The Year 1989 saw the collapse of the Berlin Wall, Germany.

> This wall was the barrier that divided the nation from 1961 to 1989.

After the collapse of the Berlin Wall, there would have been, perhaps, no person in all of East Germany, who was more despised …

… than the former Communist dictator Erich Honecher.

>> Being the secretary of the Communist Party, Erich Honecher was the prime organiser of the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961 and, in this function, bore responsibility for the “order to fire” along the inner German border.
 

However, after the collapse of the wall, Honecher had been stripped of all his offices.

Kicked out of his villa, the new government refused him and his family, new housing.

>> The family of the Honechers were rendered homeless and destitute.
It was at this stage, Pastor Uwe Holmer, Director of a Christian Help Centre decided to take a bold step:
Feeling that it would be wrong to give them a room, in the Help Centre, which was meant for even needier people…

… Uwe Holmer decided to take the family of the Honechers into their own home!
 

Holmer’s children had suffered the wrath of the rule of the Honechars..

>> 8 of his children had been turned down for higher education, due to their discriminatory policies.
 

But now, Holmer – filled with God’s Mercy –  decided to care and accept their personal enemy – and perhaps one of the most hated men in Germany!

>> Many people turned against Holmer for his decision

>> Many felt angered in having given refuge to an enemy

But Holmer, the Christian, was convinced of what he was doing…
>> It was indeed an unnatural move…
>> It was undoubtedly an unconventional step…

.. But it was so much Christ-like!

He put into practise what Jesus had taught on the Sermon of the Mount, as we see in today’s Gospel:

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” (Mt 5:44)

It is said that some books/thoughts are to be just tasted…

>> Some are to be just swallowed…

>> While some others are to be chewed and digested!

Well… here is a teaching that is certainly not too easy to digest:

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you!
 

Sometimes when we hear the word ENEMY…
>> Our thoughts go to some enemy of the nation or some social criminal…
>> Or perhaps, some of us, may think of some person who has harmed us deeply or cheated us, and has turned to be an enemy…

But if we analyze our lives closer… we may observe that we all have many enemies in our lives..

An ‘enemy’, is defined by the Oxford Dictionary, as “a person or thing, hostile or opposed to something; that harms or weakens someone/something”

A little closer look into our lives will probably make us to discover that…
>> Perhaps, many people fall into this definition of being an “enemy”…

… Many in our family or our community

… Many in our friends circle

… Many in our workplaces

… Many in the society

We get so easily offended when our egos our hurt..
>>  We feel a sense of resentment when we are not treated as we feel we ought to be…
>> We experience bitterness when other people do not fall in line with the way we think…

… there are often so many tussles and mental games…

… and we have so often grudges against all these people!
All these are our “enemies”!
>> This list of enemies in our life..though apparently unnoticed, is perhaps deeper….
 

But, today the Lord says: “Love those enemies..and pray for them”!
 

Humanly speaking, of course, it seems only a theoretical advice – seemingly impractical!

>> But the Lord wants us to be perfect!

We also know one thing…

… If this was not possible, the Lord would have never said it!
 

The Life of Jesus Himself was a proof for it…

… Lovingly inviting even all those who hated and detested Him, to experience His Love

… Constantly reaching out with the call of repentance, to those who wronged Him

… Giving His life for all of us, who offend and hurt Him

The call of the Gospel “to love our enemies” is a high demand…

>> It is indeed a huge challenge…

Yet, with the grace of the Lord…

… Lets pick up this challenge of the Lord…and seek towards perfection!
 

St John Paul II says, “Don’t fear to be the saints of the Third Millennia!”

Let’s not remain in idealistic talks and thoughts…

… rather, lets translate the words and challenges of the Lord, in our practical and daily life.
 
May we identify the “enemies” in our life…

… and seek Divine Assistance and the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints.
>> May we dare to “receive into our homes” those who, though deserve to be punished, but still are worthy of the Mercy of the Lord!
 
God Bless! Live Jesus!

  There is a little story told of a person who went to Paris on a trip.

 

Wishing to buy his wife a gift, he purchased a phosphorescent, ‘mother-of-pearl’ match-box container.

 

(‘Mother-of-pearl’ is the common name for sparkling nacre, a blend of minerals that are secreted by oysters and deposited inside their shells, coating and protecting them from foreign objects; these eventually become pearls)

 

The beauty of this gift was that in the dark it was said to radiate a wonderful light.

 

The man packed it in his trunk, took it home and after the family-dinner, asked for the lights to be put out.

>> In the dark, he took the match-box container from his pocket to present it to his wife.

 

 

But, when he looked at it, it was as black as the darkness around.

 

Frustrated, he said, “That is just the way foreigners are often treated! I have been cheated!”

 

Next day, however, his wife, a bit curious, discovered on the box, a few words in French.

>> She took it down to some friends who had a French maid and had it translated.

 

That night, in the darkness, that box was all aglow, for she had followed the instructions written on the box, which said:

 

‘If you keep me all day long in the sunlight,

I will shine for you all night long, in the darkness’

 

 

A glow in the dark is assured for that which has the capacity to infuse light within itself!

>> The greater one is in the light, the greater would be one’s glow in the dark!

 

 

Light emerges from the depths of holiness.. to shine clearly even in the dark…

>> This is Transfiguration!

 

As Christians, we are invited to have this Transfiguration Experience, in imitation of our Blessed Lord.

 

 

One of the easy tendencies in life is to “get used to”…

>> Get used to doing the same works and dealing with the same people.

A tendency of “monotony” creeps in

 

The danger with “monotony” is that…

… it can drain away enthusiasm from the works one does

 

 

This danger of “monotony” is a strong possibility even in our spiritual life.

>> We begin to take our faith for granted

>> We tend to view our devotions with casualness.

 

>> Prayers get boring.

>> The Holy Eucharist seems meaningless

>> Pious practices fails to generate any passion

 

The same danger was true even in the case of the Disciples.

 

 

The disciples had been with Jesus for a while now…

>> They had seen Him…

… performing many wonders

… teaching and addressing the crowds

… being the subject of many oppositions too

 

But slowly, as human tendency is – a feel of monotony would have begun to creep into their lives.

 

 

 

It is at this stage, that our Blessed Lord chooses three of His “core” disciples – Peter, James and John, and in their presence gets Transfigured! (Mk 9: 2-10)

 

 

The Transfiguration experience was something very special and unique for these disciples…

>> They saw our Blessed Lord glisteningly shining – His clothes being whiter “as no fuller on earth could bleach” (Mk 9:3)

>> They witnessed Moses and Elijah (Mk 9:4) – the great Lawgiver and the mighty Prophet – along with Jesus, Who was the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophet!

>> They heard the Divine Voice – “This is My Beloved Son; listen to Him” (Mk 9: 7b) – from the cloud; reminiscent of God Yahweh who would speak to His people of old, from the clouds

 

The three disciples were being introduced to a new perspective of their Master.

>> They saw Jesus – not in the usual way – but arrayed in His Divine Glory and Honour!

 

Jesus had not become something that He was not…

>> He was always God and was always the Second Person of the Divine Trinity.

All this while, the eyes of the disciples were kept away from seeing the fullness of glory – only sparks of Divinity was revealed to them

 

But now, here was a moment, though short – the Transfiguration – when the chosen disciples could come face-to-face with Divine Glory!

 

The moment of Transfiguration had made them see things in a new light…

>> Jesus was still the same – but they now saw Him, for a short moment, with a Glorious Glow

 

That is the splendour and glory of the moment of Transfiguration…

… when woundedness is refined into beauty

… when sufferings are graced into meaningfulness

 

 

Have we had this Transfiguration Experience?

 

Surely, we have had…

 

But perhaps, many of us fail to recognise it.. or acknowledge it

>> A moment…

… when our words have touched and sparkled a sad soul..

… when we ourselves have been healed in our brokenness by some Divine intervention

… when we experienced the light of God’s healing, restoration, forgiveness etc through the Sacraments of the Church

… when a pulse of joy and satisfaction raced through our veins in having rendered, perhaps, a tiny but significant act of service and care to a needy person

… when, in our brokenness or deep pain or lethargy, an encouraging word has revived our bent spirits

 

Many are such moments of Transfiguration in our life…

>> But the more we look deeper, the more we find, that God has blessed us immensely with such “Transfiguration” experiences.

 

It is these “Transfiguration” moments that will take us through, strongly, in our moments of darkness.

>> The light of Transfiguration on Mount Tabor helped to shine through during the darkness of Crucifixion on Mount Calvary for Jesus!

 

The greater one is in the light of the Transfiguration, the greater would be one’s glow in the dark phases of life!

 

May this Gospel of the Transfiguration help us to be reminded of the promise of the Lord that:

“If you keep yourself, all day long in the sunlight of My Love,

I will shine for you all night long, in the darkness of your life”

 

God Bless! Live Jesus!

The famous incident of President Abraham Lincoln during the US civil war goes thus…

The President met a group of church leaders for a prayer-cum-breakfast.

At one point during the breakfast, one of the leaders remarked: “Mr President, let us pray, that in this time of the Civil War, God is on our side”

But Abraham Lincoln, replied with a much-greater insight…

… “No gentlemen. Let us pray that we are on God’s side!”

It was a reminder by the President that religion ought not to be a tool to get God to do what we want…

… but a way of life, to open our hearts to listen and do what God wants of us!

Are we on the side of God?

>> Or are we on the other side, and expecting God to bend Himself to our ways and styles of life?

The Gospel of the Day is a beautiful reminder of the Lord to examine our lives…

… and check, “if we are on the side of God!”

On reaching the villages of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus put forth the two-question examination to His disciples:

>> “Who do people say that I am?” (Mk 8: 27)

>> “Who do you say that I am?” (Mk 8: 29)

After having given various answers to the first question, Peter, the leader, gives the answer:

“You are the Christ” (Mk 8: 29b)

Although, Peter had given the right answer, the following statements by Jesus on His Passion, Death and Resurrection, scandalized Peter!

>> Peter had a set and standard understanding of a Messiah- as did the Jews of his time…

… a leader who would wield power and control

… a liberator who would exercise supremacy and command.

 

So when Jesus spoke of a “Servant-Leader” (Mk 8: 31)…

… One Who would suffer

… One Who would subjected to the mercy of the other

>> Peter could no longer stand himself!

He began to rebuke Jesus (Mk 8: 32b).

But Jesus had to set things right…

… and so He would rebuke Him back strongly: “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not on the side of God, but of men!” (Mk 8: 33)

Though Peter had made a correct statement about Jesus…

… it was still only a partial sight!

>> He still needed a “second intervention”, in order to see fully.

This was just as it was in the Healing of the Blind Man in the previous passage (Mk 8: 22-25)

>> The blind man initially could only see “people walking, like trees” (Mk 8: 24)

But after the “second touch” from Jesus, he was able to see fully.

Jesus was reminding Peter, by the strong rebuke…

.. that Christian Life is not about “we wanting our way; it is about we seeking and doing God’s Will in life!”

Yes, Christianity is a Way of Life, that constantly asks us: “Are we on the side of God?

In our everyday life, we come across plenty of opportunities, when we need to make this discernment:

>> Either to be on the side of God…

… or to go against Him!

We need to examine seriously our prayer life…

>> “Do we seek God’s Will in prayer…

… or do we seek to impose our will on Him?”

>> “Do we place our worries and problems before our God (Who knows all!)…

… or do we also command Him, on how and when these problems ought to be solved?”

 

Sometimes, we do have tendencies, to pull God into our boundary…

… instead of we moving to God’s side!

Today, the Lord clearly reminds us, as He rebuked Peter…

… to constantly be on the “side of God”.

Like Peter…

… we may have our own justifications to think the way we do

… we may have our own fears in encountering a Suffering God

But the Lord, is clear and constant in His presentation of Christianity: “Seek to be on the side of God”

Yes, let us allow the Lord to mellow our hearts…

>> So that we can understand that religion ought not to be a tool to get God to do what we want…

… but a way of life, to open our hearts to listen and do what God wants of us!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

A sailor found himself in harsh and rough waters on the sea.
>> Survival seemed scanty… but he called on the Lord.

His prayers were heard, and he found himself washed up on a small, uninhabited island.

 
On the island, he again prayed intensely to God, to rescue him.
>>  Every day he would scan the horizon for help…
…but none seemed forthcoming.

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood (wood from the wreckage of the ship) to protect himself from the elements, and to store his few possessions.

One day, after having wandered all around for food, he arrived home..
… Only to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rising up to the skies.

 
He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost.

Stuck with disbelief, grief, and anger, he cried out:
“GOD! How could you do this to me?
You saved me from the shipwreck, but only to abandon me on this island!
>> And now you have taken away my only means of survival.”

Early next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island!
>> It was a rescue ship…
… they had come to rescue him!

“How did you know I was here?” asked the weary man of his rescuers.

“We saw your smoke signal,” they replied!

The burnt hut – which the man had considered as a tragedy and a cruel act from God…
… turned out to be the signal, by which people could come to rescue him.

Even though he had received a rescuing hand, the first time, from the shipwreck…
… he needed a “repeat” intervention, to realise and deepen the awareness of the Providential Presence of God in his life.

What about us?
>> Are we also in need of a “repeat” intervention from the Lord…
… for a greater commitment and dedication to our life of faith?

 
The Gospel of the Day is the beautiful and unique incident of a blind man, experiencing a “repeat” intervention from the Lord…
… and obtaining total healing and cure.

 
When Jesus arrived at Bethsaida, people brought to Him a blind man.

Jesus takes aside this blind man, and begins the process of healing…
… a process that takes plac in two stages.

Jesus first places His Hands on him and enquiring whether he sees anything
>> The man replied: “I see people looking like trees and walking” (Mk 8: 23-24)

Then Jesus laid His Hands a second time…
… and he saw clearly, with his sight restored. (Mk 8: 25)

 

This two-step process of healing is a great reminder to us…
… that Jesus was in perfect control of the healing process
… that faith in Jesus is not a one-time event; rather a process that could extend to different stages

 
Jesus, the great Healer, Who had healed many, with His One Word..
…now also demonstrates that when human beings go through a stage of “not seeing fully, but only men walking as trees”, He is still in perfect charge of the situation.

Jesus, the great evoker of Faith, Who had instilled confidence and hope in many…
…now also demonstrates that growing in faith in Him, is a gradual process.

 
 
Each of us in life go through such situations and moments in life…
… when we are blind
… when, even with a touch of the Lord,  “we see people looking like trees and walking”

Problems and difficulties often clout our vision
>> Experiences of an encounter with the Lord do keep our faith alive, though feeble
… In all such moments, we need another “touch” from the Lord.

 
Yes, we are all in need of a  “repeat” intervention from the Lord!

As Christians, who have been “in faith” for long time, there are possibilities…
… when our life of faith loses its charm and charisma
… when our resolutions and promises lose touch of its initial fervour and zeal
… when our commitment and dedication fail to have the required enthusiasm and passion

 
In all such moments of “blind moments” and “blurred vision”…
… we need a  “repeat” intervention from the Lord!

 
Let us therefore, allow the Lord to touch us and experience His Healing Grace…
… to lead us out of blindness and blurredness into clarity of faith and trust.

God Bless! Live Jesus!

 The onion is one of the most simple and commonly available vegetables.

>> It is widely used, especially in the preparation of a number of Indian dishes.

 

It’s interesting to notice the structure of an onion: it is formed as a result of several layers.

 

If one tries to peel off one layer after another, the result would be, that one would be left with nothing…just emptiness!

 

Our Christian life sometimes is represented by an onion…formed in layers.

>> Christ peels our life like an onion to make us realize our emptiness.

 
The Gospel of the Day presents this experience of the disciples, in the presence of Jesus, their Master…

… an experience of being peeled to find themselves in emptiness

…an experience of being unlayered to find themselves in blankness

 
Jesus is off on the boat again, with His disciples, to travel to the other shore (Mk 8:13)

 

The disciples had forgotten to bring bread along with them, and they had only one loaf with them. (Mk 8:14).

 

Jesus, meanwhile, began to make use of the time of journey, for rendering a teaching on True Discipleship.

 

Incidentally, He spoke on the need to be aware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod…

… the leaven of malice and wickedness (1 Cor 5:8)

… the leaven of deception and misleading (Gal 5:8-9)

 

The disciples, however, got it all wrong.

 

Their minds were still focussed on the bread.

>> They were still figuring how out, how they missed to get bread.

>> They were still trying to see how they could all adjust, with one bread.

 

And so, when Jesus spoke of leaven, one of the main ingredients in bread, they thought that Jesus was chastising them, for not having taken bread.

 

But Jesus now shows the disciples what is to be the main focus…

>> He makes them realise what was more important and needed.

 

The disciples were more concerned with food and security.

>> The disciples were more interested in material needs and concerns.

 
But the Lord, now, begins to peel these layers, in the Disciples, as that in an onion!

… the layers of only material concerns

… the layers of only worldly needs

… the layers of only earthly apprehensions.

 

The disciples are concerned that they have only one bread…

>> But they fail to see that they have the One and Only Bread of Life!

 

The disciples are concerned that their food may not be sufficient…

>> But they fail to see that they have the One who multiplied bread for four thousands and five thousands!

 

They failed to understand! They failed to look beyond!

 
In our life journey, we too sometimes fall short of material and earthly needs.

>> Do we also get perplexed and anxious like the disciples?

>> Do we also fail to see beyond and realise the more important needs of life?

>> Do we also fail to understand that the presence of the Lord matters much more than any other earthly aspect?

             

We too need to be peeled of our layers of only material concerns.

>> We too need to be peeled of our layers of only worldly matters.

 
Let us fill the emptiness of our lives with the Love and Spirit of the Lord.

Let us fill the vacuum within us, with the Peace and Passion for the Lord.

 
God bless! Live Jesus!

 The Song of Bernadette is a 1943 film which dramatizes the story of Saint Bernadette Soubirous.

 

St Bernadette, reported eighteen visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in Lourdes, France, from February to July 1858.

 

This movie begins with a prologue-dialogue, which goes thus…

“For those who believe in God, no explanation is necessary.

For those who do not believe, no explanation is possible”

 

This statement casts light on an important aspect of the nature of faith and belief:

To those who believe, miracles are an aid…

To those choose not to believe, no miracles can come to aid!

 

The Gospel of the Day is clear example of this aspect of the nature of faith and belief…

… the constant refusal of the Pharisees to believe in Jesus

… the adamant denial of the Pharisees to accept Jesus

 
We are in the eighth chapter of the Gospel of St Mark.

Jesus performed an amazing miracle of the multiplication of the loaves…for about four thousand people (Mk 8:1-9)

 

From there, Jesus proceeds to the region of Dalmanutha (Mk 8:10)

 

On reaching this place, the religious leaders namely the Pharisees, came forward and began to argue with Jesus, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test Him (Mk 8:11).

 

But the Lord responded with a “sigh, from the depth of His spirit” (Mk 8:12)

 
What made Jesus to respond so strongly?

 

Is Jesus against asking signs?

>> Is Jesus against lack of faith?

>> Is Jesus against unbelief?

 

The answer to perhaps all the three questions above is.. not in the affirmative!

 

Jesus is NOT necessarily against asking signs…

 

The Bible is a witness to many people asking for signs from God…

>> Gideon asked for a sign from God (Judg 6:17)

>> Moses asked God what sign would prove to Pharaoh that he was sent by God ( Ex 4:1)

>> Elijah promises what Elisha had asked for, on the condition of a sign (2 Kg 2:10)

 

Jesus is NOT out rightly against lack of belief or unbelief…

>> The unbelieving Thomas, was chided, but not condemned by Jesus, after His resurrection (Jn 20:27-28)

>> The lack of faith of the disciples is saddening for Jesus, but He does not reject them (Mk 4:40)

>> The father, whose boy was possessed with a demon was blessed with a healing, on his acknowledgment of littleness in faith (Mk 9:24)

>> The emotionally unsettled and wavering Peter is given another chance to prove his loyalty despite his rejection and denial of faith in Jesus (Jn 21:15-17)

 
Then what is Jesus against?

 Jesus is terribly against those people…

… who reject faith, despite many signs and wonders that are obviously presented

… who demand for greater miracles for merely curiosity and excitement

… who make use of the powers of God for personal satisfaction and gratification

… who remain stone-hearted, unmoved and indifferent despite clear indications and signals from God.

 
The Pharisees represented this class of people, whom the Lord had a terrible dislike and aversion…

… ‘cos of their attitude of indifference

… ‘cos of their mentality of coldness

… ‘cos of their outlook of rejection

 
Am I also a person…

… who constantly rejects signs and wonders from the Lord, and fail to grow in faith?

… who remains obstinate and indifferent to God’s powers, and fail to be open to God’s movements in my life?

 
The Lord is constantly speaking to us through various miracles.

>> The Lord is constantly moving our hearts through many blessings.

>> The Lord is constantly inspiring our lives through immense wonders.

Let us be open and docile to Him!

 
God Bless! Live Jesus!

It is said that there are two extremely fatal phrases in the English language. 

>> They are

1. “What is the use?”

2. “Why should I?”

 

 

“What is the use?” is the fatal tendency…

… that causes people to look at the world from a purely pragmatic perspective

 

>> Such a tendency…

… causes people to lose interest in things and people, if they don’t seem useful and beneficial

 … causes people to manipulate people, things and situations in a way that suits their self-interests

 

 

“Why should I?” is the fatal tendency…

… that causes people to look at the world from a resigned and indifferent perspective

 

>> Such a tendency…

… causes people to rot in lethargy and tepidity and lose the spice of life

… causes people to push the responsibility to other, and themselves slacken in comfort and ease

 

 

These two phrases were very much reflected in the “Pharisaic and the Scribal lifestyle” which Jesus, in today’s Gospel invites each us to surpass and overcome.

 

>> The “What is the use” lifestyle…

… which made them to only flaunt their external piety and lose sight of the unglamorous aspect of devotion

 

>> The “Why should I” lifestyle…

… which made them to reject any offer calling them to repentance or amend their ways and instead made them to be stuck to their own prejudices and adamant patterns of thought.

 

 

Jesus always keeps challenging us!

The Lord loathes laziness and lukewarmness…

>> He loves to keep raising the standard of our holiness and faith!

 

This challenge is reflected in today’s Gospel Reading.

 

Jesus says, ” Unless your righteousness exceeds that of Scribes & Pharisees, you can’t enter the Kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5: 20)

 

 

The righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees would consist…

… in a lifestyle which insisted only on the exact following of the ‘letter’ of the Law neglecting its spirit

… in a tendency to neglect the fundamental aspects of the Law and focus only on the peripheries

 

 

What could be some of the negative aspects of the Righteousness of Scribes and Pharisees, which Jesus condemns…and which perhaps, we need to overcome?

 

 

1. They liked to preach…but not practise

 

We live in a world where there are many people who are good in preaching, writing reflections and advising on spiritual matters.

>> But very often, a massive chasm appears between their preaching and their way of life.

 

The Scribes and Pharisees seemed to be in this category of people.

 

 

2. They liked to do things to “show-off”

 

A tragedy of religious practices can be, when things are done not to please God, but to win the approval and endorsement of people.

>> Religious piety and devotions very often become means to have self-gratification of one’s senses, and sadly, even platforms to boast and brag about one’s capacities and capabilities.

 

The Scribes and Pharisees seemed to be in this category of people.

 

 

3. They liked to make the Word of God, user-friendly, at the cost of God’s Will:

 

One of the trends in the modern world, is to have all products and gadgets “user-friendly”.

 

Sadly, this trend is also often applied to the Word of God.

>> The Word of God, its commandments and laws are twisted and condensed and expanded and interpreted and quoted and explained and elucidated – all to suit one’s own comfortable and pleasurable way of life!

 

The Scribes and Pharisees seemed to be in this category of people.

 

 

Am I in any of these category of peoples??

 

The Lord challenges us today.. to exceed this sort of a righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees.

 

We need to be people…

… “who walk the talk”!

… “who practice our Faith to Please God and Him alone

… “who live a Gospel-oriented life”

 

The Gospel ought to mould and shape us – and not we changing the Word of God to suit and justify our secured and comfortable lives!

>> Gal 1:10, says,” If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ.”

 

 

Our modern world strongly advocates the two fatal phrases of…

… “What is the use?” and “Why should I?”

 

 

As followers of Christ, it is our duty and task to go beyond such a “Pharisaic and Scribal Lifestyle”…

… and live as Jesus would want us to!

 

We need to counter these two fatal phrases, with inspirational mantras…

>> “What is the use?” is to be countered by “All to Thy Glory!”

>> “Why should I?” is to be countered by “To let Thy Will be done!”

 

 

Let all our actions and thoughts be directed only to God.

Let our Lives truly be a Good News!

>> As St Francis of Assisi says, “Preach the Gospel always…use words, if necessary!“

 

 

God Bless us! Live Jesus!

Two Christian friends were talking about their life experiences. 
One of them said: “It is so very hard to trust God and to realize that His Hand is still leading us in the dark phases of our life!”
“Well”, said the other, ” if you cannot trust a person out of sight, then he/she is not worth much!

>> And if you cannot trust God in the dark, it simply shows… you don’t trust Him at all!”

That’s quite a point, isn’t it?

We find our Christian Faith often on an easy course, when things go on well.

>> But when difficulties come our way, our “trust” level is questioned.

It is in these “questionable moments of trust” that we tend to enter into a “zone of limitation”
We tend to think in a limited and restricted manner.

>> We tend to limit ourselves to our inadequacies and narrowness.

 

But God loves to challenge us to move beyond such boundaries and borders!

 
Yes, human beings tend to think in a limited fashion, but God loves to expand our possibilities.

>> Human beings tend to get bogged down by boundaries, but God loves to throw open our horizons.

 

The Gospel of the day is a clear illustration of this expansion of human horizons and possibilities, through the miracle of the feeding of loaves…

… and thus trusting Him deeper!

 
Jesus is with His disciples and huge crowd.

>> They are once again in a situation of having a want of feeding this huge multitude.

 

 

It’s interesting to highlight the patterns in the attitudes of Jesus and the disciples.

 

Jesus sees the hungry crowd and His heart moved in compassion…

>> The disciples saw the hungry crowd and probably their minds were moved in tension!

 

Jesus expresses His concern and care to feed the hungry crowd…

>> The disciples express their frustration and urgency to send the crowd away at the earliest!

 

Jesus foresaw the possibility of immense fulfilment and satisfaction in the deserted area…

>> The disciples got stuck with seeing only barrenness and emptiness in the deserted area!

 

Jesus moved in action, to enquire about the possibilities of feeding the people…

>> The disciples groaned in inaction at the plight of having to feed the people!

 

 

The disciples concluded impossibility by their mathematical calculations…

>> Jesus concluded possibility by His Divine calculations!
 

The disciples saw only the desert…

>> Jesus looked beyond – to find an oasis in the desert!

 
How often are we too like the disciples…

… limited in our thinking

… restricted by our inabilities

… stuck by our mental calculations

 

But Jesus invites us, like He did to His disciples…to look beyond…

.. to look at Him who can shatter every obstacle and barrier!

… to look to Him who can expand every horizon and possibility!

… to look to Him who can turn deserts into pools and hills into highways!

 
Yes, we will have moments in our life which makes us to complain:

“It is so very hard to trust God and to realize that His Hand is still leading us in the dark phases of our life!”
But we are reminded by the Gospel of the Day:

“If you cannot trust a person out of sight, then he/she is not worth much!

>> And if you cannot trust God in the dark, it simply shows… you don’t trust Him at all!”

Let us seek the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, who on this day, the 11th of Feb, 1858 appeared to St Bernadette in Lourdes.

 

Blessed Mother Mary is the Lady of Lourdes – the Immaculate Conception!

Let us hold Her hands, and like Her, dare to move out of the “zone of limitation” and trust the Lord… 

… knowing He is always with us – caring, loving and providing…

… and thus sing with the Psalmist: “O Lord, You have been our refuge, from one generation to the next” (Ps 90:1)

God Bless! Live Jesus!

There is a beautiful little anecdote in the life of St Mother Teresa of Kolkotta, probably, known to many of us. 

As Mother 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!”

The love for the Lord and imitation of 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?

Keeping 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…” (Mk 7: 33)

 

 

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

God Bless! Live Jesus!

A highly contagious virus has affected human life, down through many centuries – societies, communities and families.

 

This contagion is not some strand of flu that affects the body

This contagion is not even a digital malware spreading from computer to computer.

 

This contagion is the virus named “blaming”.

 

This virus – “blaming” – is perhaps the easiest culprit for many of the problems that we face in our lives.

 

Whenever our plans fail… we “blame” other people.

>> Whenever things don’t go the way it is expected… we “blame” our luck or the stars

>> Whenever we face personal problems and crisis…we “blame” our situations and surroundings

 

Often…

… our problems find a scapegoat in this virus named “blaming”

… our defeats find a cause in this contagion named “blaming”

 

But the Gospel of the day presents an amazing personality who overcomes and overpowers this virus of “blaming” and wins for herself the favour of the Lord.

 

The Gospel passage is the incident of Jesus’ encounter with a Gentile woman who comes seeking for a cure for her daughter, from a demon.

 

“…a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit, heard about Jesus. She came and fell at His feet” (Mk 7:25)

 

 

This person who came to Jesus went through a string of ignominies and exploitations…

 

>> She had to face humiliations because she was a woman…

The Jewish society accorded a lowly and highly subjugated status to women

 

>> She had to face disgraces because she was a Greek…

The Greeks, who were considered pagans by the Jews, were treated with inferiority.

 

 

>> She had to face dishonour because she was a Syrophoenician…

A Syrophoenician denoted a mixed race – half Syrians and half Phoenician; thus denoting also a crisis in cultural and linguistic identity.

 

>> She had to face scandal because she had to approach Jesus who was a pure Jew…

Greeks and especially Greek woman had no interaction at all with Jewish men

 

>> She had to face crisis because her child was possessed with an unclean spirit…

A demon-possession in her beloved daughter would have chased away all her peace of mind.

 

>> She had to face challenge to her faith when the Lord addressed to her in an apparently disrespectful manner…

Being called as a “dog” would have put off the mind of a weak and frail person

 

Well.. this Syrophoenician Greek woman, had many things to complain in life…

 

 

She had a number of reasons to “blame” and get defeated in life.

She could have just “blamed”…

… the society for their inhuman attitudes

… the citizens for their class divisions

… the civilization for their cruel outlooks

… her stars and fate for what happened to her daughter…

… Jesus for His challenging and apparently resistant answer…

 

She could have just kept “blaming” anybody and anything….and get bogged down totally!

 >> But this woman decides to overpower and overcome this “virus” of blaming.

 

She decides to close her eyes to all humiliations and yet stand strong with a bold face!

>> She decides to overlook all setbacks and defy the odds with her deep convictions and trust!

 

As a result, the Lord rewards her immensely and her daughter was delivered of the demon!

 

Are we people who get easily afflicted by the contagion of “blaming”?

>> Are we people who are easily paralysed by the virus of “blaming”?

 

The Syrophoenician woman…

… by her tremendous faith and bold trust is a challenge to us.

… by her amazing determination and resolve is an inspiration for us.

 

Our society, our families, our own individual selves are often under the grip and possession of this contagion of “blaming”.

 

Let us approach the Lord for a deliverance and liberation!

 

God Bless! Live Jesus!