“Daring to be the voice that stands for, and upholds the Truth!”

(Based on Heb 13:1-8 and Mk 6:14-29 – Friday of the 4th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1)

A particular prime minister of a country – outspoken and audacious – heavily denounced the policies and atrocities of his predecessor, who was a dictator.

Once during a public meeting, as he censured the former dictator with stringent words, he was interrupted by a shout from a heckler in the audience: “You were one of the colleagues of the former dictator, isn’t it? Why didn’t you stop him then?”

“WHO SAID THAT?” roared the prime minister!

This thundering question bellowed and boomed…
… causing an agonizing and fearful silence to prevail among the audience.!

No body dared to move a muscle!
There was complete hush among them all

After a few moments of silence…
… the premier softly replied: “Now you know why!”
“I was afraid to have my voice heard… so that I could be safe!”

The prime minister confessed his fear in “being a voice that was heard” so that he could shield his life…
… and thus ‘played safe!’

The Gospel of the Day is however, in stark contrast to this trend – with the presentation of the Bold and Courageous Voice of St John the Baptist…
… who “made his voice heard” – in standing and upholding the truth
… and who had to offer his life as a martyr for the Truth!

The Gospel presents before the Brutal Beheading of the Voice – St John the Baptist!

The voice was powerful.
The voice was a hope to many.
The voice, however, also disturbed a few… disturbed even to the point of revenge and vengeance.
And……slit…..! The voice was silenced!!

The Beheading of John the Baptist is one of the most brutal and visually-powerful incident in the entire Gospels.

John the Baptist was a Prophet.

And a True Prophet is a truth-teller!

As we read in today’s Gospel, this True Prophet, John, was the whistle-blower in crying “foul” over the illegitimate relationship between Kind Herod and his brother’s wife, Herodias.

Herodias hated John the Baptist.

Herodias hated him because he told the truth & she didn’t like the truth.
Herodias was determined to twist the truth into a lie and the lie into a truth.
Herodias, at her earliest opportunity, would seek to direct her revenge upon the truth teller!
Herodias wanted to get rid of that “crazy man” who was determined to put a moral mirror in front of her face.
Herodias, wanted this Voice to be silent!!

To silence the true voices of the society, is the bane of any generation….

How many voices-of-correction by the parents, is put to silence by disobedient children….
How many voices-of-moral lives by the Church, is put to silence, by modernists and liberalists…
How many voices-of-peace by innocent people, is put to silence, by fanatics and fundamentalists…
How many voices-of-indiscrimination by the citizens, is put to silence, by a negligent government…
How many voices-of-repentance by a spouse, is put to silence by a drunkard or an irresponsible partner…
How many a voices-of-holiness by the Lord, is put to silence, by superfluous spiritualities and comfy theologies..

The Voice of Truth cries…..but how many of us, seek to silence it!

Yes, the lives of Conscience-movers and truth-tellers are always at a risk.

And this risk can even lead one to be a misfit in the society…
… to be “different from others”
… to even risk one’s life!

St John the Baptist had the courage to be the truth-teller and risk his life, even to be a martyr.

What are the characteristics of a True Martyr?

1. Martyrs get killed not just for their convictions….but for EXPRESSING their convictions:
   ‘Play Safe’ is an ad-tag in which many Christians find refuge.
   “Keep your mouth shut”…
   “Don’t offend people around us”…
   “It is better to be silent than sorry”…
   These are some of the common phrases which we Christians adopt, in moments of injustice, corruption, inequality & unfairness!

But true Martyrs EXPRESSED and ARTICULATED and DISPLAYED and UTTERED their faith!….

Yes, they WITNESSED their FAITH as a true MARTYR!

A true Martyr is a bold Witness!

St John the Baptist was not silent…
… he expressed and articulated the mistakes – and he was martyred!

2. Martyrs don’t get swayed by popular opinions and cheap popularity
   A true martyr is not one who checks the pulse of public opinion & makes a statement to please and satisfy people.

He has the guts…
… to go against an oppressive and discrimination culture
… to voice out against an unjust and demeaning authority
… to stand firm in the midst of rippled spiritualities and patterns!

St John the Baptist was unfazed and unmoved before the Royal immoral powers….and he was martyred!

3. Martyrs are willing and prepared to lay down their lives.
   Martyrs are not sadists or escapists…
   … who want to die for some pleasure / even to run away from the grinds of life!

Rather, they are people who are wholly prepared & enthusiastically willing to die, for the sake of their convictions!

They are passionate and intensely in love with their faith and their convictions!
They are unaffected and impassive to the dangers and risks that are involved!

St John the Baptist knew that he was walking precariously on the rope of risks…
… and he was always ready for it!

Today, on this First Friday of the Month, You and I…. are invited to be a voice…
… in a voiceless
… in a voice-oppressed
… in a voice-drowned
… in a voice-killed…world!

St John the Baptist dared to be that VOICE – “I am the voice…!” (Jn 1:23)

Shall we too dare?

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK – HOW IS THIS SACRAMENT CELEBRATED?

Like all the sacraments the Anointing of the Sick is a liturgical and communal celebration, whether it takes place in the family home, a hospital or church, for a single sick person or a whole group of sick persons.
It is very fitting to celebrate it within the Eucharist, the memorial of the Lord’s Passover.
If circumstances suggest it, the celebration of the sacrament can be preceded by the sacrament of Penance and followed by the sacrament of the Eucharist.

As the sacrament of Christ’s Passover the Eucharist should always be the last sacrament of the earthly journey, the “viaticum” for “passing over” to eternal life. (CCC #1517)

“Growing in our conviction of our ‘belongingness’ to the Lord and being fearless and courageous in giving ‘external expression to our Faith!’”

(Based on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord – Day of Consecrated Life)

In a session, for a gathering of priests and religious – as part of the Day of Consecrated Life – the speaker asked:
“Can anyone please tell me in a word, what your idea of consecration is?”

An elderly sister, sitting right on the first row, stood up…

The speaker motioned to her… to answer

The sister – who had much experience in life working in mission areas- held out a blank sheet of paper…

And replied: “Consecration is nothing but to sign your name at the bottom of this blank sheet of paper…
… and let God fill it in, as He will
… and be joyful and at peace!”

That is indeed a beautiful way of understanding Consecration, isn’t it?

A total surrender to God’s Will and being joyful

A complete submission to God’s Ways and remaining at peace!

Today on this Feast of the Presentation of the Lord…

As Christians, we are reminded to grow in our “conviction of belonging to the Lord”…
… and to be fearless and courageous in allowing God to take complete control of our lives!

Today is also a day when we celebrate the ‘Consecrated Way of Life.’

Consecration is giving oneself to the Lord wholly.

Consecration is seeking to be pure – completely – in heart and mind.

The Gospel of the Day presents St Joseph and Mother Mary presenting Jesus in the Temple.
“When the days were completed for their purification, according to the Law of Moses, they took Him up to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord” (Lk 2:22)

We are on the 40th Day after Christmas, the Nativity of Jesus.

The Book of Exodus spoke of the need of this presentation and consecration of the first-born child…
“Consecrate to me every first-born that opens the womb…
If your son ask you later on, ‘What does this mean’, you shall tell him, ‘ With a strong hand, the Lord brought us out of Egypt, the land of slavery….'” (Ex 12: 2, 14)

The act of presentation in the Temple…
… represented fulfilling of God’s command..
… recalled God’s deed of deliverance from slavery…
… reminded the deep love of God for His people…

The presentation of the Lord in the Temple, is also another reminder of the “ordinariness” of the Lord, in His incarnation…

Jesus was known as the child of “ordinary” human parents!
Jesus took birth and grew up in “ordinary” conditions and circumstances!
Jesus lived His life in an “ordinary” family situation!

By Baptism, all of us are also consecrated to the Lord…

Some of us, have also made a deeper consecration by the profession of vows…

The meaning of this consecration, also, derives from the consecration of the Lord…

We are “ordinary” by our sinful nature…
… yet the Lord exalts us to live a pure and holy life.

We are “ordinary” by our human nature…
… yet the Lord wishes to join with His Divine nature

We are “ordinary” in our deeds and works…
… yet the Lord wants to be His Kingdom partners

Our consecration…
… is a deep call and invitation to live a Holy Life
… is a loving obligation and sacred duty to be fully committed to Him

Each of us – whether single or in family life, whether a priest or a religious –
… ought to BELONG TO THE LORD AND TO HIM ALONE!

We are all consecrated and offered to the Lord.

Let us hold the hands of St Joseph and Mamma Mary, and renew our consecration to the Lord.

This is a day…
… to renew our commitment and zeal for the Lord
… to rekindle the fire of our love and faith in the Lord
… to restore our initial enthusiasm and interest for the Lord
… to revitalize our knowledge and comprehension of the Lord

Life will constantly take us to situations where we will face tough and hard moments.

Can we allow the Lord to fill the “papers of our life” – the canvas of our life – the way He wishes…
… and bowing before His Holy Will – say Yes to Him – and live in joy and peace?

May we grow in our conviction of our “belongingness” to the Lord…
… and be fearless and courageous in giving “external expression to our Faith!”

Yes, let us pray: “Lord, I belong to You and to You alone, Amen!”

Happy Feast to all of us, who are consecrated to the Lord, by our Baptism…
… specially to the Consecrated, by virtue of the evangelical vows!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK – HOW IS THIS SACRAMENT CELEBRATED?

Like all the sacraments the Anointing of the Sick is a liturgical and communal celebration, whether it takes place in the family home, a hospital or church, for a single sick person or a whole group of sick persons.
It is very fitting to celebrate it within the Eucharist, the memorial of the Lord’s Passover.

If circumstances suggest it, the celebration of the sacrament can be preceded by the sacrament of Penance and followed by the sacrament of the Eucharist. >> As the sacrament of Christ’s Passover the Eucharist should always be the last sacrament of the earthly journey, the “viaticum” for “passing over” to eternal life (CCC #1517)