“Trusting our Lord, Who is the Potter of our lives… and like clay, allowing ourselves to be moulded at His Mighty Hands!”

(Based on Jer 18:1-6 and Mt 13:47-53 – Thursday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

One morning, the husband was at breakfast…
… his face hidden behind the morning paper.

The frightened maid tiptoed into the room and whispered something to the wife’s ears.

The wife – paled slightly – then squared her shoulders resolutely and said:
“Dear, for the last seventeen years, you have been eating oats porridge in the morning.
You will be very upset, isn’t it, if you don’t get it this morning?”

Expecting the worst reaction, the wife began to turn away.

The husband, hiding his naughty smile, however said: “Oh how sad!
Yes, I will miss my daily meal!
But hey! It’s also a nice chance to get something interesting to eat, without having to tell explicitly…
… how bored I am with my daily meal!”

The husband, without wanting to express that he wanted a change in his meal,
… hid behind a casual attitude of “saying yes” without really intending!

Well… such is the case with many of us as well, probably.

There are many things that we don’t really enjoy…
… yet, pretend that everything is fine.

There are many things not going on fine with us…
… but we still behave as if we are okay with everything.

We sometimes are people who affirm and consent…
… without really understanding or grasping the whole reality

There is a “lip” yes…
… but not a consent with the mind.

There is an external nodding…
… without a true affirmation from the heart.

The Gospel of the Day presents such a classic case in the context of the disciples of Jesus saying a “Yes” to having understood the teachings of Jesus…
… and invites us to examine our lives and check whether:

We say only a “lip” yes, without the consonance of the mind!
We give an external nodding, without the affirmation of the heart!

The first 50 verses of the 13th Chapter from St Matthew is a quick montage of several parables…
… Seven in all…

Parable of the Sower (vv. 1-9)
Parable of the Weeds among wheat (vv. 24-30)
Parable of the Mustard Seed (vv. 31-32)
Parable of the Yeast (v. 33)
Parable of the man finding the treasure (v. 44)
Parable of the Pearl of Great Price (v. 45)
Parable of the Net thrown in the sea (vv. 47-50)

These 7 parables teach several great truths and virtues….

1. Preparing our hearts to receive the Generous Word of God….
2. Accepting the reality of evil in the world and being firm to be good…
3. Realizing the Divine Grace that blossoms our littleness into a shelter for many…
4. Recognizing the transforming effect of a committed faith…
5. Experiencing the joy of discovering the Lord as the Treasure of our lives….
6. The Willingness to give up everything to prioritize the Lord as the Pearl of Great Prize….
7. Living a life with the awareness of the judgment of good and evil at the end of our lives!

At the end of this quick, power-packed narration of the 7 parables, Jesus puts forward a question to His Disciples:
“Do you understand all these things?”(Mt 13:51)

The Lord wished to know if His disciples were grasping these great truths of Christian Life…

He wanted to know from His chosen ones, the level of their understanding.

The Gospel says the Disciples “answered, ‘Yes'”(Mt 13:51b).

Well, we are not fully sure whether the Disciples really understood and grasped everything….

We really can’t say for certain whether their “Yes”…
… was only a “lip” yes or one with the consonance of the mind
… was an external nodding or one with the affirmation of the heart

There are many occasions in the Gospels…
… when we see the Disciples “said something” but did not actually follow it or live it
… Or they really did not fully understand and grasp the person of Jesus and His teachings

At the Transfiguration, when Peter said, “Let us make three tents”, the Gospel says, “he did not know what he was saying!”(Lk 9:33b)

After the multiplication of the loaves, the Gospel says “they had not understood the incident of the loaves”(Mk 6:52)

After the calming of the storm at the sea, they said to one another “Who then is this Whom even wind and sea obey?”(Mk 4:41)

They failed to recognize and see the Father in Jesus and so Jesus chided them, saying, “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in Me?” (Jn 14:10)
They asked Him Show us the Father.

We therefore do not really know the depth of the “Yes” of the Disciples…
… Was it only an instinctual reply?
… Was it just a spontaneous answer?

We cannot fully trace the intention of the Disciples.

But this incident is certainly a reminder and an invitation for us to examine…
… Do we seek to understand the Lord and His Teachings?
… Are we aware of the greatness and the worth of the many devout practices of our faith?

Let us examine…

Do we realize the Power of the Most Holy Mass and prepare ourselves accordingly for a worthy celebration…
… or has it become a regular routine of life, without the due preparation and a sense of reverence?

Do we read the Living Word of God daily, and seek to live in accordance with His Teachings…
… or has the Bible merely become another “object” of the house, only to be kept in a place of seclusion, with an occasional glance?

Do our prayers and the reception of the other Sacraments become a God-experience and have a life-touching effect…
… or have they been rendered as casual or even compelled actions, with little effect on one’s life and activities?

Yes, as Christians, we are sometimes people who affirm and consent…
… without really understanding or grasping the whole reality.

Let us trust our Lord Who is the Potter of our lives…
… and like clay, allow ourselves to be moulded at His Mighty Hands! (Cf. Jer 18:1-6)

Today- the 1st of August – let us seek the intercession of Great Saintly Doctor of the Church – St Alphonsus Liguori – the Patron Saint of Theologians – on his feast day.

His life was lived in purpose and clarity, seeking the Will of God, in the midst of the many confusing and deviant ways of the world
His being was filled with determination, despite the many heresies and anti-faith philosophies that cropped up in his time.

As we thank the Lord for another month in our lives, let us offer this new month of August into the Providential Hands of our God…
… by giving heed to the Lord, who invited His followers to be like the “instructed scribe, who is like the house holder who brings from his storeroom, both the new and the old.” (Mt 13:52).

God Bless! Live Jesus

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – GRACE AND JUSTIFICATION

The merit of man before God in the Christian life arises from the fact…

.. that God has freely chosen to associate man with the work of his grace. (CCC # 2008)

“Never being afraid of taking the risk of giving up everything, in order to gain that which is Priceless!”

(Based on Jer 15:10, 16-21 and Mt 13:44-46 – Wednesday of the 17th in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

This amazing incident is narrated of a man who had a lot of worldly ambitions and was 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?”

This man was at the “bored and unexcited” phase of his life…
… yet the Lord would use “that” situation, to bring a transformation in his life and helped him to discovered “the pearl of great price!”

This amazing person is St Ignatius of Loyola – the founder of the Society of Jesus – the Jesuit Fathers…
… whose feast we celebrate today!

Maybe, like St Ignatius of Loyola, 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…
… waiting to be discovered as the Greatest Treasure!

The Gospel of the Day are the twin parables of Jesus about the Kingdom of God being compared to a “priceless fortune” being discovered.

A man finding a treasure in a field (Mt 13: 44-45)
A merchant finding a pearl of great price (Mt 13:46)

One of the common thought-pattern exhibited in both these parables is the following factor:
“The risk of giving up everything, in order to gain that which is priceless!”

The man on finding the treasure in the field…
… takes the risk of selling everything, in order to buy the treasure, which was priceless

The merchant on finding the precious pearl…
… takes the risk of selling all that he had, in order to possess the pearl, which was priceless.

The pages of the Bible narrate this pattern: “The risk of giving up everything, in order to gain that which is priceless!”…

… St Joseph risks listening to the voice of the Angel, and taking Mary as his wife – in order to provide a home for the Son of God – a priceless responsibility!

… St Peter risks giving up his boats and fishing nets – in order to follow Jesus – a priceless vocation!

… Zacheaus risks inviting Jesus into his home and doing away with his riches – in order to obtain salvation – a priceless reward!

… St Paul risks doing away with his former ways of persecuting Christianity and preaching to the Gentiles, instead – in order to win many souls- a priceless way of life!

“Nothing worthwhile is ever achieved playing it safe, and sticking to the familiarity of the known!”

Are we ready to take this risk…?

… risk doing away with our sinful ways, in order to live a new life in Christ?

… risk giving up some undue attachments, in order to allow the Lord to possess our hearts?

… risk removing some unwelcome addictions, in order to allow the Spirit of God to work in us?

Jesus, the Priceless Fortune deserves our best!

Let us not be afraid to “take the risk.”

This act of “taking a risk” will surely win for us “The Pearl of Great Price!”

Let our faith-life always remind us:
“Unless you recognize and give up the fake things of life…
… you can never possess the real treasures of life!”

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

May the beautiful prayer St Ignatius of Loyola, echo in our hearts as well:
“O my God, teach me to be generous, teach me to serve you as I should…
… to give without counting the cost,
… to fight without fear of being wounded,
… to work without seeking rest,
…. to labour without expecting any reward,
… but the knowledge that I am doing your most holy will.”

Yes, let us “never be afraid of taking the risk of giving up everything, in order to gain that which is Priceless!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – GRACE AND JUSTIFICATION

With regard to God, there is no strict right to any merit on the part of man.
Between God and us there is an immeasurable inequality…

… for we have received everything from him, our Creator. (CCC # 2007)

“Being loyal to the Gospel by remaining firm in faith and hope – trusting in the Providence and Power of the Lord!”

(Based on Jer 14:17-22 and Mt 13:36-43 – Tuesday of the 17th in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

One of the very famous hymns in Malayalam, composed by Sadhu Kochukunju Upadesi (1883 –1945 – preacher, poet and composer) goes thus:
“Dukhathinde paana paathram
Karthav yende kayyil thannal
Sandoshathodh adhu vaangi
Hallelujah paadidunne….”

Translated as…

“If my Lord offers a chalice
Full of worries into my hands,
I will accept it with pleasure
And sing ‘Hallelujah’ with thanks.

My father will never offer
Anything that is harmful I’m sure.
He may give me moments of pain
Still He loves me beyond measure!”

The hymn pays glorious tribute to the Immense Love of the Lord…
… despite the seemingly tough and troublesome moments that we go through in life.

The spirit of this hymn was beautifully lived and celebrated by St Alphonsa, the first woman of Indian origin to be canonised…
… whose feast was celebrated on July 28

Life often takes us through…
… trials of struggle and pain
… situations of agony and abandonment
… occasions of evil encounters and malicious moments!

Yet, in all such moments, the call of the Gospel is to remain firm in faith and hope – trusting in the Providence and Power of the Lord.

The Gospel of the Day is an exposition by the Lord on this crucial Reality of our lives, by the explanation of the Parable of the Weeds.

It’s noteworthy to know some interesting facts about this parable…

Sowing weeds in someone else’s field, was a way take revenge on the other and to express one’s hatred and anger!
Something similar to today, people…
… breaking the glass of the houses of those whom they don’t like
… disfiguring the walls of the house of the people whom they hate

The weeds that Jesus speaks of in the parable, were highly similar to the wheat that was sown.

It was almost impossible to distinguish the two, in their initial stages.

Seeking to pull up the weeds would definitely destroy the wheat plant
This was because, their roots would get inter-twined.

Any attempt to pull up the weeds, would also cause harm to the good plant.

It is in the light of these points, that our “doubt and perplexity” about the Parable of the Wheat and Weeds grows:
“Why does evil exist in a world that was created good?”

This is where the Lord challenges every Christian to understand…
… that some mysteries in life cannot be fully understood…
… but are to be boldly lived!
… that some struggles in life cannot be totally eliminated…
… but are to be bravely challenged!
…. that some problems in life cannot be completely solved…

But are to be fearlessly encountered!

As we take time to digest this fact, let us also spare a thought for the seed of wheat that was sown by the Sower.

For the Sower, the Seed of Wheat was priceless… special…!

He had sown it with a lot of love, care and affection.

And so, He would do everything in His power, to make sure, that He loses nothing of it, in the attempt to get rid of the weeds.

The Sower is God.

And the Bible, throughout, speaks about how the seed that is sown – the wheat – is precious to God…
… the lost sheep is passionately sought until it is found (Lk 15: 1-7)
… the lost coin is ardently searched till it is found (Lk 15: 8-10)
… the leftover pieces of loaves are devoutly gathered up (Mt 14:20)
… the rejected short man, hiding on the tree, is assigned a new chapter in life (Lk 19: 1-10)
… the nearly-stoned woman, caught in the act of adultery, is given new life (Jn 8: 1-11)
… the impulsive fisherman, called as the rock, and who denied three times, is accepted back (Jn 21: 15-19)

We are the precious Wheat.

Jesus opens our hearts and minds to have a “realistic understanding” of life.

We need to be patient with ourselves and with others…
… in dealing with sin and with evil tendencies

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

But the Lord says… “Hold On”….

Surely, we have our emotions and feelings when we come across unjust situations..
But the Lord says:
“Do your best…and leave the rest to Me!
Aim for perfection… but give not into despair because of devastations!”

This certainly is no excuse for us to deny our duty and responsibility…
… and even the obligation to seek 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 Lord, the Final and the Supreme Judge, will make sure, that “Good finally triumphs over the evil!”

“The Son of Man will send His angels, and they will collect out of His Kingdom, all who cause others to sin and evildoers…
… the Righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of Their Father!” (Mt 13: 41, 43).

As the national motto of India says: “Satyam eva jayate” (Truth alone triumphs!”)

Let us have recourse to the Awesome and Ultimate Power of God, and be strengthened in our lives…
… knowing and trusting that He will ultimately cause “Everything for our good” (Rom 8:28)

In all moments of trials and struggles, let us be loyal to the Gospel by remaining firm in faith and hope – trusting in the Providence and Power of the Lord.

Let us seek the intercession and be inspired by St Alphonsa, as we too sing:
“Dukhathinde paana paathram, Karthav yende kayyil thannaal…”

“If my Lord offers a chalice, full of worries into my hands,
I will accept it with pleasure, and sing ‘Hallelujah’ with thanks.

My father will never offer, anything that is harmful I’m sure.
He may give me moments of pain, Still He loves me beyond measure!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – GRACE AND JUSTIFICATION

You are glorified in the assembly of your Holy Ones, for in crowning their merits you are crowning your own gifts.
The term “merit” refers in general to the recompense owed by a community or a society for the action of one of its members…
… experienced either as beneficial or harmful, deserving reward or punishment.

Merit is relative to the virtue of justice, in conformity with the principle of equality which governs it. (CCC # 2006)

“Being inspired by the life of Sts Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, and being faithful companions and witnesses of the Lord!”

(Based on the Feast of Sts 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 individual arias, gaining worldwide fame for the brilliance and beauty of his tone…
… 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.

Arrigo Pola, a professional tenor in my hometown of Modena, Italy, took me as a pupil.

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 Gospel of the Day reflects this common trend of our lives through the incident of Jesus in the house of Martha and Mary.

During his journey of ministry, Jesus came to a village and was welcomed in the house of Martha and Mary.

Martha demonstrates great hospitality by welcoming Jesus into the home.

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

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

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

This incident invites us to appreciate the courage and devotion of Mary

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

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

This was, however, a role reserved for men.

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

This incident also invites us to reflect on the words of Christ to Martha.

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”

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

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.

The incident also teaches us lessons from Lazarus – who is not seen actively in the entire narrative.

Lazarus reminds us that it is okay, to be in the background, supporting others in their journey with Jesus.
His silence speaks of the importance of listening and being present with others.
He also teaches us about the value of family and community in our faith journey.

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…
… so that we can enjoy true peace and joy in life!

Let us be inspired by…
… St Martha – in realising our “lack of focus” and in being willing to be passionately committed in the service of the Lord.
… St Mary – in “choosing the better part”
… St Lazarus – in being content to be in the background, and doing our works in silence and tranquility, and thus experiencing the spectacular glory and power of the Lord!

Happy Feast of St Martha, St Mary and St Lazarus!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – GRACE AND JUSTIFICATION

A pleasing illustration of this attitude is found in the reply of St. Joan of Arc to a question posed as a trap by her ecclesiastical judges:
“Asked if she knew that she was in God’s grace, she replied:
…’If I am not, may it please God to put me in it

… if I was am, may it please God to keep me there.’ (CCC # 2005)

“Moving from ‘murmuring moments to experiencing multiplying miracles!'”

(Based on 2 Kgs 4:42-44, Eph 4:1-6 and Jn 6:1-15 – 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B)

An elderly priest was addressing a group of young couples.

In his sermon, he remarked: “Remember that ‘life is about moving from murmuring to multiplying!’

Move from murmuring about your grudges, to multiplying your gratitude!
Move from murmuring about your insufficiencies, to multiplying your interconnectededness!
Move from murmuring hateful complaints, to multiplying healthy communication with each other!”

Can we make our life a ‘movement from murmuring moments to experiencing multiplying miracles?”

The Gospel of the Day is the remarkable miracle of multiplication…
… as the Lord leads his disciples and people from the “tempting world of murmuring to the transformative life of multiplication!”

The feeding of the people, by the mighty deed of multiplication of the loaves, in the only miracle…
… besides the miracle of the Resurrection of Jesus
… that finds a mention in all the four Gospels.

And each of the Gospels also have something unique to speak of this incident:

Mt 14: 13-21: mentions about five thousand men being fed, “without counting women and children”

Mk 6: 31-4: mentions of making the people to be seated in “groups and clusters of hundreds and fifties”

Lk 9: 10-17: also mentions of five thousand men and being seated in clusters of fifty and also mentions Jesus, “looking up to the heavens”.

Jn 6: 5-15: mentions of a “little boy”, who is the provider of the five loaves and two fish and also that “the Lord gave thanks for it”, before distributing it to the people.

The Gospel of the Day presents this account of the multiplication from the eyes of St John, the Evangelist.

There are some outstanding features of this “massive” miracle that we can highlight

A. The multiplication of the loaves fed a massive crowd.

Five thousand men could mean, that including women and children, it would have easily exceeded probably over twenty thousand people!

This easily was the miracle that Jesus performed with the greatest number of witnesses and participants.

B. The multiplication of the loaves was a unique miracle

There are other miracles of Jesus, mentioned in the Bible, which could fall in the following categories…

Miracles of healing: Curing of many sicknesses and diseases
Miracles over nature: Powerful control over the forces of nature
Miracles of exorcism: Casting out demons and liberating people from them
Miracles of transformation: Transforming an object to something else or even of people
Miracles of restoration: Restoring people to their original state of life and good condition

But the miracle of the “multiplication” is unique and special

Multiplying “available resources” to be made available for a massive crowd of people!

C. This miracle of the multiplication also reveals some of the finest qualities of Jesus, the Messiah

1. His sensitivity to the needs of the people
   While the disciples were just eager to send the crowd away, Jesus reaches out to them in compassion and love.
2. His ability to effect changes in the mindset and thinking-pattern

The disciples could see no way, in that desert to feed the gigantic crowd. They had only question marks before them.

But Jesus, sheds new light on their minds and helps them find a solution, even in the seemingly impossible situation

3. His perfect control in a situation of panic

Though there would have been panic in the minds of the disciples, Jesus impresses upon them the fact, that He is in total charge and in complete control.

As the Lord and Creator, He knows exactly what is to be done in the moment of crisis and calamity.

4. His attitude of raising His heart in thanksgiving at every situation

We read that before the actual multiplication happened, Jesus “took the loaves, and gave thanks…” (Jn 6: 11)

It’s amazing to imagine that situation:
… Thousands and thousands of people, eagerly waiting, hungry and exhausted….
… Having just Five Loaves and the Two Fish – which was scarcely able to meet the hunger of a couple of people…
… Jesus still raises His Heart in thanksgiving and gratitude!

It is tremendous faith that allows a person to raise one’s mind in gratitude, even in the midst of utter poverty, deep need and barren nothingness!

5. His consciousness to gather the remaining pieces, after the miracle

The Lord, “Who came save and seek the lost” is also highly mindful of gathering up the remaining broken pieces of the loaves.

The disciples get trained to become aware of “what is often considered as wasteful” can also become resourceful!

The disciples are reminded that even things that are usually “discarded” and regarded as being “unwanted and useless,” can become sources of strength and nourishment!

Let us reflect on the following:

Am I able…

(1) To be sensitive and responsive to the needs and desires of those around me?

(2) To see the brighter side of life, with the Grace and strength from God, and rub the fragrance of this positivity onto others in my life?

(3) To rise above the situations of panic and disturbances, and be calm, knowing that I have a God, who is ultimately in total and perfect control of every situation of turmoil?

(4) To lift up my heart to the Lord, in thanksgiving, at every moment and situation of life, even when the chips are down or when I pass through the dark tunnels and the despairing valleys of life?

(5) To be aware of the “unwanted” talents in me, the “excess” people of the society and the “discarded” peripherals of the world, and seek to make the best use of them and collect them to be part of the mainframe scene?

Let us allow the Lord to lead us…
… from the “tempting world of murmuring to the transformative life of multiplication!”

We seek today specially the intercession and inspiration of St Alphonsa, the first woman of Indian origin to be canonised as a saint…
… as we give heed to her words:
“I have abandoned myself to the Lord fully; let Him do to me as it pleases Him!”

Let us move from “murmuring moments to experiencing multiplying miracles!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – GRACE AND JUSTIFICATION

According to the Lord’s words “Thus you will know them by their fruits”…
… reflection on God’s blessings in our life and in the lives of the saints offers us a guarantee that grace is at work in us

… and spurs us on to an ever greater faith and an attitude of trustful poverty. (CCC # 2005)

“Trusting our God Who loves us immeasurably and works out everything in life, for our good!”

(Based on Jer 7:1-11 and Mt 13:24-30 – Saturday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

A person who disdained religion was mocking at an elderly Christian, who was known for his staunch faith.

One day, while conversing, this man who mocked religion, said:
“Don’t you think it’s absurd to believe and have faith in God, when you don’t have answers to so many questions of life…

Look at the evil happening all around us
Look at the sufferings that people go through
Do you still think it’s wise enough to have faith in God?”

The elderly person, placing his right hand on the shoulder of the person, with a calm tone replied:
“My Christian life has taught me that trusting in God’s Providence makes every event of the world – even unpleasant – to be seen as meaningful, and worth a lesson”

And he went on to say, “And well, you talk of having faith in God?

How about our own daily experience of trusting in the people around – most of them, whom we don’t even know!

So often we go to a doctor whose name we cannot pronounce and whose degrees we have never verified.

This doctor gives us a prescription which we cannot read.
We take it to a pharmacist we have never met.
He gives us a chemical compound which we do not understand.
Then we go home and take the pill according to the instructions on the bottle.

All this we do – with trust and with sincere faith!

If we can trust each other so much, can’t we trust our God Who loves us immeasurably and works out everything in life, for our good?”

The Gospel of the Day is this invitation by our Blessed Lord to “trust in the Lord” even when life dishes out a number of questions to which we fail to find an answer!

Yes, our Lord reveals His Mind about this baffling and mysterious aspect – the active & dynamic presence of evil in this world!

A couple of days back, we were with the Generous Sower, who was madly liberal in sowing on different types of soil and which had their corresponding results (Mt 13: 1-9)

Today, 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 (Mt 13:24-30)

These weeds are also called Darnel or Tares.

They 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 is to be boldly lived!

Some struggles in life cannot be totally eliminated…
… but is to be bravely challenged!

Some problems in life cannot be completely solved…
but is 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.”

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

That’s a hard and unpopular and even 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 evil tendencies
… with horrifying obsessions
… with unacceptable practices
… with unalterable addictions
… and with abominable disgraces.

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

But the Lord says: “Hold On”….

Surely, we have our emotions and feelings when we come across unjust situations…

But the Lord says:
“Do your best…and leave the rest to Me!
Aim for perfection….but give not into despair because of devastations!”

This certainly is no excuse for us to deny our duty and responsibility…
… and even the obligation to seek 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…

Are all these 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.”

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 have recourse to this 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

HE sees all
HE 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!”

Let us learn to trust our God Who loves us immeasurably and works out everything in life, for our good!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – GRACE AND JUSTIFICATION

Since it belongs to the supernatural order, grace escapes our experience and cannot be known except by faith.
We cannot therefore rely on our feelings or our works…

… to conclude that we are justified and saved. (CCC # 2005)

“Responding to God’s Great Graces and reaching out to the world with hope and faith and love like the little couple of ‘St Anne and Joachim!’”

(Based on Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

All of us at some time or the other, have come across Family pictures…
… the one bearing many generations of family members

The grandfather and grandmother… with their sons and daughters and their spouses and their little children etc.

Perhaps, some of us, ourselves, have such family portraits or pictures with us.

Every such Family Photo gives a nostalgic feel…
Those are not mere printed papers….

They contain legacies
They are filled with memories

They give a glimpse of the past: struggles, disappointments, mistakes, events hard to acknowledge….
They give an inkling to the future: love, laughter, hope, blessings…
They are a witness to the present: unity, fellowship, brokenness, anger….

A family photo also reveals… the Presence of the Higher Power – God…
… Who has worked in unknown yet amazing ways.

His presence is very much seen in many of our family situations.
Hard situations converted to moments of grace
Tough times transformed to strengthening situations

A family photo has it all…..

Today we gaze at the Family Photo of our Beloved Saviour.

We 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.

Hardly anything is known about Saint Ann and Saint Joachim.

Their photos are blurred and hazy
They’re absent in the Bible.

There are stories and legends that have come down to us through the ages and tradition.

Though we don’t know many details about the life of this couple, we can firmly assume a few things:

They were simple people of great hope looking for the Coming of the Messiah…
Their faith in God was the guiding force of their lives!

The lives of Saints Joachim and Anne remain shrouded in mystery, lost to history.

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 that led Mamma Mary to say Her Fiat – Yes, to God.

It was their upbringing that helped Mamma Mary to stand firm in the midst of unforeseen events.
It was their example that helped Mamma Mary to be strong in the face of immense pain and sufferings!

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

Is God looking at you and me at this moment…..?

Like He chose this insignificant Couple….
… He looks at each of us – in hope and expectation

Let us look at our Family Photo… not just of the blood-related family, but the whole Human Family…
There are many faces dejected…
There are many hearts broken…
There are many souls in sin…
There are many lives shattered…
There are many minds confused…
There are many wills unrepentant…
There are many bodies abused…
There are many characters in filth…

As people of the Kingdom, we need to understand the power of “little things becoming big, with God’s Great Grace!”…
… just like the “grain of mustard seed…” (Cf. Mt 13:31 ff)

The Lord is calling us like the “little couple” of St Anne and Joachim to reach out to this human family…
… and to fill the world with hope and faith and love!

Pope Benedict XVI says: “Often we are led to believe that sainthood – holiness – is reserved to a few chosen ones

Saintliness, the fullness of Christian life, does not consist in the achievement of extraordinary feats, but in uniting oneself with Christ… in making his disposition… his behaviour… our own!”

Saints Ann and Joachim saw the mighty hand of God at work in their lives.

They heard God’s voice yet wondered how God could possibly use them.
They stepped forth in faith, not knowing where the journey led…

But God rewarded them with the Beautiful and Precious Daughter – Mary!

Today they gladly rejoice in being blurred, yet significant characters in the Divine Family Portrait – glittered and ‘halo’ed and dazzling….
… with the Grandeur of Jesus , the King of Kings, their Precious Grandchild….
… and the loveliness of Mary, the Queen of all hearts, their beloved daughter!

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
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – GRACE AND JUSTIFICATION

Since it belongs to the supernatural order, grace escapes our experience and cannot be known except by faith.

We cannot therefore rely on our feelings or our works to conclude that we are justified and saved. (CCC # 2004)

“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
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – GRACE AND JUSTIFICATION

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them
… if prophecy, in proportion to our faith
… if service, in our serving;
… he who teaches, in his teaching;
… he who exhorts, in his exhortation
… he who contributes, in liberality
… he who gives aid, with zeal

… he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. (CCC # 2004)

“Simply sowing, with the Divine Sower, in his mad generosity!”

(Based on Jer 1:1, 4-10 and Mt 13:1-9 – Wednesday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

If variety is the spice of life…
… simplicity is the essence of life.

If humour is the flavour of life…
… simplicity is the base of life.

If cheerfulness is the seasoning in life…
… simplicity is the spirit of life!

Simple things, always go a long way in life…
… isn’t it?

Our God is the God of simplicity

He is the God of small things!

The Lord of Simplicity and Smallness loves to expound His beautiful and profound teaching of the Kingdom of God…
… through the simple and small objects of life.

In today’s Gospel, a Mighty Teaching is delivered through the medium of…
… the Tiny seed
… the insignificant soil
… and the unnoticed Sower!

Certain simple things of life remain in the background, until a strong gaze is fixed on them…
… to realize its worth and importance.

Is this not true even in our day to day lives?

The simple acts of sacrifice and love done by the members of the family
The unseen efforts of a number of workers ensuring cleanliness and safety in society
The quiet acts of service rendered by those working in our institutions and places of work
… all these simple aspects of life often remain forgotten and unrecognized, unless we consciously make an effort to remember and thank them!

And so today’s Gospel begins with the verse… “A Sower went out to sow and as he sowed….”

Full Stop!

We don’t hear of this Sower anymore in the Parable.

There is much written on the type of soil…
There in enough written on seeds that are broadcasted…
There is a fair mention also of the produce…
… But what about the Sower?

So, today, let’s focus the camera of our reflection today….on the generally unnoticed Sower…

This Sower has a stand out quality:

He is…
… lavish in His generosity
… extravagant in His big-heartedness
… and sumptuous in His Kindness!

Though seasoned in His profession of sowing the Seeds, the Sower, bountifully, broadcasts the Seeds on all sorts of soil…

Look closer….

He doesn’t make an account of the number of seeds lost…
He doesn’t tally the wastage that will be incurred…
He doesn’t bill the produce that will result…

He just does one thing… HE SOWS!

Is HE mad??

Seems so!

A Mad Sower….!
… A Sower Who is mad in being extremely generous, lavish and extravagant!

Who is this Sower?

God

The Sower is God, Who is Mad …
… mad for His children, by sowing the seeds of Mercy and Love, generously!
… mad for His people, by sowing the seeds of Forgiveness and Acceptance, lavishly!
… mad for His loved ones, by sowing the seeds of His Grace and His Spirit, extravagantly!

Now, how many of us can be like that?

Do we sow…
… when a loss is bound to happen as per human calculations?

Do we sow honesty and truthfulness…
… even if birds of injustice devour all our good intentions?

Do we sow good initiatives…
… even if there is no reward and all our endeavours are being choked?

Do we sow a kind word…
… even if we know that bad words will scorch our pure purpose?

Do we sow a loving action…
… even though the reaction is always tepid and cold and even adverse?

Do we sow help and co-operation…
… in spite of the fact that no one will appreciate our good works?

Do we sow a forgiving smile & a reconciling gesture…
… though we are deeply hurt & even wounded?

Do we sow an attitude of deep trust & confidence…
… although things are totally topsy-turvy in life?

The Sower, in the Parable, however, continued to Sow…..

He knows… “As the rains and the snow come down from the heavens and do not return, till they have watered the earth…
… the Seed will not return idle, but will accomplish the purpose for which it has been sown!” (Cf. Is 55:10-11)

Truly…
… sowing is not a very easy task
… sowing is not a rewarding enterprise!

But today, the Divine Sower, who is madly generous, dares us to join Him in Sowing!

Yes, it’s a simple spirituality: “Simply Sow, so as to serve the society, with satisfaction and serenity!”

Are we willing to Simply Sow, with the Divine Sower, in his Mad Generosity?

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – GRACE AND JUSTIFICATION

Among the special graces ought to be mentioned the graces of state…
… that accompany the exercise of the responsibilities of the Christian life

… and of the ministries within the Church. (CCC # 2004)

“Being members of the Family of God by being ready to do the Will of the Father!”

(Based on Mic 7:14-15, 18-20 and Mt 12:46-50 – Tuesday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

A lady once remarked to her spiritual guide, “I am very afraid to pray, ‘Thy Will be done'”

“And why is that so?” asked the guide.

“I am afraid…”continued the lady, “… that God will bring some calamity to my only child or send me a heavy trial in life”

The spiritual guide, having patiently listened to her, replied:
“Suppose if your beloved child comes to you and says, ‘Mummy, here after, I want to always do whatever you say and live as you will…’

Would you say to yourself…
‘Ah! Here is my chance!

I will make my child to do all the harsh things.
I will make use of his willingness to obey me, by cutting off all his pleasures
I will make sure he has a tough time because anyway he will do whatever I say”

“Oh no!” answered back the mother, “I will give him the best possible things that I can. I will make sure that he is protected from every danger.

I will do anything to ensure him true happiness!”

“And do you think…” continued the spiritual guide, “Do you think that God is less loving than you?”

The will of every human parent is to ensure the best for their children, isn’t it?

How much more loving and caring is the Will of the Father!

“God’s Will” is best understood in the set-up of a family…

Even in a human family…
… Every member wishes that the other is taken care
… Every member seeks for the good of the other

How much more is the love and concern in the Family of God…
… to all those who seek to do the Will of the Father?!

Jesus, in today’s Gospel invites each of us to be part of the Family of God…
… by doing the Will of the Father.

Our Blessed Lord says, “For whoever does the Will of My Heavenly Father, is My brother and sister and mother” (Mt 12: 50)

The passage begins with the family of Jesus waiting to see Him…
“While Jesus was still speaking, behold, His Mother and His brothers stood outside, asking to speak to Him” (Mt 12: 46)

This is a passage that is often used to attack the position of the Catholic Church on Mary.

Many misinterpret this passage to mean that Mary was out of the Family of God
Many wrongly consider this passage to mean that Mary had other sons, referred to as ‘brothers’

We take a short apologetic approach to our Bible passage today….

Who are the brothers mentioned here?
There are about ten instances in the New Testament where “brothers” and “sisters” of the Lord are mentioned
The term used for ‘brother’ in Greek is “adelphos”

“Adelphos” can mean…
… a biological brother
… an extended relative
… or even a spiritual brother

The languages – Hebrew and Aramaic (the language spoken by Jesus) – did not have a special word for “cousin”

The writers of the New Testament used the Aramaic equivalent of “brothers” to mean both cousins and sons of the same father—plus other relatives and even non-relatives.

When the Old Testament was translated into Greek and the New Testament written in Greek, the word “Adelphos” was used to capture all of these meanings.

Further, the Gospels are clear that Mary was a virgin at the time she conceived Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit (cf. Mt 1:18-25, Lk 1:26-38).

After the birth of Jesus, no mention is made of Mary and Joseph ever having other children.

Never does the Gospels refer to the “sons of Mary” or “a son of Mary,” but only “The Son of Mary.”

We also see that at the Crucifixion, Jesus entrusts His Blessed Mother to John, who was not his blood-brother (Jn 19: 25-27)

According to Jewish law, the oldest son had the responsibility of caring for the widowed mother, and that responsibility would pass to the next oldest if anything happened to the first-born son
Since Jesus, “the first-born”, had no “blood brother,” He entrusted His Mother to the care of St John, His Beloved Disciple.

Thus, the Catechism of the Catholic Church clarifies “the brothers of Jesus”….
“The Church has always understood these passages as not referring to other children of the Virgin Mary.
In fact James and Joseph, “brothers of Jesus”, are the sons of another Mary, a disciple of Christ, whom St. Matthew significantly calls “the other Mary”.

They are close relations of Jesus, according to an Old Testament expression.” (CCC #500)

Was Mary only the ‘biological’ Mother of Jesus?
Jesus said, “Whoever does the Will of My Father in Heaven, is my…. Mother!” (Mt 12: 50)
Did Mary fulfil this call of Jesus?

When we scan through the pages of the New Testament, we find, that perhaps no other person fulfilled the Will of the Father as perfectly as Mary

Mary was Blessed indeed…

Not just because she gave a physical birth to Jesus…
… but also because She listened and lived the Will of the Father!

She is blessed…
… because She listened to God’s Word and accepted it wholeheartedly.
… because She chose to put Her faith in God, though the path ahead was dim
… because She was obedient to God’s Will, though She did not understand many things”

As St. Irenaeus says:
“Being obedient, She became the cause of salvation for Herself and for the whole human race.”

The knot of Eve’s disobedience was untied by Mary’s obedience

What Eve bound through her disbelief, Mary loosened by Her faith”

Mother Mary is the first Evangelizer and the first Disciple of Her own Son and Lord, Jesus the Christ!

Mother Mary is thus, not just the biological Mother of Jesus…
… by doing the Will of the Father perfectly, She is also His Spiritual Mother!

St Maximilian Kolbe says, “If anyone does not wish to have Mary Immaculate for his Mother, he will not have Christ for his Brother!”

Yes, doing the Will of the Father…
… is the DNA that joins all the members of the Family of God
… is the sole and mandatory criteria to be part of the Family of God

We may have our fears in doing His Will….

But let us realize, that the Will of Father is wrapped with much love and affection…
… there is a tenderness in His Will, that ensures each of us, His children are protected!
… there is a warmth in His Will, that makes sure that we, His children are always given the best!

Prophet Micah reminds us of the Merciful Love of the Lord…
… which casts all ours sins, even into the depths of the sea: “He will again have compassion upon us, he will tread our iniquities under foot. Thou wilt cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” (Mic 7:19)

Jesus is our Supreme Model and Leader in listening and living the Will of the Father

Mother Mary is our Beloved Mother and Perfect Disciple, Who followed Her Son wholly, in obedience to the Will of the Father!

Many saints and holy people also show us, by their sanctified lives that it is worth, meaningful and salvific to do the Will of the Father!

All of them beckon us:
“Come be part of the Family of God…

Listen always to what God wants of you in your life
Ask Him, at all times, what you should be doing in life
Put your trust in His Power and Providence, when you do His Will!”

Are we willing to be members of this Family of God?
… then we need to be ready to do the Will of the Father!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – GRACE AND JUSTIFICATION

Whatever their character – sometimes it is extraordinary, such as the gift of miracles or of tongues…
… charisms are oriented toward sanctifying grace and are intended for the common good of the Church.

They are at the service of charity which builds up the Church. (CCC # 2003)