“Having a thankful heart, by making a conscious choice to not forget what God has done for us!”

(Based on Wis 6:1-11 and Lk 17:11-19 – Wednesday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time)

A catechism teacher conducted a small exercise in her 5th standard class on the Gospel Passage found in Lk 17:11-19 – the healing of the ten lepers.

She asked the students to imagine and tell what could be some of the reasons as to why the lepers did not return back to thank Jesus.

The following were some of the reasons that emerged:

One waited to see if the cure was real.
One waited to see if the healing would last.
One said that actually, I was already fairly okay and it was just a matter of few days, to be fine!
One said that he would see Jesus later as he wanted to meet his family first
One began to contend that he never really had leprosy and it was only a minor patch
One was so excited that he began to tell to everyone on the way of the miracle, but forgot Jesus

Well…
… we really do not know what were the actual reasons…

But the question is placed before all of us:
“Are we going to be like the nine who found some excuses and failed to thank the Lord?
Or can we be like the one who came back to thank the Lord?

The Gospel of the Day presents this interesting incident before us…
… reminding us to become persons of gratitude, to our Grateful and Generous God!

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

In the Biblical days, leprosy, was one of the most dreaded diseases.

Leprosy finds its mention in the Bible in over 40 places.

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

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

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

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

The disease was considered so revolting that the leper wasn’t permitted to come within 150 feet of anyone when the wind was blowing.

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

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

When the Lord travelled through the region of Samaria and Galilee, He encountered the group of ten lepers.
… singing their melodious chorus in loud exaltation, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” (Lk 17:13)

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

Their pitiful cry… their pleading voice, echoed in the ears of the Divine Healer!
“Go, show yourselves to the Priest” (Lk 17: 14) were the words of the Divine Lord.

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

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

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

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

But one of them realized that He had been healed.

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

Here is a big lesson for us all…

All the ten lepers sought for a free blessing from the Lord.
All the ten lepers expected a free miracle from the Healer.

Jesus, in His graciousness, did bless all of them with a free miracle.

Jesus, in His compassion, did shower all of them with a free blessing.

But just one among them, acknowledged the worth and value of that free gift

The rest of the nine, probably completely forgot the source of that free blessing.

Let us be reminded of this great reality: Every free gift in the spiritual world, is a call to cultivate greater, the spirit of Thankfulness!

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

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

Like the free offers, available at shopping malls and super markets, we gladly receive God’s blessings…
… but unfortunately, often, fail to acknowledge them and be grateful for it.

St Paul reminds us that it is not our merit, but the gracious mercy that always rescues us:
“For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by men and hating one another
… but when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Saviour appeared, He saved us
… not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy…!” (Tit 3:3-5)

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

The Lord showers His gifts on us…

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

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

The one who returned to give thanks chose not to forget what Jesus had done for him.
Are we living as this grateful one or as the other nine?

Perhaps, we also end up giving a lot of excuses for not saying thanks…
… even to the extent of justifying our own selves and not acknowledging God’s Grace!

Many are the times, when our thanksgivings are like those of the nine …
… We receive, but fail to express thanks
… We are happy to get favours, but are miserly in saying thanks!

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

Shall we also possess this Secret?
(Psst… once again… this too is a FREE offer…)

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
TOWARD UNITY OF THE CHURCH

“Christ bestowed unity on his Church from the beginning.
This unity, we believe, subsists in the Catholic Church as something she can never lose, and we hope that it will continue to increase until the end of time.”
Christ always gives his Church the gift of unity, but the Church must always pray and work to maintain, reinforce, and perfect the unity that Christ wills for her.
This is why Jesus himself prayed at the hour of his Passion, and does not cease praying to his Father, for the unity of his disciples: “That they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be one in us… so that the world may know that you have sent me.”

The desire to recover the unity of all Christians is a gift of Christ and a call of the Holy Spirit! (CCC # 815-816)

“With the Grace of God, seeking to renew our love for the Lord, and growing in our duty, ‘to hold up the Church!’”

(Based on the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica)

An interesting story is told by a tourist who was visiting the Basilica of St John Lateran in Rome, Italy.

Just across the street of the Basilica, at a square, is a statue of St Francis of Assisi…
… with his arms outstretched.

This statue commemorates an important moment in Church history:

It was at this place – the Lateran Basilica – that the Great Saint went to ask the Pope for permission to start a religious order.

This was in the light of the Great Inspiration that he had received, when he heard the words of the Lord: “Rebuild my Church!”

The tourist says that recollecting this incident, as he stepped back, to have a better look at the statue…
… from a particular angle, he could see the Lateran Basilica between St. Francis’s outstretched arms

St Francis appeared to be holding the Church with his hands!

The tourist says:
“That’s a great image!

That’s a great lesson!

A church building is brick and mortar, wood and glass.

But – ultimately, it is supported by the arms and the labour of those who love it.
The Church is held up by the people who are in love with Christ!”

Yes, the Church is indeed “held up by the people who are in love with Christ!”

We, the children of the Church are today invited, to renew our love for the Lord and grow in our duty, “to hold up the Church”…
… on this Feast Day of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

The Gospel of the Day also vividly and dramatically displays the zeal and passion of the Lord, for the House of God through the incident of the Cleansing of the Jerusalem Temple.

Today, Holy Mother the Church celebrates the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

This Basilica is the oldest Christian church building in the world.
It is the first permanent, public place of worship for Christians in the world.

Christianity, in its infancy, suffered a great deal at the hands of her persecutors.

The Roman Empire sought to extend its domination over the entire world.

The power and might of the Roman Empire was determined to utterly destroy the Christian religion.

Christians, with a staunch belief in Jesus Christ, refused to worship the Roman pagan gods.

This led the Christians to be labelled as the enemies of the state and thus were sought to be eliminated.

Christians were arrested, imprisoned, tortured, and even cruelly executed!

This wave of violent persecution crashed against the Rock, the Church for three centuries!

It was only in 312, when the Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity that these persecutions ceased.

In gratitude to Christ, the new Emperor Constantine sponsored the construction of Christian churches, the first of which was the Church of the Most Holy Saviour, known today as the Basilica of St John Lateran…
… or simply called as the Lateran Basilica.

On this Feast day of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, the call of the Gospel is towards examining our relationship with God in the Church.

In the Old Testament, we read that the Lord had established a covenant with His people, Israel.

This covenant had its physical symbol in the Temple of Jerusalem.

The majestic and glorious Jerusalem Temple was an external symbol of God’s love-relationship with His people.

Jesus cleansing this Jerusalem Temple, was a strong message to the people, that He had come to revive and revamp the strained relationship between God and His people.

It was also symbolic of the need of the people to realize that the Jerusalem Temple which was to be destroyed in a few decades, was only a temporary symbol.

Jesus, Himself is the real and everlasting Temple…
… the permanent symbol of God’s eternal covenant with His people.

And so, He showcases an tremendous zeal and passion, in cleansing the Temple, of all the corruption and filth and fraud!

The Commemoration of this Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica and the Cleansing of the Jerusalem Temple is a call for each of us, to examine our own lives…

Is my relationship with God corrupted by many evil tendencies and pleasurable sins?

My heart needs a cleansing drive by the Lord…

Is my relationship with the other, who is also a Temple of the Holy Spirit, badly tainted with anger, jealousy, calumnious thoughts etc…

My relationships needs a cleansing drive by the Lord…

Is my relationship with the Church, strained by negative feelings of her dogmas and teachings, and stained by angry-feelings due to many scandals by her responsible authorities?

My mentality towards the Church needs a cleansing drive by the Lord…

This Feast is a call to revive our zeal and passion for the Lord, His Mission and His Church.

The Lord’s ways are sometimes very hard to follow and difficult to tread in this highly materialistic and sensational world.

But the Lord promises to be with us, in all our trials and hardships.

The Mission of the Lord to spread His Kingdom is a very challenging one and at times, they seem too very impossible and our efforts meaningless.

But the Lord assures His ever-abiding presence and love to those committed and faithful.

The Church of the Lord is sometimes often found to wrench in corrupt practices, discouraging scandals, heart-crushing and shameful incidents.

But the Lord assures that His might Spirit will guide the Church through any storms and “He will surely write straight… with crooked lines!”

The invitation is strong…

To be filled with a deeper love and zeal for the Lord, His Mission and His Church!

Undoubtedly, the challenges are deep…
… the trials seem too discouraging.

Yet, with the Grace of God, let us seek to renew our love for the Lord…
… and grow in our duty, “to hold up the Church!”

Happy Feast Day!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
Wounds to unity
However, one cannot charge with the sin of the separation those who at present are born into these communities [that resulted from such separation] and in them are brought up in the faith of Christ, and the Catholic Church accepts them with respect and affection as brothers

All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers in the Lord by the children of the Catholic Church.”
“Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth” are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: “the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements.”
Christ’s Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church.

All these blessings come from Christ and lead to Him, and are in themselves calls to “Catholic unity” (CCC # 818-819)

“Seeking God’s Grace to live a life of forgiveness and trust!”

(Based on Wis 1:1-7 and Lk 17:1-6 – Monday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time)

There is a famous incident associated with Thomas Alva Edison, the renowned scientist.

Edison and his team had undertaken the tedious task of inventing the “light bulb”.

It took the team 24 hours to put one bulb together.

When it was ready, Edison gave the bulb to a young helper boy, to carry up to the steps.

Nervously, this young boy climbed the stairs…
… step by step, with extreme caution and fright – lest the priceless piece of work be dropped!

But the extremely anxious steps of the boy, caused the “unwanted” to happen…
… the bulb fell out of his hands… smashed to pieces!

Naturally, there was great disappointment and even annoyance at the boy.

The entire team worked for another 24 hours to make another bulb.
Finally it was ready… to be taken up the stairs..

Well, no points for guessing, to whom Edison gave this second bulb!

Yes, to the same boy, who had dropped and broken it the first time.

That’s true forgiveness, isn’t it?

The Gospel of the Day deals with the aspect of Forgiveness (Lk 17: 3-4)…
… which is the key for a harmonious living together.

Jesus says: “If your brother wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you, seven times saying, ‘I am sorry’, you should forgive him” (Lk 17: 4)

The example given by the Lord is an experience, which many of us, perhaps, have had in our personal lives….
A person does a wrong to me and I forgive him.

The same person hurts me once again and I forgive him

He does it again, causing a deeper wound to me and I forgive him again.

He does it again and offends me harder and I forgive him again….but this time I am losing my patience!

Don’t I have a limit for myself to bear?

Should I go on bearing hurts?
Don’t I have feelings which are sensitive?

So we perhaps ask this question to the Lord:
“Lord, how many times must I forgive the offenses of my brother?”

We are eager to know when to quit turning the other cheek to the one who hits you on one cheek!

The Old Testament Law suggested to forgive three times (Amos 1:3-13).
But the Lord, Who loves to keep challenging… throws out a bigger number.

Now is this demand of the Lord something really practical and viable?

Or is Jesus turning out to be “one of those many idealistic teachers who love to talk in the air….but nothing which is practical or really feasible and doable!”

The Lord invites us to look into the Aspect of God’s Forgiveness, to obtain a solution and an insight to this perennial question of “how often should I forgive my fellow brother?”…
… If God were to forgive us only a limited number of times, how many days would we have survived?
… If God were to withdraw His Grace after an “x” number of times, how many situations would we have endured?
… If God were to stop granting us pardon after a period of time, how many blessings would we have been denied?
… If God were to keep an account of all our sins and transgressions, how many of us would have been alive today?

Of course, Forgiveness does not mean…
… justifying the bad behaviours of people!
… supporting the evil deeds of our fellow beings!
… encouraging the faults or situations of wrongdoing or hurts!
… not correcting and reproving the misdeeds and carrying out our duties of rectifying!

But Forgiveness does mean…
… liberating the people from guilt and condemnation in our hearts!
… to have no ill feelings and grudging emotions against the ones who have hurt us!
… seeking to love them, praying for them and avoiding occasions of putting them down!
… to refuse to harbor their mistakes deep in our hearts, though we are wounded & hurt!

Life is an opportunity and a challenge….
An Opportunity to become more Divine…
… to become more forgiving… to become more Loving…!

A Challenge to let go of our ego…
… to cast away our hurtful and wounded feelings… to go beyond our aches!

Let us seek God’s Grace to Live Up to this Challenge and to Grab this opportunity!

The “light bulb” of God’s Grace has often been entrusted to us by the Lord

Many are the times when, have “dropped it” and broken it into pieces!
… Yet, the Lord entrusts it, again and again – forgiving us, and trusting in us.
Are we ready to do the same with others?

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
WOUNDS TO UNITY

In fact, “in this one and only Church of God from its very beginnings there arose certain rifts, which the Apostle strongly censures as damnable. But in subsequent centuries much more serious dissensions appeared and large communities became separated from full communion with the Catholic Church – for which, often enough, men of both sides were to blame.”
The ruptures that wound the unity of Christ’s Body – here we must distinguish heresy, apostasy, and schism – do not occur without human sin:

Where there are sins, there are also divisions, schisms, heresies, and disputes. Where there is virtue, however, there also are harmony and unity, from which arise the one heart and one soul of all believer (CCC # 817)

“Giving ourselves entirely to God and His people, by doing His Will at all times!”

(Based on 1 Kings 17:10-16, Heb 9:24-28 and Mk 12:38-44 – 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B)

A money-collection drive was being been conducted in a particular Church for a particular intention.

The people were free to put in as much contribution as they wanted for the noble cause.

One gentleman stood up and announced a rather large contribution, and the people applauded greatly.

A few moments later, an old lady stood up and announced her donation.

But it was greeted with silence.

The priest, however, in reply to the cold response of the people, stood up and said emphatically, “Ladies and gentleman, I believe I hear the applause of the nail-scarred Hands!”

The people understood what the priest meant, and slowly but surely applauded the old lady’s generosity.

The Gospel of the Day presents such a similar act of appreciation by Jesus over the apparently “tiny” yet really “great” contribution by a widow to the Temple Treasury.

The passage of the day is the culmination of the 12th Chapter of the Gospel of St Mark.

This has been a volatile passage…

1. Jesus tells the parable of the Tenants (Mk 12: 1-12)
   … thereby giving out a sharp message to the Jews to accept the Messiah and not forfeit the many graces and blessings that they had been blessed with.
2. Jesus gives a fitting response to the question of paying taxes (Mk 12: 13-17)
   … thereby exhorting the concerned people to not get stuck to earthly obligations and instead gear one’s life in total allegiance to the Lord Creator
3. Jesus corrects the false notion regarding the teaching on Resurrection (Mk 12: 18-27)
   … thereby challenging to live a life in worthiness of eternity and to have the correct and deeper faith in the Living God and His Teachings
4. Jesus makes clear the greatest commandments (Mk 12: 28-34)
   … thereby inviting all to understand that there is only one true God and He deserves all the love and affection of our being and this love ought to be expressed in love of neighbour.
5. Jesus points out from Scripture that He is the Messiah, the Lord (Mk 12: 35-37)
   … thereby opening the eyes of the people to read Scripture with greater openness to the Spirit and an invitation to accept Him as the Lord of their lives.

These five pronouncements finally concludes with Jesus denouncing the action of the scribes especially in devouring the lives of the poor widows.

Jesus says, “The scribes devour the houses of widows, and as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers” (Mk 12: 40)

Widows were an easy trap to be cheated…

Widows were easy pickings to be exploited…

However, the chapter ends with a beautiful counteract…
A widow – symbol of all the other widows, who have been cheated, or oppressed or facing humiliations – comes in to the Temple and drops in her ‘everything’ in the treasure!

This is indeed a powerful symbol of faithfulness and duty…

She is a symbol of being oppressed – yet she is heartily generous
She is an object of being condemned – yet she is mightily liberal
And she becomes a symbol of self-giving and total-emptiness.

This poor widow becomes a great challenge for us in our lives…

Life may bite us hard with cruel luck and bad destiny…
Life may oppress us through various elements in the society…
Life may cheat us in the form of many people or circumstances…

Yet, through all this…
Like this poor widow,

Can I be firm to give to God, in gratitude?
Can I be faithful to do my responsibilities even if unrewarded?

May the Blessed Mother Mary, who Herself was a poor widow, and gave Herself entirely to the Lord…
And Jesus, who like the poor widow, gave Himself entirely to His people and in doing God’s Will…
… be our inspiration, our strength and our hope!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE SACRED MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH’S UNITY

What are the bonds of unity? Above all, charity “binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
But the unity of the pilgrim Church is also assured by visible bonds of communion:

• profession of one faith received from the Apostles;
• common celebration of divine worship, especially of the sacraments;
• apostolic succession through the sacrament of Holy Orders, maintaining the fraternal concord of God’s family.
  “The sole Church of Christ [is that] which our Saviour, after his Resurrection, entrusted to Peter’s pastoral care, commissioning him and the other apostles to extend and rule it.
  This Church, constituted and organized as a society in the present world, subsists in the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion with him.”
  The Second Vatican Council’s Decree on Ecumenism explains: “For it is through Christ’s Catholic Church alone, which is the universal help toward salvation, that the fullness of the means of salvation can be obtained…

… it was to the apostolic college alone, of which Peter is the head, that we believe that our Lord entrusted all the blessings of the New Covenant, in order to establish on earth the one Body of Christ into which all those should be fully incorporated who belong in any way to the People of God” *(CCC # 815-816)

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God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Choosing to be with God and to obey His laws and commandments!”

(Based on Rom 16:3-9, 16, 22-27 :14-21 and Lk 16:9-15 – Saturday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time)

It’s a blazing hot noon-time…

The sun is fiercely casting its rays upon the earth…

The situation appears to be very tense and the emotions are running high.

The people of Israel have greatly offended the Lord by erecting a golden calf as their god!

Moses is right at the gate of the camp, emotionally charged and full of zeal and rage!

In a loud voice, with passion engulfing his entire self and bubbling with deep righteous anger, Moses, the man of God roars, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me!” (Ex 32: 26)

“Whoever is for the Lord, come to me….”

It is a time of making a decision.

The Israelites are to make a choice:

Choose to be with God or to follow other idols.
Choose to obey His laws and commandments or to stray away from His paths.

This choice will lead them to either life or death….

A similar question is presented before us too…

“Whoever is for the Lord, come to me!”

This choice will lead us to either life or death!

The Gospel of the Day presents this Call of the Lord to make a clear-cut and distinct choice in life: Choose between God and Mammon!

“No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other or, be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Lk 16: 13)

More than any time before, the world faces this deep-rooted problem of a “divided heart”

We say we obey God…
… but we fail to abide by His commandments and teachings in the Church!

Am I serving both…?
… God in His Church and the ways of the world…

We say we love God…but we fail to express this love in a faithful lifestyle of prayers and devotions.

Am I serving both…?
… God in devotion and the pleasures of our interests…

We say we serve God…but we fail to extend His love and compassion to our people in need.

Am I serving both…?
… God in His people and the comforts of our own self…

We say we honour God…but we fail to witness to His Gospel values and dilute them to serve our petty interests.

Am I serving both…?
… God in His values and the welfare of our own selfishness…

Let’s not be afraid to look at the naked face of reality staring at us today…

Many people today serve something besides God.
Many people serve sin instead of God.

Many people serve music, serve sports, serve money, serve themselves, serve power and positions, serve the cravings of their bodies…
.. instead of God!

Am I also serving something else instead of God?

In the Old Testament, one of the greatest accusations made against the people of Israel was the
“Sin of Idolatry”…
… abandoning the Living and True God and rendering worship and honour to some non-living thing as a god.

Though, as Christians, we may not be explicitly worshipping some idol or running after some gods or crazy over some tantras-mantras…
… it is not a bad idea to examine our conscience and check whether we really have formed some gods in our lives and thus entering into “practical” idolatry.

Maybe I am too much attached to my electronic gadgets like the phones, TV, music players, cams…and use them way beyond my “need”!?

The idol of gadgets?

Maybe I am too much obsessed with my looks, my styles, my clothing and food habits, my make-up styles…and “over-conscious” than the minimal requirements!

The Idol of the Self?

Maybe I am crazy about gaining over-popularity through an “n” number of picture displays and posts on many social networking sites…and “get totally upset” when I fail to receive the expected appreciations and “likes”!

The Idol of Attention-seeking?

Maybe I am too much occupied with my work, business and other undertakings, that I fail to give attention to my family, my community, the needs of my own spiritual self etc…and lose out on the little joys and happiness of life!

The Idol of Money and Work?

There could be many more idols in our life…

The Idol of Laziness…
The Idol of Immoral Lifestyles…
The Idol of Bad Habits…
The Idol of losing a Sense of Sin…
The Idol of Power-obsession…
The Idol of Criticizing and Judging…etc…

The Gospel of the day places a great choice before us…

Choose to be with God or to follow other idols…
… Or choose to obey His laws and commandments or to stray away from His paths?

We cannot serve both God and other things…

One leads to life… the other to death.

Which side are we on?

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
“THE SACRED MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH’S UNITY”

From the beginning, this one Church has been marked by a great diversity which comes from both the variety of God’s gifts and the diversity of those who receive them.
Within the unity of the People of God, a multiplicity of peoples and cultures is gathered together.

Among the Church’s members, there are different gifts, offices, conditions, and ways of life (CCC # 814)

“Seeking to live our Christian Faith with greater enthusiasm and gusto!”

(Based on Rom 15:14-21 and Lk 16:1-8 – Friday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time)

It was a Bible study class.

The group was doing a study on the Book of Prophet Daniel.

As was the custom, one of the members would start the Bible study by reading the passage of the day, to the group, aloud.

The selected passage for the day was Chapter 6 of the Book of Daniel.

An elderly person, stood up to read.

He, however had some struggle with his sight and was finding it a bit difficult to read.

When he came to verse 3… (which actually says: “… an excellent spirit was in Daniel”)…
… adjusting his thick glasses, the man read: “… an excellent spine was in Daniel!”

(The word ‘spirit’ was mistakenly read as ‘spine’!)

Well…that was bad reading…
… but nevertheless, it was wonderful theology, because Prophet Daniel was indeed a man of excellent spine – a backbone that made him strong and courageous!

Are we Christians with an “excellent spine?”

The Gospel of the Day, with a worldly example placed before us – the Parable of the Unjust Steward – is a mighty challenge to us to examine whether we as Christians, are people…
… who really are bold and courageous to stand for the Gospel principles
… who really are zealous and prudent to preserve our holiness and sanctity!

The story of the Unjust Parable is an interesting as well as an eye-opener for us, in our spiritual and Christian life

This is also a parable that could be classified under the “controversial” or “what-was-He-really-meaning” category!

The summary of the parable goes thus…

A steward has been reported to the Master for squandering the property (Lk 16:1)

Dismissal is on the cards for the steward (Lk 16:2)

Taking stock of the possibilities for the future, he decides and acts on the principle: Manipulation is the best policy for a safer future (Lk 16:3-7)

The Master commends this unjust, yet prudent and craft act of the steward! (Lk 16: 8a)

The parable could cause some strange questions to crop up…

Why is Jesus – the Honest-Man-par-excellence – presenting this strangely negative example to His followers?

Well…

Without going deep into the theological debates of such questions…
… we shall look into the answer that Jesus Himself proposed for saying this parable:
“For the children of the world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation, than are the children of light” (Lk 16: 8b)

The purpose of Jesus to say this parable is put forth:

Children of this world are often more shrewd to make sure a good future…
… whereas, the children of the light, tend to be extremely relaxed concerning their salvation!

People of this worldly kingdom are willing to go to any extend to secure themselves…
… whereas those who supposedly wish to belong to God’s Kingdom, leisure themselves in lethargy!

This is a technique of “comparative imperative” that is proposed by Jesus…
… by emphasizing on the opposite, a challenge is put forth!
… by highlighting a negative dimension, the positive aspect is enforced!

Such “comparative imperatives” can easily be observed in our lives…

We would make every effort to be in time to catch a bus/train/flight, so as not to miss it…
… but don’t mind, being late for our prayers or spiritual activities, including the Holy Mass!

We would ensure every day we have our food and get a good rest, so that our bodies don’t get weak…
… but give no regard to feed and give rest to our souls, by spending time with the Lord in personal prayer and growing in relationship with Him!

We would feel a dreadful sense of disgust if we do not have our daily bath (shower) and cleanse our bodies…
… but have sometimes no awareness to realise our souls are dirty and we need to cleanse them through a daily examination of conscience, and regularly through the Sacramental Confession.

We don’t mind wagging our tongues to say a bad word or a dirty joke or nasty words of criticism and condemnation..
… but think often, when we need to say something positive or appreciate someone or to say an occasional prayer to recall the presence of the Lord!

This “comparative imperative” proposed by the Lord in this parable makes us to reflect deeper:

Am I more enthusiastic about the affairs of this world, which gives only transient joy…
… at the cost of avoiding my spiritual life, which alone can ensure me eternal happiness?

Am I only concerned more about my materialistic concerns and my temporal duties…
… and end up neglecting the solemn duties of our Christian life and being more spiritually rooted?

Our Blessed Lord is extremely serious…
… that we take our Christian lives and faith, on a more serious note!

Salvation is at stake…

Eternal Life is at question!

The Lord is addressing us, and telling:
“For those who are working…
… you would try to make any sincere efforts to make sure you get a better salary, isn’t it?

For those who are studying…
… you would try to put in extra hard work to ensure you get the extra marks, isn’t it?

For those who are at home…
… you would spare no efforts, to ensure peace and harmony and a happy time, isn’t it?

For those in institutes or companies or in-charge of some establishment…
… you would take the extra mile to be the best and co-ordinate to the maximum, to give better performances, isn’t it?

Then why…
… Why sometimes, lethargy only for spiritual life?
… Why sometimes, indifference, only with respect to a life of faith?”

On this First Friday of the month, let us renew our consecration and commitment to the Sacred Heart of our Blessed Lord…
… and basking in His Love, let us seek to live our Christian Faith with greater enthusiasm and gusto!

Are we ready to be Christians with an “excellent spine”?

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
“THE SACRED MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH’S UNITY”

The Church is one because of Her source: “the highest exemplar and source of this mystery is the unity, in the Trinity of Persons, of one God, the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit.”
The Church is one because of Her founder: for “the Word made flesh, the prince of peace, reconciled all men to God by the cross,… restoring the unity of all in one people and one body.”
The Church is one because of her “soul”: “It is the Holy Spirit, dwelling in those who believe and pervading and ruling over the entire Church, who brings about that wonderful communion of the faithful and joins them together so intimately in Christ that he is the principle of the Church’s unity.”

Unity is of the essence of the Church (CCC # 813)

Experiencing the saving Power and Presence of the Lord, by realizing our state of being lost, and allowing the Lord, to find us!”

(Based on 14:7-12 and Lk 15:1-10 – Thursday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time)

The Festival of Diwali is on, in India

This celebration of lights – Diwali – is characteristically marked by the bursting of a variety of crackers.

[NB: this reflection is not to discuss the pros and cons of bursting of crackers! :-)]

Crackers signify a mood of celebration and joy.

They are symbolic of a spirit of festivity and merriment.

The bursting and the sound of crackers surely spark off a message that some celebration is on & there is a mood of rejoicing and good cheer.

Today, we are in for some bursting of crackers….

But, Guess where?

Not in India… not anywhere on the earth…

But in Heaven!

Yes, we have crackers being burst in heaven!

Why?

There is much to celebrate and be glad!

The reason?

“There is much rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine who need no repentance” (Lk 15:7)

The Gospel of the Day is an invitation to a life of discovering God’s love and living a life in repentance.

The Fifteenth Chapter of St Luke is an amazing revelation of God’s tremendous love, mercy and longing for each one of us.

We have the Parables of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin and the Lost Son.

In all the three parables…
… lost ones are found
… there is great celebration at the end.
… an emphasis is laid on hope for the lost.

This chapter is a contradiction of many human thought-patterns and an affirmation of many Divine thought-patterns…

There is a contradiction of the human thought-pattern of thinking of things in terms of monetary rate and financial gain.

There is an affirmation of the Divine thought-pattern of acknowledging the deeper value and worth of objects and people!

There is a contradiction of the human thought-pattern of giving up on things that are lost and not being bothered about it.

There is an affirmation of the Divine thought-pattern of desperately going after the lost and being in painful agony until found!

We are invited to shed the selfish Human thought-pattern and embrace the selfless Divine thought-pattern.

We shall consider the first two parables in this Chapter 15 – The Parable of the Lost Sheep and the Parable of the Lost Coin – for our reflection.

A shepherd had a hundred sheep.

During the count as he gathers the sheep at day’s end, the shepherd notices that one is missing.

The sheep needs to be found; otherwise it may be permanently lost or attacked by hungry predators.

The Shepherd takes the risk of leaving the rest behind, and goes out in search of the lost one.

The second parable parallels the first….
Here a silver coin has been lost.

It’s probably a drachma, which equals a denarius–a day’s wage for the average worker.

The coin needs to be found; else a day’s wage would be lost and would to the already existing financial burden.

The woman takes the hard trouble and effort, to sweep the house, in search of the lost coin.

In both the cases…

The search yields successful results… the lost sheep and the lost coin is found.
The success leads to a great celebration… the shepherd and the woman rejoice and party
The cost of the celebration far exceeds the actual price of the thing lost!

Why such a sentimentality? Why so much of economic waste?

The only logic behind it is: the Experience of Joy.

The Shepherd feels tremendously happy in getting back his lost sheep.
The woman feels tremendously happy in getting back her lost coin.

And this spurs them to forget all economics, and mathematics and tally and calculations…

Joy surpasses them all.

Joy overcomes them all.
Joy overtakes them all!

Jesus compares this same joy in heaven at the repentance of a sinner!

Am I similar to a Lost Sheep?

Lost…
… in the thickets of materialistic living
… lost in the valleys of doubts and rejections and failures
… lost in the bushes of excessive pride, prestige and power
… lost in the wilderness of hopelessness and meaninglessness in life

Am I similar to a Lost Coin?

Lost…
… in the corners of abuses and misunderstandings and false judgments
… in the darkness of bad luck and unfair treatment by life
… in the dust of corruption and malicious situations
… in the shadows of addictions and bad habits

The Lord doesn’t abandon us…. The Lord comes in search of us.

We ought to…
… hear His voice and respond.
… allow ourselves to be found.
… let Him take us on His shoulders.
… permit Him to take us in His hands.

God comes looking for us.

We are the ones that God spends hours and hours, walking miles and probing all areas, in search.
We are the ones that God spends hours and hours on hands and knees sweeping and searching for.

And when God finds us… He calls together all the saints in heaven, saying to them:
“Rejoice with me, for I have found my beloved sheep, my precious coin that was once lost.”

Are we – You & I – ready to give heaven a reason to celebrate, by repenting of our sins & living a life, in accord with God’s Holy Will?

Yes, the crackers in heaven are waiting to be burst…

Let us experience the saving power and presence of the Lord, by realizing our state of being lost…
… and allowing the Lord, to find us.

Let us seek the intercession and give heed to the words of St Charles Borromeo, the saint of the Day:
“If a tiny spark of God’s love already burns within you…
… do not expose it to the wind, for it may get blown out!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE CHURCH IS ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC, AND APOSTOLIC

“This is the sole Church of Christ, which in the Creed we profess to be one, holy, catholic and apostolic.”
These four characteristics, inseparably linked with each other, indicate essential features of the Church and her mission.
The Church does not possess them of herself; it is Christ who, through the Holy Spirit, makes His Church one, holy, catholic, and apostolic, and it is He who calls her to realize each of these qualities.
Only faith can recognize that the Church possesses these properties from Her Divine Source.

But their historical manifestations are signs that also speak clearly to human reason. As the First Vatican Council noted, the “Church herself, with her marvellous propagation, eminent holiness, and inexhaustible fruitfulness in everything good, her catholic unity and invincible stability, is a great and perpetual motive of credibility and an irrefutable witness of her Divine mission.” (CCC # 811-812)

“Living in holiness and with a sense of mission to bring all people to the Love of Christ!”

(Based on Rom 13:8-10 and Lk 14:25-33 – Wednesday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time)

Filtration is a process by which any material is passed through a certain device to remove unwanted elements in it.

Filtration happens every day around the world.

It occurs both in nature and in engineered systems.

For example…
… in many living bodies (including humans), renal filtration removes wastes from the blood
… in water treatment and sewage treatment, undesirable elements are removed by absorption into a filter medium

Every filtration has three basic components:

1. The Feed: The original material with the presence of unwanted elements
2. The Filter: The mechanism/device that does the cleansing
3. The Filtrate: The matter that comes after the process

Our Life as a Christian is also a “process of filtration”

And has three components as well

1. The Feed: Our lives – with our own weaknesses and sinful tendencies
2. The Filter: Jesus, the Crucified Lord – Who Cleanses us
3. The Filtrate: Our life as a Disciple of Christ – lived in holiness and with a sense of mission

Are we willing to allow the “FEED” of our lives to encounter the “FILTER”…
… so that we can emerge as pure and holy “FILTRATE?”

The Gospel of the Day is this exhortation of the Lord to all who seek to follow Him:
“If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters…
… yes, and even his own life, cannot be my disciple!

Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple!” (Lk 14: 26-27)

The Gospel begins with the statement that “Great multitudes accompanied Jesus…” (Lk 14:25)

The multitude – crowds of people – probably had various intentions of following Jesus

Some to receive healing and be touched by Him (Lk 6:19)
Some to hear the Good News and to follow Him (Lk 5:11)
Some to simply eat the bread (food) that the Lord provided (Lk 9:17)
Some to satisfy their curiosity and fascination (Lk 4:22)
Some to question Who He was and What was His motive (Lk 7:18-19)

Whatever be the intention of the crowds, the Lord was clear in whom He wanted as His followers:

1. Those who give the highest priority in life to the Lord
2. Those who would take up their cross
3. Those who are willing to give up everything, for the sake of the Lord

Towards this end, Jesus cites two parables which would make every disciple of Jesus question their authenticity of following Him
a. The Parable of the one desiring to build the tower (Lk 14:28-30)

Are you willing to count how much it will cost you, to follow Jesus?

b. The Parable of the king who wanted to wage war (Lk 14:31-32)

Are you willing to calculate the risks that are involved, to follow Jesus?

This is a serious challenge that is placed before all Christians, who profess to follow Christ…
… and also to all those, who in ministry, seek to attract disciples for Christ!

Have I “counted the cost” and “calculated the risks” to know, that following Jesus means…
… not to simply run behind miracles and wonders; rather also involves living as Jesus did – in poverty, obedience and purity of heart!

… not just having a Christian name and fulfiling basic duties; but also implies to give the highest priority to the Lord and His Kingdom values, in all what we do!

… not merely reciting prayers and raising hymns of praise; but also infers at reaching out to the poor and needy in self-giving and doing everything for the Glory of God!

A Filtration Process is a must for every follower of Christ.

All of us, surely have our weaknesses and tendencies to be attracted to worldly ways

We very often, even have the goodwill to truly follow Jesus…

However, because of…
… lack of strong motivation
… ignorance and lack of people who can guide us
… various discouraging and deterring incidents and scandals
We fail to truly Follow Jesus.

We, the FEED, need to offer our lives to Jesus…
… and allow ourselves to pass through Our Crucified Lord – Who is our FILTER!

He will cleanse us to make us pure
He will strengthen us with proper motivation
He will nourish us with courage and passion to be bold and faithful

And thus, we will be able to live as the proper FILTRATE – a disciple of Christ…
… living in holiness and with a sense of mission to bring all people to the Love of Christ.

Are we willing to be “Filtered?”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
CHARISMS

Whether extraordinary or simple and humble, Charisms are graces of the Holy Spirit which directly or indirectly benefit the Church, ordered as they are to her building up, to the good of men, and to the needs of the world.
Charisms are to be accepted with gratitude by the person who receives them and by all members of the Church as well.
They are a wonderfully rich grace for the apostolic vitality and for the holiness of the entire Body of Christ, provided they really are genuine gifts of the Holy Spirit and are used in full conformity with authentic promptings of this same Spirit, that is, in keeping with charity, the true measure of all Charisms.

It is in this sense that discernment of Charisms is always necessary. No Charism is exempt from being referred and submitted to the Church’s shepherds. “Their office (is) not indeed to extinguish the Spirit, but to test all things and hold fast to what is good,” so that all the diverse and complementary Charisms work together “for the common good. (CCC # 799-801)

“Look on to the Lord – the Crucified Saviour – and finding greater meaning and hope in life!”

(Based on All Soul’s Day)

A story is told of a King who had a lovely flower garden.

His gardener, who tended it, took great pains to make the garden an exotic paradise.

One morning the gardener went into the garden to visit his favourite flowers.

To his dismay he discovered that one of his choicest flowers had been cut from its stem.
Soon he saw that the most beautiful flower from each plot of the garden were missing.

Filled with anxiety and anger, he hurried to his fellow workers and demanded: “Who stole my priceless treasures?”

One of his helpers replied, “The King came into his garden this morning, picked those flowers himself, and took them into his house.
I guess he wanted to give the flowers the rightful place of beauty in his palace.”

The gardener, though sad, then realized that he had no reason to be concerned…
… because it was perfectly right for his master to pick some of his own prized blossoms.

Though he missed his lovely flowers…
… he also realized, he was only a caretaker

The flowers, in the true sense, belonged to the King, and to him alone!

Our lives are such…
In the garden of the world, as gardeners, we feel sad when we lose our loved ones – the prized blossoms of our life.

But when we realize, that it is the King Himself – God – Who has picked these blossoms…
… “to give the flowers the rightful place of beauty in His Palace.”

We are consoled and get a better realization that there is no reason to be concerned.
The flowers in the garden of our lives – our loved ones – in the true sense, belong to the King, and to Him alone!

Today is the All Souls Day – when we commemorate and pray for all the Faithful Departed…
… those flowers, who have gone away from the garden of our lives; yet whom we believe, are safe in the Mercy of God!

In the Apostles Creed, we recite, “I believe… in the Communion of Saints”.

The term “communion of saints” has two closely-linked meanings: communion in holy things and communion among holy persons.

The Communion of Saints is the three states of the Church: The Church Militant (the pilgrim Church on earth), The Church Suffering (the faithful departed), the Church Triumphant (the saints in glory)
“… at the present time, some of His disciples are pilgrims on earth. Others have died and are being purified, while still others are in glory, contemplating ‘in full light, God himself triune and one, exactly as He is'” (Catechism of the Catholic Church #954)

On this day, we (the Church Militant), in union with the prayers of the saints in glory (the Church Triumphant)…
… reach out our prayers, intercessions and love in a very special manner for our suffering brothers and sisters (the Church Suffering).

What makes us to pray for the dead… the faithful departed?

It is necessarily in the co-relationship that all human beings share with each other.

We do pray for the people who are in need, when they live on this earth.
We do seek intercessions on their behalf to God, when they are with us.

But when a person dies, his/her existence ceases only in our sight.

They still continue to live in God’s sight.
The dead are not dead for God.

This is what Jesus says in Luke 20:38, “… he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him, all are alive”

Therefore, it is logical and reasonable that we pray for the faithful departed.
“All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1030)

Therefore, it is a duty on our part that we pray for the purification of these Faithful Departed.

This Commemoration of the All Souls Day, is also a reminder of our own Death and the death of our close ones.

True, that as frail humans, we may have a natural fear and even a sort of phobia of death.
… but our Christian Love, Faith and Hope must gain the upper-hand in us.

Death is a reality.

No amount of reflection or sermons can substitute the pain of this reality.
Sometimes, in such situations, silence is the only answer that we can provide.

But this silence ought to be a silence of hope, a silence of trust and a silence of faith.

When we love God deeper, the fear of death decreases.
When we have an unshakeable hope in God, the anguish of death subsides

Let us also keep in mind, that this day of the “All Souls Day” as well as the Month of November is a time to gain Indulgences, that the Church offers.

This year, with the situation of the pandemic, the Church has issued an Apostolic Penitentiary decree giving special guidelines.
(1) A plenary indulgence for the faithful departed in purgatory can be gained, each day between for the whole month of November, by visiting a cemetery, and praying for the departed – even if the prayer is only mental.
(2) A plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful who, on All Souls’ Day (or on any day in the month of November) devoutly visits a church and recites an Our Father and the Creed.
(3) A partial indulgence – applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory – can be obtained when the prayer:
“Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.”
…is recited

[For those who are sick, the elderly or those who are unable to visit a cemetery or church for any other serious reason – such as coronavirus restrictions – it is possible to obtain any of these plenary indulgences by doing the following.

Spiritually uniting themselves with the faithful and doing one of the following before an image of Jesus or the Blessed Virgin Mary:
a. Praying devout pious prayers for the deceased (e.g. Rosary, Office of the Dead, Divine Mercy Chaplet, etc.)
b. Reading and reflecting on the Gospel passages prescribed for Masses of the Dead
c. Performing a work of mercy by offering to God the sorrow and hardships of their own lives]

(Let’s also keep in mind the conditions to be fulfilled for the reception of the Plenary Indulgence:
a. Do the act of the Indulgence (prayer/act) while in a state of grace
b. Receive Sacramental confession within 20 days
c. Receive Holy Communion
d. Pray for the Pope’s intentions (Our Father and Hail Mary, and/or other appropriate prayer)
e. Have no attachment to sin (even venial) – the person needs to make ‘an act of the will’ to love God and despise sin.

Death is hard.

But, the Lord has conquered this death!

Let us look on to Him, on the Cross, and find greater meaning and hope in life.

In the Lord…
… the faithful departed are “faithful returned!”

In the Lord…
… our loved ones do not leave home, “they go Home!”

May our Blessed Mother Mary who bore the pain of the death of Her Beloved Child be our refuge and strength.

May the prayers and example of the Church Triumphant be our inspiration and courage

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism

The Holy Spirit is “the principle of every vital and truly saving action in each part of the Body.”
He works in many ways to build up the whole Body in charity…
… by God’s Word “which is able to build you up”
… by Baptism, through which he forms Christ’s Body
… by the sacraments, which give growth and healing to Christ’s members
… by “the grace of the apostles, which holds first place among his gifts”
… by the virtues, which make us act according to what is good

… finally, by the many special graces (called “charisms”), by which he makes the faithful “fit and ready to undertake various tasks and offices for the renewal and building up of the Church. (CCC # 797)