“Being responsible, especially with the use of our words, to avoid many ignominies of life!”

(Based on Isa 58:9b-14 and Lk 5:27-32 – Saturday after Ash Wednesday)

A young man was browsing through a huge library.

As he was admiring the various titles of the publications, he came across a small pamphlet on which were written the following words:

“‘I am responsible.’

I am responsible for a number of haunting experiences in the world…
… pillows being wet by sobs
… noble hearts broken in the silence of a dark corner
… cruel misunderstandings that make life look dark and dirty
… gentle and sensitive natures, seared and smeared with stains
… old-time friends splitting apart and turning their backs on one another
… and many many more!

Use me, therefore, responsibly…
… Else, I would continue to be responsible for many such ignominies!

Yes, ‘I am responsible!’

Wanna know my name?

I am the Tongue!

And all these my works are called: The crimes of the tongue!”

Yes, the “crimes of the tongue” are a major source of a number of haunting experiences in the world.

Are we also promoters of such “crimes of the tongue?”

The Gospel of the Day is an account of Jesus, the Great Physician of Galilee, in His rounds of healing sick patients…
… and encountering some critical persons who reveal a dark side of human life by their “slanderous and harsh” tongues and committing the “crimes of the tongue!”

Levi, the tax-collector heeds the call of the Lord “to follow Him” ( Lk 5:27)

In his great happiness of being accepted and the joy of following his new-found love, Levi hosts a grand party.

This feast is a wonderful time of sharing for various other tax collectors as well.

But this time of joy and happiness, becomes an occasion for some people to “wag their tongues” in negative talks and remarks!

As the saying goes, where two or three are gathered with a vicious and malicious mind…
… there is the assassination of the character of few people!

The Pharisees and their scribes, seeing Jesus sharing the joyful companionship of the tax collectors, began to murmur and grumble: “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” (Lk 5: 30)

Jesus clarifies His mission of coming to the world to heal the sick and to cure the ill. (Lk 5:31)

He is the Great Physician of Galilee.

This Great Physician, clearly examines the “tongues” of the Pharisees and the Scribes and identifies their sickness…

Their tongues spoke ill of people who were being saved.
Their tongues criticized the people who were given a redeeming status in the society.
Their tongues lashed at out the Lord who came to bring acceptance and love to the outcast.

The words that their tongues uttered …
… revealed the low-state of their life.
… revealed the negativity that was widespread in their life.

The Great Physician today wishes to examine our tongues: our words and our speech.

Are we also persons whose tongues lash out in harsh criticism and rash judgements?
Are we also persons whose tongues hit out in negative comments and unkind criticism?

The Great Physician is here to heal us…

Our tongues easily reveal our sicknesses to Him.

St Francis de Sales, mentions about this aspect, in his book, ‘Introduction to the Devout Life’…

“Doctors get a good knowledge of the health or the illness of a man by examining his tongue.

Our words are signs of the qualities of our souls”

The state of the tongue reveals the state of the health of the person.

The condition of the tongue gives an indication of the well-being or illness in a person.

Similarly, the words, which the tongue speaks, reveal the state of our inner life.

Our speech, which the tongue utters, reveal the condition of our spiritual life.

This time of the Lent is a great opportunity for us, to improve in this area of our life.

The Great Physician has His prescriptions ready…

His Holy Word, which can sweeten our tongues with patience and charity.
His Holy Eucharist, which can cleanse our tongues in sanctity and holiness.

Let us use the tongue, responsibly…
… else, it would continue to be responsible for many ignominies of life!

Being healed and cleansed by the Divine Touch of the Great Physician…
… let us avoid “crimes of the tongue!”

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 – The Ten Commandments – The Third Commandment

Scripture also reveals in the Lord’s day a memorial of Israel’s liberation from bondage in Egypt:
“You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt…
… and the LORD your God brought you out thence with mighty hand and outstretched arm

… therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day. (CCC # 2170)

“Realizing that ‘Jesus is knocking at the door of my heart!'”

(Based on Isa 58:1-9a and Mt 9:14-15 – Friday after Ash Wednesday)

A nurse in a pediatric ward, before listening to the little ones’ chests…
… would plug the stethoscope into their ears
… and let them listen to their own heart.

Their eyes would always light up with amazement…
… but she never got a response equal to four-year-old David’s comment.

Gently she tucked the stethoscope into his ears…
… and placed the disk over his heart.

“Listen,” she said, “What do you suppose that is?”

He drew his eyebrows together in a puzzled line…
… and looked up as if lost in the mystery of the strange tap
… tap, tapping deep in his chest.

Then his face broke out in a wondrous grin and he asked: “Is that Jesus knocking?”

Lent is the beautiful season when we are called to turn inward and realise: “Is Jesus knocking at the door of my heart?”

The readings of the day are strong reminders – heavy knockings on the door of our hearts…
… Jesus, our Blessed Lord and Prophet Isaiah exhorting us to realise the true meaning of fasting!

The disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus with an important query: “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?” (Lk 9:14)

The Mosaic Law commanded only one day of fasting – the day of Atonement.

The Book of Leviticus prescribes this fast: “On the tenth day of the seventh month…you are to enter into a solemn fast and refrain from all work, because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you.

In the presence of God, you will be made clean of all your sins. It is a Sabbath of all Sabbaths.
You must fast. It is a perpetual ordinance” (Lev 16:29-31)

But it is to be noted that the Pharisees and apparently, the disciples of John, had also adopted another tradition…
… that of fasting two days a week.

This was considered to be a very pious act among this group.

In Luke 18:12, we find the Pharisee who boasts of fasting twice a week, as he makes his prayer, in contempt of the tax collector.

It is to this fasting, that the disciples of John refer to when they counter Jesus with the question: “Why don’t your disciples fast?”

But Jesus opens their eyes to see the stagnancy in their thought and practice.

The practice of fasting was for the atonement of one’s sins.

It was a time of mourning in seeking the restoration of Israel…
… a time of waiting for the Messiah who would redeem their nation.

But somehow for many of the people, these basic aspects of fasting were forgotten and apparently, lost.

Very often, their practice of fasting had grown stagnant….
… and they failed to realise the reason and meaning of their fasting.

When one loses sight of the original purpose, actions become mere lifeless customs.

A custom, devoid of its purpose and real intention is dead and decayed!
A tradition, performed without knowing its’ true meaning is an obsolete ritual!

Does this not happen to us as well?

The Season of Lent calls for us to make extra sacrifices, especially through the form of fasting.

What is my attitude to fasting and penance?

Am I ready to undertake the powerful style of fasting as presented in Isaiah 58: 6-7: A fasting…
… to lose the bonds of wickedness and to undo the thongs of the yoke
… to let the oppressed go free and to share the bread with the hungry
… to bring the homeless poor into the house and to cover the naked

The Lord declares Himself as the Bridegroom, Who has come to restore the glory of Israel. (Mt 9:15)

The time of mourning is over.
The period of fasting is no longer.

It’s time to rejoice with Him, Who is the Bridegroom and Saviour – Jesus!

Our fasting, penances and sacrifices are to be joyful…
… because we have Jesus, the bridegroom with us.

His presence with us, is a matter of joy
… yet we fast and do penance, to share joyfully in His suffering and pain.

His presence with us, is an occasion of rejoicing
… yet we make sacrifices and discipline ourselves, to find deeper meaning in His Cross.

Lent is the season to “slow down and turn inward!”

Do we realise that “Jesus is knocking at the door of my heart?”

Let us, be willing, to “listen to the voice of the Lord, inviting us, closer to His Heart”…
… and open our eyes to the real purpose of our fasting and acts of penance.

“Knock… knock…
… Are you going to fast on Friday?”

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 – The Ten Commandments – The Third Commandment

In speaking of the sabbath Scripture recalls creation:
“For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day…

… therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it!” (CCC # 2169)

“Making a choice for Christ, who is with us, all the time!”

(Based on Deut 30:15-20 and Lk 9:22-25 – Thursday after Ash Wednesday)

A group of youngsters were making fun of the faith of an elderly man: “You show so much piety!

Maybe it’s because you belong to the old – generation!

We youngsters are modern and reasonable!

Faith is not compatible with our modern lifestyle!”

The elderly person, bemused, said, “Honestly, I don’t agree with what you say. All of you are actually people, who practise faith, on a day-to-day basis!”

“Really,” quipped the youngsters, “You like to prove that to us?”

The man of faith, took up the challenge and said: “Just think about this:

You go to a doctor, whose degrees you have never verified…
… and who often diagnoses based merely on external symptoms
He gives you a prescription, you cannot read
You take it to a pharmacist, you have never met
He gives you a chemical compound, whose composition you do not understand.
Then you go home, and take the pill, according to the instructions on the bottle.
… All in trusting, sincere faith!”

And he went on to say, “Remember, young men: faith has nothing to do with any generation!

Faith is all about making a choice.

And my Christian faith is all about me ‘making a choice for Christ, Who I know, is with me, all the time!'”

Do we realise that – knowingly or unknowingly – we are constantly making a number of “choices in life?”

Can we today, very consciously, “make a choice for Christ, who is with us, all the time?”

The Gospel of the Day presents the exhortation of Jesys to make a “choice for Him” – the Crucified Lord!

“If any man would come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Lk 9:23)

One of the key aspects, when we analyze the ministry of Jesus is that the Cross was an integral aspect of His life and ministry.

The Cross is a symbol…
… of total self-giving
… of total commitment

The Lord never shied away from the Cross.

And the Lord never shys away from teaching about the Cross.

He never used attractive advertisements to lure more followers…

He never preached an easy life to gather more disciples…

Instead, He preached and proclaimed the Cross!

And the choice before His followers is clear: “Choose Christ, by choosing the Cross!”

Lent is the time of getting back to the basics of our life…
… to re-dedicate our love and consecration to the Lord

The Lord sets before us choices, continually in life… (Cf. Deut 30:15)
… the choice of life and death
… the choice of good and evil
… the choice of blessings and curses

But all these promises of the Lord will be fulfilled, only if we seek to follow His commandments and to walk according to His paths.

The Lord promises much happiness and joy

But these will be delivered…
… only if we are determined and resolved to follow Him closer
… and to live in obedience to His commands!

The Cross was the choice of the Lord…
… a result of deep obedience and total commitment.

The Cross needs to be our choice too!
And this requires…
… deep obedience to the Will of the Lord
… total commitment to our call and consecration as a Christian

Are we ready to embrace this exhortation of the Lord?

Are we ready to get attracted to a life of the Cross – total discipline and deep dedication?

Let us realise that – knowingly or unknowingly – we are constantly making a number of “choices in life!”

Let us today, very consciously, “make a choice for Christ, who is with us, all the time!”

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 – The Ten Commandments – The Third Commandment

The third commandment of the Decalogue recalls the holiness of the sabbath:

“The seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD.” (CCC # 2168)