“Receiving the touch of the Lord, in order to be safe from being drowned, in the troubled waters of life!”

(Based on Rom 9:1-5 and Lk 14:1-6 – Friday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time)

For our reflection today, we shall make a verse by verse analysis of the Gospel Passage…

The passage under consideration is the Healing of the man with dropsy on the Sabbath Day.
Let us carefully reflect on this amazingly dramatic incident…

The passage begins with the statement, “On a Sabbath, Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees…” (Lk 14:1a)

Here was an invitation of a high and elite nature…

A leading Pharisee of the Jewish society had called Jesus to his home.
He was joined by many other scholars of the Law and the Pharisees.

Maybe it was a show of one’s status and pride and dignity as a great Pharisee…

Maybe it was another chance for the critics of Jesus to find something to crib about him…

“…and the people there were observing Him carefully…” (Lk 14:1b)

To be invited for a dinner was something nice and pleasant…

But to be invited to become an object of observation and scanning was bad enough.

“The people were observing Him carefully” suggested a suspicious action…

It was as if, some thieves were waiting eagerly to strike on their target…
It was as if, some fierce lions, were stealthily preparing to pounce upon their prey…

And then comes the bait “In front of him, there was a man suffering from dropsy” (Lk 14:2)

What’s dropsy?

Dropsy was a condition in which there was an unnatural collection of serous (pale yellow and transparent) fluid in any cavity of the body.

Dropsy was water retention in the body.

Dropsy itself was not a disease, but a symptom of a disease.

It could be a number of things – complications of the liver or kidney or the heart or all three!

In the Jewish understanding, someone who had this condition of dropsy, was seen as a great sinner, even related to being a sexual sinner.

This sickness was a pointer to the man’s condition of being highly unclean!

But to bring back our attention to the Gospel…

Was this not a setting of a dinner?

Was not Jesus called for a meal…
… and that too, a dinner with the elite and leading religious people…
… and that too, on a Sabbath day?!

Then what was a man with dropsy, a serious condition of uncleanness, doing there?

The plot of the drama seems to be thickening…

The setup seems to be getting clear…

The Pharisees have invited Jesus for a meal, yes…but probably with a hidden and a mean agenda:

Drop a man with dropsy in front of Jesus… and observe what he does!

They knew Jesus had the power to heal…
… but they also knew that it would lead to violation of the Sabbath!

They knew Jesus would feel compassion on the man…
… but they also knew that it would give them a chance to go up in arms!

They wanted Jesus to violate the Sabbath to give proof that He was not from God!

The Rabbinical rule was that one could only be doctored if one was going to die immediately on the Sabbath.

But if death is not imminent, wait till the Sabbath is over.

But Jesus had time & again proved, that he had no regard for that lack of compassion or for the folly of that legalism.

In Lk 6:6-11, Jesus healed a withered man, on the Sabbath…
In Lk 13: 10-17, Jesus healed a woman, crippled for eighteen years, on the Sabbath…

So, He asks the guests gathered around, “Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbath or not?” (Lk 14:3)

Jesus knew their answer.
Jesus knew their perspective of things.

Yet He wanted them to tell.

“… but they kept silent” (Lk 14:4a)…

They knew the answer too.
They knew it was unlawful.
Still they did not tell Him.

Sheer hypocrisy!
Absolute malicious trapping!
Horrifying trick of deception!

And then Jesus does something astonishing…
“… he took the man, and after he had healed him, dismissed him” (Lk 14:4b)

The Greek word used for “took” is a very very strong verb….”Epilombano”
“Epilombano” literally means to lay hold of or to seize upon anything with the hands

It is the same word used in…
… Lk 23:26, when the soldiers seized Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross
… Acts 16:19 to say that Paul and Silas were seized and dragged by their persecutors..)

The cruel silence of the crowd provokes Jesus, to strongly seize the afflicted man!

He doesn’t work the miracle in hiding or quietly or from a distance!

Rather, with much force, He just grabs the man, seizes him, crushes him in His arms…
… as if to squeeze the fluid out and give him a new heart, a new liver, and a new self and creates in the man a whole new set of internal organs.

And finally Jesus justifies His action with another thundering question, “Who among you, if your son or ox falls into a cistern, would not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath?” (Lk 14:6)

A beautiful picture indeed…

Jesus asks them, “None of you would have allowed your son or ox to drown in the waters, isn’t it?

Then why don’t you see, that I have also saved from drowning… this man with dropsy, drowning in his own fluid!?

Another total silence by the onlookers!

Am I also silent now?

There is much to learn from this dramatic incident, isn’t it?

May this dramatic Gospel incident, become…
… a wonderful inspiration, for us… who need the touch of the Lord, from being drowned in the troubled waters of life!
… a hard warning, for us… who malign other’s lives by seeking to find ways and means to trap them in the works of goodness!
… a tremendous booster, for us… who often get bogged down by troubles of life & instead to be bold to the hard & gritty challenges of life!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

---

Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
“CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THIS BODY”

Christ “is the head of the body, the Church.”
He is the principle of creation and redemption.
Raised to the Father’s glory, “in everything He (is) preeminent,” especially in the Church, through whom he extends his reign over all things.
Christ unites us with His Passover: all his members must strive to resemble Him, “until Christ be formed” in them.

“For this reason we… are taken up into the mysteries of His life… associated with His sufferings as the body with its head, suffering with Him, that with Him we may be glorified!” (CCC # 792-793)

“May the life and intercession of St Simon and St Jude – two hidden, yet Great Apostles of the Lord – impel us to love God and His people, and spread the Gospel of God to many more!”

(Based on the Feast of the Apostles St Simon and St Jude – Thursday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time)

A garden of flowers delights most people!

A garden consists of a variety of flowers, with varied colours, sizes, shapes.
Some flowers tend to capture our attention more…some escape the gaze of our eyes.

However, this in no way, reduces or increases their relevance and importance.

Each flower has its own specialty.
Each flower has its own attraction.

Jesus in His garden of ministry, chose twelve apostles.

Some apostles tend to capture our attention more… some escape the gaze of our eyes.

However, this in no way, reduces or increases their relevance and importance.

Each apostle has his own specialty
Each apostle has his own attraction.

Today Holy Mother the Church celebrates the feast of two apostles: St Jude and St Simon.

These are apostles, who in most probability escape the gaze of our eyes.

These two saints are usually known as the “unknown apostles”.

Yet, they have their own greatness before God and their own importance to inspire us in our lives!

The scarcity of their appearance in the New Testament is so vivid that except in the list of the names of the apostles…
… the name of Simon never appears elsewhere whereas the name of Jude makes only a single appearance in the discourse of Jesus after the last supper (Jn 14: 22).

In the Gospel of Matthew & Mark, the apostle Simon is given the title of a Canaanean, while Luke mentions him as “Zealot”.

This apostle Simon must have belonged to the Zealot Party.

The Zealot Party was a first-century political movement among Judean Jews who sought to overthrow the occupying Roman government.

According to the Jewish historian Josephus, four main Jewish groups existed at the time of Christ – the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Essenes and the Zealots.

The Zealots were known for their aggression and violent behaviour.

They advocated that no one, but Yahweh alone should rule over Israel and hence, obedience to the Roman government should be refused.

The selection of Simon, the Zealot as an Apostle, is a great insight into the workings of Jesus, in His Kingdom Ministry…

The Lord accepts us with our hard instincts.

The Lord takes into account our various mentalities and mindsets.
In His Divine Love, He squashes all external factors, and fashions us into people fit for His Kingdom.

He doesn’t reject us in our over-zeal. He doesn’t cast us away because of our impulses.

All that He expects is an openness to follow Him fully and allow ourselves to be moulded!

The Apostle Jude is given another title by St Matthew and St Mark: Thaddeus.

Thaddeus means “the courageous heart”

St Jude is one of the most popular saints in our world today, considering the fact that he is often called as “The Miraculous Saint”.

St Jude is the one whose aid is often sought when all hope is lost, especially in grave illness & life-&-death situations.

There is a story that since his name is identical with Judas Iscariot, who had betrayed Jesus, St Jude would hardly be interceded too, except in the most desperate situations!

And hence, perhaps, he got identified as the ‘Patron in Helpless Causes!’

St Bridget of Sweden & St Bernard had visions from God asking each to accept St Jude as ‘Patron Saint of the Impossible’.

The Apostle Jude teaches us a few insights for our spiritual growth:

Like the name – Jude Thaddeus – we are invited too, to have a “heart full of courage”.
The Kingdom of God requires brave soldiers and people of immense valour.

The Lord needs followers who are imbued with the might of His Holy Spirit and who boldly proclaim the Gospel and witness its values by their lives.
No situation of discouragement or setbacks will hinder the march of a “Courageous Heart!”

St Jude, as the Patron of Desperate Cases, inspires us to have a deeper faith and trust in the Providence and Mercy of God.

The Lord is all-knowing.

He wills what is best for us.

However, in our human frailty, we often tend to lose our hope and become highly desperate.

But this Saint teaches to grow deeper in our faith & know that “behind every dark cloud is a silver lining of the sun… (Son!)”!

St Jude also teaches the powerful role of Intercessory Prayer.
We are all created in the Image and Likeness of God, and each of us have a bounden duty to the other…
… to take care, to love each other and to pray for one another.

When we pray for others and bring others to the presence of God, we help them in their difficulties and join with them in solidarity and compassion.

There are many hidden flowers in a garden.

Yet, each one has its own beauty and fragrance and value.

These two apostles – St Simon and St Jude – are fairly hidden in the Gospels, and yet we can learn and be inspired much by them.

May the life and intercession of these two hidden, yet Great Apostles of the Lord…
… impel us further, to love God and His people…
… and spread the Gospel of God to many more!

Happy Feast of the Apostles St Jude and St Simon.

God Bless! Live Jesus!

Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE CHURCH – ONE BODY

Believers who respond to God’s word and become members of Christ’s Body, become intimately united with him:
“In that body the life of Christ is communicated to those who believe, and who, through the sacraments, are united in a hidden and real way to Christ in his Passion and glorification.”
This is especially true of Baptism, which unites us to Christ’s death and Resurrection, and the Eucharist, by which “really sharing in the body of the Lord… we are taken up into communion with him and with one another.”
The body’s unity does not do away with the diversity of its members:
“In the building up of Christ’s Body there is engaged a diversity of members and functions. There is only one Spirit who, according to his own richness and the needs of the ministries, gives his different gifts for the welfare of the Church.”
The unity of the Mystical Body produces and stimulates charity among the faithful:
“From this it follows that if one member suffers anything, all the members suffer with him, and if one member is honoured, all the members together rejoice.”
Finally, the unity of the Mystical Body triumphs over all human divisions:

“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (CCC # 790-791)

“Responding to the invitation of the Lord to experience life with Him, in eternity, saying: ‘Plus Ultra – More Beyond’”

(Based on Rom 8:26-30 and Lk 13:22-30 – Wednesday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time)

It is said that Hercules, the Greek mythological figure constructed two pillars near the Straits of Gibraltar…
… to mark the edge of the then known world.

These pillars had a warning on them: “Ne plus ultra – No More Beyond”.

This was a warning to sailors and navigators to go no farther!

Till the 1400s, this belief was so strong…
… that “Ne Plus ultra” was written on the edge of the maps
… that Spain even adopted that phrase as their national motto.

But in 1492, Christopher Columbus set sail into the unfamiliar areas of the world…

Unknown waters were explored
New lands were discovered

After his death in 1506 in Valladolid, Spain, a memorial was built in honour of Columbus.

A peculiar yet very interesting feature of this memorial is the statue of a lion, destroying one of those Latin words

The word being torn away by the lion is “ne”

Thus, the motto is made to read: “Plus Ultra – More Beyond!”
And this indeed is the truth of human life: There certainly is “More Beyond”

“More Beyond” this present materialistic life
“More Beyond” the transitory nature of this earthly life

Human beings, by nature, are inquisitive and curious.

There is a tendency to seek to know many things.

One of the prime aspects among all such seeking are the questions concerning the life after this life.

What will happen after I die?
Where will I go after my death?
Is there such thing called as a heaven or hell?
Will God really punish or will He lavish the license of heaven to all?

Such eschatological questions often disturb our minds & we become a bit perplexed over an uncertain future.

The Gospel of the Day presents such an eschatological question being posed to Jesus:
“Lord, will only a few be saved?” (Lk 13:23)

Jesus, has a very unique way of dealing with questions and doubts.

When we scan through some of such incidents, wherein Jesus has been asked a question or a doubt, we often find that He either doesn’t give a straight answer or sometimes even doesn’t give any answer…

A lawyer comes to Jesus and asks, “Who is my neighbour?” (Lk 10:29)
… Jesus doesn’t give a direct answer; instead responds with the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

Some people tell Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the sacrifices, and expected Jesus to make some comments (Lk 13:1)
… Jesus doesn’t explicit a clear teaching; instead responds with the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree.

In today’s Gospel incident too, Jesus is asked about how many will be saved.

But Jesus chooses to respond with the Illustration of the Narrow Door.

Why does Jesus do so?

Why does He not respond directly to such questions, and instead answer in some other form?

One of the tendencies among many believers, including perhaps some of us, is that…
…we tend to miss the actual point, in the process of discussion.
…we fail to grasp the actual thing needed, in the course of many doubts.

We wonder about who all will be saved…

We wonder when this world will come to an end.
We wonder how many people will make to heaven
We wonder how many will get cast into hell.

These simple questions lead to complicated ones…

What about people who have never heard about God?
What about those souls in distant lands who never had a chance to know what is God?

These complicated questions further leads to some drastic conclusions (sadly!)…

What kind of God sends people to hell?!
If the God of the Bible is so cruel, then I don’t want to believe in Him!
I would better not believe in any God and rather live my life the way I want!

Well… this is the sad part!
It’s not that questionings or doubts are bad…or not that they are not encouraged…

But sometimes, such interrogations make us to miss the main point.

We get so entangled with doubts of the future, that we fail to prepare for the future.

We get so busy asking about eternal life, that we fail to live a life worthy of it!

But Jesus brings home to point…

What is needed utmost is an upright life…
… in faith and in repentance.

What is most needed is to live a life pleasing to God…
… and in seeking to do His Will.

This is the narrow way.

To live a life of faith, in the midst of challenges and crises, is hard!

To live in total repentance and brushing aside sin at every point of life, is hard!
To live a life seeking to live in tune with God’s Will, even if it is demanding, is hard!

This is the narrow way, to which the Lord invites us.

Let us not get too much webbed in the questions and doubts, and lose focus of what’s most needed…
… Faith, Repentance and Doing His Will.

Yes, we don’t live in a world which has a motto “Ne plus ultra – No More Beyond!”

Instead, Jesus, the Lion of Judah destroys that word “ne”…

And invites us to experience life with Him, in eternity, saying: “Plus Ultra – More Beyond”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

---

Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE CHURCH IS COMMUNION WITH JESUS

From the beginning, Jesus associated his disciples with his own life, revealed the mystery of the Kingdom to them, and gave them a share in his mission, joy, and sufferings.
Jesus spoke of a still more intimate communion between him and those who would follow him: “Abide in me, and I in you… I am the vine, you are the branches.”
And He proclaimed a mysterious and real communion between His Own Body and ours: “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in Me, and I in Him.”
When his visible presence was taken from them, Jesus did not leave his disciples orphans. He promised to remain with them until the end of time; he sent them his Spirit.
As a result communion with Jesus has become, in a way, more intense: “By communicating his Spirit, Christ mystically constitutes as his body those brothers of his who are called together from every nation.”
The comparison of the Church with the body casts light on the intimate bond between Christ and his Church. Not only is she gathered around him; she is united in him, in his body.

Three aspects of the Church as the Body of Christ are to be more specifically noted: the unity of all her members with each other as a result of their union with Christ; Christ as head of the Body; and the Church as Bride of Christ. (CCC # 787-789)

“Allowing the Hand of God to work even in the small things that we do, to experience the bountifulness of His Grace working miraculously!”

(Based on Rom 8:18-25 and Lk 13:18-21 – Tuesday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time)

A young Christian businessman who had established himself well in his area of work, was once interviewed by a journalist…
… and asked for the secret of his quick success.

“Well”, said the young businessman, “I attribute all my success to my Lord!
From my college days, I have sought to give God the first place in my life.

And He has always led me!

There is a simple formula that I always hold on to…

The formula goes thus:
‘Where God’s in charge,
Little things grow large!
And in God’s Hand,
Small gifts expand!”

So true, isn’t it?

If we allow the Hand of God to work even in the small things that we do…
… we will surely experience the bountifulness of His Grace working miraculously!

The Gospel of the Day is a recounting of this Great Truth of our life, when Jesus expounds the “Miracle of God’s Hand in the littleness of our life” with the help of two examples:

1. The Mustard Seed
   “… a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his garden…
   … and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches!” (Lk 13: 19)
2. Leaven
   “… like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened!” (Lk 13:21)

One of the beautiful lessons that the Lord teaches from these two metaphors of daily life is that: Our little works done for God, should never cause us to feel discouraged in life!

The little mustard seed and the little leaven…
… were not really expected to do great things
… were not quite symbols of greatness or majesty

Yet, the Lord – in His Divine Wisdom – uses these “little aspects of life” to project His Mighty Story of the Kingdom!

As St Paul says: “God chose the foolish of the world, to shame the wise…
… and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong..” (1 Cor 1: 27)

This is the truth we come across in the Mighty Story of the Kingdom, as we scan through the pages of the Bible…
… even in the Life of Jesus!

Jesus was born into a small Family from Nazareth in the smallest of villages (Bethlehem).

His Ministry started in one of the smallest places – Galilee.

Galilee was an insignificant portion of an obscure part of the Roman world.

He went no further than Jerusalem with His message

In the time of the Roman Empire, Jerusalem was not considered a cultural centre.
… Rome, Athens and Alexandria featured more prominently on the political and cultural radar.
In fact, for the Romans, Jerusalem was a city of fanatic Jews – to be best controlled by an army of troops and easily-swaying kings like Herod and his family!

Yet, Jesus has become the greatest influencer in Human History!

“Where God’s in charge,
Little things grow large!
And in God’s Hand,
Small gifts expand!”

Life doesn’t always give us great opportunities to perform big acts of charity and kindness.

But our life is filled with immense chances…
… to “sow tiny mustard seeds”
… and to “mix little leaven”…

Do we make the best use of such chances: To sow the “tiny mustard seeds”…

Of Gentleness… in the rough terrains of pride and haughty lives
Of Love… in the field of broken relationships and strained associations
Of Mercy… in the territories of hateful feelings and unforgiving hearts

To “mix the little leaven”…

Of undiluted Christian convictions… in the dough of easy-going-life and relativistic mentality
Of contagious passion… with the flour of lethargic and lazy attitudes to life
Of credible life witness… in the mixture of scandalous trends and discouraging religiosity

Servant of God, Fr Peter Mermier (the Founder of the MSFS – Missionaries of St Francis de Sales) says:
“We do a lot in doing a little, if we do it for God, when and as He wishes!”

God doesn’t mind much the size of our works…
… but at the amount of love we add to it!

God doesn’t look at the fanfare in our acts of service…
… but at the volume of selflessness we add to it!

Of course, the world may not appreciate such “simple and little works!”

But let the “tiny mustard seed” and the “little leaven” remind us:
Our little works done for God, should never cause us to feel discouraged in life!

Yes…
“Where God’s in charge,
Little things grow large!
And in God’s Hand,
Small gifts expand!”

(P.S: Psst… Did you add an “extra bit of God’s Love” while reading this reflection…?)

God Bless! Live Jesus!

---

Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism

The People of God shares in the royal office of Christ.
He exercises His kingship by drawing all men to himself through His Death and Resurrection.
Christ, King and Lord of the universe, made himself the servant of all, for He came “not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
For the Christian, “to reign is to serve Him,” particularly when serving “the poor and the suffering, in whom the Church recognizes the image of her poor and suffering Founder.”
The People of God fulfils its royal dignity by a life in keeping with its vocation to serve with Christ.
The sign of the cross makes kings of all those reborn in Christ and the anointing of the Holy Spirit consecrates them as priests…
… so that, apart from the particular service of our ministry, all spiritual and rational Christians are recognized as members of this royal race and sharers in Christ’s priestly office.
What, indeed, is as royal for a soul as to govern the body in obedience to God?

And what is as priestly as to dedicate a pure conscience to the Lord and to offer the spotless offerings of devotion on the altar of the heart? (CCC # 786)

“Adopting a Spirit-filled, a Service-minded and a Strength-giving Personality!”

(Based on Rom 8:12-17 and Lk 13:10-17 – Monday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time)

One of the major topics that is dealt in psychology is that of Personality.

One of the personality that is often encountered is what is known as a Split Personality.

A person with a split personality has two or more distinct identity and alternates from one character to another.

But there is perhaps another personality which is not analysed or studied much…but is often stumbled upon…

It could be called as a “SPIT” personality!

(Yes, you read it right. It’s spelt S-P-I-T… not SPLIT!)

This SPIT personality is a subtle yet very common phenomenon that is observed, including perhaps, in many of us…

(Of course, this term “Spit personality” is primarily derived from the bad habit of people spitting on the streets…and making the whole surrounding quite ugly and filthy!)

The Spit Personality that we are talking of, refers…
… to the habit of spitting out unpleasant words at others, without the least concern.
… to the practise of spitting out harsh and judgmental words, with minimal mercy.
… to the tendency to spitting out critical words to put down people in humiliation.

The Gospel of the Day brings a classical example of a person having this SPIT Personality.

The context is that of Jesus healing a woman who had been crippled for eighteen on a Sabbath Day.

However, after the healing, the leader of the synagogue was indignant that Jesus had cured on a Sabbath.

He told, “There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the Sabbath day” (Lk 13:14)

This leader of the synagogue, displays the SPIT Personality.

Here was something noble and good being done…

But he fails to see the goodness and instead shouts at the people for not keeping the laws.

Here was something miraculous and godly being performed…

But he closes himself to the Kingdom of God and focuses on the need to obey human rules.

His Spit Personality was badly unleashed!

Jesus, the Lord of healing and restoration, encountered the woman who had been crippled for many years…

She was bent.
She was in pain probably.
She was also very much dispirited too.

Jesus saw her need…
… but the leader of the synagogue saw her as a nuisance.

Jesus understood her pain…
… but the leader of the synagogue chose to inflict shame on the people.

This is the trouble with a Spit Personality: One concentrates only on the negative aspects of persons and situations!

Jesus lashes out at such an attitude!

He calls the leader of the synagogue a hypocrite, and draws his attention to the greater and important dimensions of life!
“This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years, ought she not have been set free on this Sabbath day from this bondage?” (Lk 13:16)

The man focused on the rule of Sabbath…
… Jesus focused on the rule of love and liberation.

The man saw the commandment violated..
… Jesus saw a life been violated and in need of renewal.

The man burst out in anger and pride…
… Jesus blossomed out in compassion and humanness.

The Spit personality can be highly dreadful and inhuman.

Do I display any such characteristics?

If I fail to see the goodness in people, and speak only of their faults and mistakes…
… I may be having a Spit Personality!

If I fail to trust in God in hard situations, and only criticize and blame God…
… I may be having a Spit Personality!

If I get wild with people for tiny faults without considering their background & context…
… I may be having a Spit Personality!

If I spread calumny and gossiping rumours about the misdeeds of others…
… I may be having a Spit Personality!

If I fail to go beyond rigid and inhuman regulations in order to promote well-being and goodness…
… I may be having a Spit Personality!

The Lord of all Liberation and Wholeness today invites us to experience His Healing Touch.

Many of us are crippled and infirmed with this Spit Personality…

We need a healing.
We need a touch of the Lord.

The Spit Personality in us, can cause much damage to the people around us.

It can make our life unclean and miserable and cause people to avoid us.
It can make our families, our communities and our societies to be unliveable and unpleasant.

A strong decision needs to be made…
…to stop spitting bad words
…to stop spitting defamatory news
…to stop spitting harmful statements
…to stop spitting uncharitable remarks
…to stop spitting cruel and heartless comments!

Let us let go of the Spit Personality and adopt…
… a Spirit-filled Personality instead!
… a Service-minded Personality instead!
… a Strength-giving Personality instead!

May we seek to be cleansed… May we seek to be pure!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

---

Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE CHURCH – A PRIESTLY, PROPHETIC, AND ROYAL PEOPLE

Jesus Christ is the One whom the Father anointed with the Holy Spirit and established as Priest, Prophet, and King.
The whole People of God participates in these three offices of Christ and bears the responsibilities for mission and service that flow from them.
On entering the People of God through faith and Baptism, one receives a share in this people’s unique, priestly vocation: “Christ the Lord, high priest taken from among men, has made this new people ‘a kingdom of priests to God, his Father.’
The baptized, by regeneration and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, are consecrated to be a spiritual house and a holy priesthood.”

“The holy People of God shares also in Christ’s prophetic office,” above all in the supernatural sense of faith that belongs to the whole People, lay and clergy, when it “unfailingly adheres to this faith… once for all delivered to the saints,” and when it deepens its understanding and becomes Christ’s witness in the midst of this world. (CCC #783-785)

“’In Spite Of’ the many challenges and difficulties, let us sculpt our lives – with the Grace of God – as a beautiful masterpiece!”

(Based on Jer 31:7-9, Heb 5:1-6 and Mk 10:46-52 – 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B)

An incident is told of a sculptor, who, while creating a statue suffered a medical accident…
… and lost his right hand – his main hand of work

The sculptor was however, very much determined to finish the statue

His resilience led him to learn how to chisel with his left hand.

This masterpiece – this great work of excellence and determination – was named as “IN SPITE OF”
… in honour of the fact that despite the great challenges – “in spite of” many problems – the sculptor did not give up!

Are there challenges and difficulties in our life that are causing us to give up in life?

“In Spite Of” these difficulties, can we still face life with courage and determination?

The Gospel of the Day is a challenging invitation to have such an experience of overcoming struggles…
… and to have an experience with the Lord, that can become the launching-pad to nurture a life-long relationship with the Divine!

The Gospel presents the experience of the Divine by a blind person, who overcame every challenge…
… and “in spite of” the difficulties, would relish happiness and delight in the Lord.

Blind Bartimaeus experienced the Divine healing power and gave vent to his deep joy in the Lord by ‘following Him on the way’.

Jesus was passing through the land of Jericho.

As he was leaving Jericho, with His disciples, the news reached the ears of Bartimaeus.

He was blind

We do not know how long was he so
We do not know what was the reason for being so

But we know one thing… that he would have heard about the wonders and fame of Jesus.

And the very mention that “Jesus of Nazareth” was passing that way, made him to spring into pleading for mercy.

Just as the steps of the lover sounds sweet to the Beloved…
Just as the strains of music sound sweet to the singer…

So, the mention of the name, “Jesus” sounded healing and wholeness for Blind Bartimaeus!

With his might and strength, he cried, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy” (Mk 10:47)

The crowd tried to dissuade him.
The people surrounding made efforts to silence him.
But nothing of this could prevent this determined person to cry out to his God!

This persevering and passionate pleading of Bartimaeus was amply rewarded.

Jesus called him, and said to him, “Go your way, your faith has saved you!” (Mk 10: 52a)

This tremendous healing experience, fanned to flame the sparks of Divine Love within blind Bartimaeus!

He immediately received his sight and followed Jesus on the way (Mk 10: 52b)

This experience became a launching-pad to nurture a life-long relationship with the Divine!

We too are in need of a deeper experience of the Lord, in order to nurture and strengthen our spiritual life.

We sometimes remain blind to things of the spiritual dimension.

We sometimes rejected in our lack of progress in a holy living.

Yet, we are invited to cry out with full intensity, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Surely, this act of faith from our part, would meet with a lot of oppositions…
… we may hear voices telling us that it is useless to cry to God and rely on His power
… we may be told that it is illogical and unreasonable to be banking on Divine assistance

But like Blind Bartimaeus, are we willing to transgress and traverse all such negative voices, and drown them with a wave of mightier faith, crying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me?”

Unless we undergo such a healing experience, our faith will remain shallow and our spiritual following will remain dispirited.

This healing is not just of the physical nature; rather it could be healing of the mind, healing of the spirit or a social healing or an emotional healing.

We must also realise that the contrast is true…
A lack of experience of the Divine makes the spiritual journey a lethargic one…
…sometimes makes it even non-existent!

The greater the experience that one has of the Divine, the higher will be one’s enthusiasm and interest in spiritual matters.

The fact of being healed, will make me more passionate about the Divine Healer!

The fact of being cleansed, will make me more zealous about the Divine Sanctifier!

May our hearts be opened, in perseverance and passion, to seek the wonderful experience of the Divine!

Let us be courageous, with the Grace of God, to overcome all the challenges and difficulties that are causing us to give up in life…
… and “In Spite Of” these difficulties, let us sculpt our lives as a beautiful masterpiece!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

---

Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD
The People of God is marked by characteristics that clearly distinguish it from all other religious, ethnic, political, or cultural groups found in history:

It is the People of God: God is not the property of any one people. But he acquired a people for himself from those who previously were not a people: “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.”
One becomes a member of this people not by a physical birth, but by being “born anew,” a birth “of water and the Spirit,” that is, by faith in Christ, and Baptism.
This People has for its Head Jesus the Christ (the anointed, the Messiah). Because the same anointing, the Holy Spirit, flows from the head into the body, this is “the messianic people.”
“The status of this people is that of the dignity and freedom of the sons of God, in whose hearts the Holy Spirit dwells as in a temple.”
“Its law is the new commandment to love as Christ loved us.” This is the “new” law of the Holy Spirit.
Its mission is to be salt of the earth and light of the world. This people is “a most sure seed of unity, hope, and salvation for the whole human race.”

Its destiny, finally, “is the Kingdom of God which has been begun by God himself on earth and which must be further extended until it has been brought to perfection by him at the end of time!” (CCC #782)

“Responding positively to God, and making the ‘drama’ of our lives a beautiful and a witnessing one!”

(Based on Rom 8:1-11 and Lk 13:1-9 – Saturday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time)

Good dramas produce a great visual treat and also leaves a lasting impression on the mind.

One of the characteristics of a good drama is the way it concludes…
The conclusion should make the audience to identify with some characters of the story and leave a personal touch for every viewer.

One of the best dramatist who has a special niche for such effective conclusions is St Luke, the Evangelist!

St Luke in his Gospel presents many dramatic stories of Jesus, with a special style of conclusion…that leaves its readers to wonder and ponder…to think and act…!

St Luke, in the Gospel of the Day presents one such parable…the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree.

What is this conclusion style of St Luke that we are talking about?

It can be termed as a “Dramatic Concluding Suspense for Action!”

This “Dramatic Concluding Suspense for Action” has three elements in it…

1. It is dramatic: It has some impressive and spectacular elements to wonder and ponder.
2. It has a conclusion, full of suspense: The conclusion remains unknown and high curiosity is generated.
3. It calls for action: The conclusion impels viewers to reflect on life and to do some action.

Such parables of “Dramatic Concluding Suspense for Action ” are a characteristic feature in St Luke’s Gospel:

The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10: 29-35)
The Good Samaritan left the man at the Inn and said he would come back to pay the extra denarii…

Did the Good Samaritan come back? It’s unknown!
But, now the onus is placed on the readers and a thought is left with You and Me…

What will you do, if you are the Good Samaritan?

The Incident of the Rich Young Fool (Lk 18: 18-23)
Jesus invited the man to sell his possessions, distribute it to the poor and then follow Him…

Did the young man do what Jesus told him to? It’s unknown!
But, now the onus is placed on the readers and a thought is left with You and Me…

What will you do, if you are the rich man?

The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Lk 15: 11-32)
The Father, at the end of the story, invites the elder brother to join in the celebration of the Prodigal son coming back…

Did the elder son join the celebration? It’s unknown!
But, now the onus is placed on the readers and a thought is left with You and Me…

What will you do, if you are the elder brother?

The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Lk 16: 19-31)
The Rich Man pleads to Abraham concerning the future of his five brothers.

Did those five brothers meet with the same fate or did they live a better and virtuous life? It’s unknown!
But, now the onus is placed on the readers and a thought is left with You and Me…

What will you do, if you are one among the five brothers?

The Cleansing of the Ten Lepers (Lk 17: 11-19)
The Lord enquires the Samaritan leper about the nine other lepers who also had been healed.

Did any of those nine lepers come back to the Lord to thank Him? It’s unknown!
But, now the onus is placed on the readers and a thought is left with You and Me…

What will you do, if you are one of the nine lepers?

The Parable in the Gospel – the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree – follows this style of “Dramatic Concluding Suspense for Action”.

The man who had the fig tree planted in his orchard, comes looking for fruit….
But finding no fruit, he gets disappointed and orders it to be cut off…
But the gardener pleads for another year to cultivate and fertilize it….

Did the Owner allow for another year?
Did the tree produce fruit after one year?
Did the tree continue to live or was it cut down?

All these answers are unknown!

But, now the onus is placed on the readers and a thought is left with You and Me…

If I am the fig tree in the Parable and the God is the Owner, then we have some things to ponder on…

God who has planted me in His orchard, comes looking for fruit…
Do I produce the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal 5: 22-23)

If He doesn’t find the fruits, he gets disappointed and warns us….
We have been blessed with many graces and we are expected to live in response to those favours of the Lord. But if we don’t, it causes pain to God, who is our Loving Father.

Do I waste away God’s graces in my life and disappoint the expectations of my Father in Heaven?

But the gardener pleads for another year to cultivate and fertilize it…
The Lord doesn’t give up on us. He seeks to give us another chance…

Am I willing to accept to have the ground around me cultivated and weed out the unbecoming things like sinful tendencies and bad habits in and around me?
Am I willing to be fertilized & be nourished by His Word & His Body and Blood in the Eucharist & thus gain strength to produce fruits?

The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree has a “Dramatic Concluding Suspense for Action”.

Our lives too often resemble this Barren Fig Tree…

The questions are posed before us…

The answers are to be answered by us.

And the onus is now placed on we, the readers and a thought is left with You and Me…

Let us also understand that human tragedies and personal misfortunes are to be understood as God’s manifestations of Love for us – to have our lives set clearly on our priorities for God and His Kingdom

They are not to evoke fear or elements of judging

Rather, should prompt us to take life more seriously, and to make Real Repentance and live a Holier Lives.

Let us respond positively & with God, the director, make the drama of our lives a beautiful and a witnessing one!

May the words of the Saint of the Day – St John of Capistrano, who is called as the “Soldier Saint” – the patron of lawyers and judges, inspire us:
“Those who are called to the table of the Lord must glow with the brightness that comes from the good example of a praiseworthy and blameless life.

They must completely remove from their lives the filth and uncleanness of vice.
The brightness of their wisdom must make them like the Light of the world that brings light to others!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

---

Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE CHURCH – PEOPLE OF GOD

“At all times and in every race, anyone who fears God and does what is right has been acceptable to him.
He has, however, willed to make men holy and save them, not as individuals without any bond or link between them, but rather to make them into a people who might acknowledge him and serve him in holiness.
He therefore chose the Israelite race to be his own people and established a covenant with it.

He gradually instructed this people…. All these things, however, happened as a preparation for and figure of that new and perfect covenant which was to be ratified in Christ… the New Covenant in his blood; he called together a race made up of Jews and Gentiles which would be one, not according to the flesh, but in the Spirit.” (CCC #781)

“Seeing signs, recognizing God’s power and marching joyfully in Him!”

(Based on Rom 7:18-25 and Lk 12:54-59 – Friday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time)

Our world is seeing immense technological advances.

Such developments have greatly helped humanity…
… to avoid many possible natural disasters
… to be forewarned against future calamities
… to minimize the damages caused by nature’s fury

Such amazing technological advances by human beings is an example of how we are learning to explore the deeper aspects of the mysteries in nature and the universe.

Human beings are truly marching miles in reading the signs in nature and the universe.

In the midst of all these great achievements, we are posed with some probing questions…
…are we falling short in reading the signs with respect to humanity’s moral degradation?
…are we failing to read the signs of the times with respect to humanity’s spiritual decline?
…are we missing out reading the signs regarding the reign of God in our lives?

The Gospel of the Day is a reminder and a wake-up call, by Jesus to this dimension of our lives. Jesus says: “You superficial people! You understand the signs of the earth & sky, but you don’t understand the present times!” (Lk 12:56)

From ages past, human beings have been gaining expertise on interpreting the signs and indications given in nature…
• Spotting of some dark clouds, to predict heavy rains…
• A red sky at dusk, indicating a clearer sky the following day…
• Strange movements of animals and birds, to predict earthquakes or other calamities…

Jesus uses this example in nature to expose the hollowness and duplicity of the people of His time.

Jesus came in the world to usher in the Kingdom of God.

He came to announce to the world that God is not some distant entity but rather is very seriously interested to be close to their lives.

To this end of announcing the Kingdom of God…Jesus performed a number of signs…
• He taught the Scriptures and the Laws with a greater freshness and stronger authority.
• He healed the blind, the deaf and the dumb to make them witness His power.
• He raised up the dead and powerfully demonstrated the saving power of God.
• He restored the crippled and cast out demons to show them God’s might.
• He forgave sinners and accepted the outcast to display God’s deep mercy and compassion.
• He searched for the lost and invited the oppressed to experience the depth of God’s love.
• He performed many miracles in nature to show God’s supremacy over the whole creation.

But many of the people failed to see beyond these signs…

All these miracles & manifestations of the Lord were very often looked upon with much suspicion & sometimes, even contempt!

Jesus pities such an attitude!

The people could interpret so easily the signs in nature…
… but they failed to interpret the signs of the Kingdom of God!

They failed to understand the call of God, in the wonders done by Him.

The people could easily predict certain things by seeing the climate…
… but they refused to hear God’s inviting voice, in the marvels performed by Him.

The remained stubborn to the invitation of the Lord towards change of sinful attitudes

The people could easily tell certain events of the future by observing their surroundings…
… but they adamantly declined to turn to Him in repentance, by seeing His deeds.

They purposely chose to be stuck to their “tunneled” minds and failing to accept God’s mercy

This is a danger that any one of us could also have in our own personal lives…

God sustains our daily life with much care…but we fail to give praise for His wonders.

We take for granted all these daily blessings.

God protects us from various calamities…but we fail to admit His providence.

We take for granted His shielding hand.

God infuses our lives with many inspirations…but we fail to give heed to His voice.

We take for granted all His tender invitations.

• Personal sins are God’s ways of calling us to experience His Mercy and Justice.
• Delays in prayers are God’s ways of asking us to Trust in Him more deeply.
• Accidents and calamities are God’s ways of calling us to trust in His Providence.
• Unexpected failures and pains are God’s ways of making us to Share in His Sufferings.
• Happy and a satisfied life is God’s ways of inviting us to Thank and Praise Him more.
• Failure to overcome our bad tendencies is God’s ways of calling to us to a Life of Humility
• Despair in life and hopelessness is God’s way of appealing us to grow much more in Faith.

Signs from God, may sometimes be liked… sometimes be disliked.

St Augustine said, ‘If you believe what you like in the gospels but reject what you don’t like, it’s not the gospel you believe, but yourself’

In trust and faith, let us walk with the Lord, knowing that all things “work for good, for those who love Him” (Rom 8:28)

Human beings have come a long way in technological advancements & seeking to conquer the outer space &powers of nature…

But we still have a long way to understand the mighty works being performed by God in our personal & communitarian lives.

Let us see the signs… Let us recognize God’s power… Let us march joyfully in Him!

We seek today the intercession of Pope St John Paul II, arguably the most-popular and loved Pope of our times.

His convincing life, uncompromising teaching and courageous words are a challenge and inspiration to all of us…
… “What really matters in life is that we are loved by Christ and that we love Him in return. In comparison to the love of Jesus, everything else is secondary. And, without the love of Jesus, everything is useless.”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

---

Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE CHURCH – PEOPLE OF GOD

“At all times and in every race, anyone who fears God and does what is right has been acceptable to Him.
He has, however, willed to make men holy and save them, not as individuals without any bond or link between them, but rather to make them into a people who might acknowledge him and serve him in holiness.
He therefore chose the Israelite race to be his own people and established a covenant with it. He gradually instructed this people.

All these things, however, happened as a preparation for and figure of that new and perfect covenant which was to be ratified in Christ… the New Covenant in his blood; he called together a race made up of Jews and Gentiles which would be one, not according to the flesh, but in the Spirit. (Cf. CCC # 781)

“Joining with the Lord in His intense desire for the Baptism of self-giving and self-sacrifice!”

(Based on Rom 6:19-13 and Lk 12:49-53 – Thursday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time)

One of the common questions that is usually asked to kids is:
”What do you want to become when you grow big?”

And the answers we get are sometimes common, sometimes interesting, sometimes even weird…

“I want to be a doctor”,
“I want to be an engineer“,
“I want to be the next Bill Gates”,
” I want to fly to Mars”…

But suppose, if the same question were to be put forward to another Kid…

This Kid would have given perhaps the strangest and the shocking answers of all:

“When I grow big, I want to Die!

I am living my life, so that I can die!”

Guess who is this Kid?

Well…no marks for guessing who it is..

It is Jesus!

Death was the goal of His life!

The Gospel of the Day presents this burning and intense desire of the Lord, “There is a baptism with which I must be baptized and how great is my anguish, until it is accomplished” (Lk 12: 50)

Christ came into the world to save the world.

And this salvation was possible for Him, only through the way of suffering.

This is the Baptism to which Christ refers to….

A Baptism of suffering.
A Baptism of obedience.
A Baptism of self-sacrifice.

This way of the Lord is not easy.

It causes division and separation, even in families.

How does this division happen?

When one stands for the values and the person of Christ, the world mocks and fools.

When one holds on to one’s faith and convictions in Christ, there is immense shame inflicted.

A member in the family stands for Church values and principles, whereas others in the house oppose.

A division is created among them, in the Name of Christ!

A student in the class stands for honesty and truthfulness and refuses to join in copying and malpractices during the examination.

A division is created among them, in the Name of Christ!

A friend stands for his convictions and refuses to join his peers in some bad habits or activities which are unbecoming.

A division is created among them, in the Name of Christ!

A person counters accepting bribes at work or opposes doing some manipulation in the place of work to gain some extra finances.

A division is created among them, in the Name of Christ!

Christianity indeed is the strangest of all religions…

Usually religions advocate a way of life which calls for comfort and relaxation.

Christianity disturbs one’s life from comfort to become a people who comfort others.

Usually religions promote happiness of life by following some rituals and ceremonies.

Christianity challenges one to uproot one’s sinful roots and discover true peace and joy.

Christ is indeed the strangest of all religious figures…

All religious figures have their greatness in just their teachings and exhortations.

Christ stands unparalleled in making His life itself as the greatest message and teaching.

All religious figures ride on popularity wave of external manifestations and wonders.

Christ stands out in becoming a single icon of absolute self-sacrifice and victimhood!

All religious figures propose a variety of tips for living and paths of attaining immortality

Christ alone became the way itself to be walked and the truth itself to be followed!

Its sometimes easy to follow other ways of life…because they are comfortable and secure.

Its always hard to follow the way of Christ…because He always challenges in our coziness.

The Lord invites us to be bold in accepting the Crosses of our life &to share with Him, in the Baptism of suffering & pain.

We still have much to grow.

What are we growing ourselves into?

Christ is the example for us.

He chose suffering and self-sacrifice as His path to glory.

His way is the way of suffering.
His way is the way of pain.
His way is the way of the Cross.

But…
… His way is also the way of joy!
… His way is also the way to glory!
… His way is also the way of healing!

And now He beckons each one of us too…

Shall we also join Him in His intense desire for Baptism?

”What do you want to become when you grow big?”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

---

📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE CHURCH AS A SACRAMENT

As sacrament, the Church is Christ’s instrument.
“She is taken up by him also as the instrument for the salvation of all,” “the universal sacrament of salvation,” by which Christ is “at once manifesting and actualizing the mystery of God’s love for men.”

The Church “is the visible plan of God’s love for humanity,” because God desires “that the whole human race may become one People of God, form one Body of Christ, and be built up into one temple of the Holy Spirit.” (Cf. CCC # 776)

“Being armed and ever-ready to serve in the Kingdom, with a sense of responsibility and commitment!”

(Based on Rom 6:12-18 and Lk 12:39-48 – Wednesday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time)

An incident is reported that took place a few years ago.

A former astronaut took over as head of a major airline company.
He was extremely ambitious to make his company the best airline service provider.

Once, when this new president was making an inspection of a particular department, he came across an employee…
… resting his feet on the desk, while the telephone was ringing continuously.

“Are you not going to pick up the phone?” queried the boss, with a sense of displeasure.

“That’s not my department!” answered the employee indifferently!

He had not recognised his new boss.

“I work in the maintenance section!” he replied.

“Huh!” quipped the president, “Not anymore!”

The casual attitude and the laid-back and easy-going approach of the employee cost him his job.

The new boss would not tolerate any people, who failed to show a sense of responsibility and commitment…
… which are essential and undeniable qualities in the pursuit of perfection and excellence!

What about us?
Is our Christian life characterised by responsibility and commitment?

Or do we have a casual attitude and a laid-back and easy-going approach?

The Gospel of the Day presents to us a strong reminder by the Lord to take our Christian life seriously…
… with its undeniable duties and its unavoidable sense of responsibility.

Jesus speaks of the coming of the Son of Man at an unexpected time…
… just as the coming of a thief is unknown to the master of a house (Lk 12: 39-40)

What are some of the characteristics of the coming of a thief to the house?

It happens in the quiet of the night….
… so that no one becomes aware and the setting is perfectly safe
There is a sense of ‘anonymity’

It takes place when none of the people in the house are expecting it…
… thus leaving them completely startled and unprepared
There is the element of ‘total surprise’

It happens in areas where there is emptiness or lesser security measures
… thus creating greater potency to danger and sharper damage
There is a factor of ‘missed opportunity to take care’

These then are the “loopholes” in our spiritual life, that can cause us to be off-guard…
… when the Lord appears in His Second Coming (just as the coming of the thief in the night)…

A sense of ‘anonymity’
An element of ‘total surprise’
A factor of ‘missed opportunity to take care’

Do we remain “anonymous” to the Lord…
… by remaining ignorant of His teachings and commandments – even though He addresses very often through the Bible and the Church?
… by failing to give heed to the repeated reminders by the Lord through various advices from our caring one, and the guidance we receive through sermons, reflections, messages and life-situations?

Do we get caught with “total surprise” at the Will of God in our lives…
… failing to see the providential hand of God in the struggles and hardships that we undergo?
… entering into a sense of despair and discouragement when things don’t happen the way we plan?

Do we become victims of “missing opportunities to take care”…
… by failing to do the many good works which we can perform, but fail, owing to our slackness?
… by taking the stance of being indifferent in situations of injustice and discriminations?

The Lord clearly warns even in the Book of Revelation…
… “If therefore you shall not watch, I will come to you as a thief, and you shall not know what hour I will come upon you.” (Rev 3:1-3)

Though this passage may cause a sense of fear and insecurity, we also need to consider, the converse…
… that if we are prepared and alert
… that if we are ready and vigilant
then the “coming of the Lord” becomes a joyful waiting and an expectant hope!

Nothing fears the one who is prepared, to meet the Lord!

St Paul encourages us through these words: “But you brothers, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you as a thief!” (1 Thess 5: 2-4)

When we are in the Light of Christ…
… by a constant life of vigilant prayer
… by a faithful life of sacraments
… by a committed life to the Church

No darkness can overpower us; No fear of thieves can cause panic!

As Christians, each one us are entrusted the duty of being faithful “employees” of the Kingdom of God!

Are we going to “rest our feet on the desk”…
… with a casual attitude and a laid-back and easy-going approach…?

Or shall we be “armed and ever-ready to serve”…
… with a sense of responsibility and commitment…?

Be ready…

Our Boss – The Lord – may come anytime….!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

---

📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
CHURCH – THE UNIVERSAL SACRAMENT OF SALVATION

“The Church, in Christ, is like a sacrament – a sign and instrument, that is, of communion with God and of unity among all men.”
The Church’s first purpose is to be the sacrament of the inner union of men with God.
Because men’s communion with one another is rooted in that union with God, the Church is also the sacrament of the unity of the human race.
In her, this unity is already begun, since she gathers men “from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues”…

… at the same time, the Church is the “sign and instrument” of the full realization of the unity yet to come. (Cf. CCC # 775)