“Being open and docile to God, the greatest lover of our life!”
(Based on Jas 1:1-11 and Mk 8:11-13 – Monday of the 6th Week in Ordinary Time, Year II)
This popular story is told of a woman who woke up one morning, turned to her husband and said, “Honey, I just had a dream that you bought me a new gold necklace. What do you think it means?”
He answered, “I don’t know, but Valentine’s Day is coming soon. Then you’ll know.”
A few nights later, she again woke up after having a dream. She said, “This time, I dreamed you gave me a pearl necklace. What do you think it means?”
“You’ll know on Valentines’ Day,” he replied.
The morning of Valentine’s Day, she again woke up telling him about her dream: “This time I dreamed that you brought me a diamond necklace. What do you think it means?”
“Please, be patient,” he said. “You’ll know tonight.”
That evening, the husband came home with a package – neatly covered with a shining golden wrapper – and gave it to his wife.
Delighted and with much expectation, she opened it…
… and found a book titled “The Meaning of Dreams!”
This humorous incident tells us that each of us have our own expectations of life…
… and each of us have our own way of fulfilling the expectations of others!
In our life of faith, God – the One Who loves us the most – expects us to be people who are always open and docile to His working in our life.
However, sometimes, we tend to become resistant and stubborn.
The Gospel of the Day, presents to us a group a people who remained stubborn and resistant…
… to the ways of the Lord
… to the workings of the Lord
The Gospel passage begins with the statement: “The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, asking him for a sign from heaven, to test him.” (Mk 8:11)
This single statement presents to us the repulsive attitude of the Pharisees towards Jesus and His ministry.
The statement tells us…
- Their method of dealing with Jesus: “to argue with Him”
They sought to pick up and interpret the deeds of the Lord only from a negative dimension
They tended to destructively magnify, minute peripheral “apparent changes” that the Lord introduced
- Their demand from Jesus: “Asking for a sign from heaven”
They failed to see the glorious signs that were offered by the Lord in healing and touching the lives of many people
They rejected the magnanimous sign that was presented by Jesus, in the multiplication of the loaves for thousands of people
- Their purpose to check with Jesus: “to test Him”
They showed a great lack of “sincerity to learn” and put forth interrogations without any intent of openness to the truth
They remained totally closed to the Lord and came up with questions only to condemn and find faults with the Lord!
Resistance and lack of docility to the Will of God, along with stubbornness to their own way of thinking…
… made them not to experience the Transformative and Wonderful Presence of the Lord
And this is so true in our lives…
So often we miss the providential signs of the Lord
So often we fail to perceive the miracles that God works in our lives
So often we remain unenthusiastic in life because we don’t see His hand at work in us
… all this because, we fail to be open to the Will of God and remain stuck with our mentalities.
The Gospel of the Day reminds us of the expectation of God, the Greatest Lover of our life: Rely solely on the Lord!
Though not easy, it can bring forth much fruits in our lives!
Let us be open and docile to Him!
14th February is popularly celebrated as Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day is, of course, a day when a there is a “sudden” wave of expression of love and care and affections to the ones whom we love.
When taken in the right spirit and when celebrated in a meaningful way, this Day becomes a Day…
… of “specially” recognizing the worth of the one(s) we love
… of showing our love and affection to the one(s) dear to the our heart
But our modern society unfortunately and tragically, sometimes tends to “rob” this day to be celebrated in a meaningful.
“Love” is highly commercialized and “sold”
External affections are unduly given greater importance, forgetting the prime duties – of commitment and faithfulness – involved with love
Advertisers and commercialists rake in massive profits with a number of external objects portraying “love”
Whether this day truly becomes a day of “expressing genuine love and care”
Or whether it is more, a day of “externalities of ‘love-feelings’ taking the upper-hand…
… is a matter of debate, as well as a matter of one’s own personal choice and view.
But as a Christian, this day – Feb 14…
… is a day for us to remind ourselves to grow in the Immensity of God’s Love
… is a day for us to revive our basic duty of caring and being responsible to one another
… is a day for us to rediscover the worthiness of our lives and commit to grow in holiness
Jesus, the True Lover illustrates the real meaning of love…
… by leading us out of ignorance to true knowledge
… by inviting us to move from earthly riches to truly heavenly treasures
This is real and true love…
… a heart that makes one to move out of ignorance
…a heart that prompts in action to reach out to those in need of God’s true Word
Jesus, our True Lover… invites and challenges us to grow in this love!
Holding our hand, and with deep love and affection, He asks us:
“Will you be My valentine forever?”
Let’s not blush….let’s not be shy…
Instead in deep faith and true commitment, pledge forever, our love to the Lover of all Hearts!
God bless! Live Jesus!
Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
DEATH
“It is in regard to death that man’s condition is most shrouded in doubt.”
In a sense bodily death is natural, but for faith it is in fact “the wages of sin.”
For those who die in Christ’s Grace, it is a participation in the death of the Lord…
… so that they can also share His Resurrection. (CCC # 1006)
Reflection Capsules 