“Investing wisely, the seeds of God’s Grace in order to derive its potential blessings!”

(Based on Prov 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31, 1 Thess 5:1-6 and Mt 25:14-30 – 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A)

A familiar story, in various versions goes thus…

A lady came up to a shop which had the name “Everything your heart desires, is available here”

The curious lady went to the shopkeeper and asked: “I want peace of mind and love and happiness and wisdom and freedom from fear”

The shopkeeper, in return, smiled and said: “Madam, thank you for expressing your desire.

But please do note: I sell only seeds, not fruits!”

Such is the logic in our Christian Life as well.

God has gifted the “seeds” of good things to all of us….

But…
… do we “sow these seeds” to produce good fruits?
… do we “invest these seeds” in order to derive its potential blessings?

The Gospel of the Day – Mt 25:14-30 – presents before us a simple-to-understand and practical-to-follow Parable of the Lord: the Parable of the Talents!

One of the beauty of this Parable is that it is simple, clear and easy to understand.

And its lessons are hard to miss!!

This parable tells what to do while we live in this world and the need to be responsible and dutiful.

The Parable introduces the fact that the servants were judged by the way, they managed the master’s resources.

We learn a very crucial truth from this: All that we have belongs to God!

We need to underline and highlight the word “ALL”
All…
Fully…
Totally…
Everything…
Completely…
… Belongs to GOD!

We own nothing…
We hold no space…
We possess no one…
… All belongs to GOD!

He made them…
… He gave them to us

And one day… He will take them from us again.
Our life is a gift from God!

If only our world and our generation were to grow more and more in this truth…!

How often we hold on to our possessions…
… and go bonkers in preserving and safeguarding them!

How often we seek twisted and distorted ways…
… to acquire more wealth and capture vital status and ranks!

How often we resort to disgraceful and shameful means…
… to win over positions and powers and authority!

How often we play dirty games and indulge in dreadful activities…
… to put down people and go up in dominance!

Another aspect that we find in the parable is the usage of the word “talents”.

Usually, when we hear the word “talents” in English, we tend to think of some natural abilities, like…
… playing the piano
… or being good at some sports
… or being skilled in painting or knowing how to handle computers etc….

In the time of Jesus, however…
… the ‘talent’ was referred to a huge amount of money.

One talent would represent approximately 16½ years of salary for a labourer.

To give a man two talents would equal around 33 years of salary….
To give a man five talents would be like giving him 80 years of salary to invest…

That’s indeed a huge amount, isn’t it?

Imagine, how rich would the Owner himself have been!
(This once again reminds us that the Owner – God – is the Source of ALL… everything in our life!)

What was the criteria in giving different people a particular amount of money?

Each one according to one’s ability

And who made this determination to allocate the amount of money?

The Master Himself, according to His wish!

Here’s another truth: God is not obligated to treat us, like he treats anyone else.

He can give us more or He can give us less than others.

Some have more money and talent and opportunity and strength and health and relationships than others.

Others have less money and talent and opportunity and strength and health and relationships!

It’s not about being unlucky.
It’s not about our ill-fate.

The Master…
… has total sovereignty and freedom with what and how much HE wants to give to His people!

This leaves us with a choice:

We can either crib and complain, gripe and grumble about our situation and make excuses and just sit idle!
OR…
We can accept the given situation we are in – with gratitude – and start from where we are, and do what we can… to the best!

Yes…
The Dynamics of Comparison is useless…
… the Tactic of Hard Work is amazing!

The Parable of the Talents is a very Practical Parable that the Lord has offered us!

Yesterday is past…
… tomorrow is the Future.

But Today is a GIFT…
… that’s why, it is called as The PRESENT!

Let’s make this PRESENT, a PLEASENT GIFT to the GREAT GIVER…
… by seeking His Grace and combining it with our hard works and determination!

Let us make the best use of the “seeds” of good things given to all of us and …
… sow these seeds” to produce good fruits!
… “invest these seeds” in order to derive its potential blessings!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Remaining firm and perseverant in our prayer life and reaching out in justice and giving comfort and consolation to the needy!”

(Based on 3 John 5-8 and Lk 18:1-8 – Saturday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

An interesting incident is mentioned in the life of Jan Paderewski

He was a famous Polish pianist and a pioneer of the solo recital at music concerts.

It is said that when Paderewski was to leave his native Poland to play his first recital in London…
… he asked an influential compatriot to give him a letter of introduction, to a leading figure in Britain’s musical world

This was for any assistance, should anything go amiss.

The letter was handed to him in a sealed envelope.
Paderewski hoped that everything would proceed smoothly and he would not have to use the letter.

Well…
… he did not have to use the letter.

His debut was a great success and he soon began to climb the ladder of success.

Some years later, while going through his papers, he came upon the ‘letter of introduction’ and opened it.

He was surprised to read the content:
“This will introduce Jan Paderewski, who plays the piano, for which he demonstrates no conspicuous (visible/noticeable) talent.”

Life… is often such!
Discouragements lure everywhere!
Rejections prowl all around

Do we get bogged down by such discouragements and rejections?
Are we people who bring about discouragement and rejection to people?

The Gospel of the Day is the Parable of the Persistent Widow.

The Parable speaks of a judge and a widow.

The judge is characterized by some features:
He did not fear God.
He did not fear humans.
He was initially adamant in his refusal.

The Widow is characterized by some features:
She had a genuine need.
She was denied justice.
She remained persistent till the end.

We often have many and true needs.

But we do sometimes find ourselves, a bit depressed at the delays in receiving the answers to our prayers.

The parable encourages and exhorts us to remain persistent in our prayer life and not to get discouraged by God’s delays, which apparently appears as God’s denials.

Yes, God’s delays are certainly not His denials!

God’s pauses are certainly not His refuses!

At the same time, this parable invites us to switch roles:

To see ourselves as the Judge…
… and God as the Widow.

Widows in the first century found themselves at a very sad state.
They were quite literally unprotected.
Many became homeless and destitute after the death of their husbands.

Often they were at mercy of cunning men, including some religious leaders who would “devour widows’ houses” (Mk 12:40)

A widow couldn’t count on anyone to come to her aid.
She represents the hopeless….the unaided…the oppressed.

In Mt 25:35, Jesus identifies Himself with the one who was hungry, thirsty, naked, stranger and the imprisoned.

Jesus in the poor, the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the stranger and the imprisoned…
… is the hopeless one …the unaided one …the oppressed one.

Jesus, like the widow in the Parable… comes knocking at our door:

Behold I stand at the door, and knock… (Rev 3:20)

As the oppressed and justice-deprived Widow, Jesus, knocks at our door – we, the judges.

What is our reaction and response to the voice of the needy and the helpless?

The cry of the one in pain and suffering reaches our ears…

Do I reach out my heart to them and seek to ease their troubles and hardships?

The moaning of a broken family or a lost teenager or a spoilt child comes to us…

Do I pray for them and help them, in ways possible for me?

The sad tear of the abused or oppressed people with whom we work is seen by us…

Do I get out of my comfort-shell to make them feel comforted and consoled?

The disturbing reports of violence, corruption, injustice in society falls on our senses…

Do I remain indifferent to them and become saturated with such atrocities?

Yes… the widow – the hopeless, the unaided and the oppressed one… keeps knocking at our doors…
As a Judge…
… do I keep refusing?
… do I keep getting irritated?
… do I feel life as a botheration?

Life often has discouragements luring everywhere and rejections prowling all around

Do we get bogged down by such discouragements and rejections?
Are we people who bring about discouragement and rejection to people?

The Parable of the Persistent Widow is certainly a big lesson to remain firm and perseverant in our prayer life.

And when looked from another perspective is also a big challenge to become a people who reach out in justice and give comfort and consolation to the needy.

Knock….knock…

Do we hear the knock, seeking for help?

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Getting our priorities right, and in humility, protecting our souls!”

(Based on 2 John 4-9 and Lk 17:26-37 – Friday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

A humorous story is told of a heavy-weight boxer who would greatly brag about his prowess…
… and speak of how he would “he would conquer the world!”

It is said that one day, he came to a big city with two huge suitcases.

As he got down the bus, putting the suitcases down, he looked up to the tall building tower and exclaimed: “I will conquer this city!”

When he looked down, however…
… the suitcases were gone!

Very often, our lives are such…

We dream of conquering the entire world…
… but often fail to even have a control on ourselves!

We become “so worldly” that we fail to give heed “to the world to come!”
We become so occupied with the concerns of our earthly existence that sometimes we “forget about our Heavenly priorities!”

The Gospel of the Day presents Jesus highlighting this essential element of Christian living: Being in the world, but living out of the world, with eyes firmly set on heavenly realms.

Jesus says, “Whoever seeks to gain his life, will lose it, but whoever loses his life, will preserve it” (Lk 17:33)

Very often our lives get too attached to material riches and attachments.

We fall prey to seeking great honour and fame in being a Christian…
… but are unable to grasp the fact that ‘to be a Christian is to be living a life of simplicity’.

We often become victims of engaging in dirty politics and authority-grabbing games…
… and become an anti-witness to the Lord who ‘came to serve, rather than be served’

We need to give heed to the words of the Lord who prayed that “we are in the world, but do not belong to this world” (Jn 17: 15)

A Christian life ought to be hallmarked by detachment and separation…
… detachment from too much of worldly distractions and vain glory
… separation from sinful ways and evil tendencies

It ought to be radiated with total focus and complete dedication…
… total focus on the Lord who ‘walked the talk’ by giving up His life in service
… complete dedication to the Kingdom of God which calls for a humble way of life

The world today is being ‘gripped in sin’, “as it was in the days of Noah” (Lk 17:26)

We need to open our eyes to realize the warning given by the Lord and be ‘on the watch’…
… after the example of the destruction of the sinful city of Sodom.

Perhaps our own life… or our family… or our community… our society…
… is resembling the city of Sodom

There is much drunkenness in worldly pleasures!
There is much ‘eating and consumption’ of corrupt practices!

Let us deepen…
… our faith in the Lord
… our love for the Kingdom
… and our detachment from riches

St John prompts us: “Look to yourselves, that you may not lose what you have worked for, but may win a full reward!” (2 Jn 4:8)

We are reminded today that as Christians, we are people…
… who live in the world, yet are called to be out of the world.
… who live amidst possibilities of wealth, yet are called to be detached from them

We may be often tempted “to conquer the world and the city”…
… but let’s get our priorities right, and in humility, seek to first protect “the suitcases of our souls!”

Let us seek the intercession of the Saint of the Day, St Frances Xavier Cabrini…
(She is the first naturalized citizen of the United States to be canonized, on July 7, 1946)
… and be inspired by her life and words:

“Rest?” We will have all eternity in which to rest. Now let us work.”
“Pray, pray always, and ask unceasingly for the Spirit of Prayer. The Spirit of Prayer means praying in accordance with the Divine good pleasure, willing only what God wills.
… It means that we have our minds fixed on prayer at all times, in all places, working, walking, eating, speaking, suffering; habitually and always.”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Being pleasantly ready for surprises in life, because God is close to us… always!”

(Based on Philemon 7-20 and Lk 17:20-25 – Thursday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

A young man, facing lot of difficulties in life, came across a large billboard in front of a Church.

That message brought in rays of hope, and caused the young man to once again, smile in life.

The billboard message read thus:
“God has planned happiness for each one of us, at the right time!

The only thing is that…

This calendar is kept hidden from us!
So be pleasantly ready for surprises in life!
God is close to you…
… always!”

Yes, each of us goes through the tough terrains of life

But we are called to realise, that the Lord is very much with us.

Are we ready to deepen our awareness…?
… that God is close to us, always!”

Are we aware that each of us is an abode of the “Presence of the Lord?”

The Gospel of the Day is a teaching on the Kingdom of God…
… and to deepen our awareness of God’s proximity with us.

The Pharisees ask “when” the kingdom will come (Lk 17:20)

Jesus, however, explains “how” the Kingdom will come (17:22-35)

Jesus does not give an answer to the question of the Pharisees.

Rather, He makes them realize what should be the proper question.

It’s the style and technique of the Lord to get right the priorities and focus in life!

The people searched for Jesus after the miracle of the multiplication of loaves…

Jesus sets right their intentions by speaking of the need to hunger for the bread of life (Jn 6)

The disciples of John came to clarify whether Jesus was indeed the Messiah to come…

Jesus sets right their focus by turning their attention to all His signs and deeds (Lk 7:19ff)

The two disciples, James and John, sought privileged places in Jesus’ future reign…

Jesus sets right their priorities by exhorting them to grow rather in humility and service (Mk 10: 35-45)

Nicodemus, in his encounter with Jesus, remained on peripheral questions and doubts…

Jesus sets right his doubts by calling his attention to living a life in the Spirit and being born anew spiritually (Jn 3: 1-21)

The Lord loves to challenge our doubts, theories and even convictions…
… in order to be in harmony with the priorities of the Kingdom.

Am I willing to allow the Lord to work in me to change some of my thinking patterns, that would be in accord with His Will?
Am I flexible to let the Lord to mould and shape my lifestyle and thus be in tune with the focus of His Kingdom?

The “Kingdom of God” is an oft-repeated phrase in the New Testament and especially in the Gospels.

What is the Kingdom of God?

A kingdom normally brings to mind a geographical territory, with its clear-cut boundaries and its rulers and citizens.

The Kingdom of God is, however, quite different!

The Kingdom of God is not a geographical dominion like worldly kingdoms!
The Kingdom of God is a spiritual reality where God’s Will is done.

The Kingdom of God is a Person…
… It is He – Jesus!

“Jesus leads people to realize the overwhelming fact that in Him, God is present among them and that He is God’s presence…” (from the book “Jesus of Nazareth – Part I” by Pope Benedict XVI)

The Pharisees who asked Jesus “when” the Kingdom would come, were probably expecting an external sort of a Kingdom.

They probably expected a Kingdom which would overturn and overthrow the Roman Government.

But Jesus clarifies the nature of this Kingdom…

He speaks of a Kingdom which is much more internal and spiritual, and whose impact would be felt and experienced in the external world.

One experiences the Kingdom of Heaven first in one’s inner life…
… and this is manifested in one’s external lifestyles

The Samaritan Woman experienced the power of the Kingdom of God within herself, when she spoke to Jesus, the fountain of life…

And this experience of the Kingdom led her to proclaim the name of Jesus to all her villagers and bring many to the saving fold of the Lord.

The Disciples experienced the power of the Kingdom of God within them, when the Holy Spirit descended on them…

And this experience of the Kingdom was manifested in their bold and powerful witnessing life!

St Paul experienced the force of the Kingdom of God within him, when he encountered the Risen Lord on the way to Damascus…

And this experience of the Kingdom was displayed by him through his passionate life of preaching and missionary works.

In the Prayer, the Our Father, we pray:
“Thy Kingdom come,
Thy Will be done…”

The Kingdom of God is, where the Will of God is fulfilled.

The question arises before us:
Is the Kingdom of God here?
… or is the Kingdom yet to come?

This is where we speak of the concept of “Already and not yet”

The Kingdom of God is already here, but not yet!
The Kingdom of God already reigns now, but not yet, in its fullness!

St Paul says in 1 Cor 13:12, “At present, we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present, I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known”.

Do I experience the Kingdom of God in my life?

The Kingdom of God is not a matter of food and drink, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17)

I need to experience the joy and the peace of the Lord in my life…
I need to place the priorities of God over all else in my life…
That’s the Kingdom of God.
That’s the Reign of God.

We are invited today “to radiate heaven on our faces!”

Let us be ready to collaborate with Jesus, to infuse a greater spirit of the Kingdom of God in this world …
… to promote the reach and spread of the Kingdom of God!
… and thus live as citizens, worthy of our Great King!

Let us know for sure that God has planned happiness for each one of us, at the right time!

So let us be pleasantly ready for surprises in life, because God is close to us…
… always!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Appreciating and acknowledging the various gifts of God in our lives!”

(Based on Titus 3:1-7 and Lk 17:11-19 – Wednesday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

During the dark days of the Second World War, two sisters, Corrie and Betsie ten Boom…
… were thrown into the Nazi concentration camp of Ravensbrück.

Their crime?
Hiding Jews in their home….
… for love of Christ.

Their barracks were overcrowded…
… and crawling with fleas.
The stench was unbearable.
The pain unending.

Corrie broke down in tears:

“Betsie, how can we live like this?”

And her sister, with eyes of faith, whispered:
“Corrie, our faith teaches us to “give thanks in all circumstances. Even for these fleas!”

Corrie thought it was madness.

Thank God for fleas?
But she obeyed.

Together, they began to pray and give thanks…
… even for the pests that tormented them.

Weeks later, they discovered something incredible: Because of those fleas, the guards refused to enter their barracks.

And that meant…
… they were free to live their faith, with prayer and reading the Bible
… they could even share the Love of Christ to people around them.

[Betsie later died in the camp, but Corrie was released and survived]

(Source: Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place, 1971)

What was to be a cause of complaint…
… became the very reason they could praise!

What looked like punishment…
… was actually protection!

The ungrateful heart complains!
The thankful heart witnesses miracles!

The Gospel of the Day is a reminder to grow in this dimension of appreciating and acknowledging the various gifts of God in our lives.

The story of the Healing of the Ten Lepers is a very familiar and popular incident.

In the Biblical days, leprosy, was one of the most dreaded diseases. Leprosy finds its mention in the Bible in over 40 places.

One of the reason why leprosy is talked about so much in the Bible is that it is a graphic illustration of sin’s destructive power.

Incurable by man, many believed that God inflicted the curse of leprosy upon people for the sins they committed.

Leprosy became a disease that was so despised and loathed that those afflicted were not allowed to live in any community with their own people (Num 5:2).

A leper wasn’t allowed to come within six feet of any other human, including his own family.

The disease was considered so revolting that the leper wasn’t permitted to come within close vicinity of anyone when the wind was blowing.

Lepers lived in a community with other lepers until they either got better or died.

This was the only way the people knew to contain the spread of the contagious forms of this dreaded sickness.

When our Blessed Lord travelled through the region of Samaria and Galilee, He encountered the group of ten lepers.

In loud exaltation, they cried, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” (Lk 17:13)

The chorus reached the ears of the Divine Choir-Master, Jesus!

Their pleading voice, echoed in the ears of the Divine Healer!

“Go, show yourselves to the Priest” (Lk 17: 14) were the words of the Divine Lord.

Lev 14:1-9 states that the priest must authenticate any cure from leprosy.

This was to allow the afflicted person to re-enter the society.

But as the lepers are on their way to show to the priest, they are cured!

Miracles occur, when one chooses to put one’s trust in God!
Wonders happen, when one obeys the words of the Lord, in faith and hope!

But one of them realizes that He had been healed.

And so he returned and glorified God in a loud voice and fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked Him (Lk 17: 15)

Here is a big lesson for us all…
All the ten lepers sought for a free blessing from the Lord.

Jesus, in His graciousness, did bless all of them with a free miracle.
But just one among them, acknowledged the worth and value of that free gift
The rest of the nine, probably completely forgot the source of that free blessing.

A thankful heart witnesses miracles!

But perhaps, this is a reality that we very often forget in our lives.

We often take for granted the many free gifts and blessings that are showered upon us.

The one who returned back to thank the Lord, received not just physical healing…
… but also was doubly blessed with the gift of being saved!

The Lord showers His gifts on us…

Do I return back to thank God for His marvelous blessings?
Do I reduce my life to being a clatter of complaints or do I adorn my life with a litany of praises and thanksgiving?
Do I take all my blessings for granted and merely groan about my duties?

Ten people were healed that day, but only one came back to give thanks.

The one who returned to give thanks chose not to forget what Jesus had done for him.

Are we living as this grateful one or as the other nine?

We may often be in the “confinements of troubles”
… with many “fleas of hardships” making life super-tough!

Can we still respond to our faith…
… and “give thanks in all circumstances. Even for those fleas!”

Praise is a choice.

The secret of a thankful heart is a conscious choice not to forget what God has done for us.

Shall we also possess this secret?

(Psst…once again…this too is a FREE offer…. )

Today we seek the intercession of St. Martin of Tours, once a Roman soldier…
… who laid down his sword to follow Christ, became a beacon of mercy and faith.

May his life of compassion inspire us to seek the grace to grow each day…
… in loving and faithful service of the Lord.

God Bless! Live Jesus!