“Being inspired by St Mary Magdalene to understand that ‘Love transforms everything!’”

(Based on the Feast of St Mary Magdalene)

A Dutch diamond collector was seeking for a very rare diamond.

A diamond dealer in New York heard of this inquiry and contacted him…
… letting him know that he believed he possessed the diamond he was looking for.

The diamond collector arrived…
… and the dealer had his salesman present the diamond.

The salesman described all the technical aspects of the diamond.

However within minutes, the diamond collector rose his hand and said: “I am sorry! This is not the diamond I am looking for”…
… and began to walk away.

Watching from a distance, the diamond dealer hurriedly intercepted him…
… and he asked him if he could present the diamond again.

Since he had travelled a long distance, the collector agreed to listen once again.

The dealer pulled out the same diamond and started describing his admiration for this particular diamond.

Within minutes they were signing papers, and the diamond was purchased.

As the gentleman was walking out, he asked, what just happened?

Why was it so easy for me to say no to your salesman a little while ago, while with you I purchased the diamond?

The dealer replied: “That salesman is the best in the business.

He knows more about diamonds than anyone, including myself, and I pay him a large salary for his knowledge and expertise.

But I would gladly pay him twice as much if I could put into him something I have which he lacks.

You see, he knows diamonds…
… but I love them!”

Love transforms everything!

Love adds passion in any activity we do.

Today we celebrate the Feast of one such person who deeply loved the Lord – St Mary Magdalene.

The Bible presents St Mary Magdalene as a woman who loved Jesus intensely and passionately.

She teaches us remarkable things for each one of us to Love the Lord deeper:

1. She Followed Him

Luke 8:2 presents Mary Magdalene as having been cured of seven demons.

Her experience of the Healing of the Lord, made her to Follow Jesus, in His ministry of preaching and healing.

Am I following the Lord?

All have us have, in our life, have experienced the power of the Lord.

But do I truly follow the Lord?

2. She was Persistent to seek Him

The Death of her Lord had rocked Mary Magdalene…
… and she seeks persistently, in the tomb where Jesus was laid.

Even though she witnessed an empty tomb, her heart longed to see the Saviour….” so she stayed outside the tomb weeping”(Jn 20:11).

Am I persistent to seek the Lord?

I have often had setbacks in my prayer life, work situations & aspirations.

But do I still persevere in looking for the Lord?

3. She was Single-hearted in her search for Him

In her search for Jesus, whom she misunderstood as a gardener, Mary Magdalene expresses her sincerity and frankness and single-mindedness – “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

She sought no empty phrases or consolations…but the Lord alone!
Nothing and none else could suffice her… but the Lord alone!

Am I single-hearted in my search for the Lord?

I am sometimes content with fleeting pleasures, transitory consolation and momentary comforts in my spiritual life.

Do I rather be single-hearted in my longing for the Lord?

4. She was enthusiastic about Him

Once she recognized the ordinary gardener as her Precious Master, Mary Magdalene is enthusiastic and fervent about Him.

Nothing could stop her from proclaiming Him.

In the words of St Bernard, “she became an apostle to the Apostles”.

Am I enthusiastic in my life?

As a Christian, I have in me the influencing, the powerful and the salvific good news of the Lord.

Am I enthusiastic in sharing about the Lord to others?

Let us learn from St Mary Magdalene…
… her commitment in following of Jesus
… her persistence in waiting for Jesus, her single-heartedness in searching for Jesus, and her enthusiasm in telling others about Jesus.

St Mary Magdalene…
… is a beautiful model of being a Disciple
… is a wonderful example of being a Divine-Seeker
… is a classic illustration of being a Dispenser of the Good News

St. Mary Magdalene holds a unique place in the history of Jesus.

The One who rose from the grave of death, appeared first to her, who herself experienced a rising from the grave of sin!
She was the first (as per the Gospel accounts) to see Him alive and the first to hear His voice.
She became the first evangelist in Christian history.

She is the Mourner who turned into a Missionary!

Let us passionately love the Lord, like St Mary Magdalene,
… “’cos there isn’t an ocean too deep, a mountain so high it can keep…
… keep us away, away from His love!”

As Christians it is not enough that we “know about Christ”…
… it is more important “to know Christ” and to love Him!

May St Mary Magdalene help us to understand that “Love transforms everything!”

Love adds passion to any activity we do.

Happy Feast of St Mary Magdalene – the Disciple, the Divine-Seeker, the Dispenser of the Good News!

Happy Feast of Tender Love and Mercy to all!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE TRIAL OF JESUS

Among the religious authorities of Jerusalem, not only were the Pharisee Nicodemus and the prominent Joseph of Arimathea both secret disciples of Jesus, but there was also long-standing dissension about him, so much so that St. John says of these authorities on the very eve of Christ’s Passion, “many.. . believed in him”, though very imperfectly.
This is not surprising, if one recalls that on the day after Pentecost “a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith” and “some believers…belonged to the party of the Pharisees”, to the point that St. James could tell St. Paul, “How many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed; and they are all zealous for the Law.”
The religious authorities in Jerusalem were not unanimous about what stance to take towards Jesus.
The Pharisees threatened to excommunicate his followers.
To those who feared that “everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation”, the high priest Caiaphas replied by prophesying: “It is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish.”
The Sanhedrin, having declared Jesus deserving of death as a blasphemer but having lost the right to put anyone to death, hands him over to the Romans, accusing him of political revolt, a charge that puts him in the same category as Barabbas who had been accused of sedition.
The chief priests also threatened Pilate politically so that he would condemn Jesus to death.
Jews are not collectively responsible for Jesus’ death (Cf. CCC # 595-596)

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“Ready to harvest manifold blessings with the Seed of the Word of God!”

(Based on Exo 16:1-5,9-15 and Mt 13:1-9 – Wednesday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time)

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step….

The construction of a magnificent building is initiated by the laying of a single brick or a stone…
The art of composing a lovely song starts with gathering of the first strains of melody & lyrics…
The discipline of writing a spectacular novel commences with penning down the first few words…

There is power in the first step!

There is magic in the first act!

There is much potential in the Sowing of a Little Seed…

We are encountering the familiar Parable of the Sower in today’s Gospel Reading
… The Master Sower is back in the Field, broadcasting the Seeds…

The Seed is the Word of God
… It is little.
… It is tiny.
… It is small.

But it can become big.
It can become powerful.
It can become very influential.

The Word of God is powerful… but it is in the form of a Seed

It however, contains within it, all the potentials of a new life and fruitfulness!

The Seed has a tremendous potential….

This Seed has the potential to be a Living Bread (Jn 6:51)
… to sustain life, and to strengthen the weak and fragile.

This Seed has the potential to be a Bubbling Fountain (Prov 13:14)
… issuing forth pure water that refreshes, cleanses and purifies the dirt of sinfulness.
This Seed has the potential to be a Powerful Hammer (Jer 23:29) – building and reconstructing broken and shattered lives.

This Seed has the potential to be a Thick Golden Honey (Ps 19:11)…
… sweet to the taste and satisfying the spirit in moments of distress and pain.

This Seed has the potential to be a Bright, Shining Lamp (Ps 119:105)
… exposing the darkness and releasing the light of His purity, holiness and righteousness upon humanity.

The Seed has the potential to be a Sharp Two-edged Sword (Heb 4:12)
… helping to discern between the good & bad, the holy & the profane and the pure & polluted!

The Seed has the potential to be a Mirror (Jam 1:23)
… challenging us to look into our interior and also reflecting the attributes of the Most High God in whose image we are created!

Yes, the Seed has a tremendous potential…

The Divine Sower invites us…
… to share in His Divine Work of broadcasting the Seed
… and helping it realize its full potentials.

The Prophet Jeremiah was called to this purpose… “to uproot and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant” (Jer 1:10)

Let all experience the Seed – God’s word – as
… the Living Bread and the Bubbling Fountain
… the Powerful Hammer and the Thick Golden Honey
… the Bright, Shining Lamp Sharp and Two-edged Sword
… or as the Mirror!

Be not afraid to Sow the Seed…
… though little & tiny, in our own situations & circumstances.

A harvest of manifold blessings, begins with a single Seed…

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
JESUS AND ISRAEL’S FAITH IN THE ONE GOD AND SAVIOUR

Only the Divine identity of Jesus’ person can justify so absolute a claim as “He who is not with me is against me”; and His saying that there was in Him “something greater than Jonah… greater than Solomon”, something “greater than the Temple”; His reminder that David had called the Messiah His Lord, and His affirmations, “Before Abraham was, I AM”, and even “I and the Father are one.”
Jesus asked the religious authorities of Jerusalem to believe in Him because of the Father’s works which He accomplished.
But such an act of faith must go through a mysterious death to self, for a new “birth from above” under the influence of divine grace.
Such a demand for conversion in the face of so surprising a fulfilment of the promises allows one to understand the Sanhedrin’s tragic misunderstanding of Jesus: they judged that He deserved the death sentence as a blasphemer.
The members of the Sanhedrin were thus acting at the same time out of “ignorance” and the “hardness” of their “unbelief (Cf. CCC # 590-591)

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“Being willing to positively respond to the invitation of the Lord to be a member of ‘His Family!’”

(Based on Exo 14:21-15:1 and Mt 12:46-50 – Tuesday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time)

We sometimes find advertisements, in newspapers or magazines, that invite the readers to apply for a job or a task.

These ads…
… attract those who are interested by mentioning the various packages and privileges
… inform regarding various factors and parameters that makes one eligible for that post or duty.

The Gospel of the Day presents such an open-invitation – in a bid…
…. to attract all, to the Kingdom of God, by mentioning various packages and privileges
… to inform, regarding various factors and parameters that makes one eligible for the Kingdom of God

In the Gospel passage, we read that “The family of Jesus come to meet Him, while He was at ministry” (Mt 12: 46)
“Someone told Him, ‘Your Mother and Your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you” (Mt 12: 47)

But the Lord makes use of this context to put forward a very important truth:

Spiritual bonding with God, the Father takes higher precedence over blood bonding.
Spiritual relations are to be given a higher priority over the generational heritage and legacy.

A new and significant understanding is put forward by Jesus to define “His Family”
“… whoever does the Will of My Heavenly Father is My brother and sister and mother” (Mt 12: 50)

Thus, we see a wonderful ad that Jesus displays…

An ad…
…. to attract all, to the Kingdom of God by mentioning various packages and privileges
… to inform, regarding various factors and parameters that makes one eligible for the Kingdom of God

Here are the main aspects of this great ad…

1. The Offer: Being a member of the Family of God

Jesus makes a open and loving invitation for all to be part of His Family.

We are given a privilege to be called the brothers and sisters of our Blessed Lord!

What a great honour!

What a wonderful favour!

2. The Qualification: Seeking and doing the Will of God

The most essential and basic qualification to possess the offer of being a member of the Family of God, is to seek and do the Will of God.

Jn 1:12 says, “… to those who accept Him, He gave power to become children of God”

3. The Privileges: Divine Peace and Happiness on the earth and promise of life eternal

The One who is part of the Divine Family, also is privileged to share in the life and happiness of the Divine Family!

Jn 6:40 declares, “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

4. Who can avail the offer?: Anyone, who is daring to sacrifice one’s personal agenda

The one who can apply for this “offer” of being a member of God’s Will is to possess a dare and courage: to let go of one’s personal desires in life, and seek to embrace what God wants of him/her.

Mt 16: 24 says, “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me.

5. When should it be applied?: At the earliest, in the first instance possible

The opportune time to take the initiative to participate in the Divine Family is “now”

In the parable of the ten virgins, in Mt 25: 1-13, the five virgins missed the opportunity to be part of the wedding feast, because of their delay and postponement.

2 Pet 3:9 says, “The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard “delay,” but He is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Our Blessed Lord would be delighted to have us as part of His Divine Family.

For this, He also gives out His ad…
… attracting us to the Kingdom of God
… informing us of the various factors and parameters

Are we willing to positively respond to this invitation of the Lord?

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
JESUS AND ISRAEL’S FAITH IN THE ONE GOD AND SAVIOUR

If the Law and the Jerusalem Temple could be occasions of opposition to Jesus by Israel’s religious authorities, His role in the redemption of sins, the Divine Work par excellence, was the true stumbling-block for them.
Jesus scandalized the Pharisees by eating with tax collectors and sinners as familiarly as with themselves.
Against those among them “who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others”, Jesus affirmed: “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
He went further by proclaiming before the Pharisees that, since sin is universal, those who pretend not to need salvation are blind to themselves.
Jesus gave scandal above all when He identified his merciful conduct toward sinners with God’s own attitude toward them.
He went so far as to hint that by sharing the table of sinners, He was admitting them to the Messianic Banquet.
But it was most especially by forgiving sins that Jesus placed the religious authorities of Israel on the horns of a dilemma.
By forgiving sins, Jesus either is blaspheming as a Man who made himself God’s equal, or is speaking the Truth and His Person really does make present and reveal God’s Name. (Cf. CCC # 583-584)

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“Being a Good Shepherd, like Jesus, to all!”

(Based on Jer 23:1-6, Eph 2:13-18 and Mk 6:30-34 – 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

The French have a proverb, which states: “A good meal ought to begin with hunger.”

It is usually pretty hard to enjoy a meal when one is not yet hungry.

But, when one is hungry…
… anything tastes good.

This hunger is of course, not only about physical hunger.
There are many other areas of life where we experience hunger…

Hunger for love…
Hunger for being wanted…
Hunger on emotional counts…
Hunger of the spiritual order…

These aspects of hunger…
… may never have a scientific statistic
… may never have flowcharts and pie diagrams to measure them

But these areas of hunger are a great reality and challenge, especially in our world today!

The Gospel of the Day presents Jesus who addresses not just “statistical” hunger but also such hunger of human needs which “may never get numerically counted”…
… with an invitation to always “hunger for God and to serve His people!”

“When He disembarked and saw the vast crowd, His Heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things” (Mk 6:34)

The Apostles, who were sent on the mission (Mk 6: 7-13) had returned back and reported all that they had done (Mk 6:30)

They had driven out many demons…
They had anointed many with oil who were sick and cured them… (Mk 6:13)

They would have rejoiced greatly, but they were also physically tired.

They would have been satisfied with their works, but they did not have even the time to eat (Mk 6:31)

The Apostles had done many works, but Jesus sensed that they were tired

The Apostles were happy with their ministry, but Jesus sensed that they were hungry.
And so the Good Shepherd invites them to come away to a deserted place and rest (Mk 6:31)

Like these Apostles, many times, this can be our case too…

We may be doing a lot of things…
… but are we still feeling spiritually tired?

We may be happy with what we are doing…
… but are we still hungry deep within?

The Good Shepherd invites us…
… to take some rest in Him
… to relax in His Holy Heart

As in the case of the Apostles, so is the case of the people…

The people had seen many miracles, but Jesus sensed that they were still not truly filled
The people had witnessed many wonders, but Jesus sensed that they were still lost and unguided.

And so the Good Shepherd, with a moved Heart, feels compassion on them (Mk 6:34)

Like these people, many times this can be our case too…

We may have witnessed God’s wonders…
… but are we still spiritually found wanting?

We may be glad to doing the minimum in our spiritual life…
… but are we still missing something?

The Good Shepherd encourages us…
… with His Divine Word
… by His Compassionate Love

There is indeed a great hunger in the world.

Saint Mother Teresa said: “Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty, than the person who has nothing to eat”

We may be people who hunger for love and acceptance…

Let us go to Jesus, the Supreme Lover of our lives

We may be people dejected and depressed in life…

Let us go to Jesus, the Ultimate Happiness of our lives

We may be people feeling unlucky and ill-fated in life…

Let us go to Jesus, the Absolute Destiny of our lives

In turn, we also meet people who go through such “hunger”…
…for love, for acceptance, for encouragement, for hope, for basics of life etc…

Do I recognise, in the first place, such requirements of needy people?

Does my heart move in loving compassion for them?

Can I be a Good Shepherd, like Jesus, to them?

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
JESUS AND THE TEMPLE

Like the prophets before Him, Jesus expressed the deepest respect for the Temple in Jerusalem. It was in the Temple that Joseph and Mary presented Him forty days after his birth.
At the age of twelve, He decided to remain in the Temple to remind His parents that He must be about His Father’s business.
He went there each year during His hidden life at least for Passover.
His public ministry itself was patterned by his pilgrimages to Jerusalem for the great Jewish feasts.
Jesus went up to the Temple as the privileged place of encounter with God.
For him, the Temple was the dwelling of His Father, a house of prayer, and He was angered that its outer court had become a place of commerce.
He drove merchants out of it because of jealous love for his Father: “You shall not make my Father’s house a house of trade.
After his Resurrection his apostles retained their reverence for the Temple (Cf. CCC # 583-584)

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“Being ready to ‘live our lives in hope’ even though we may often experience many evils that seek to submerge us!”

(Based on Exo 12:37-42 and Mt 12:14-21 – Saturday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time)

“Pandora’s Box” is a phrase which means a process that once begun, generates many complicated problems.

There is a Greek mythological story about the origin of this phrase – the “Pandora’s Box”

According to the Greek legend, the first woman of the earth, named Pandora was sent to the earth, by the gods, with a casket (box) in her hand.

She was forbidden to open this box.

However, out of immense curiosity one day she lifted the cover of the box and looked in.

But there came forth from the box, every conceivable plague for man’s body and his mind, and immediately they scattered themselves far and wide throughout the earth.

Pandora hastened to replace the lid of the box, but there was only one thing left – Hope!

Often our life can resemble this mythological tale, in that, we face a whole set of evils and troubles unleashed at us.

The Pandora’s Box – of persecutions, of difficulties, of sadness, of daily tensions – gets opened often in our lives.

But Life still invites and challenges us to move on with Life, in HOPE, seeking to heal every negativity!

Our Blessed Lord is our model and perfect example for this.

While on the earth, He had to face the trial of many pandora boxes – of cruel plots, of hurtful betrayals, of painful rejections – being unleashed at Him.

Yet, He remained firm and defiant in His Zeal and Passion for His Mission – His Mission of being a “Hope to the Gentiles” ( Mt 12: 21)

The Gospel of the Day makes a vivid presentation of this struggle of our Blessed Lord was subjected to.

The Gospel passage begins with the verse, “But the Pharisees went out and took counsel to put Jesus to death” (Mt 12: 14)

There could be perhaps, quite a factors that prompted the religious elders of the time, to make this move

1. Jesus did not correspond to their idea of being a Messiah

The Pharisees and the religious leaders of the time, probably had a externally dominant visualization of the Messiah Who was to come…

Someone Who was politically powerful
Someone Who would be Restorer of their Religion
Someone Who would firmly establish the Jewish Empire

But none of these seemed to be evident in the ministry and life of Jesus.

2. Jesus seemed to be a thorn in their cosy structured and institutionalized pattern of life

The long wait for the Messiah had resulted…

In religion in being devoid of religiosity and instead being reduced to mere rituals
In Spirituality losing its sheen of sacredness and instead being sunken to mere static statutes

This had resulted in creation of classes…

Of the Ruling Class: consisting of the Pharisees, the Scribes and other religious leaders and elders,
Of the Ruled Class: consisting of the ordinary people, whose voices were often restrained, and had become mute followers of the tradition.

Jesus, however, by His Vibrant Teachings, His Mighty Deeds and His Uncompromising Life, disturbed all such cosy structures and comfortable religious life-style.

How often do we also turn anti against those who become a ‘Jesus’ to us…
• Those whose ideas do not correspond to our sinful or lethargic ways of life
• Those who become a thorn in our cosy and institutionalized pattern of life

We too may sometimes plot ways and means to end such forces…
… which trigger transformation in us
… which awaken our consciences to lead purer or holier lives

We are instead, invited to be like Jesus, our Blessed Lord.

He faced a mighty unleashing as from a Pandora’s box…
… deadly plots to end His Life and Mission
… uncharitable venoms of conspiracy to terminate His life

Yet, He remained firm and bold to remain “the Chosen Servant, the Beloved in Him God delighted, the One who proclaimed justice to the Gentiles and in Whose Name, the Gentiles hoped” (cf. Mt 12:18 -21)

Are we ready to “live our lives in hope” even though we may often experience the evils of the “pandora’s box” seeking to submerge us?

May Jesus, our Blessed Lord be our hope, our strength and our courage!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
JESUS AND LAW

The Jewish people and their spiritual leaders viewed Jesus as a rabbi.
He often argued within the framework of rabbinical interpretation of the Law.
Yet Jesus could not help but offend the teachers of the Law, for he was not content to propose his interpretation alongside theirs but taught the people “as one who had authority, and not as their scribes”
In Jesus, the same Word of God that had resounded on Mount Sinai to give the written Law to Moses, made itself heard anew on the Mount of the Beatitudes.
Jesus did not abolish the Law but fulfilled it by giving its ultimate interpretation in a divine way
With this same divine authority, he disavowed certain human traditions of the Pharisees that were “making void the word of God”.
Going even further, Jesus perfects the dietary law, so important in Jewish daily life, by revealing its pedagogical meaning through a divine interpretation
In presenting with divine authority the definitive interpretation of the Law, Jesus found himself confronted by certain teachers of the Law who did not accept his interpretation of the Law, guaranteed though it was by the divine signs that accompanied it.
This was the case especially with the Sabbath laws, for he recalls, often with rabbinical arguments, that the Sabbath rest is not violated by serving God and neighbour, which his own healings did. (Cf. CCC # 581-582)

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“Seeking the intercession of our Blessed Mother to publicly declare our Love for Christ and our readiness to ‘be a true follower of God’s Laws’”

(Based on Ex 11:10 – 12:14 and Mt 12:1-8 – Friday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time – Feast of our Lady of Mount Carmel)

Most of us, at some point or the other, have given gifts to our loved ones, our friends or our relations.

Imagine, if the one who received the Gift, were to neatly…
… unwrap the Gift Wrapper…

And to your horror….
… throws the Gift inside the Dustbin, and keeps to oneself, only the Gift Wrapper?

That would too be sad and painful… right?

Well, something similar is the case, when we look into the Salvation History.

God Yahweh had presented a Gift to the People of Israelites: The Gift of the Law…
… so that He could be their Only God and they could always be His People (Jer 7:23)

But as time passed, this Gift of the Law was interpreted into several external practices…

So much so that the purpose of the law was forgotten…
… and only the external regulations were prevailing.

The Gospel of the Day is an exposition of how the Gift that God had given was being squandered…
… and just the externals – the wrapper of the gift – was being glorified…

And how, Jesus the Source of the Law seeks to restore the original spirit of the Law!

The Gospel passage begins with the Pharisees accusing the disciples of having transgressed the Sabbath Laws by plucking and eating on the Sabbath Day (Cf. Matthew 12:2).

The External actions were accorded primacy…
… the actual Law was slowly discarded!

The Body of the Commandment was insisted…
… the Spirit of the Law was diluted!

The Gift wrapper gained more importance than the Gift Itself!

The Law of Moses was glorified, but there was a failure to see the Glorious God of the Law!!

And so today, the Majestic Lord of the Sabbath seeks to capture our attention to see the Most Important Aspect of Law: Inner Disposition rather than External Practices!

True Righteousness and Holiness stems from the with’in’…
… and not from the with’outs’!!

The word Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word sabat… which means repose or rest.

Just a few verses before this Reading… Jesus invited us “to take REST in Him” (Mt 11:28)

The Real Rest is in Him!
The Real Sabbath is in Him!

We need to examine…

Do I tend to become more legalistic in my mentality and fail to see the Spirit of the Law?
Do I become rigid in my external practices and rituals, but fail to relish the Heart of Worship?

The Lord has gifted us His Commandments and Laws…
…so that HE can be our Only God and we can always be His Beloved People.
Do I cherish the inner dimensions of the Law and treasure this Gift?
… or am I giving more importance only to external factors, like the Gift Wrapper?

Let us scrape off the rust of legalism and ritualism…

Let us, instead, polish our lives with the virtues of mercy, empathy and compassion!

Today we also celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

On July 16th, 1251, Blessed Mother Mary appeared to St Simon Stock, who was the Superior-General of a Carmelite Order in London.

She gave him a brown scapular, with the words:
“Receive, my beloved son, this scapular of thy order

It is the special sign of my favour, which I have obtained for thee and for thy children of Mount Carmel.
He who dies clothed with this habit shall be preserved from eternal fire. It is the badge of salvation, a shield in time of danger, and a pledge of special peace and protection.”

This Feast is a reminder for us that just as on Mount Carmel, Prophet Elijah had called the people of Israel to abandon the worship of false gods…
… we too need to do away with all false sources of comfort, relaxation, pleasure and enjoyment
… and instead come to the realisation that the Lord alone can give us true comfort and rest!

The Scapular (from Latin scapulae, “shoulders”) – is both a sign of our belonging to Mary and pledge of her maternal protection in this life and the next.

It is also a sign of couple of elements:

1. A consecration to and trust in Mary
2. A declaration to imitate Our Lady’s virtues, especially Her humility, chastity, and prayerfulness.

The scapular is not…
… a magical charm to protect someone.
… a automatic guarantee of salvation.
… an excuse for not living up to the demands of the Christian life

It is instead, a sign…
… to follow Jesus like Mary
… to be open to God and to His Will.
… to be guided by Faith, Hope and Love.
… to pray at all times
… to discover and be aware of the Presence of God in all that happens around us.

As St. John of the Cross says:
“He who loves, is not ashamed before men of what he does for God…
… neither does he hide it through shame, though the whole world should condemn it.”

Let us seek the intercession of our Blessed Mother in our struggles and hardships of life…
… and may the Sacramental of the Scapular be a sign for us to publicly declare our Love for Christ and our Readiness to “be a true follower of God’s Laws”

Let us hold Mamma’s Hands…
… as She inspires, helps, challenges and intercedes for us!

Happy Feast of our Blessed Mother of Carmel!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
JESUS AND THE LAW

The Jewish people and their spiritual leaders viewed Jesus as a rabbi.
He often argued within the framework of rabbinical interpretation of the Law.
Yet Jesus could not help but offend the teachers of the Law…
… for he was not content to propose his interpretation alongside theirs but taught the people “as one who had authority, and not as their scribes”.
In Jesus, the same Word of God that had resounded on Mount Sinai to give the written Law to Moses, made itself heard anew on the Mount of the Beatitudes.
Jesus did not abolish the Law but fulfilled it by giving its ultimate interpretation in a Divine Way
With this same Divine Authority, He disavowed certain human traditions of the Pharisees that were “making void the word of God”
Going even further, Jesus perfects the dietary law, so important in Jewish daily life, by revealing its pedagogical meaning through a Divine interpretation
In presenting with divine authority the definitive interpretation of the Law, Jesus found himself confronted by certain teachers of the Law who did not accept his interpretation of the Law, guaranteed though it was by the divine signs that accompanied it.
This was the case especially with the Sabbath laws, for he recalls, often with rabbinical arguments, that the Sabbath rest is not violated by serving God and neighbour, which His Own healings did. (Cf. CCC # 581-582)

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“Responding to the thrilling and pleasant invitation by Jesus, the King of all Hearts!”

(Based on Exo 3:13-20 and Mt 11:28-30 – Thursday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time)

Many of us would have come across the acronym “RSVP” in Invitations for marriage, baptism, birthdays, wedding anniversaries or some other social events.

RSVP stands for Répondez S’il Vous Plaît ( in French) which is translated as
Reply, If you please!

The purpose of this RSVP is that the person sending the invitation, wo¬uld like you to tell him or her, whether you accept or decline the invitation.

Today, Jesus, the King of all Hearts, presents a thrilling and a pleasant invitation…”Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden…”(Mt 11:28)

Every invitation is to contain “By Whom”, “To Whom”, “What” and a “When”

Let’s analyse these aspects in the Invitation of the Lord

1. By Whom
   Jesus came into the world, primarily as a Saviour!

He’s in deep love with us!
“…You are precious in my eyes…and I love You!” (Is 43:4).

As a Beloved Lover, it is He who tugs at the strings of our hearts & beckons us to Himself.

2. To Whom
   He extends His cordial and warmest invitation to each one of us who is weary and heavy-burdened… personally!

The Greek word for Weary is Kopiao…which means to toil & become weary to the point of exhaustion!

Weary could refer to the internal exhaustion caused by seeking Divine Truth through mere Human Wisdom.
Heavy Laden could be the external burdens caused by futile peripheral efforts & works to seek the Divinity.

Many of us certainly, reach the point of exhaustion and fatigue in our everyday works and life and in our search for salvation.

Yes, You and I, each one of us, is today, an honoured and a privileged Invitee!
“Behold, I stand at the door and Knock!” (Rev 3:20).

3. What
   To rest in His Sacred Heart & to Learn from Him Gentleness and Humility.

A haughty heart robs the person of spiritual insights

Pride renders a person to look only to oneself…
… and the gaze on the Lord is considered meaningless.

This is where the Pharisaic Mentality went wrong.

They saw legalism as the vehicle to heaven.
They lost sight of God’s desire for the heart.

They glorified the Law of Moses, but failed to see the Glorious God of the Law!

The Kingdom belongs to the Gentle and Humble…
… and that’s what Jesus invites us to learn!

4. When
   “Why delay good things in life?”

The Yoke of the Lord is easy…
… because it is HE who takes up the burden… we are only sharers in His Divine Yoke!

He gives us a yoke which is made to fit our needs and abilities perfectly well!

And the Time is NOW!

The Invitation is already posted and the Master is waiting!

What is our Response…
RSVP… Répondez S’il Vous Plaît

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
JESUS AND THE LAW

At the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus issued a solemn warning in which he presented God’s law, given on Sinai during the first covenant, in light of the grace of the New Covenant:

Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets: I have come not to abolish but to fulfil.

Jesus, Israel’s Messiah and therefore the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, was to fulfil the Law by keeping it in its all-embracing detail – according to his own words, down to “the least of these commandments”.
He is in fact the only one who could keep it perfectly.
On their own admission, the Jews were never able to observe the Law in its entirety without violating the least of its precepts.
This is why every year on the Day of Atonement the children of Israel ask God’s forgiveness for their transgressions of the Law.
The Law indeed makes up one inseparable whole, and St. James recalls, “Whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.”
This principle of integral observance of the Law not only in letter but in spirit was dear to the Pharisees.
By giving Israel this principle they had led many Jews of Jesus’ time to an extreme religious zeal.
This zeal, were it not to lapse into “hypocritical” casuistry, could only prepare the People for the unprecedented intervention of God through the perfect fulfilment of the Law by the only Righteous One in place of all sinners.
The perfect fulfilment of the Law could be the work of none but the divine legislator, born subject to the Law in the person of the Son.
In Jesus, the Law no longer appears engraved on tables of stone but “upon the heart” of the Servant who becomes “a covenant to the people”, because he will “faithfully bring forth justice”
Jesus fulfils the Law to the point of taking upon himself “the curse of the Law” incurred by those who do not “abide by the things written in the book of the Law, and do them”…
… for his death took place to redeem them “from the transgressions under the first covenant” (Cf. CCC # 577-580)

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“Responding to the invitation of Jesus to be child-like!”

(Based on Exo 3:1-6, 9-12 and Mt 11:25-27 – Wednesday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time)

Eight-year-old Keith was affected with brain cancer.

As part of his treatment, following a surgery, he underwent chemotherapy.

(Chemotherapy affects all cells – healthy as well as cancer cells.

As a result, hair fall is one of the commonly affecting side-effects)

When Charles’ hair began to fall out in large clumps, it was decided to shave his head completely.

A few days later, Charles went to school.

The class teacher explained to her little students about the situation of Charles and why his hairs had to be shaved off.

The following day, the teacher was in for a surprise…

She saw all the 38 boys of her class with bald heads!

On enquiring, the leader of the class stood up and said:
“We shaved off our heads, so that Charles doesn’t feel lonely!
This is our way to support and encourage him – being bald, so that he can be bold!”

The teacher had tears in her eyes…
… and with a great sense of honour for her kids, she wrote on the blackboard:
“Bald heads and Bold Hearts!”

Children have wonderful characteristics, isn’t it?

They sympathize and share
They are loving and loyal
They accept and admire
They forgive and forget
They try and trust

Is it any surprise that Jesus used children as an example to be imitated?

What is it that prevents us becoming child-like?

The Gospel of the Day presents Jesus thanking the Father for His gracious wisdom…
… and for His revelations to Little Children (to babes)! (Mt 10:25)

BIG things often come in small packages!

BIG innovations are made by those who lower themselves, to seek higher!!
BIG mysteries are experienced by those who make themselves little, to be in awe of them!!!

“It is only by being little that we ever discover anything big”!

The Lord today His raises heart to the Father in praise:
“I give praise to You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned, you have revealed them to the childlike” (Mt 11:25)

It is an unfortunate truth that those who THINK THEY KNOW, often FAIL TO LEARN
… those who assume to be Learned, often fall short of being taught
… those who presuppose to be Wise, mostly are unsuccessful in discovering newer truths.

Many of the Pharisees and the Scribes, during Jesus’ time, belonged to this category.

Jesus, the teacher-par-excellence came explaining the Truth and the Mystery of the Law..
The Wise and Learned of the Society failed to assimilate Him.

The simple and the open-hearted…the disciples and others…were able to accept Him!

“It is only by being little that we ever discover anything big”!

For our Spiritual Life…
… Kids can teach us much
…. Little children can educate us to a great extent

1. A Sense of Total Dependence

Little children depend on the elders for their sustenance.

We need to depend on God, who is our Father and who loves to lavish His goodness on us.

This does not, of course mean, a lazy attitude to life…rather, a Holy Disposition, of realizing, that “Whatever Happens in my Life, I know, God will take care of me!”

Have I lost my Sense of Total Dependence on God?

It is only by being little that we ever discover anything big!

2. An attitude of Immense Enthusiasm

Little children are full of life, vigour and enthusiasm.

The story of many of our lives could be sadly declared as, “Died at 30, buried at 70!”

The modern day tension and worries of life take away the zing and dynamism from our lives…

We tend to become…
… “a people of routine”
… “an individual of listlessness”
…. “a society of apathy”
… and “an order of sluggishness”!

Life becomes boring

Life turns out to be lacklustre.

Have I lost the attitude of Immense Enthusiasm?

“It is only by being little that we ever discover anything big”!

3. A Touch of Tenderness

Little children symbolize tenderness and warmth.

Our hustle-bustle lives, often, tend to be wrapped with…
… rude words
… tough looks
… angry gestures
… and impolite manners.

Our hearts lose tenderness.

Our eyes remain shut in callousness.

Have I lost the touch of Tenderness?

“It is only by being little that we ever discover anything big”!

Do we want to climb the ladder of sanctity?

Do we want to possess God?

Do we want to penetrate into the deeper mysteries of the kingdom of God?

There is one sure way: By being a Child in our heavenly Father’s arms.
… The more little we become, the more elevated we will be!

“The attitude of our life determines our altitude in life”!

Jesus invites and challenges us to be child-like:
With BALD HEADS (shaven of our pride!)
… and BOLD HEARTS (total dependence on the Father!)

Are we ready… to have “Bald Heads” and “Bold Hearts?”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
JESUS AND ISRAEL

From the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, certain Pharisees and partisans of Herod together with priests and scribes agreed together to destroy him.
Many of Jesus’ deeds and words constituted a “sign of contradiction”, but more so for the religious authorities in Jerusalem
In the eyes of many in Israel, Jesus seems to be acting against essential institutions of the Chosen People: – submission to the whole of the Law in its written commandments and, for the Pharisees, in the interpretation of oral tradition; – the centrality of the Temple at Jerusalem as the holy place where God’s presence dwells in a special way; – faith in the one God whose glory no man can share. (Cf. CCC # 574-576)

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“Examining our lives and making necessary changes, in order to live a holier life!”

(Based on Exo 1:8-14, 22 and Mt 10:34-11:1 – Tuesday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time)

There is an incident in the life of Queen Victoria.

As a queen, she enjoyed many luxuries and comforts.

She too, however, had to go through many family problems, especially, concerns as a grandmother.

One of her grandsons was highly reckless in the usage and spending of money.

Once, as his birthday was approaching, the grandson wrote to his grandmother, Queen Victoria, reminding her of his approaching birthday.

He cleverly suggested that “money would be the best and the most acceptable birthday gift”.

In reply, the Queen Grandmother wrote back a “letter of advice”- in her own hand – sternly reproving the young boy for his life of extravagance and urging him on the practice of economy.

However, the young boy’s reply to this letter, staggered her:
“Dear Grandma,” said the letter, “thank you for your kind letter of advice.

I have just sold the same letter for five pounds!”

The young grandson spared no efforts to even “auction and sell” the prized ‘letter of advice’ of the Queen, and got for himself some extra money!!

The young fellow wasted away every chance that was offered to him, to live a good life.

Instead, the privileges that were offered to him were converted to opportunities for indulging in more and more occasions of sin!

The Gospel of the day presents Jesus condemning such an “unrepentant” and “arrogant” attitude of some cities, in amending their ways and in turning back to the Lord.

Jesus raises a cry of sigh, “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done to you, had been in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long back” (Mt 11:21)

“And you, Capernaum! Will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades” (Mt 11: 23)

These three towns – Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum – had a unique common feature.

These three were called as the “Orthodox Triangle”.

These towns consisted of “traditional” Jews – Jews who took the Law of Moses very seriously!
• They had a benefit of a “faith that was traditional and deep-rooted”

These towns also consisted of “privileged” people – people who had the great privilege of being witnesses to many miracles, events, preaching and deeds of the Lord Jesus.
• They had the privilege of a “faith that was encouraged and boosted by the wonderful deeds of Jesus”

In spite of these great opportunities and advantages that were offered to them, the people in these towns “failed” to live a life of repentance!

And this is what the Lord condemns them for…

They had the benefit of a traditional faith…
… but it did not move their lives to be lived in holiness!

They had the privilege of a faith that was nourished and encouraged…
… but it did not make them to purge their lives of sin and seek to live worthily in the presence of God!

The people of these towns wasted away every chance that was offered to them, to live a good life.

Instead, the privileges that were offered to them were converted to occasions for indulging in more and more opportunities for sin!

Is my life also resembling these three towns?

I may be a “traditional” Christian…
… having ‘inherited’ my faith in the Lord from my family and my background
… having heard and even practising many acts of faith and devotion

I may also be an “encouraged” Christian…
… having got many opportunities to hear and witness the powerful works of the Lord through many talks, retreats, miracles, sacraments etc
… having the privilege of constantly encountering the living presence of the Lord in the lives of many people.

But do these factors get “personalized” and make me “to live a life of holiness and repentance”?
• I may boast that I am a Christian by birth
• I may claim that I am doing many great works in the ministry of the Lord
• I may assert that I have experienced many miraculous Divine interventions in life

But do all these make me to “repent” of my sins and help me seek to “live a life of sanctity”?

The message of the Gospel is clear: “Repent, and believe, in the Lord!”

The faith-inputs that I receive, ought to, first and foremost, cause a transformation in my life – seeking God’s Will at all times and remaining firm to avoid any occasions of sin.

Through Prophet Isaiah, God offers His assurance of strength and grace to us:
‘Take heed, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint…” (Is 7:4)

The Lord through today’s Gospel is writing a “letter of advice to us” – to examine our lives and to make the necessary changes, in order to live a holier life.

Are we going to take serious heed to this “letter of advice” and make suitable changes?
… or are we going to “auction and sell off” this “letter of advice” and nullify the loving message of the Gospel?

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
“JESUS CHRIST SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE, WAS CRUCIFIED, DIED AND WAS BURIED”

The Paschal mystery of Christ’s cross and Resurrection stands at the centre of the Good News that the apostles, and the Church following them, are to proclaim to the world. God’s saving plan was accomplished “once for all” by the redemptive death of his Son Jesus Christ.
The Church remains faithful to the interpretation of “all the Scriptures” that Jesus gave both before and after his Passover: “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”
Jesus’ sufferings took their historical, concrete form from the fact that he was “rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes”, who handed “him to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified”.
Faith can therefore try to examine the circumstances of Jesus’ death, faithfully handed on by the Gospels, and illuminated by other historical sources, the better to understand the meaning of the Redemption. (Cf. CCC # 557-558)

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“Being committed to the Cross of Christ and celebrating Christianity with conviction!”

(Based on Exo 1:8-14, 22 and Mt 10:34-11:1 – Monday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time)

“My song is love unknown, my Saviour’s love to me;
Love to the loveless shown, that they might lovely be.
O who am I, that for my sake, my Lord should take, frail flesh and die?

Sometimes they strew His way, and His sweet praises sing;
Resounding all the day, Hosannas to their King.
Then ‘Crucify!’ is all their breath, and for His death, they thirst and cry.

They rise, and needs will have my dear Lord made away;
A murderer they save, the Prince of Life they slay.
Yet cheerful He to suffering goes, that He His foes from thence might free.”

• This beautiful hymn on the “Beauty of the Cross and the Crucified One” is found in the Divine Office
  (A hymn by Samuel Crossman, written in 1664, is usually sung on Good Friday)

The Cross forms part of the Basic Rule and Lifestyle of Christianity.

The ‘modern’ Christian however, is often afraid and oppose this dimension of Christianity: The Cross!

Bishop Fulton Sheen presents before us this mentality which is fast catching up in our world…

It is termed as Staurophobia… The Fear of the Cross!

The Gospel of the Day is a presentation of the Message of the Cross…
… an invitation to follow the Crucified Christ
… a challenge to faithfully carry the crosses of our life.

Jesus says, “He who does not take his cross and follow me, is not worthy of Me” (Mt 10: 38)

Our Blessed Lord loves to jolt static minds and the inert understandings..

He doesn’t promise cushy comforts…
… He demands Commitment to the Cross!

Those who choose Christianity as a Life Style, ought to be…

Losers of oneself
Be carriers of the Cross
And then Follow Him!

Christianity, as a Life Style, has the Cross as its Basic Rule and it demands Commitment!

But the very mention of the word “Cross”, sometimes puts people off…

“Not again the Cross”
“Enough of pain and suffering”
“We go to Church to relax and be comforted; not simply to hear of the Passion &Anguish of the Suffering Jesus on the Cross; we only prefer the Glorious & Victorious Christ”
“Stop being pessimistic with Sin & Repentance…. Just be optimistic with Joy & Salvation!”

These are often, the “happening” buzz phrases and popular opinions…even in our religious environs.

Staurophobia – the Fear of the Cross …is creeping stealthily but mightily in our lives…

We like to be Saved…
… but we Fear the Cross of repentance of our Sins

We like to receive Blessings…
… but we Fear the Cross of living an honest life

We like to live a peaceful life…
… but we Fear the Cross of trusting in God’s Providence

We like to be prosperous…
… but we Fear the Cross of being generous and compassionate

We like to be called good..
… but we Fear the Cross of being Faithful to the teachings of Christ

We like to have joy…
… but we Fear the Cross of giving up attachments & belong totally to God

Yes, We often, Fear the Cross…

But Christ – Crucified on the Cross – promises His Choicest Rewards to the ones, who dare to take up the Cross…

They will find Life…
They will be rewarded…
They will find true joy and peace…
…says the Lord.

Have we really accepted Christianity as our Life Style?

Then Let us Embrace the Cross..
Let us drive away the Fear of the Cross

Let Staurophobia ( Fear of the Cross) be willfully banished

Let Staurophilia (Love of the Cross) be willingly accepted!

St Camillus says, “Commitment is doing what you said you would do, after the feeling you said it in, has passed”.

Fulton Sheen says, “Love begins, when duty finishes!”

Let us be committed to the Cross of Christ and celebrate Christianity with conviction…
… with our Crucified Lord Who ensured “Love to the loveless was shown, that we might lovely be!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
JESUS’ ASCENT TO JERUSALEM

“When the days drew near for Him to be taken up [Jesus] set His Face to go to Jerusalem.”
By this decision, He indicated that He was going up to Jerusalem prepared to die there.
Jesus recalls the martyrdom of the prophets who had been put to death in Jerusalem.
When Jerusalem comes into view, He weeps over her and expresses once again His Heart’s desire: “Would that even today you knew the things that make for peace! But now they are hid from your eyes!” (Cf. CCC # 557-558)

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