“Beautifying our life not just with an outer show, but with an inner glow!”

(Based on 1 Thess 2:9-13 and Mt 23:27-32 – Wednesday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1)

Here is an incident (though perhaps a little silly one) from a short film, which captures a great essence of an aspect of our society…

A college girl, is giving her Viva (oral) examinations.

When the professor asks her a particular question, she goes into a deep thinking-recollecting mode.

The professor gives one or two clues to help the girl to help her answer it.
But she still fails to get the answer.

Seeing her desperation, the professor, noticing also a tear or two in her eyes, out of compassion says, “Do not be too worried! Please don’t cry!”

The girl, who had come to the exam with heavy make-up, quickly composed herself and said:
“No Sir! Don’t worry, I will not cry!

After all, I can’t allow my tears to spoil this heavy make-up, that I have applied, with much difficulty and care!!”

Well, this incident might sound a bit funny or slightly bent towards exaggeration..
… but it still does capture an important trend that is constantly on the rise in our societies today: A Cosmetic-Culture!

This Cosmetic-Culture is not merely to be considered in connection to the cosmetics or items of make-up.

It is in fact an increasing trend that seeks to make inroads into every aspect of our life…
… social, political, economic
… or even religious!

Cosmetic-Culture could be described as a “tendency to project entities/things with an external beauty and with a greater visual appeal, without necessarily ensuring the actual quality from within!”

The presence of Cosmetic-Culture can be seen in various strands of our living…

Socially (in communities, families, nations etc), there is a lot of discrimination on the basis of colour, language, caste etc…
…but the “cosmetic-culture” presents the society in such a way, that everything seems to be fine and all are living in unity and happiness!

Politically, there is a great deal of hidden agenda, back-biting and differences in ideologies among the political parties or groups…
… but the “cosmetic-culture” covers-up the ‘evil intents’, causing many of such “opposing” parties to join hands and to be seen as being united, for their own selfish interests!

Economically, there are enormous cases of poverty on the rise, in different parts of the world and people missing out on even the basic essentials etc…
… but the “cosmetic-culture” puts a mask on all such “stark realities” and gives an impression as if there is only growth, development and prosperity!

The Gospel of the Day presents Jesus sharply lashing out at the “Cosmetic-Culture” existing in our religious practices, with a clarion call to do away with such “hypocritical” trends and tendencies!

Continuing His prophetic denunciation of the practices of the religious leaders of His times, Jesus comes down heavily on the Pharisees and Scribes by comparing then to “white-washed tombs”

“Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like white-washed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness!” (Mt 23: 27)

Tombs of Palestine, in the time of Jesus, were painted with a lime paste or whitewash, at the start of the year.

There was a two-fold purpose to this:

1. It would helps in easy identification of the tomb, so that it could be avoided
2. t would help in the beautification of the tomb, so that it could be admired

Jesus likens the Pharisees and the Scribes to these white-washed tombs…

Just as the white-washed tombs would clearly hide the decayed stuff within…
… these religious leaders, by the external shows of piety, would hide their decayed character of deceit, falsehood, duplicity and fraud!

Just as the white-washed tombs would look wonderful on the outside, but would be full of filth and disgust inside…
… these religious leaders, would impress all with their strict ritualistic-practices, but would be full of dishonesty, falsity and deviousness!

They had probably mastered the art of being “Cosmetically-Cultured” – projecting themselves with an external beauty and with a greater visual appeal but without ensuring the actual quality from within!

This then is the danger to which we are exposed to…
… Is my spiritual and religious life also “Cosmetically-Cultured?”

I may be known to be exemplary in my prayers and a role-model in my strict following of Christian practices…
… but is it just a “cosmetic” to hide my inner vices and to cover-up my sinful tendencies?

I may be appearing to be a very a charitable person in extending a lot of material help in many causes…
… but is it just a “cosmetic” to conceal my hidden agenda or a means to boost my ego and inflate my pride?

I may be considered as a very social person – always jovial, cracking “many” jokes and being a “happening” person…
… but is it just a “cosmetic” to mask my inner-wounds and pains, to veil my own complexes or to trigger opportunities to gratify some of my desires?

Our generation is gravely exposed to this “Cosmetic-Culture” and perhaps many of us, knowingly or unknowingly, become proponents of the same.

A generation which focusses only on the peripherals of life and fails to give consideration to the core and inner dimensions is bound to doom!

A quotation by a modern-day American politician goes thus:
“If you look at great human civilizations, from the Roman Empire to the Soviet Union…
… you will see that most do not fail simply due to external threats…
… but because of internal weakness, corruption, or a failure to manifest the values and ideals they espouse!”

It requires the power, grace and strength in the Lord to become counter-witnesses to this “Cosmetic-Culture”

As Christians, our beauty in life ought to spring forth from an integrated life of faith!

The deeper that one is united with Christ…
… the lesser will be the dependence on “external shows” and greater will be the harmony and attractiveness of one’s life!

We celebrate today the Feast of St Monica, that exemplary mother-saint, who was ever-vigilant in interceding for her child, to get back to the ways of the Lord.

She becomes an example for us to be always be focused on the Lord, and wait in patience and hope!

Her prayers bore fruit in St Augustine, the Great Doctor of the Church

May her intercession and example inspire us to live authentic and sincere Christian lives…
… and “beautify our life not just with an outer show, but with an inner glow!”

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 Fifth Commandment – Respect for human life

Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide. (CCC # 2282)

“Living authentic and sincere Christian lives!”

(Based on 1 Thess 2:1-8 and Mt 23:23-26 – Tuesday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1)

In Milan, Italy stands a cathedral featuring a wonderful entrance, in which one has to pass through three doors, in succession.

Each of these doors has an arch, with an inscription.

Over the first door is carved a beautiful wreath of roses.
Underneath is written, “All that which pleases, is but for a moment”

Over the second door, is sculptured a cross.

Underneath is written, “All that which troubles, is but for a moment”

Over the third door – which is the great entrance to the main isle, is written:

“That only is important, which is eternal!”

Do thoughts of eternity, permeate us and cast its radical influence in our every belief and action?
… Or am I stuck to being busy with the affairs of external trifles and obsessed with being engaged in only the ‘peripherals’ of life?

Am I a person plagued with only the “external” fantasies of life…
… Or am I growing to be a person making the right ‘priorities’ in life and choosing to make choices for a hopeful eternity?

The Gospel of the Day presents our Blessed Lord lashing out at the Scribal and Pharisaic attitudes of “being obsessed with the mere unimportant aspects of life”…
… and instead, invites us to “being interested in the real necessities and true essentials of life”

Jesus, in today’s Gospel passage makes a two-pronged attack on the religious leaders of His time:
“… tithing mint and dill and cumin and neglecting the weightier matters of the law – justice and mercy and faith” (Mt 23:23)

Mint was a garden herb which had a fragrant smell. It was used to sprinkle the floors of the houses and synagogues.
Dill, also known as Anise, was a plant used as a spice and in medicine
Cumin, was a plant with seeds that have a bitter warm taste and an aromatic flavour

The Jewish Law required that a “tenth of the produce of the earth” be given as tithe (Lev 27:30)

This ‘produce of the earth’ was generally considered only to be limited to the common grains and items like corn, oil, wine etc.

Tiny garden herbs were not considered part of it.

However, the religious leaders, in their over-zeal to keep the law, made it a point to include even the minutest herbs, in their ‘tithing custom’.

Unfortunately, this over-zeal for the “peripheral and externals” of the law, made them to completely neglect the more important requirements of the law…
… the fragrant ‘mint’ of “justice” was denied to those in need
… the spiced ‘dill’ of “mercy” was not offered to those suffering
… the aromatic ‘cumin’ of “faith” was not displayed in situations where it mattered most

Transient aspects of life had far-overtaken their priorities over the eternal truths required from life!
“… cleansing the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside being full of extortion and rapacity” (Mt 23: 25)

The Jewish oral law gave rules and regulations with respect to washing and cleansing – of oneself and of the vessels used.

However, the religious leaders, in their “strict external observance” of the Law, completely missed in having also an internal purification…
… the washing of the ‘dirt’ on the outside failed to wash the ‘dirt’ of greed and avarice from their minds
… the cleaning of the ‘stains’ on the external were unable to cleanse the ‘stains’ of materialism and covetousness in their hearts

Transient aspects of life had far-overtaken their priorities over the eternal truths required from life!

And so the Lord charges them with “a vocabulary of strong condemnation” – ‘Hypocrites’ – in order to make them realize their mistake.

Theirs was a case of misplaced priorities of life

Are we in the same boat as that of these Pharisees and Scribes?

Are we also people who invest a great deal on the “externals and peripherals of life”…
… but fail to give any priority or importance to the “true, real and eternal aspects of life?”

I may be a person who, perhaps, spends a lot of time on prayer, reading the Bible, engaging in devout activities etc
…. But do these pious actions also make me to become a person of “humility, service and grow in genuine relationships with one another?”

I may be a person who likes to participate in Church Fests and engaging in a lot of works for the Church and even contributing materially much
…. But do these ‘great actions of charity’ also help me to grow in my love for the Lord, personally and also help me to reach out to the poor and needy, in their craving for love and acceptance?

I may be a person who treasures having the statues and relics of saints, garlanding holy statues and offering them flowers, collecting exquisite rosaries, medals and other religious articles etc
…. But do these ‘external objects’ help me to look deeper into myself so that I too may grow deeper in serving the Lord with a spirit of self-sacrifice and dependence on God?

The Lord does not object to any of our “external” actions of piety or devotions.

But He certainly challenges and indisputably impels us to ‘grow beyond the peripherals’…
… and to focus on the ‘weightier aspects of our faith in Him’

This ‘focus on the greater essentials’ will definitely…
… cause inconvenience in our comforts
… and challenge us to be humbler

It is, however, this “proper prioritizing” that our Blessed Lord demands of us!

Let us live authentic and sincere Christian lives, realizing always…
… “That only is important, which is eternal!”

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 Fifth Commandment – Respect for human life

If suicide is committed with the intention of setting an example, especially to the young…
… it also takes on the gravity of scandal.

Voluntary co-operation in suicide is contrary to the moral law. (CCC # 2282)

“Doing away with the habit of hypocrisy, and genuinely growing in authenticity and faithfulness!”

(Based on 1 Thess 1:1-5, 8b-10 and Mt 23:13-22– Monday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1)

A common story is told of two brothers who were well-known for their crooked business dealings and underworld connections.

They were highly mean and cold-blooded in their dealings.

Eventually, one of the brothers died.

The surviving brother wanted to give his dead brother, a funeral, fit for a king.
He called the funeral home and made all the arrangements.

Then he called a famous minister of the town, and promised him a huge amount of money…
… with the condition, that in his funeral speech, the minister would call his brother ‘a saint!’

The minister agreed.

The whole town turned out for the funeral…
… and the minister began: “The man you see in the coffin, was a vile and debauched individual.

He was a liar, a thief, a deceiver, a manipulator, a reprobate, and a hedonist.
He destroyed the fortunes, careers, and lives of countless people in this city, some of whom are here today.
This man did every dirty, rotten thing you can think of.

But…
But… I must tell you one important thing as well…

Compared to his brother here
… this man who is lying down dead
… was a saint!”

The world today has many people who seek to only “put on a show from the outside”…
… to gain name and fame
… to earn a good repute in the society

But “within” are full of corruption and deceit!

Do I also carry this tendency of only putting on an “external show”…
… But fail to possess true and inner virtues?

The Gospel of the Day mentions people who had achieved a sort of expertise in the field of “putting on a show from outside”…
… and making people believe by their subtle behaviours

The group of Scribes and Pharisees

Jesus, during His ministry on the earth, always interacted with one kind of a sinner or another.

And it’s amazing to see the way He treated them all…

Sinners were recieved with dignity
Prostitutes were given respect and worth
Tax collectors were accorded value and importance
Lepers were offered acceptance and favour
He forgave people’s sins as He healed their broken and diseased bodies.

Jesus loved sinners…
… he loved them so much, that He wanted them to be released from the clutches of Satan!

But JESUS HATES SIN!

He hates sin very much…
… and rebuked it whenever He could!

One of the sins to which He had great adversity…
… was the sin of hypocrisy!

This sin was accorded some of his best (or worst?) condemning words!

The English word, “hypocrite,” comes from the Greek word “hupokrites”…
… which is the Greek word for “actor.”

Jesus today vehemently and quite heatedly labels the Pharisees and Scribes as ‘Hypocrites!’

The sin of Hypocrisy is a deadly one…

Have I become a prey to this deadly and poisonous Sin?

I am hypocritical…
… when I profess to be a Christian, but don’t seek to live the Gospel values in my life!

I am hypocritical…
… when I say I love God above all, but don’t find even few moments to be with Him in prayer!

I am hypocritical…
… when I say I love others, but constantly hurt them with my words and fail to appreciate them!

I am hypocritical…
… when I receive the Eucharist, but fail to even try to give my life in service for others!

I am hypocritical…
… when I recite many prayers, but do not seek to listen to, or to do God’s Will in my life!

I am hypocritical…
… when I, as a Priest/Consecrated, fail to give God the first place in my life!

I am hypocritical…
… if as a Church member, I fail to even try to follow her commands and regulations!

The habit of hypocrisy is a lethal one…

Have I become a victim to this noxious and fatal habit?

When we read this passage of the Gospel.. we must also keep in mind one basic principle: Jesus is not making a blanket condemnation of the whole group of people…
… rather He criticizes and condemns the attitude and their mentality

The sin is hated…
… not the sinner!

The sin is to be thrown away…
… but the sinner is given a chance to repent!
The Pharisee is not hated…
… but pharisaism is condemned!

The Lord is a tough task-master, when it comes to sin

He does not dilute His teachings and His policies.

Such condemning passages and harsh extracts may leave us with a feeling..
“All these demands of the Lord seem all too difficult for me…

Who at all can live in perfection?
Is there any person who can claim not be living in duplicity?
I fail to find a good example in today’s world…
… and therefore, I think, this is neither practical nor feasible!”

But the Lord rushes to our rescue and tells: “What’s impossible for humans, is possible for God!

What is needed is a genuine attempt at perfection…
… a true longing and disposition, to be free from duplicity
… a solid motivation to live a harmonious life”

We may be “acting” very well in the stage of life – maybe knowingly, maybe unknowingly

But today, the Lord wants us to examine our lives…
… and set things right!!

With deep love, He encourages and motivates us through St Paul and his companions, “… we constantly pray for you; may our God make you worthy of His calling. >> May He, by His power, fulfill your good purposes and your work prompted by faith!” (2 Thess 1:11-12)

Let us do away with the habit of hypocrisy…
… and genuinely grow in authenticity and faithfulness!

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 Fifth Commandment – Respect for human life

Suicide offends love of neighbour because it unjustly breaks the ties of solidarity with family, nation, and other human societies to which we continue to have obligations.

Suicide is contrary to love for the living God. (CCC # 2281)

“Experiencing life with Him, in eternity, saying: ‘Plus Ultra – More Beyond'”

(Based on Isaiah 66:18-21, Heb 12:5-7, 11-13 and Lk 13:22-30 – 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle C)

It is said that Hercules, the Greek mythological figure constructed two pillars near the Straits of Gibraltar…
… to mark the edge of the then known world.

These pillars had a warning on them: “Ne plus ultra – No More Beyond.”

This was a warning to sailors and navigators to go no farther!

Till the 1400s, this belief was so strong…
… that “Ne Plus ultra” was written on the edge of the maps
… that Spain even adopted that phrase as their national motto.

But in 1492, Christopher Columbus set sail into the unfamiliar areas of the world…
Unknown waters were explored
New lands were discovered

After his death in 1506 in Valladolid, Spain, a memorial was built in honour of Columbus.

A peculiar yet very interesting feature of this memorial is the statue of a lion, destroying one of those Latin words…

The word being torn away by the lion is “ne”

Thus, the motto is made to read: “Plus Ultra – More Beyond!”

And this indeed is the truth of human life: There certainly is “More Beyond”

“More Beyond” this present materialistic life
“More Beyond” the transitory nature of this earthly life

Human beings, by nature, are inquisitive and curious.

There is a tendency to seek to know many things.

One of the prime aspects among all such seeking are the questions concerning the life after this life.
What will happen after I die?
Where will I go after my death?

Is there such thing called as a heaven or hell?
Will God really punish or will He lavish the license of heaven to all?

Such eschatological questions often disturb our minds & we become a bit perplexed over an uncertain future.

The Gospel of the Day presents such an eschatological question being posed to Jesus: “Lord, will only a few be saved?” (Lk 13:23)

Jesus, has a very unique way of dealing with questions and doubts.

When we scan through some of such incidents, wherein Jesus has been asked a question or a doubt…
… we often find that He either doesn’t give a straight answer or sometimes even doesn’t give any answer…

A lawyer comes to Jesus and asks, “Who is my neighbour?” (Lk 10:29)
… Jesus doesn’t give a direct answer; instead responds with the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

Some people tell Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the sacrifices, and expected Jesus to make some comments (Lk 13:1)
… Jesus doesn’t explicit a clear teaching; instead responds with the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree.

In today’s Gospel incident too, Jesus is asked about how many will be saved.

But Jesus chooses to respond with the Illustration of the Narrow Door.

Why does Jesus do so?

Why does He not respond directly to such questions, and instead answer in some other form?

One of the tendencies among many believers, including perhaps some of us, is that…
… we tend to miss the actual point, in the process of discussion.
… we fail to grasp the actual thing needed, in the course of many doubts.

We wonder about who all will be saved…

We wonder when this world will come to an end.
We wonder how many people will make to heaven
We wonder how many will get cast into hell.

These simple questions lead to complicated ones…

What about people who have never heard about God?
What about those souls in distant lands who never had a chance to know what is God?

These complicated questions further leads to some drastic conclusions (sadly!)…

What kind of God sends people to hell?
If the God of the Bible is so cruel, then I don’t want to believe in Him!
I would better not believe in any God and rather live my life the way I want!

Well… this is the sad part!

It’s not that questionings or doubts are bad…or not that they are not encouraged…

But sometimes, such interrogations make us to miss the main point.

We get so entangled with doubts of the future, that we fail to prepare for the future.

But Jesus brings home to point…

What is needed utmost is an upright life…
… in faith and in repentance.
What is most needed is to live a life pleasing to God…
… and in seeking to do His Will.
This is the narrow way.

To live a life of faith, in the midst of challenges and crises, is hard!

To live in total repentance and brushing aside sin at every point of life, is hard!
To live a life seeking to live in tune with God’s Will, even if it is demanding, is hard!

This is the narrow way, to which the Lord invites us.

Let us not get too much webbed in the questions and doubts, and lose focus of what’s most needed…
… Faith, Repentance and Doing His Will.

Yes, we are not to get stuck with the motto “Ne plus ultra – No More Beyond!”

Instead, Jesus, the Lion of Judah destroys that word “ne”…
.. and invites us to experience life with Him, in eternity, saying: “Plus Ultra – More Beyond!”

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 Fifth Commandment – Respect for human life

Suicide contradicts the natural inclination of the human being to preserve and perpetuate his life.

It is gravely contrary to the just love of self. (CCC # 2281)

“Doing away with ‘calculative and hypocritical’ tendencies and adopting the ‘way of humility and truth!””

(Based on Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17 and Mt 23:1-12 – Saturday aof the 20th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1)

Here is an interesting letter from a boy to a girl:

“Dearest Marie,
No words could ever express the great unhappiness I’ve felt…
… since breaking our engagement.

Please say you’ll take me back.
No one could ever take your place in my heart, so please forgive me.
I love you, I love you, I love you!

Yours forever, Jimmy

P.S., And yeah… congratulations on winning the state bumper lottery!”

Well…
… that’s how very often, our attitudes and approaches in life are!

We tend to get very manipulative

And thus, often, we end up being…
… calculative and hypocritical in our relations

The call of the Gospel is to do away with this “hypocritical and tactical” tendency…
… and to adopt the “way of humility and truth!”

Am I a person who is willing to lower myself in humility?

Jesus says in today’s Gospel, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Mt 23: 12)

The 23rd Chapter of the Gospel of St Matthew begins with Jesus turning the attention of His disciples and of the crowds…
… towards the Scribes and the Pharisees.

Focusing on the religious leaders and on their practices, Jesus launches a volley of critically true statements about their wicked misdeeds!

The chapter ends with the “Painful Lament” by Jesus over Jerusalem – the city of the Lord!

One of the highlights in this highly volatile and strongly-worded chapter is the number of times Jesus mentions the two groups of people – “Scribes and Pharisees”

There is, in total, 7 occurrences of the phrase, “Scribes and Pharisees” – a biblical number for totality!

This chapter is a therefore, a full-blown critique and condemnation of the ways of the Scribes and Pharisees.

Why is Jesus so outright in His condemnation, so merciless in His usage of words and so blatant in His attacks on the Scribes and Pharisees?

[Meanwhile, when we go through these critical attacks of our Blessed Lord on this group, one must always remember the words of Jesus Himself: “I have come not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Lk 5:32)

There was deep pain in the heart of the Lord, in seeing the way religion was being manhandled, misused and misinterpreted by the religious leaders of His time

As the Son of His Beloved Father, it was hurting for the Son to see a section of people, trampling upon God’s precious and venerable truths…
… and twisting them for their own self-interests and self-agenda
A strong form of condemnation was reserved only to those who were hardened in heart – as a means for them to repent and turn back their ways to the Lord.

The method of ‘sharp condemnation’ was reserved only to the proud and the arrogant; never to the poor sinners!]

The reason for Jesus making a scathing attack on the religious authorities of His times…
… could be summarized into one crucial point: Glorification of one’s own self at the expense of the Glory of God and the Mercy deserving for His people!

Therefore, Jesus goes on to point out the many occasions and circumstances when the Self-Interest of the Pharisees and Scribes took extreme priority over God Himself!

It is this self-centred and self-glorifying act that makes Jesus to tell, “For they preach, but they do not practise!” (Mt 23: 3b)

How easily can this be our own state of affairs, in our life…!

We may be people…
… who “appear” to be very fine and kind – but perhaps, we are persons who find it too hard to let go of our pride, in reaching out to the needy, in humble service!
… who speak a lot on helping others and being generous – but perhaps, we go through grilling moments in lowering ourselves and adopting a lowly status to extend a helping hand!
… who desire happiness in communities and peace at homes – but perhaps, we discover
ourselves to be persons who are unwilling to let go of our ego, and allow a listening ear to the opinions of others!

The call, today, therefore is…
… to “work for a cause – not applause!”
… to “live life to express – and not simply to impress!”

We are called to avoid being calculative and manipulative!

Yes, let’s adopt the way of humility and truth, remembering that…
… Faith is ‘not about looking holy, but living holy!’

Let us seek the intercession of St Rose of Lima, whose feast we celebrate today.

She is the patroness of gardeners, florists…
… and all the people who are ridiculed/misunderstood for their piety!

May her words inspire us: “Apart from the cross, there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven!”

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 Fifth Commandment – Respect for human life

We are obliged to accept life gratefully…
… and preserve it for his honor and the salvation of our souls.
We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us.

It is not ours to dispose of. (CCC # 2280)