiveness and hatred?

My works are decorated with frequent appreciations and admirations…
… but do I give in to corruption and insincerity?

My community life is filled with laughter & good words…
… but do I fail to be accepted and loved by anyone in the community?

My friendships are many & decked with parties and fun…
… but deep within, do I miss out on having a true and genuine friend?

If any of the above is true…
… then I need to really be wary!

Is my life being a whitewashed tomb?

The world loves to enjoy and appreciate the great monuments and architectures like The Westminster Abbey, The Terracotta Army, The Great Pyramids of Giza, The Taj Mahal etc…

No wonder they are beautiful and amazing.

But deep within, there are merely tombs…covering dead and decayed bodies!

Our lives may be a great structure…
… a wonderful edifice, in the eyes of the world…

But am I pure and holy within…?
… Do i seek for authenticity and genuineness deep within my heart?

Yes, Let us beautify our lives!

Let us truly beautify our lives…
… but not just with an external show, but with an inner glow!

May the Lord look at our lives and not say, “WOE TO YOU”…
… rather let Him declare and proclaim, “WOW TO YOU!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Living authentic and sincere Christian lives!”

(Based on 2 Thess 2:1-3a, 14-17 and Mt 23:23-26 – Tuesday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

In Milan, Italy stands a cathedral featuring a wonderful entrance, in which one has to pass through three doors, in succession.

Each of these doors has an arch, with an inscription, that’s traditionally attributed, to earlier times.

Over the first door is carved a beautiful wreath of roses.

Underneath is written, “All that which pleases, is but for a moment”

Over the second door, is sculptured a cross.

Underneath is written, “All that which troubles, is but for a moment”

Over the third door – which is the great entrance to the main isle, is written:

“That only is important, which is eternal!”

Do thoughts of eternity, permeate us and cast its radical influence in our every belief and action?
… Or am I stuck to being busy with the affairs of external trifles and obsessed with being engaged in only the ‘peripherals’ of life?

Am I a person plagued with only the “external” fantasies of life…
… Or am I growing to be a person making the right ‘priorities’ in life and choosing to make choices for a hopeful eternity?

The Gospel of the Day presents our Blessed Lord lashing out at the Scribal and Pharisaic attitudes of “being obsessed with the mere unimportant aspects of life”…
… and instead, invites us to “being interested in the real necessities and true essentials of life”

Jesus, in today’s Gospel passage makes a two-pronged attack on the religious leaders of His time:
“… tithing mint and dill and cumin and neglecting the weightier matters of the law – justice and mercy and faith” (Mt 23:23)

Mint was a garden herb which had a fragrant smell. It was used to sprinkle the floors of the houses and synagogues.

Dill, also known as Anise, was a plant used as a spice and in medicine
Cumin, was a plant with seeds that have a bitter warm taste and an aromatic flavour

The Jewish Law required that a “tenth of the produce of the earth” be given as tithe (Lev 27:30)

This ‘produce of the earth’ was generally considered only to be limited to the common grains and items like corn, oil, wine etc.

Tiny garden herbs were not considered part of it.

However, the religious leaders, in their over-zeal to keep the law, made it a point to include even the minutest herbs, in their ‘tithing custom’.

Unfortunately, this over-zeal for the “peripheral and externals” of the law, made them to completely neglect the more important requirements of the law…
… the fragrant ‘mint’ of “justice” was denied to those in need
… the spiced ‘dill’ of “mercy” was not offered to those suffering
… the aromatic ‘cumin’ of “faith” was not displayed in situations where it mattered most

Transient aspects of life had far-overtaken their priorities over the eternal truths required from life!
“… cleansing the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside being full of extortion and rapacity” (Mt 23: 25)

The Jewish oral law gave rules and regulations with respect to washing and cleansing – of oneself and of the vessels used.

However, the religious leaders, in their “strict external observance” of the Law, completely missed in having also an internal purification…
… the washing of the ‘dirt’ on the outside failed to wash the ‘dirt’ of greed and avarice from their minds
… the cleaning of the ‘stains’ on the external were unable to cleanse the ‘stains’ of materialism and covetousness in their hearts

Transient aspects of life had far-overtaken their priorities over the eternal truths required from life!

And so the Lord charges them with “a vocabulary of strong condemnation” – ‘Hypocrites’ – in order to make them realize their mistake.

Theirs was a case of misplaced priorities of life

Are we in the same boat as that of these Pharisees and Scribes?

Are we also people who invest a great deal on the “externals and peripherals of life”…
… but fail to give any priority or importance to the “true, real and eternal aspects of life?”

I may be a person who, perhaps, spends a lot of time on prayer, reading the Bible, engaging in devout activities etc
…. But do these pious actions also make me to become a person of “humility, service and grow in genuine relationships with one another?”

I may be a person who likes to participate in Church Fests and engaging in a lot of works for the Church and even contributing materially much
…. But do these ‘great actions of charity’ also help me to grow in my love for the Lord, personally and also help me to reach out to the poor and needy, in their craving for love and acceptance?

I may be a person who treasures having the statues and relics of saints, garlanding holy statues and offering them flowers, collecting exquisite rosaries, medals and other religious articles etc
…. But do these ‘external objects’ help me to look deeper into myself so that I too may grow deeper in serving the Lord with a spirit of self-sacrifice and dependence on God?

The Lord does not object to any of our “external” actions of piety or devotions.

But He certainly challenges and indisputably impels us to ‘grow beyond the peripherals’…
… and to focus on the ‘weightier aspects of our faith in Him’

This ‘focus on the greater essentials’ will definitely…
… cause inconvenience in our comforts
… and challenge us to be humbler

It is, however, this “proper prioritizing” that our Blessed Lord demands of us!

Let us live authentic and sincere Christian lives, realizing always…
… “That only is important, which is eternal!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Letting go our life, like St Bartholomew (Nathanael), into the Hands of this Wise and Knowing God – the One Who is aware of every moment of our life – our past, our present and our future!”

(Based on the Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle)

An elderly person sat under a mango tree in his garden in the noonday heat.

As he sat, he looked at the pumpkin vines that were growing nearby, and said to himself: “How foolish God is!

Here he puts a big heavy pumpkin on to a weak vine branch and so can’t do anything, but simply lie on the ground!
And then He hangs these small little mangoes on a huge tree which can actually hold very heavy objects!

If I were God, I think I could do better than that!”

Just then, a bit of breeze came up…
… and knocked a loose mango off the tree.

It fell right on the man’s head…
… causing a little bump on his head!

This made him sadder… but wiser, and he quipped: “Oh! Suppose if that had been a pumpkin! Gosh!!”

And he went on to say: “Never again will I try to plan the world for God.

Instead I shall be thankful to Him, for He has done so well…
… He knows what’s best for me, every time!”

The knowledge and wisdom of God is indeed incomprehensible…
… In His Wisdom, He has created all things good
… By His Knowledge, He has fashioned all things for the best use

Are we ready to let go our life into the Hands of this Wise and Knowing God…
… the One who is aware of every moment of our life – our past, our present and our future?

Today we celebrate the Feast of St Bartholomew…
… who experienced this great Knowledge and Wisdom of the Lord in his encounter with Jesus

And surrendered his life, to follow the Master, till the end – faithfully!

When we compare the Gospels, we notice something interesting…
Bartholomew is not mentioned in the Gospel of John – but Nathanael is!

Nathanael is not mentioned in the Synoptic Gospels (Mathew, Mark and Luke) – but Bartholomew is!

In the Gospel of John, Nathanael is mentioned in connection with Philip

In the Synoptic Gospels, Bartholomew is mentioned in connection with Philip

Thus, based on these aspects along with the ancient tradition of the Church, Bartholomew and Nathanael are identified as the same person.

The Gospel of the Day (Jn 1:45-51) on this Feast Day is the call of Nathanael from the Gospel of St John.

The Gospel says that when Jesus saw Nathanael coming, He said of him: “Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him” (Jn 1: 47)

On hearing this, Nathanael said to Jesus: “How do You know me?” (Jn 1: 48a)

This question – How do You know me?” – is indeed worth reflecting on.

From a peripheral look, we observe…
… This was probably the first time Jesus was meeting him, so Nathanael naturally was wondering how he was known.
… Nathanael also did not have a very high opinion regarding Nazareth, the place where Jesus came from and so would have wondered how a Person from there, knew him.

On a deeper level, we also observe…
… Nathanael was probably feeling within himself, “Does He really know who I am and what are the thoughts and desires of my heart?”
… He perhaps, was also wondering, “Would He also be knowing my past and perhaps even have an idea about my future?”

“How do You know me?” – the question by Nathanael to Jesus is a query asked by us too…
… perhaps in various forms..

“How do you know my past?”
Do you really know, O Lord, my past…
… the struggling times that I have gone through?
… the bad childhood, perhaps, or the disturbing experiences as I grew up in life?
… the hurts and the wounds and the injuries that I still carry in my heart and causes me pain?

“How do you know my present?”
Do you really know, O Lord, my present…
… the manner in which I am not accepted by others?
… the ways in which success evades me, despite the hard efforts I put in?
… the daily grinds of life to which I often have no solution and thus totally discouraged?

“How do you know my future?”
Do you really know, O Lord, my future…
… the anxieties of my unclear future and the fear of which direction I need to go ahead?
… the feeling of “I am lost” while taking decisions and unsure if I am walking the right path?
… the tension I go through on what will happen to me and my loved ones in the days to come?

But the Lord, Who answered Nathanael…
… had the knowledge of his past
… his present
… and his future

The Present: “Here IS a true Israelite. There IS no duplicity in him” (Jn 1: 47)
The Past: “Before Philip called you, I SAW you under the fig tree” (Jn 1: 48b)
The Future: “Amen, Amen, I say to you, you WILL see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man” (Jn 1: 51)

Turning His gaze on each one of us…
… with tenderness and love, the Lord tells us:
“I know you, My Child!
I know your past…your present… and your future”

Psalm 139 very beautifully speaks of how…
… the Lord intimately knows us!
… the Lord is clearly aware of all our thoughts and movements!
… the Lord is very personally with us in every situation of our life!

The Lord, Who knows our everything – beyond the borders of time – invites us…
… to trust in Him more
… to be aware of His Providence guiding us always!
… to give ourselves entirely to Him in love and obedience!

Many times, we might feel things are not okay with us…
… we might even complain against God and have an attitude: “If I were God, I think I could do better than that!”

But those could be moments, when we are given a gentle reminder by the Lord…
… through perhaps, some difficulties or troubles in life…

Which ought to make us realize: “Never again will I try to plan the world for God.

Instead I shall be thankful to Him, for He has done so well…
… He knows what’s best for me, every time!”

May St Bartholomew (Nathanael) intercede and inspire us: To let go our life into the Hands of this Wise and Knowing God…
… the One Who is aware of every moment of our life – our past, our present and our future!

Happy Feast Day to you!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Firmly professing our Faith, and taking firm refuge in the Church, as our ‘travelling Guide,’ so that, our travel becomes a beautiful melody – filled with joy and mirth!”

(Based on Is 22:19-23, Rom 11:33-36 and Mt 16:13-20 – 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A)

An incident is said about a visitor, when he came to River Mississippi (the second longest river in North America).

He had to go across the river, but found that there was no bridge.

Fortunately, it was winter time, and the great river was completed sheeted over with ice.

But the visitor was afraid to walk over the ice, not knowing its thickness.

Finally, with immense caution and fear, he began to creep on his hands and knees…
… over the sheeted ice
… constantly fearing, whether, the ice would be able to hold him up or whether it would crack any time.

He managed to get half-way through, when suddenly, he heard singing from behind.

Cautiously, he turned around and was shocked to see the sight:

Another traveller – a native of the land – was coming behind him…

Driving a four-horse load of coal, over the ice…
… singing, with joy and mirth, as he went!

That was the difference between the two – the visitor and the native!

The visitor was in constant fear, not knowing when the ice would break away and he would be inside the waters!
The native was in complete bliss, fully knowing that the ice was strong enough to contain his weight, as well as the load of his materials!

Similar is our Faith-journey.

Going alone, without any idea of the Way, is always filled with risk and fear

But when we travel with those who are well-aware of the Way…
… the travel becomes a beautiful melody – filled with joy and mirth!

Our Good God in His Great Wisdom has entrusted each of us, in the care of ‘The Body of People’ – Who are well-aware of the Way – and thus travelling along, will make our faith-life filled with joy and mirth

This ‘Body of People’ is The Church!

Yes, the Church is the “pillar and foundation – the bulwark – of Truth” (1 Tim 3:15)

The Gospel of the Day presents before us the Faith Statement of Peter, the leader of the group of the Apostles…
…. and Jesus declaring to him: “…on this rock, I will build my Church; and never will the powers of death overcome it!” (Mt 16:18)

The Great Rock
… entrusts Peter, the rock and assures Him that the Church will always stay Rock-grounded!

Let’s get to some of the Basics of the Church.

The word “Church”, in Greek is… “Ekklesia”.

Ekklesia can be split to two words… “ek” = out of + “kaleo” = to call

This gives us an important meaning of EKKLESIA – THE CHURCH…. TO BE CALLED OUT OF….

The Church is a Body…
… called out of the world
… called out of materialistic and worldly gains…
… into being a Family in God!
… into being a sign of hope and salvation!

This gives us a clue to many aspects of the Church, and which will help our own understanding…

The Church is not a mere building…
… the Church is the People of God.

We often, reduce the Church in our everyday vocabulary, to a mere building made of stones and cement…

But, the Church is made of living stones (1 Pet 2:5)

And all of us need to contribute our mite towards the growth of the Church of God.

Do I give my share of talents and gifts to the Church is keeping it effective and relevant for our modern times?
Do I make sacrifices and offer prayers for the Church so that she may stand strong in the midst of struggles?
Do I promote and encourage the Teachings of the Church and find beauty and wisdom in them?

It is very interesting to note the parallel between today’s Gospel Passage and another passage of the Bible – Is 22:19-23 (the First Reading of the Day)

[This method of Interpreting the Bible is also called “Biblical Typology”
“Biblical Typology” refers to a person, place or event in the Old Testament,that has its own proper significance…
… but also prefigures a person, place or event, later in the New Testament

In the words of St Augustine: “The New Testament is hidden in the Old, and the Old Testament is made manifest in the New!”]

[This “typology” reading gives us a rock-solid Biblical Basis about the Church as well the Primacy of the Pope.]

In Is 22: 22a: Eliakim is entrusted with the “key” of the House of David

In Mt 16:19: Jesus says to Peter, “I will give you the ‘keys’ of the Kingdom of Heaven”

In Is 22: 22b: It is said about Eliakim: “when he opens, no one shall shut; when he shuts, no one shall open”

In Mt 16:19b: Jesus says to Peter: “Whatever you bound on earth, shall be bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven”

The name “Eliakim” means “God will place” or “God will establish”

The name given to Simon – “Peter” means “rock”

Eliakim would be the vicar of Hezekiah, who was the King of Israel

Peter would be Vicar of Jesus, the King of the New Israel -the people who accept His Reign in their lives!

It is also noteworthy, to see that in the Old Testament, God is often referred to as the “Rock” (eg. Ps 18:2, Dt 32:4)

Now, Peter is called by this name “rock” to suggest, that the Church would the channel of “the functions of God, the Rock”

a. The Rock was the source of water in the wilderness (Dt 8:15)

The Church, is the channel of Living Waters of Grace, provided in the Sacraments

b. The Rock protected Moses and covered him and thus becomes a source of refuge (Ex 33:22)

The Church, is the refuge for the sinners and the home for those who are lost.

c. The Rock speaks of the nature of God – solid, strengthening and immutable

The Church, remains solid in her traditions, strong in her beliefs even in changing situations of the world, and infallible in her magisterial teachings.

These parallels show, how the Lord had established His Church on Peter – the rock – to be a constant “traveller” in our Faith-journey.

St Paul speaks of the immense depth of the Mysteries of the Lord:
“O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” (Rom 11:33)

Let us seek shelter and solutions from Holy Mother, the Church in our spiritual journey to “Learn, Love and Live the Mysteries of the Lord in our lives”

Today, let us firmly profess our Faith in the Lord, answering from the depth of our hearts to that very personal question of the Lord: “Who do you say that I am?” (Mt 16: 15)…

And take firm refuge in the Church – the Body of People, Who are well-aware of the Way – as our “travelling Guide”…
… so that, our travel becomes a beautiful melody – filled with joy and mirth!

God Bless! Live Jesus!