“Little Is Much When God is in It!”

(Based on Exod 32:15-24, 30-34 and Mt 13:31-35 – Monday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1)

Jesus in the Gospels loves to use simple, tiny and insignificant objects, to project His message of the Kingdom!

Today He uses the example of the Mustard Seed and the Leaven in describing the Might of the Kingdom!

Little Is Much when God is in It!

The mustard seed & leaven would’ve hardly received any attention in the normal sense…

But Jesus, the Master Artist paints these li’l objects into the Mighty Canvas of the Kingdom & delivers a powerful message…
The Kingdom of God has its humble beginnings…
… but it develops into a Powerful Force!
The Kingdom of God often starts very insignificantly…
… but it expands into a Huge Reality!

Little Is Much when God is in It!

The mustard seed develops into a Tree, which renders shelter to the birds of the air (Mt 13: 31-32)…..

• The sinners find a solace in this Tree….
• The sick encounter support in this Tree..
• The rejected have a remedy in this Tree…
• The cast-outs meet consolation in this Tree….
• The prostitutes experience peace in this Tree…

The leaven which is little, makes the whole mass of dough to rise (Mt 13:33)…

• The rod in Moses’ hand – a shepherd’s ordinary crook – became a mighty symbol of God’s Power
• The jawbone with Samson – a decaying useless bone – became an instrument of killings thousands of enemies!
• The stone in David’s hand – an unnoticed stone – became the means of conquering the gigantic Goliath!

Little Is Much When God is in It!

We live in times when many things are explained or rejected in terms of science, psychology, post-modern modern philosophies and assorted spiritualities
We live in times when material values and worldly attitudes are corroding our lives.
We live in times when ethical principles and traditional virtues often get kicked into the backyard!

Times are bad.

Times are sickening…
Times, are even, sometimes seen hopeless and scary and terrifying!
But we also ought to realize that…many things, that cannot be discovered and understood through the microscope of science and modern theories can be discovered by looking through the eye of faith!

Massive things can be seen and achieved by looking through the miniscule eye of Faith!

Little Is Much When God is in It!!

Today we celebrate the Feast of a Great Saint – St Ignatius of Loyola…
… the founder of the Society of Jesus – the Jesuit Fathers.

He was a man with a lot of worldly ambitions and gripped with seeking vain glory.

But an incident, wherein, he was bed-ridden, as a result of a leg injury, brought a transformation in his life.

Not finding any other books to read, he was handed over the “Life of Saints”, which made him to prompt himself to ask a question: “Why am I using my life just for myself? These people did so much good during their time on earth. Why can’t I?”

St Ignatius was at the “bored and unexcited” phase of his life…
… yet the Lord would use “that” situation, to bring a transformation in his life.

Maybe, many of us are also going through a “bored and unexcited” phase of our life…
… feeling uncertain about the future
… experiencing worry about the past
… troubled by the anxieties of the present.

Yet, the Lord is with us…
… to transform us and to renew us!

What is needed is our self-giving…
… little and small as we are: let us offer our lives to the Lord
… broken and disturbed as we are: let us give ourselves to the Lord

Little is much, when God, is in it!

Yes, our efforts and attempts to spread God’s Kingdom may be just minor…
… like the Mustard Seed and the Leaven.

But let us always realize and trust:

Little Is Much When God is in It!!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
LIFE IN CHRIST – MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON – Man, the Image of God

The Divine image is present in every man. >> It shines forth in the communion of persons, in the likeness of the unity of the divine persons among themselves. (CCC # 1702)

“Seeking the Lord, more fervently and deeply by immersing ourselves into the waters of repentance and new life and coming out, with an excited shout of discovery: ‘Eureka, Eureka! I have found It!’”

(Based on 1 Kgs 3:5, 7-12, Rom 8:28-30 and Mt 13:44-52 – 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year

One of the common yet interesting legendary stories goes thus…

Archimedes was a Greek scientist – a young man of 22 years old – renowned for his work in mathematics, mechanics and physics.

One day Archimedes was summoned by the king Hiero of Syracusans to investigate if he had been cheated by a goldsmith.

The king said he had given a goldsmith the exact amount of gold needed to make a crown.

However, when the crown was ready the king suspected that the goldsmith cheated some silver into the crown, keeping some of the gold for himself.

The king then asked Archimedes to solve the problem.

Struggling to find the answer to the problem, Archimedes decided to freshen himself with a bath.

With his clothes off, as Archimedes immersed himself into the bathtub.

And as he lowered himself, the water level in the bathtub rose and overflowed…

This phenomena, of the “water overflowing” caused Archimedes to realize: the amount of water displaced depended on how much of his body was immersed into the bathtub.

This simple observation helped him to get the solution to his problem.

This discovery excited him so much that he jumped out of the tub and ran through the streets naked…
… shouting ‘Eureka, Eureka!’
… a word in Greek which means, ‘I have found it! I have found it!’.

What about us?

Have we had a “Eureka – I have found It” experience?

A discovery transforms Life!

Every age has its own discoveries and inventions which have transformed the lives of human beings.

Discovering God, as the Supreme Treasure of One’s Life is the Greatest Transformation, one can ever have!

Have I discovered God as The Most Important and Matchless Treasure of my Life?

The Gospel of the day presents three parables (Mt 13: 44-52)…
… which speak on the Kingdom of God and an Invitation to each one of us to discover Its Pristine value!

1. The Parable of the Hidden Treasure:
   The olden days had the practice of hiding one’s treasure like jewellery or money in the field…
   … especially in contexts of wars or natural calamities or foreign invasions.
   Sometimes, this hidden treasure remained unclaimed or forgotten…
   … and was discovered by some “lucky” persons!

The Parable describes one such person who discovered a treasure.

According to the Palestinian laws of that time, the mere finding of a buried treasure did not entitle the finder to possess it…
… unless he also owned the property in which it was found.

The discoverer of our Parable does that…
… Gives up everything, for the Matchless Treasure!

King Solomon gave up all offers of wealth, long life or vengeance on enemies…
… for the Treasure of the Wisdom of God! ( I Kg 3:9)
The Samaritan Woman, was “lucky” to meet the Thirsty Man by the well…
… and she discovered Him to be the Treasure of her life! (Jn 4:29)

The parable dares to offer ourselves totally for the sake of the Discovery of the Kingdom!

2. The Parable of the one in search of Pearls

Pearls were the most costliest and the most sought-after.

The trader of our Parable is on a Mission…
.. a clear-cut mission, to discover the Fine Pearls

He is single minded in His search
He is focused on what he wants, in his task.

He has an amazing passion and a dedication to discover the best!

Jacob of the Old Testament was resolute in receiving a Pearl of blessing from the Angel of God (Gen 32:27)
Mary Magdalene was persevering in her search for the Lord, the Pearl of her life ( Jn 20:11)

The Parable dares us to be totally dedicated and zealous in our Discovery of the Kingdom!

3. The Parable of the Fishing Net
   This parable is an invitation to accept the hard and unpleasant realities in our life and to make the necessary changes and amendments.

Not everything is goody-goody when it comes to spiritual life…
Not all is well when we consider the life in the Church…
Not all is ok in our personal or family or societal life!

We need to strive to cast away the unwanted elements…
… and thus be willing to live a purified and sanctified life!

The People of Nineveh gave up their sinful life to embrace a life in God Yahweh (Jon 3:5)
Zacchaeus was boldly able to throw the unwanted aspects of his life after encountering Jesus (Lk 19:8)

The parable dares us to cast away the unbecoming aspects of our life, in our Discovery of the Kingdom!

These 3 parables when applied to our personal spiritual life, would also give us the 3 key Virtues, that forms the basis of a True Spirituality:
A. Renunciation: “The parable of the Hidden Treasure” is a call to renounce our everything in order to possess the Kingdom. (Mt 19:21)

B. Longing: “The Parable of the one in search of the pearls” is a call to have an intense thirst and longing for Jesus and His Kingdom!

C. Humility: “The Parable of the fishing net” is a call to humble ourselves and acknowledge our limitations and weaknesses so as to grow in perfection of the Kingdom!

Let us discover…
A true Spirit of Renunciation…
A fervent heart of Longing…
A gentle mind of Humility…

Yes, a discovery can transform life!

King Solomon discovered the need to boldly choose the Wisdom of God over all other things (I Kg 3:9)
St Paul discovered a great Trust in God’s Providence by saying, “all things in life happens for good! (Rom 8:28)

Have I discovered God as The Most Important and Matchless Treasure of my Life?

Let us seek the Lord, more fervently and deeply…
… immersing ourselves into the waters of repentance and new life

And thus coming out of it, with an excited shout of discovery:
“Eureka, Eureka! I have found It!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
LIFE IN CHRIST – MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON – Man, the Image of God

“Christ, in the very revelation of the mystery of the Father and of his love, makes man fully manifest to himself and brings to light his exalted vocation.”
It is in Christ, “the image of the invisible God,”that man has been created “in the image and likeness” of the Creator.

It is in Christ, Redeemer and Savior, that the divine image, disfigured in man by the first sin, has been restored to its original beauty and ennobled by the grace of God. (CCC # 1701)

“May the intercession of Sts Martha Mary and Lazarus help us to remain focussed on the Lord!”

(Based on the Feast of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus)

Luciano Pavarotti was an Italian operatic Tenor.

(A tenor is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range is one of the highest of the male voice types)

He made numerous recordings of complete operas…
… and eventually established himself as one of the finest tenors of the 20th century.

Luciano relates:
“When I was a boy, my father, a baker, introduced me to the wonders of singing.

He urged me to work very hard to develop my voice.

I also enrolled in a teachers college.

On graduating, I asked my father, ‘Shall I be a teacher or a singer?’

“Luciano,” my father replied, ‘if you try to sit on two chairs, you will fall between them.

For life, you must choose one chair.’

“I chose one.

It took seven years of study and frustration before I made my first professional appearance.
It took another seven to reach the Metropolitan Opera.

And now I think whether it’s laying bricks, writing a book–whatever we choose–we should give ourselves to it.

Commitment, that’s the key.

Choose one chair!”

Often we try to find joy and satisfaction in life, by trying to adjust and fit into many “chairs”.

We end up in frustrations and irritation and bitterness.
Our life gets entangled into a lot of annoyance and resentment

The Result: We feel life is totally unfair to us… We complain.. We argue!

The Feast of the Day – the Memorial of Sts Martha, Mary and Lazarus – is an invitation to re-focus our attention to the Lord, and to renew our commitment to the Kingdom.

During his journey of ministry, we are presented with two incidents that describes Jesus’ encounter with the family of Martha, Mary and Lazarus – one by St Luke, and the other by St John.

1. St Luke describes Jesus coming to a village and being welcomed in the house of Martha and Mary. (Lk 10:38-42)
2. St John describes Jesus encountering Martha and Mary, before raising the dead Lazarus (Jn 11:1-44)

For our Reflection today, we shall consider some pointers from the incident narrated by St Luke – that took place in the house, where Jesus was welcomed (Lk 10:38-42)

Martha demonstrated great hospitality by welcoming Jesus into the home.

She got busy with the tasks of serving their honoured Guest.

Mary, on the other side, displayed great devotion and love, by sitting at the feet of Jesus

She got immersed into spending time, with the revered Rabbi.

This incident could raise a few reactions that we could generally have towards Martha and Mary.

1. Appreciating the courage and devotion of Mary

The position adopted by Mary was something contrary to the fixed norms for a Jewish woman.

She sat the the feet of Jesus, just as a student would, while learning at the feet of a Rabbi.

This was a role, reserved for men.

Yet, Mary “chose the better part” (Lk 10: 42)

2. A tendency to think only negatively about Martha

Martha is very often portrayed in a very negative light as being too nagging and pestering.

She had got herself busy in preparing for the comfortable stay of the guest, which was a pretty normal and expected thing to do.

This was a role, expected of all women, in general.

3. A tendency to even consider Mary as being lazy

The fact that the Gospel fails to mention any role of Mary in the “process of hospitality” could cause us to think that Mary was lazy or avoiding the responsibility of duty.

4. Feeling empathatic for Martha

Martha was only doing the natural duty that was part of her office – taking care of the guests.

It was natural that, seeing her sister not helping, caused irritation to her.

Besides all these possible reactions to the incident, it is also good to reflect on the words of Christ to Martha, which gives us a deep pointer for reflection.

Jesus tells Martha, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her” (10:41-42).

The Lord extends an invitation to Martha to examine her approach…

Jesus is not against her actions of service and of providing a comfortable hospitality.

But he is concerned that Martha is too “worried and distracted”

The Greek word used for “distracted” is “periespato”

“Periespato” means to be pulled or dragged in different directions

As a result of this high degree of distraction….

Martha fails to maintain an important and basic dimension of hospitality – giving due attention to the guest
Martha also seeks to cause a humiliation for her sister, Mary, in public
Martha even goes on to accuse Jesus of “not caring about her”

We live in a world where we are prone to get easily “distracted” – to be pulled or dragged in different directions – like Martha.

But can we seek to overcome this crippling tendency by “choosing the better part” of giving whole attention to the Lord and to His Kingdom.

Very often…
… our best intentions in life can get spoilt due to our tendency to over-worry or be over-anxious.
… our noblest deeds of works can be marred due to our unnecessary outbursts of irritation and distractions

Life offers us many “chairs” – choices – which can distract us, cause us irritation and take away our focus from what is most basic and most important.

Let us ask the grace to choose the “one thing that is needed” – the one “chair” – of being committed to the Lord and His Kingdom.

May the intercession of Sts Martha Mary and Lazarus help us to remain focussed on the Lord…
… so that we can enjoy true peace and joy in life!

Happy Feast Day!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
LIFE IN CHRIST – MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON

The dignity of the human person is rooted in his creation in the image and likeness of God
… it is fulfilled in his vocation to divine beatitude.
It is essential to a human being freely to direct himself to this fulfillment.
By his deliberate actions, the human person does, or does not, conform to the good promised by God and attested by moral conscience.
Human beings make their own contribution to their interior growth; they make their whole sentient and spiritual lives into means of this growth.
With the help of grace they grow in virtue, avoid sin, and if they sin they entrust themselves as did the prodigal son to the mercy of our Father in heaven.

In this way they attain to the perfection of charity. (CCC # 1698)

“Deepening our understanding of the power of the Word of God!”

(Based on Exod 20:1-17 and Mt 13:18-23 – Friday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1)

One of the most famous persons who had been greatly impressed and influenced by the Holy Bible was Mahatma Gandhi.

He once made a statement, which would make all of us…
… to examine deeply our level of love for the scriptures
… to make relevant changes in order to match our lives with the teachings of the Bible

This statement goes thus:
“You Christians look after a document containing enough dynamite to blow all civilization to pieces, turn the world upside down and bring peace to a battle-torn planet.

But you treat it as though it is nothing more than a piece of literature!”

Now, that indeed is a mightily powerful statement isn’t it?

That’s an intense statement..
.. of, on one side, our Sacred Scripture being acknowledged…

as having tremendous power to transform
as having remarkable force to bring about changes
… and yet, on the other side, We, the caretakers and promoters of the Bible – the Christians – being people…
who give very minimal respect and reverence
who fail to find the worth of the treasure that is in possession!

Well, it is left to each one of us, to examine, in the light of this statement, whether…
… the Holy Bible has become a constant and regular companion of my life
… the Sacred Scriptures have become a catalyst for effecting personal transformation

The Gospel of the Day is the beautiful explanation, by Jesus, of the Parable of the Sower…
… and through it, a reminder for us to revive our delight in and our dedication to, in living the Word of God.

The famous author Mark Twain once said:
“Most people are bothered by those passages of Scripture which they cannot understand;

But as for me, I have always noticed that the passages in Scripture which trouble me most, are those which I do understand.”

The passage in consideration – the explanation of the Parable of the Sower ( Mt 13: 18-23) – is surely one which has come very often under our scanner of reflection and meditation.

We almost know each of its elements in detail:
· The Sower sows the seed
· Some fall on the wayside and birds devour them
· Some fall on the rock and after a quick sprouting, wither away
· Some fall among the thorns and fail to grow, suffocated by its choke
· Some fall on the good seed and yield – a thirty, a sixty and a hundred fold

We also have understood its applications in our life

Yet, very often, its implications fail to take root in us and we remain indifferent or casual regarding the Seed – the Precious Word of God!

Today, therefore, the Lord once again seeks to awaken our minds and shake our lethargic minds…
… in seeking to revive our love and enthusiasm for His Word.

Here are some of the practical pointers for self-introspection, towards this objective…

1. What is my reading habit with respect to the Bible – God’s Word…?

Have I read the Bible fully, atleast once?
… If YES… why not make efforts to read “the beautiful expressions in God’s love-letters”, once again
… If NO… why not make a bold step to try to read the Bible fully, at least once.

One could perhaps, start with some of the easier books/sections of the Bible.. maybe, the New Testament, or the Psalms etc…

Sometimes we might feel too bored or disinterested to pick up the pages of the Old Testament – some passages might seem even disturbing or distressing.

Yet, when we understand that those were some of the societal manners that existed back then…
… and Scriptures were written by human authors, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, in concrete life-situations
… we would be able to appreciate them much better

We also need to understand that the Old Testament has a “typology”…
… a way of reading Scripture, in which a person or event in the Old Testament foreshadows a greater person or event in the New Testament.

This way of a “typology” reading will help us to have a greater appreciation for the Old Testament, and also help us to understand the depth of the Biblical Truth.

Can I set apart, daily, at least a few minutes to read the Bible?

Can I make genuine efforts to memorize at least a few verses from the Bible?

These verses can be invoked in our moments of prayer, in our moments of needing spiritual strength, in our moments of deepening the faith etc.

2. What is my effort and dedication in putting into practical effect, the Bible – God’s Word…?

Am I a person who only simply reads the Bible – without making efforts to understand it, or one who fails to try to put into practice what I learn from God’s Word?
Is my love for the Word of God only finding expression in forwarding ‘Daily Bible Verses’ through social media sites/apps, emails or sms’s…
… or do I also try to apply and live those verses in my day-to-day activities?

These days, we have access to – especially through the internet and many magazines and books – an innumerable amount of Bible Study material, explanations on the Bible, sermons and reflections etc.

Do these become a springboard for me to personally learn more and deepen my spiritual bond with the Lord of the Word…
… or do I only take these, without making any personal reflection and use it for giving sermons, talks etc.

Has the Word become a personal and intimate life-giver for me and do I have a deep thirst to know and grow more in the Word?

As Christians, we are privileged and prized – to possess the Precious Book of God’s Salvific acts – in the Holy Bible.

As it is said, “The BIBLE contains B(asic) I(nstructions) B(efore) L(eaving) E(arth)”

The Bible…
… is a treasury of immense love
… is a source of unmatched transformative power
.. is a supplier of unparalleled strength and grace towards salvation

Do I treat it just an ordinary piece of literature, a lifeless object to be just decorated (or in some cases, dusted and dirtied) and a book of sacredness but still untouched and unexplored…
…or can I discover It to be the mighty Source, containing the immensity of God’s Power and encountering the Lord Himself, “Who is the Word – that became flesh and dwells among us?”

Let us seek the intercession of St Alphonsa, whose feast we celebrate today…
… and pray for the grace to grow in our understanding of our Faith and the love of the Lord!

Let us cease to treat the Holy Bible – God’s Word – as a mere piece of literature…
… rather, discover that it ‘contains enough dynamite to blow all civilization to pieces, turn the world upside down and bring peace to a battle-torn planet’.

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
LIFE IN CHRIST

The first and last point of reference of this catechesis will always be Jesus Christ himself, who is “the way, and the truth, and the life.”

It is by looking to him in faith that Christ’s faithful can hope that he himself fulfills his promises in them, and that, by loving him with the same love with which he has loved them, they may perform works in keeping with their dignity. (CCC # 1698)

“Hearing, knowing and discovering Jesus!”

(Based on Exod 19:1-2, 9-11, 16-20b and Mt 13:10-17 – Thursday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1)

Let’s begin our reflection today with one verse prior..

Jesus in Mt 13:9 says, “He who has ears, let him hear!”

Two ones are two

Two twos are four
Two threes are six
Two fours are eight
Two fives are ten….

Remember having learnt the multiplication table by constant, loud repeating until you knew them by heart?

When we hear what we say, it gets into our heart….

It’s vital to hear well, so that it gets drilled into our heart!

It is interesting to notice how the Bible often uses some part of the human body to make an important spiritual observation or illustrate an principal Biblical truth…
… as does this verse: “He who has ears, let him hear!”

“God has given us two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we talk.”

The Bible talks in many places about this very practical and crucial habit of listening.

Jesus, the teacher-par-excellence, reminds His listeners to become aware of the Importance of hearing…
… and hearing it fully and well!

Jesus lived in times when technological advancements were still a distant reality.

Memory Chips, Recording Devices, Video Capturing Units were nowhere in use.

To communicate a message and instill it in the memory of the people was not an easy task….

But Jesus is the great illustrator – the Master Story Teller!

He loved to use common and practical examples to get His point through…

He would see the field…
… and proclaim the Parable of the Sower and related parables….

He would see the sheep…
… and enlighten with the Parable of the Good Shepherd…

He would see the vineyard…
… and impart the Parable of the Vineyard…

He would see the many day-to-day items…
… and convey the Parables of the Mustard Seed, the Salt, the Light, the Leaven, the Hidden Treasure, the Lost Coin….etc….

Jesus painted pictures in the minds of His listeners – a classical artist indeed!

But why Parables?

Jesus says, “Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven has been granted to you, but not to them!” (Mt 13:11)…
… and quotes Isaiah, “they look but they do not see and hear but do not listen or understand!” (Mt 13:14)

Is Jesus wanting to keep the people away from believing?

Certainly No!

Let us look to Prophet Isaiah to get clarity on this verse…

Prophet Isaiah was ridiculed and mocked by his listeners for being too plain and simple in his message!

His critics in fact, even accuses him of talking childish language.. “Who is it he is trying to teach? To whom is he explaining his message? To children weaned from their milk, to those just taken from the breast??” ( Is 28:9)

And despite this simple and plain talk, his listeners failed to listen…
… they became hard-hearted!

And it is in answer to this cold response, that He encountered from people especially the Pharisees, that Jesus quotes prophet Isaiah, “You shall indeed hear but not understand.. you shall indeed look, but never see!”

What a pity…
… when we hear, and yet pretend not to have heard!
What a tragedy…
… when we see, and act as if we are blind!

It happens all too often in our lives too…

Smoking is dangerous to health…
… but people still puff up their lives in smoke!
Drinking is harmful to good living…
… but people melt away their lives down the drain!
Seat belts and helmets save lives…
… but people don’t use and risk their lives in accidents & disasters!

We know…
… yet we fail to act

We see…
… yet we are blind

We hear…
… yet we are deaf!

Our conscience acts similar….

The first time we do something we know is wrong, we feel a stab, warning us…
The next time we do the same wrong thing, the stab becomes a little less intense….
But if we continue in this way, our conscience becomes deadened and we no longer feel any guilt at all…

As Jesus spoke Parables to unbelievers, they resisted His message and their hearts became more hardened!

To those who are open to the truth and those who are spiritually eager…
… the Parables are a great teaching.
To those closed in their minds and inflated in pride… the Parables are mere kids stories to be discarded!

Jesus wants us to hear…and know..and discover Him!

Am I really hearing?

Am I really seeing?
Am I really open to discover the Divine Truths?

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
LIFE IN CHRIST
Catechesis for the “newness of life” in him should be:

• a catechesis of the Christian virtues of faith, hope, and charity, generously inspired by the example of the saints
• a catechesis of the twofold commandment of charity set forth in the Decalogue
• an ecclesial catechesis, for it is through the manifold exchanges of “spiritual goods” in the “communion of saints” that Christian life can grow, develop, and be communicated. (CCC # 1697)

“Being inspired by St Joachim and Anne to not be afraid to sow the Seed in our own situations & circumstances!”

(Based on Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Mt 13:1-9)

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

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

There is power in the first step.

There is magic in the first act.
And…
… there is much potential in the Sowing of a Little Seed…

We are once again encountering the familiar Parable of the Sower in today’s Gospel Reading…

The Master Sower is back in the Field, broadcasting the Seeds

The Seed is the Word of God.

The Seed is little.

It is tiny.
It is small.

But it can become big.

It can become powerful.
It can become very influential.

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

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

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

… the potential to be a Bubbling Fountain (Prov 13:14) – issuing forth pure water that refreshes, cleanses and purifies the dirt of sinfulness.

… the potential to be a Powerful Hammer (Jer 23:29) – building and reconstructing broken and shattered lives.

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

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

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

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

Yes, the Seed has a tremendous potential!

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

Today – July 26 – we gaze at the Family Photo of our Beloved Saviour…
… and specially recall and cherish the Blessings of God, bestowed on the privileged Grandparents of Jesus & the Parents of Blessed Mother Mary – St Anne and St Joachim…
… on their Feast Day.

Hardly anything is known about Saint Ann and Saint Joachim.

But one thing, we know with certainty: The legacy of their daughter, Mary – the Woman entrusted by God the Father to become the Mother of God.

It was their teaching, upbringing and example that helped Mamma Mary…
… to say Her Fiat – Yes, to God.
… to stand firm in the midst of unforeseen events.
… to be strong in the face of immense pain and sufferings!

Yes, God chose two simple individuals – Anne & Joachim – to help in His Plan for the Salvation of the world.

The little, the tiny and the small become mighty in the Hands of God!

Today, we pray very specially for our Grandparents & Parents…
… and thank the Lord for them & treasure them with care and affection!

Indeed, a harvest of manifold blessings, begins with the little, the tiny and the small…
… even as simple as a single Seed!

Let us not be afraid to sow the Seed in our own situations & circumstances.

Happy Feast of Mamma’s parents to all.

May their Li’l Divine Prince Bless us! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
LIFE IN CHRIST
Catechesis for the “newness of life” in him should be:

• a catechesis of sin and forgiveness, for unless man acknowledges that he is a sinner he cannot know the truth about himself, which is a condition for acting justly; and without the offer of forgiveness he would not be able to bear this truth;
• a catechesis of the human virtues which causes one to grasp the beauty and attraction of right dispositions towards goodness. (CCC # 1697)

“Like St James, having Jesus as the Best Friend of our life!”

(Based on the Feast of St James, the Apostle)

A class of Standard Five students were being taught the value of friendship.

At the end of the class, the teacher, while revising, asked the children to give a short definition of friendship.

Little Jane lifted up her hand and replied:
“A friend is someone who knows all about you…
… lavishes love on you, for being just as you are
… and yet, gently leads you, to become better than what you are!”

The Gospel of the Day is a beautiful account of Jesus, the True Friend who lavishes His Love for His disciples…
… and yet, gently, leads them to become better disciples!

The Gospel narrative begins with the mother of Apostles James and John, requesting the Lord to grant her children a privileged place in the Kingdom.

In her tenderness and affection as a mother, she wished that her children be always close to the Lord…
But the Lord replied: “You do not know what you are asking!” (Mt 20:22)

The Lord was inviting the mother… and the disciples… and each one of us to understand…
… “What it really means to be close to the Lord!”

Did they really know what it meant to be close to the Lord?

Do I really know what it means to be close to the Lord?

St James had enjoyed a privileged place in the Band of the Apostles of Jesus.

He was in the Core Group – one of the Three – Peter and John being the other two- who had the opportunity to be with the Lord in some of His special and extraordinary moments.

Raising the dead daughter of Jairus…
Transfiguration on the mountain top….
Moments of praying and agony in the Garden of Gethsemane….

James was indeed physically close to the Lord…

But the Lord today invites…with much love and affection…

James and his brother John
Their mother
The disciples
… and each one of us
To really realize the meaning, of asking “to be closer to Him”

Being close to the Lord means: Making changes in our lifestyle and to be in accord with the Will of God!

Look at the lives of Mother Mary… St Joseph… St Paul… St Peter… St Matthew

Being close to the Lord means: To get out of comfort zones & taking risks in life, for Christ’s sake!

Look at the lives of the Good Samaritan… Nicodemus… Simon of Cyrene

Being close to the Lord means: Giving up a sinful life and amending our ways to seek for holiness!

Look at the lives of Zacchaeus… the Woman caught in adultery… the Samaritan Woman… the Good Thief…

Being close to the Lord means: Embracing sufferings that come our way, seeing the Providence of God!

Look at the lives of Mother Mary… St John the Baptist… St Stephen… St Paul…

In asking to be close to the Lord, we also say that…
… Yes Lord, I will share in your cup of suffering.
… Yes Lord, I will join you on the way of the Cross
… Yes Lord, I will unite with your death on the Cross!

The mother of John and James realized this…

That’s why we find her….at the Foot of the Cross (Mt 27:56)

She understood.

She got close to Jesus.
She remained till the end.
She drank the Cup!

John also realized this…

That’s we find him, according to tradition, suffering during the Roman Persecution

He understood.

He got close to Jesus.
He remained till the end.
He drank the Cup!

James also realized this…

That’s why we find him, killed by the sword, in witness to Christ, His Master (Acts 12:2)

He understood.

He got close to Jesus.
He remained till the end.
He drank the Cup!

The Lord also promises…

He who shares my cup, also shares my Glory!
He who shares my cross, also shares my Rising!

The Apostle James, went close to the Lord, drank the Cup…
… and he shares in the Joy of the Lord

Today, he intercedes and invites and beckons us…

To come closer to the Lord…
… and share in the Lord’s Joy and Glory!

Are we willing to be close…really close…
… to Jesus, our Beloved Friend?

He is our Best Friend “Who knows all about us …
… lavishes His love on us, for being just as we are
… and yet, gently leads us, to become better than what we are!”

Feast Day Greetings of the Apostle St James!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
LIFE IN CHRIST

Catechesis has to reveal in all clarity the joy and the demands of the way of Christ.
Catechesis for the “newness of life” in him should be:

• a catechesis of the Holy Spirit, the interior Master of life according to Christ, a gentle guest and friend who inspires, guides, corrects, and strengthens this life;
• a catechesis of grace, for it is by grace that we are saved and again it is by grace that our works can bear fruit for eternal life. (CCC # 1697)

“Opening our eyes to see the many wonders and miracles that the Lord has worked in our lives!”

(Based on Exod 14:5-18 and Mt 12:38-42 – Monday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1)

Thriller Movies have a great audience…

Reality Shows have a wide range of popularity.
Programmes with sensational appeal have a massive demand.

Our age loves to be tingled with breathtaking visuals and magnificent signs.

Check out the number of videos and movies and songs we have on our gadgets…

Look at the wide range of photos that we shoot and the selfies we click (which perhaps never we may see again!)

The demand of our external senses is very high in our generation.

A fallout of this excess is also reflected in our Spirituality and our Religious Outlook….

“We seek for greater external signs and wondrous miracles, even to believe in God!”

The Lord, therefore, thunders in today’s Gospel Reading, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign…”

Signs are not bad.

Symbols are not without meaning.
External expressions are not unwarranted.

They certainly do have their proper place and a meaningful nature.

The Bible is not alien to signs and wonders…

Moses’ rod became a serpent
Red Sea parted so that God’s people could cross.
Water flowed from a rock when Moses struck it.
Manna fell from the sky to feed God’s people.
Baalam’s ass spoke.
Aaron ‘s rod blossomed.
The sun stood still at Joshua’s command.
Gideon’s fleece became wet and dry according to his request to the Lord.
Elijah pronounced a drought upon the land… And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain … “

Many many examples are available!

But when outward signs fail to generate any positive emotions…
… they divorce from their intention!

When signs stop being an aid to increase in faith…
… they lose their meaning

And this is the reason Jesus condemns the Pharisaic mentality of Seeking for a Sign…

They sought a sign, in order to test…
… but not to believe
They asked a sign, in order to satisfy curiosity…
… but not to trust
They demanded a sign, in order to scheme evil talks…
… but not to have faith!

Signs become mere external fancies.

Miracles become mere magic shows

The Gospels are not alien to such false and untrue demands…

• At the Birth of Jesus, King Herod sought to see Baby Jesus…not to worship…but to kill Him!
• At the Temptation, Satan tempted to change stones to bread….not to believe…but to lure Him!
• At the Trial, King Herod Antipas hoped Him to perform a sign…not to save Him..but to mock Him!

Jesus condemns all unnecessary demands for a sign and external phenomenon.

“…but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah the Prophet!” (Mt 12: 39)

The Prophets of Old, performed many miracles

Jesus also did.

The Prophets of Old, even performed the great miracles of raising the Dead.

Jesus also did.

The Prophets of Old, however, were never able to raise themselves from the dead.

But Jesus rose!

Jonah was three days and nights in the belly of the fish, so was Jesus in the belly of the earth!

But Jesus rose….and that has become indeed, the Greatest Sign of all times!

The Pharisees demanded a sign…

Jesus answered with a sign…
… the greatest of them all: His Resurrection!

And yet……yet, DID THEY BELIEVE?

The answers can be speculated

But the question before us is: Am I believing?

Am I believing and living, the Power of the Resurrection in my life?
Have I reduced the reality of Jesus being alive, to a mere expression of the lips?
Do I also display this Sign in my life, my activities, my words etc – that Jesus is Risen?!

Let us not be carried away by mere external glitz and glamour…

Let us open our eyes to see the many wonders and miracles the Lord has worked in our lives!
Let us become aware to see that He is Risen, and alive and working – in amazing ways, in our Life!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

---

📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
LIFE IN CHRIST

The way of Christ “leads to life”; a contrary way “leads to destruction.”
The Gospel parable of the two ways remains ever present in the catechesis of the Church.

It shows the importance of moral decisions for our salvation: “There are two ways, the one of life, the other of death; but between the two, there is a great difference. (CCC # 1696)

“Opening our eyes to see the many wonders and miracles that the Lord has worked in our lives!”

(Based on Exod 14:5-18 and Mt 12:38-42 – Monday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1)

Thriller Movies have a great audience…

Reality Shows have a wide range of popularity.
Programmes with sensational appeal have a massive demand.

Our age loves to be tingled with breathtaking visuals and magnificent signs.

Check out the number of videos and movies and songs we have on our gadgets…

Look at the wide range of photos that we shoot and the selfies we click (which perhaps never we may see again!)

The demand of our external senses is very high in our generation.

A fallout of this excess is also reflected in our Spirituality and our Religious Outlook….

“We seek for greater external signs and wondrous miracles, even to believe in God!”

The Lord, therefore, thunders in today’s Gospel Reading, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign…”

Signs are not bad.

Symbols are not without meaning.
External expressions are not unwarranted.

They certainly do have their proper place and a meaningful nature.

The Bible is not alien to signs and wonders…

Moses’ rod became a serpent
Red Sea parted so that God’s people could cross.
Water flowed from a rock when Moses struck it.
Manna fell from the sky to feed God’s people.
Baalam’s ass spoke.
Aaron ‘s rod blossomed.
The sun stood still at Joshua’s command.
Gideon’s fleece became wet and dry according to his request to the Lord.
Elijah pronounced a drought upon the land… And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain … “

Many many examples are available!

But when outward signs fail to generate any positive emotions…
… they divorce from their intention!

When signs stop being an aid to increase in faith…
… they lose their meaning

And this is the reason Jesus condemns the Pharisaic mentality of Seeking for a Sign…

They sought a sign, in order to test…
… but not to believe
They asked a sign, in order to satisfy curiosity…
… but not to trust
They demanded a sign, in order to scheme evil talks…
… but not to have faith!

Signs become mere external fancies.

Miracles become mere magic shows

The Gospels are not alien to such false and untrue demands…

• At the Birth of Jesus, King Herod sought to see Baby Jesus…not to worship…but to kill Him!
• At the Temptation, Satan tempted to change stones to bread….not to believe…but to lure Him!
• At the Trial, King Herod Antipas hoped Him to perform a sign…not to save Him..but to mock Him!

Jesus condemns all unnecessary demands for a sign and external phenomenon.

“…but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah the Prophet!” (Mt 12: 39)

The Prophets of Old, performed many miracles

Jesus also did.

The Prophets of Old, even performed the great miracles of raising the Dead.

Jesus also did.

The Prophets of Old, however, were never able to raise themselves from the dead.

But Jesus rose!

Jonah was three days and nights in the belly of the fish, so was Jesus in the belly of the earth!

But Jesus rose….and that has become indeed, the Greatest Sign of all times!

The Pharisees demanded a sign…

Jesus answered with a sign…
… the greatest of them all: His Resurrection!

And yet……yet, DID THEY BELIEVE?

The answers can be speculated

But the question before us is: Am I believing?

Am I believing and living, the Power of the Resurrection in my life?
Have I reduced the reality of Jesus being alive, to a mere expression of the lips?
Do I also display this Sign in my life, my activities, my words etc – that Jesus is Risen?!

Let us not be carried away by mere external glitz and glamour…

Let us open our eyes to see the many wonders and miracles the Lord has worked in our lives!
Let us become aware to see that He is Risen, and alive and working – in amazing ways, in our Life!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

---

📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
LIFE IN CHRIST

The way of Christ “leads to life”; a contrary way “leads to destruction.”
The Gospel parable of the two ways remains ever present in the catechesis of the Church.

It shows the importance of moral decisions for our salvation: “There are two ways, the one of life, the other of death; but between the two, there is a great difference. (CCC # 1696)

“Allowing God to be God in our Lives – the Ultimate Judge and Defeater of all evil!”

(Based on Wis 12:13, 16-19, Rom 8:26-27 and Mt 13:24-43 – 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A)

One of the most baffling and mysterious aspect in our world is the active & dynamic presence of evil in this world.

Today our Blessed Lord ventures into opening His mind on this crucial reality of our lives – the presence of evil in the world.

Last Sunday, we were with the Generous Sower (Mt 13:1-23), who was madly liberal in sowing on different types of soil and which had their corresponding results.

This week, we are back to the field….

But our deliberation is not on the Sower or the Seeds…
… but on the presence of weeds among the wheat.

Let the botany in us, focus today on ‘the weeds’ – the irritable weeds!

Botanically named ‘Lolium temulentum,’ the weeds are also called Darnel or Tares.

These weeds have a characteristic of making one feel poisoned with drunkenness, when consumed.

They also have the deceptive characteristic of bearing a close resemblance to wheat.

In fact, these weeds are also called as False Wheat!

So the enemy in the parable, is a Learned Deceiver!

He sows this deceptive and misleading weed among the innocent and harmless wheat!

But the Lord, the Ultimate Judge gives out a strong, yet strange command, “Let the weeds not be pulled up, lest the wheat be uprooted with them; let them just grow together until harvest!” (Mt 13:29-30)

Some mysteries in life cannot be fully understood…
… but they are to be boldly lived

Some problems in life cannot be completely solved…
… but they are to be fearlessly encountered

Here is another hard reality to be digested:
God uses the very wickedness and injustices of evildoers to perfect his Elect.

As the saying goes: “God writes straight, even with crooked lines!”

The apparent triumph and prosperity of the wicked are short-lived…
… whereas the absolute reward of the Christian who suffer from their wickedness is everlasting.

That sounds as a hard and impractical statement, right?

But facts remain facts – we consent or not!

This leads us to a vital aspect of our practical Christian living: To be Patient with ourselves and with others…
… in dealing with sin
… with unacceptable practices
… with unalterable addictions
… with evil tendencies
… with horrifying obsessions
… and with abominable disgraces.

Often…
… we lose our cool in finding ourselves to be imperfect and sinful even after years of trying
… we have our blood boiling seeing the various scandals and shameful incidents in the Church
… we bite our teeth in anger glaring at the atrocities and inhumanness in our society and the world
… we go mad in encountering silly disputes and appalling indifferences in our families & communities

But the Lord says: “Hold On….!”

Do your best, and leave the rest to Me!
Aim for perfection, but be not saddened by scandals!

This certainly is no excuse for us to deny our duty and responsibility…
… and even an obligation to avoid wickedness and dissuade evil practices.

But we may never find ourselves in PERFECT elimination of evil and sinful behaviours…
… either in our personal life, or societal life or even in the life of the church.

The Ultimate Eliminator is the Lord Himself!
The Supreme Conqueror is the Lord Himself!

Is it all too abstract, theoretical & impractical talks?…
… NO!

St Paul gives an assurance in Romans 8:26-27: “The Spirit comes to our aid in our weaknesses.

He Himself will intercede for us, when we co-operate with Him.”

And God Who is all-powerful shares His Omnipotence with us…
… in the Holy Sacraments
… in Prayer
… in the Bible
… and in the Church
Let us be empowered by the power of God, and be strengthened in our lives!

Let us try to do our utmost…
… but let us also permit to encounter disappointments…!

Let us strive for the finest…
… but let us fret not too much over failures and frustrations…!

The Lord knows all.
The Lord sees all.
The Lord has the perfect solution to all.

St Faustina says: “Our sins and weaknesses and miseries are like little sticks, before the burning furnace of the Love of God”.

Let us throw our little sticks into this burning furnace…

Let God be God in our Lives – the Ultimate Judge and Defeater of all evil!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
LIFE IN CHRIST

Justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God,” “sanctified… called to be saints,” Christians have become the temple of the Holy Spirit.
This “Spirit of the Son” teaches them to pray to the Father and, having become their life, prompts them to act so as to bear “the fruit of the Spirit” by charity in action. Healing the wounds of sin, the Holy Spirit renews us interiorly through a spiritual transformation.

He enlightens and strengthens us to live as “children of light” through “all that is good and right and true.” (CCC # 1695)