In a particular town, there lived a cobbler, who was unable to make a living by his trade.

Driven to despair by his poverty, he accommodated himself in another far-away town, and began to practise medicine.

He sold a drug which he claimed to be an antidote for all sorts of poisons.
>> Towards this end, he also created a great popularity campaign through advertisements and boastful proclamations.

Unfortunately, in a short period of time, the cobbler himself happened to fall sick to a serious illness.

The ruler of the town sought this as a nice chance to test his medicine’s capability and the man’s genuineness.

For this, the ruler called for a cup, and filling it with water, pretended to mix poison with the cobbler’s antidote, commanding him to drink, with a promise of a handsome reward.

The sick cobbler, overcome with much fear and trembling, confessed that he had no knowledge of medicine!

The ruler then called the people of the town and addressed them:
” Oh how foolish are you!
You have not hesitated to entrust your heads to a man, whom no one could employ to even make shoes for their feet!”

Often times, perhaps, it so happens that we too…
… get fooled in life
… get led by people who are incapable
… get ourselves to be a slave to things which are unbecoming

We become blind…. and perhaps, we also lead others to stumble!

Our Blessed Lord in today’s Gospel invites us to deep examination of the quality of our lives and our credibility in being a leader.

Jesus says, “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit?” (Lk 6: 39)

This verse is a reference to two sets of people: one, the guide.. second, the one who is led.

We could find ourselves in either of these categories or sometimes even both.

>> We could be a guide or one who is guided or both – a guide as well as one who is guided.

In any of the cases, one needs to examine one’s quality of life.

Am I shrouded in the darkness of being in ignorance and apathy…
> disinterested to learn and be willing to know more…?
> causing others to be misled and creating confusions and misunderstandings…?

Am I a person who is sunk into the dark abyss of being prejudiced and unforgiving….
> unwilling to be open to the truth and adamant in considering to even review or re-examine my own viewpoints…?
> blinded to accept differences and failing to cherish diversity and thus constantly being at loggerheads with others…?

Am I constantly veiled under the dark shades of being unjustly critical and judgemental…
> full of pride and being unable to let go of my own selfish interests and self-centred wants…?
> enamoured by a pleasure in looking for opportunities and means to put down others or find faults with others…?

Our Blessed Lord invites us to make an honest review of our lives and to be constantly willing to ring in positive transformations.

May we seek to put into the practise the beautiful saying:
” If you use the head with which you reprove others to reprove yourself, there will be fewer faults;
If you use the heart with which you forgive yourself to forgive others, there will be perfect friendship”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

A nine year old girl was walking through the fields, a little away from her home, when two persons, appearing to befriend her, asked her to help collect fruits from the forest.

Brought up with the good habit of showing courtesy to elders, the girl hurried to obey.
But soon she realised that it was a trick to kidnap her!

“I saw two persons behind me,” she would recall later. “One of them briskly grabbed me with one hand, while the other one pulled out a knife and held it to my side.
He told me, ‘If you cry, you’ll die! Follow us!’

After a forced march, the girl was sold as a slave.

The captors gave her a name, in Arabic, which meant (ironically) “The Lucky One!”

Though this title was intended to be a sarcastic one, it came about to express the girl’s approach towards life.

In the coming years, she gladly accepted the name.

After her release, she amazingly, even thanked God for the good that had come, from her suffering.

“If I were to meet those who kidnapped me, and even those who tortured me,” she wrote, “I would kneel and kiss their hands.

For if these things had not happened, I would not have been a Christian and a religious today.”

The name of the girl is St Bakhita –  a Saint for those who are “prisoners of the past”!

>> She was able to heroically display the Christian virtue of forgiveness.. especially to the enemies – those who had persecuted her and had cause irreparable damages to her life!

In life, so often we get “imprisoned by our past”!

This is true especially from the perspective of relationships…
>> There are many who cause hurts and pains to us
>> There are many against whom we have causes to hold grudge in the heart
>> There are many with whom we find it difficult to relate and extremely hard to forgive

The past clings to us in a mighty way…

“Enemies” are, undoubtedly, a reality in most of our lives!

What is our attitude and approach to these “enemies” in our life?

The Gospel of the Day is a bold challenge by Jesus to “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you!” (Lk 6: 27)

One of the sayings goes thus, “Divinity cannot be confined to one’s pockets or be contained in one’s purse!”

So vivid is this saying in the life of Jesus, the Fullness of Divinity.

> Jesus does not allow to be confined to the tiny pockets of our mindsets
> Jesus does not permit to be limited to the finite purses of our expectations

He goes much beyond…. His teachings reach a new level…

This is what we come across when we challenge ourselves with the words of the Lord:
“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you!” (Lk 6: 27)

There are four explicit commands that are given:
1. Love
2. Do Good
3. Bless
4. Pray

All these four exhortations are very often in direct contrast to what we expect or what we wish

1. Love your enemies

> Our natural tendency towards our “enemies” is that of animosity or grudge or at the best, indifference

But Jesus says to go beyond… Love them!

>>> Love them… in a way, that they are able to experience the Mighty Love that God has for each one of us!
>>> Love them… in a way, that no hateful feelings get sown or nurtured in our hearts and we be free in our minds!

2. Do good to those who hate

> Our common inclination to those who hate is to say, “Why should I have anything to do with someone who is least interested in me and only keeps hurting me?”

But Jesus says to go beyond – Do good to them!

>>> Do good to them… in a way, that our good actions – little or big, seen or unseen – become actions that evoke repentance and contrition!
>>>  Do good to them… in a way, that gestures of charity is a way to crush our own ego and pride feelings and makes us to be humbler, in imitation of Christ who totally humbled Himself!

3. Bless those who curse you

> Our first instinct to those who curse us to “give back still strongly” in return and wish the worst for the concerned person.

But Jesus says to go beyond – Bless them!

>>> Bless them… in a way, that our holy wishes may move the heart of the one who offends us and we become a channel and active instrument to allow God’s forgiveness to flow
>>> Bless them… in a way, that our words of grace may heal the vibrations of negativity and hatred and evokes the mighty power of God against the dark forces of Satan

4. Pray for those who abuse you

> Our immediate reaction to those who abuse is to abuse in return or to let out a volley of unfit phrases or violent actions and gestures

But Jesus says to go beyond –  Pray for them!

>>> Pray for them… in a way, that the grace of God’s mercy and compassion may descend into the relationship
>>> Pray for them… in a way, that the the words of abuse may fizzle out in the blazing power of prayer and holiness

Life constantly seeks to “imprison us in our past”
>>But God’s Grace coupled with our willingness to co-operate with His grace, will allow us to “live in love and holiness”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

A highly rich and influential person was privileged to be one of the special guests to undertake a 21-day cruise on a Majestic Battleship.

This ship belonged to the former Emperor of the land, and had been modernized with immense facilities and luxurious features.

The man was highly impressed with the comforts that were provided on board.

Among the many things that made a pleasant impact on him was also the Sunday Morning Mass that was attended by all the sailors and attendants, who were not on duty.

It was more so, since the man himself was not so particular about the practise of faith.

At the conclusion of the celebration of the Mass, the man asked one of the sailors:

“Are you obliged to attend these Sunday Morning services?”

“It’s not exactly about obligation, Sir!” replied the sailor, “but our journey is assured to be in safe hands, by this our offering to the Lord”!

Those sailors and attendants had made a conscious and deliberate choice to practise their faith and to surrender themselves to the Higher Power for safety and protection.

Our lives are also similar to such cruises…
… sometimes going through calm and quiet waters
… sometimes struggling in disturbed and turbulent waters
… sometimes encountering dangerous storms and violent gales

Do we make a constant choice for the Lord and live ourselves in surrender to Him?

The Gospel of the Day is the beautiful teaching of the Beatitudes in the Gospel of Luke.
>> The beatitudes are assurances of blessing and joy to all those who make a conscious choice for the Lord and His Kingdom!

Jesus says, “Blessed are you poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God” (Lk 6: 20)

One of the great messages in this verse is the Message of Hope!

The Greek word used for “poor” is “ptochos”

Ptochos means…
>> reduced to beggary or asking for alms
>> destitute of wealth, influence, position, honour
>> helpless, powerless to accomplish an end

It’s interesting to note that this word “Ptochos” has its origin in the word “ptosso” which means “to crouch”

Therefore, the “poor” literally means, “one who is crouching” –  a position where the knees are bent and the upper body is brought forward and down

>> It’s a position that is very often defied and despised, in the worldly standards, which emphasizes on being proud and haughty!
>> It’s a position that is very often made fun of and fooled, in the eyes of the world, which glorifies pomp and external show!

Thus, when the Lord says, “Blessed are the poor”, it is a tremendous message of Hope…
… To those who find themselves at the peripheries of life
… To those lost in the miseries of life and find no hope – materially, spiritually, mentally, socially

Of course, the word “poor” does not mean…
.. that one simply becomes timid and passive or be simply submissive to any social evils without any resistance
… that one adopts an attitude of being “always hands folded” in surrender or “faces cast down” in defeat

“Poor” instead refers to the fact that one has God has one’s greatest strength and treasure

>> Being “poor in the Lord”, contradictory as it may sound, is the greatest richness that one can have.

>> Being “poor in the Lord” gives the greatest confidence to a person, who realises that being in God, one can never fail!

How true is the saying, “One who kneels before God, can stand before anyone!”

>> One who is dependant on God and His Grace…
>> One who is willing to challenge the societies unjust norms with the mighty trust in God…
>> One who is aware of one’s strengths and weaknesses and yet offers oneself entirely to the power of God…
Such a one, in the eyes of the world may be “poor”… but is “Blessed” in the sight of God!

> It takes courage to be a Christian who is committed!
> It requires a conviction to be a follower of Christ who is passionate!

Tomorrow we celebrate the Feast of St Peter Claver, who is the patron of the African Missions and of inter-racial justice, due to his work with the slaves in Columbia.

May we seek his intercession to make a constant choice for the Lord and to live ourselves in surrender to Him, giving heed to the words of St Peter Claver:

“To love God as He ought to be loved, we must be detached from all temporal love.
We must love nothing but Him, or if we love anything else, we must love it only for His sake!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

A young priest was set for his first preaching.

He had chosen the theme, “Revival in Christian Life”.

Filled with enthusiasm and zeal, he began his sermon and breaking the Word of God.

Within a few moments, the young preacher was able to attract the appeal and attention of the audience.

The reason was not just his eloquence in preaching, his depth in reflection and his conviction in speaking…
… it was also a mispronouncing that was drawing the attention of the audience.

His theme was “Revival in Christian Life”.
But due to his slight speech impediment, it was heard as “Rebible in Christian Life”!

The audience did not mind that, as that was also a tremendous message being put across!

Yes, Revival in Christian Life emanates from having a “Rebible in Christian Life – “Re-Bible!”

>> How strong is my Christian Life centred around the Bible- God’s Word and its proper interpretation?

>> How interested am I in having a deeper understanding of His Word and applying it my daily living?

Or am I a person who gets stuck with my own interpretations and understanding of Scriptures, which fails to evoke any effects in my personal life?

The Gospel of the Day is an encounter with a group of people, who got stuck in their own “comfortable zones” of interpreting and understanding the Scriptures, failing to be open to the True Author of the Scriptures and thus failing to tread the path of mercy, compassion and charity.

The Gospel passage is another Sabbath day controversy.

Jesus is in the synagogue, teaching and proclaiming God’s Word.
>> His words would bring strength and courage to those in despair
>> His teaching would fill with hope those who were stranded on the peripheries of life
>> His preaching would invigorate those who were sapped of energy and felt themselves rejected.

Among those who heard Him in the synagogue, was a “a man whose right hand was withered” (Lk 6: 6)

It’s not mentioned how did he began to have a withered hand…
… maybe he was born so
… maybe he met with an accident
… maybe he had a sickness which made it so

But having a withered right hand had its own implications and difficulties to pose.

Right hand in the Bible, usually refers to..
… being the hand of blessing
… being the hand of strength
… being the hand of labour

So this man with the withered right hand is portrayed as being…
… disfigured in his purpose and goals of life
… pitiable in being rendered weak and sort of helpless

But more than this man with the physical disability, there were also some others, who had a “withered mentality” – the Pharisees

>> They had God, the source and origin of the Law, as their “right hand”
>> They had the privilege of learning and knowing the Scriptures, as their “right hand”

But, unfortunately, we find them with “withered”…
… Their focus on God, the purpose and goal of the Law was “withered”!
… Their opportunity to interpret and understand the Scriptures properly was “withered”!

To the man who had the physically withered right hand, Jesus said, “Stretch out your hand” (Lk 6:10)

Probably these words were also directed or perhaps intended more for the Pharisees who were “withered” in their understanding and mentality regarding the Law and the Author of the Law Himself!

Jesus was asking them to “stretch out their hands” which were withered…
… because they failed to understand the basic purpose of God’s Law which was aimed at reflecting on God’s Goodness and to reflect the same in their lives
… because they were stuck to their own rigid and arrogant interpretation of God’s Word and failed to put into practise the real meaning of God’s Word which is to do good, show mercy and extend charity

Are those words, “stretch out your hand” being directed to us also?

… Are we failing to centre our lives on the Precious Gift that God has blessed us with – His Holy Word in the Holy Bible – and failing to make efforts to read, learn more and understand God’s Word properly and effectively
… Do we consciously cultivate practices which help us to set apart time (on a daily, regular basis) to read the Bible and reflect and shape our lives, in the light of the Holy Word of God?
… Do we remain rigid, obstinate and closed to the voice of the Holy Spirit, who speaks to us, through different sermons, write-ups, talks etc. on the Word of God and allow transformations to happen in my life?
… Do we be zealous to learn God’s Word more deeply, to know Him more and to cultivate a personal taste to understand the Scriptures better with self-reflection?

Our Blessed Lord invites and exhorts us to have a “Revival in our Christian Lives”
>> And this experience of “Revival” should spring forth from a practice of “Re-Bible”!

May our Blessed Lord help us to have a “Re-Bible” in our Christian Lives and experience “the sweetness of honey” (Ps 119:103) in His Holy Word!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

The world remembers and gratefully raises its heart to God on September 5th for the gift of Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkotta.

A frail woman in stature… but tall and mighty in caring for the needy.
A woman who earned the title of being the “Saint of the Gutters!”

There is a beautiful little anecdote on her life, probably, known to many of us.

As she was cleaning the wounds of a leper, a man observed her.
The sight of the leprous wounds and the horrible stench caused that man to exclaim with disgust, “I wouldn’t do that for a million dollars!”

In reply, the saintly mother replied:
“Neither would I!
But I would gladly do it for Jesus!”

Love for the Lord and imitation His descending love prompted Mother Teresa to reach out her hands, even to the worst sores and the filthiest wounds!

Divine Love manifests its great power and reveals its glorious splendour, when it descends to even touch the lowliest, the least and the lost!

The Gospel of the Day is a wonderful presentation of Jesus, who was willing to lower to an extent, even to “dirty Himself” in order to touch human lives!

This incident of healing the ‘man who was deaf and had a speech impediment’ is very unique in the fact of the manner in which the miracle was performed.

The Book of Genesis (Chapter 1) testifies to the fact that God created the entire world with His Word!

> God doesn’t need a particular or a fixed procedure to work a miracle or a wonder
> God doesn’t comply to human understandings of causing a divine phenomenon.

Perhaps, here is a reminder for us, in our prayer patterns…

>> In my prayers, do I also make my requests in such a way that I end up even commanding how and when God should answer the prayer?
>> In my intercessions to the Lord, do I act as “God” and even order God the style and manner in which He has to answer our prayers?

Keep in tune with this principle of “God as His own unique styles and patterns”, Jesus, the Word performs a strange pattern in bringing about the healing.

The Gospel says, “taking him (the man who was deaf and with impediment in speech) aside, from the multitude privately, Jesus put His fingers into His ears, and He spat and touched His tongue, and looking up to heaven, He sighed…”

Here is a highly “unclean and unhygienic” style of healing…
>> Putting fingers into the ears…
>> Spitting onto the hands or the finger..
>> Touching the tongue..

Well sounds quite disgusting, right?
(Even while reading this account, some of us might, perhaps, have a “yuck” feeling or a “Gosh! So horrible” feeling!)

But let’s be prepared to face this grand reality….
~~ This is our God!
~~ This is our Saviour Lord!

>> In Jesus, we celebrate a God who is willing to heal even our most painful wounds and cleanse our most sinful sores!

>> In Jesus, we cherish a God who lowers Himself even to the extent of dirtying His hands to purify and refine us!

Am I willing and ready to allow this Daring God, who would go to any extent..
> to win us back to Him
> to bring a wholesome healing in us
… to touch our hidden wounds, our shameful sores and our filthy sinful lives?

This is also a challenge and a call, to us Christians, to imitate our Blessed Lord in lowering ourselves…
… to reach out to the needy and the wanting
… to touch the hearts of the unclean and the corrupt

The beautiful quote of Blaise Pascal says, “The heart has its reason, which reasons know nothing”

Humanly speaking, it might be too unreasonable to enter into the portals of dirt and slimes in the lives of people.

But our Blessed Lord challenges us to imitate Him and offers His Heart of Love to be the “thumb rule” and the basic reason to reach out to all!

Are we prepared to “dirty” our lives in order to extend the charity and mercy of God to all…

…and thus, in the title of the book on Blessed Mother Teresa, make our lives, “Something beautiful for God”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

John Wanamaker  was an American merchant and a religious and civic leader.
He is considered by some, to be the proponent of advertising and a “pioneer in marketing”.

Once, a neat and handsome young man, applied to John Wanamaker for a job.

This young fellow was told that there was no job for him.

But the young man persisted, “I am wiling to take up any work!”

With a view to get rid of him, Mr Wanamaker said, “The only job I have is the job of washing windows”

“Yes, I am willing” said the enthusiastic young man!

He washed those windows as they never had been.
>> He also showed a great sense of responsibility.

Within a short period, he became the manager of the store.

When this man died, after a splendid service of nearly two decades, Mr Wanamaker said:
“I am willing to pay as high as one hundred thousand dollars for a manager, who can fill the place of the one I lost!”

The young man’s willingness and his committed act of “washing the windows” brought about a change of mentality and won accolades galore!

Today, perhaps, the Church is in a great need for people who are willing to “wash the windows” for the sake of the Kingdom…
… windows which are sometimes dirtied with the dust of ritualism, legalism and relativism
… windows which are sometimes tainted with the stains of corruption, scandals and misconduct
… windows which are sometimes splattered with the blemishes of indifference, injustice and inactions

The Gospel of the day presents Jesus who courageously dares to “wash the windows”, in order to clear away the dust of legal fanaticism, religious rigidity and spiritual gloominess!

The passage in consideration (Lk 5: 33-39) begins with an interrogative complaint by the Pharisees and Scribes, on why His disciples ‘ate and drank’ whereas the disciples of John the Baptist as well as the Pharisees fasted often and offered prayers (Lk 5: 33)

The immediate context of this passage is the Call of Levi, the tax collector and the grand party hosted by him, in honour of Jesus (Lk 5: 27-32)

Jesus, later on, in His ministry would say, “There is more rejoicing over one sinner who repents and returns to God, than over ninety-nine righteous persons, who need no repentance” (Lk 15:7)

Levi, the tax-collector was called by Jesus to follow Him – an occasion of a “lost sheep” returning back to the arms of the Shepherd!

> It was a moment of great joy and happiness!
> It was a moment of leaving the old self behind and embracing  the newness of Christ!
> It was a moment of immersing oneself in the new life in Christ and being ‘drunk’ with His love!

In this context, when the religious leaders questioned Jesus on why were His disciples into “eating and drinking” unlike the disciples of John the Baptist and Pharisees, who were into rigorous fasting and prayer…
… Jesus gives a fitting reply using three imageries:

1. The imagery of the wedding guests feasting, when the Bridegroom is with them (Lk 5: 34-35)
>> it pointed to the “moments of great joy and happiness, that is experienced” when one recognises Jesus as the bridegroom – the True Love of one’s life and the Primary Purpose of one’s existence (Gal 2: 20)!

2. The imagery of the patched garments (Lk 5: 36)
>> It pointed to the “moments of leaving the old self behind and embracing the newness of Christ”, and putting on the New and Festal Garment of Christ (Gal 3: 27)

3. The imagery of the wine and wineskin (Lk 5: 37-39)
>> It pointed to the “moments of immersing oneself in the new life in Christ and being ‘drunk’ with His love”, and cherishing the experience of discovering the Lord as the true and only source and foundation of happiness in life (1 Cor 3: 11).

In short, our Blessed Lord was pointing to a renewed perspective in one’s relationship with God…

>> Doing away with “legal fanaticism” that cripples one’s life with mere external following of rituals and rubrics
… and instead to discover the real meaning and purpose of one’s actions of piety and religiosity!

>> Doing away with “religious rigidity” that steals away any spontaneity and openness in one’s life of faith…
.. and instead to unearth the freedom that often lies buried, and to relate without any inhibitions with one’s Loving Creator!

>> Doing away with “spiritual gloominess” that casts a dark and ugly veil on one’s practices of spirituality…
… and instead to unwrap the gifts of happiness, trust and genuine bliss that is constantly bestowed by God!

~ Our practise of faith and spirituality certainly is in a constant need of a “cleaning up”!
~ Our understanding and perspectives on religion is in ever need of “sprucing up”!

Else, it can very easily happen, that..
… religion turns out to be a farce
… practices of piety fail to touch and inspire lives
… acts of charity turn out to be hypocritical gestures

May we dare to imitate our Blessed Lord in “washing the windows”, in order to clear the view for a cleaner, fresher and brighter practising of our faith!

God Bless! Live Jesus!