“Casting away pride and embracing humility and dependence on God!”

(Based on Hos 6:1-6 and Lk 18:9-14 – Saturday of the 3rd Week of Lent)

In the summer of 1986, two ships collided in the Black Sea off the coast of Russia.

Hundreds of passengers died as they were hurled into the icy waters below.

This news of the disaster was further darkened when an investigation revealed the real cause of the accident.
… it wasn’t a technology problem like radar malfunction
… it wasn’t a climate-related issue like thick fog.

The real cause was human stubbornness and pride!

Each captain was well aware of the other ship’s presence nearby.

Both could have steered clear…
… but according to news reports, neither captain wanted to give way to the other.

Each was too proud to yield first.

By the time they came to their senses, it was too late!

This is what stubbornness and pride can do…
… harm lives
… break hearts
… destroy reputations

The Gospel of the Day exhorts a strong message on this deadly vice of “being full of ourselves”
… in a single word – “Pride”.

Chapter 18 of the Gospel of St Luke begins with two parables, that teach on the aspect of Prayer.

The parable of the Widow who was persistent (Lk 18: 1-8)

The parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Lk 18: 9-14)

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector have interesting comparisons…
… with respect to the various gestures and actions that they take:

Both go up to the Temple area to pray…

The Pharisee took up his position…
… the tax collector stood off at a distance
The Pharisee spoke the prayer to himself…
… the tax collector would not even raise his eyes to heaven
The Pharisee spoke of his personal glories…
… the tax collector acknowledged being a sinner, in need of mercy.

Though the Gospel doesn’t speak of it, it seems that both, the Pharisee and the tax collector…
… had taken a mirror with themselves, when they went to pray!

A mirror… yeah!

But, the strange fact is that, both of them used the mirror in contrasting manners!

The Pharisee used the mirror and saw his many achievements and accomplishments…
… being unlike the rest of the sinful humanity like the greedy, dishonest or adulterous
… fasting twice a week
… pay tithes on his whole income

The tax collector, also used a mirror, but saw in it, his many failures and shortcomings…
… the moments when he had cheated others to have greater financial gains
… the times he had subjected himself to be a traitor by working against his own people
… the need to seek for God’s mercy acknowledging his sinfulness

Prayer is like a mirror…
… but it depends on one’s attitude and disposition what one sees

If one is filled with pride and self-conceit, one sees only one’s accomplishments…
… and thus pushes out God and replaces oneself as the source of all good works!

If one is truly humble and modest, one sees one’s weaknesses and limitations…
… and thus acknowledge the dependence on God and on His grace in life!

Prayer could be made into a time of reciting the litany of one’s great achievements…
…or prayer could be made into a moment of seeking God’s mercy and compassion.

Prayer could be made into an occasion to boast of oneself and put down others…
… or prayer could be made into a moment to see the glittering light of God guiding us.

What is our attitude and disposition?

Am I afflicted with the sickness of pride…
… which makes me to flaunt myself, at the expense of the other?
… which makes me to see myself as the greatest person in the world, casting aside all people and even God?

There is something of “this” Pharisee, perhaps, in all of us which needs to be shun…

There is something of “this” tax collector, which needs to be cultivated…

This “this”…
… is the need to cast away pride and the need to embrace humility and dependence on God!

Let us be willing to “give way to the other”
… so that we can avoid collision of lives
… and thus prevent harming lives, breaking hearts and destroying reputations!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

— Fr Jijo Jose Manjackal MSFS
Rome, Italy
Email ID: reflectioncapsules@gmail.com

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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 Fourth Commandment

The Fourth Commandment likewise concerns the ties of kinship between members of the extended family.
It requires honour, affection, and gratitude toward elders and ancestors.

Finally, it extends to the duties of pupils to teachers, employees to employers, subordinates to leaders, citizens to their country, and to those who administer or govern it. (CCC # 2199)

‘Choosing to respond in ‘holiness and faithfulness’ – with much love of God and neighbour – even in ‘harsh and fiery’ situations of life!”

(Based on Hos 14:2-10 and Mk 12:28-34 – Friday of the 3rd Week of Lent)

A missionary in a particular place came across a man who had bandaged and scarred hands.

When asked what had happened, he said, “My neighbour’s straw roof was on fire.

I helped him to put it out and that’s how my hands were burned.”

It was only later that the whole story was known.

The neighbour hated him and had in anger, set his roof on fire…
… while his wife and children were asleep in the hut.

They were in great danger.

Providentially, the Christian was able to put out the fire in his house on time.

But sparks flew over to the roof of the man who had set the house on fire…
… and his house started to burn.

There was no hate in the heart of this Christian!

There was only love for his enemy
And so, he did everything he could to put out the fire in his neighbour’s house.

That is how his own hands were burned!

Life was being pretty ‘harsh and fiery’ to him…
… but he chose to respond in ‘holiness and faithfulness!’

Am I ready to live a “life of love?”
… love that reaches out to the other in selflessness
… love that stems forth from a passionate love for God

The Gospel of the Day, is a challenging invitation to reflect on this fundamental aspect of our Christian Life.

The incident mentions a scribe, who had been watching his fellow-scribes in an argument with the Lord…
… and feeling impressed with Jesus, comes up to Him with a question:
“Which commandment is the first of all” (Mk 12:28)

We are not too sure of the motive of this scribe.

As per the versions of the same incident, in St Matthew (Mt 22:35) and St Luke (Lk 10:25), the person posed this question to Jesus, in order to “test him.”

The Markan version is however, silent on this aspect.

Whatever be the intention, the scribe most certainly was reflecting a common query…
… that was widespread among the teachers and scholars of the Law: Which is the first of all the commandments?

God had issued the Ten Commandments to the people of Israel.

These laws were intended for the people of Israel to be “distinguished” as the chosen nation of the Lord – chosen from among all others in the world.
These laws – simple and direct in nature – were aimed towards demanding a total loyalty from the people, to the Lord.

However, over time, these uncomplicated laws by which the people of Israel were to live…
… began to be expanded and extended and expounded.

It resulted in 613 commandments or stipulations:

365 of them (corresponding to the number of days in a year) were negative commandments, as in ” You shall not…”
And 248 of them (corresponding to the number of bones and major organs in the body, as per the Jewish understanding) were positive commandments, as in “You shall…”

When the Lord was asked to mention the First of all these Commandments…
… He puts forward the basis and the foundation of all these various laws, stipulations and commandments:
“You shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mk 12: 30)

And “You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Mk 12: 31)

Note the insistence on the word “all”….
… “all” your heart… feelings, emotions, desires
… “all” your soul… will, choices, decisions
… “all” your mind… reason, knowledge, memory
… “all” your strength… talents, abilities, capacities

The Lord commands a “total” and “complete” loving!

He does not permit compromises to let our wishes to slide through…
He demands an “absolute” and “unadulterated” love!

As Christians, we often…
… seek to find “loopholes” in laws of loving the Lord and our neighbour
Our selfishness often creeps in…
Our personal desires often spoil it…
Our sinful tendencies often gain an upper hand…

But the insistence of the Lord is clear:
“Love Fully”
“Love Totally”
“Love Completely”

This is the ideal to which we, as Christians are called!

If not for this loftiest ideal, our life as a Christian would fail to be different from others!

Each of us as Christians are called…
… “to be holy”
… “to be set apart”
… “to be different”

This holiness comes when we seek for the highest ideal…
… loving God totally and expressing this love wholly to our neighbour.

Life will often be ‘harsh and fiery’…

Let us choose to respond in ‘holiness and faithfulness!’

The call is indeed great and very lofty!

The Lord is knocking at the door of our hearts.

Let us, at this moment, place our hands on our heart, and answer Him:
“I LOVE YOU, LORD!”…
… and reach out this passionate love in service to one another!

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 Fourth Commandment

The fourth commandment is addressed expressly to children in their relationship to their father and mother…

… because this relationship is the most universal. (CCC # 2199)

“Allowing ourselves not to be ‘influenced and altered’ by the ways of the world!”

(Based on Jer 7:23-28 and Lk 11:14-23 – Thursday of the 3rd Week of Lent)

A group of two brothers were roaming in the forest, when they found a couple of tiny birds of the family of linnets.

When the boys got the birds home, they put the linnets in a cage, opposite the canary bird, which was tied in another cage.
(Canary birds are known to be “Singing Birds”)

They explained to their mother that they hoped the linnets – being so young – would learn to imitate the singing canary…
… Instead of cheeping as normally birds do, they expected them to sing (like the canary)

The next day the boys entered the room, and exclaimed:
“Mother, come here, look what has happened!

Our canary is cheeping like a linnet!”

The mother came in… and found it so!

Instead of the linnets learning to sing, the canary bird forgot its ability to sing!

Thus, the canary had to be separated from the wild birds of the wood and kept under cover for a time before regaining the singing ability.

Such is the case with Christians who allow themselves to “influenced and altered” by the ways of the world!

We may end up losing the “song of our Faith!”

Yes, Christian life requires that we be constantly “on the watch and guard”, because it is…
… a constant struggle between the forces of evil and the power of goodness…
… a relentless warfare between the coercion of sin and the strength of holiness…

The Gospel of the Day presents this struggle between…
… Jesus and the Pharisees
… the Holy One and the evil forces
… the Kingdom of Heaven and the kingdom of Satan

The Lord came to the world to usher in the Kingdom of God.

Bringing to forefront the Kingdom of Power and Holiness, the Lord casts out a demon from a person who is dumb. (Lk 11:14)

This mighty action of healing and deliverance had a tremendous effect…
… the dumb man spoke
… and the people marvelled.

But, this wondrous act of power and authority also triggered a volley of struggles…
… a struggle of words between the Pharisees and Jesus
… a teaching on the struggle between the Kingdom of God and the forces of evil

The Lord lashes out in authority and conviction, on being accused of siding with evil powers to cast out demons: “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste and a divided household falls” (Lk 11: 17)

Jesus makes it clear that one cannot be siding with negative forces in order to perform deeds of goodness and salvation!

This brings us to an important dimension that needs our honest and critical consideration:

Am I a person truly on the side of God when I engage in works and ministries of the Lord…
… but still continuing to be on the side of the Evil One by living a life of sin?

Am I a person imbued with the Spirit of the Holy Lord in professing to be a Christian…
… or am I living a dual-life by failing to give up immoral tendencies and obliging the evil spirit?

Am I a person who may be performing a lot of good works in the name of God…
… but failing to have an intimate relationship and union with the God of all power and glory?

Venerable Fr Peter Marie Mermier, the founder of the Congregation of the Missionaries of St Francis de Sales puts it beautifully:
“The ministry of a priest without prayer, is a barren ministry, without any effect, even harmful; it is a ministry of death!

Instead of enlightening, it blinds; instead of healing, it kills!

But the ministry of the one who prays, is a ministry of life!”

Christian life is not to be just defined by external works of piety and works…
… but is to be a reflection of the inner intimacy and relation with the Lord.

A true inner disposition and authority is a must to be effective and credible in our life.

I may find myself often in the “cage” of faith and unbelief…

But am I clear in taking the side of the Lord and Him alone?

I may find myself often in the “cage” of actions of goodness and temptations of the evil…

But am I convinced of taking the side of the Kingdom of God alone?

Christian Life is a constant struggle
… between the evil and good
… between the Devil and Jesus
… between the Kingdom of God and the powers of wickedness

Which side are we on?

Let us be careful not to allow ourselves to be “influenced and altered” by the ways of the world…
… so that we may not end up losing the “song of our Faith!”

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 Fourth Commandment

This commandment is expressed in positive terms of duties to be fulfilled.
It introduces the subsequent commandments which are concerned with particular respect for life, marriage, earthly goods, and speech.

It constitutes one of the foundations of the social doctrine of the Church. (CCC # 2198)

(Based on Deut 4:1, 5-9 and Mt 5:17-19 – Wednesday of the 3rd Week of Lent)

In the annals of legislative history…
… a seemingly trivial punctuation mark once wreaked havoc on the U.S. economy.

In 1872, Congress passed a tariff act intended to exempt “fruit-plants, tropical and semi-tropical, for the purpose of propagation or cultivation” from import duties.

However, a printer’s inadvertent insertion of a comma transformed the phrase into “fruit, plants, tropical and semi-tropical”
… (inadvertently adding a comma between the words: fruit and plants)
… And thus, granting all tropical fruits duty-free status!

Importers quickly took advantage…
… flooding the market with duty-free tropical fruits.

By the time the government realized the mistake, millions in revenue were lost.

(Source: Tariff Act of 1872, punctuation mishap; historical records of U.S. customs and tariffs.)

A single misplaced punctuation mark had rewritten the law and cost the nation dearly.

If one small comma could shake an entire economy, imagine how powerful is the smallest letter of God’s Word!

Jesus tells in today’s Gospel:
“Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of the letter will pass from the Law, until all things have taken place.” (Mt 5: 18)

The ‘smallest letter’ refers to Hebrew letter “Yod”

It is the smallest letter of the Hebrew Alphabet.

The ‘smallest part of the letter’ refers to the “thorn of the Yod”

It is just a small curve at the top of the letter, a light decoration on the letter “Yod”

Why was Jesus being so specific and particular in speaking about the Law?

What was Jesus meaning, by referring to the “tiniest” elements of the alphabet?

Jesus refers to the prime sanctity of God’s Word to His People.

This Word had now taken flesh (Jn 1: 14)
Jesus, the Word Incarnate, came to bring the Law to its fulfilment…
… not to undermine them.

While the Old Law could only show the mistake of the person…
… Jesus, the New Law would grant forgiveness and grace to the one who atones!

While the Old Law could only make the person to realise one’s faults…
… Jesus, the New Law would confer life and salvation to the one who repents!

When we consider the Gospel of St Matthew, we can consider the shift in emphasis:

Stage 1: In the initial part of the Gospel

Jesus says, “UNTIL HEAVEN AND EARTH PASS AWAY, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of the letter will pass from the LAW, until all things have taken place” (Mt 5: 18)

Stage 2: At the end of the Gospel

Jesus says, ” HEAVEN AND EARTH WILL PASS AWAY, but MY WORDS will not pass away” (Mt 24: 35)

There is a progressive shift in emphasis…
… from the LAW to the WORDS OF JESUS.

He is the perfection and the fulfilment of the Law!

This is the Divine Process of the unfolding of the plan of God’s Salvation for the world…
… finding its fulfilment and perfection in Jesus!

But this was not at the expense of the Old Law!

The Old Law is to be read, understood and practised, in the light of the New!
The New Law casts its illumining light on the Old, revealing life-giving messages!

As the classical saying goes:
“The New Testament is in the Old, concealed; the Old Testament is in the New, revealed”

What is the message for us, in this reflection?

The Great Power in the Promises of God in our life!

The Lord assures us, that none of His Promises will go unfulfilled in our life!

He guarantees that, He will bring His Word of Salvation to fulfilment in our life!

What is needed however…
… our openness to trust and believe in His Word!
… our willingness to make necessary changes, in the light of His Word!

The Lord assures us, with much emphasis:
“… Give heed to the statutes and ordinances which I teach you, and do them; that you may live…
… keep them and do them; for that will be your wisdom and your understanding” (Deut 4: 1, 6)

Let us not be afraid to seek perfection in obeying the Law of the Lord and keeping His commandments, remembering…
… that “the smallest details of God’s Word hold Great Power, because even a ‘Yod’ carries the weight of eternity!”

Let us know for sure: In God’s Word, there are no small details – only Divine precision!”

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 Fourth Commandment

The Lord Jesus himself recalled the force of this “commandment of God.”
The Apostle teaches: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother,’

… (This is the first commandment with a promise.) ‘that it may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth. (CCC # 2198)

“Allowing our Blessed Lord and Mamma Mary with St Joseph, to enter into the ‘train of our life’ and to have a journey of ‘joy and mirth!'”

(Based on the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord)

This simple and beautiful little story is told about a long, tedious train journey…
… made by some elderly residents of a nursing home who were on their way to a vacation spot.

At one station, a young mother with a small child entered the train.

The child smiled at all the grim faces around him and began moving from one lap to another…
… talking, shouting with joy and chatting with everyone.

Instantly, the grim and silent atmosphere in the train was changed to one of joy and happiness.

Today is the celebration of the day when our Blessed Lord and Mamma Mary entered into the “train of human life” to begin a journey of “joy and mirth!”

On this Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, we remember with joy and gratitude how Mary said: “Yes to the Divine Plan”….
… to pave the way for Her Divine Son Jesus to transform a hopeless, joyless and sinful world into a place of joy and happiness!

This Announcement of the Good News of the beginning of salvation history, with the encounter of the Blessed Virgin Mary with Angel Gabriel…
… is the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord.

Mother Mary, at the Annunciation, teaches us many things…

1. Mother Mary teaches the supreme goodness of obedience

Heaven had chosen a simple girl, Mary to be the Mother of Jesus, the Saviour.

When Angel Gabriel was sent to seek Her consent, Mary, after the initial moments of fear, bowed Herself in obedience:
“Behold, I am the Handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to Me, according to Your Word” (Lk 1: 38)

This obedience to God’s Will would turn out to be Her fortress and strength – in moments of uncertainty, loneliness, dread and agony.

2. “Faithfulness, thy true Daughter is Mary!”

One of the most outstanding qualities to be admired and imitated from our Blessed Mother is “to be faithful”

In Mother Mary, we have a person, who remained faithful at all times…
… even when there were dark clouds of unwarranted humiliation looming over her
… even when unforeseen difficulties encountered Her during the birth of Jesus
… even when she encountered many situations which She did not understand
… even when life surrounded her with agonising moments and heartbreaking instances

The “Fiat” at the Annunciation would be lived all through Her life

This act of being “faithful forever” resulted from the constant choices that She made to always listen and obey God’s Will.

3. Mary was ready to be moulded and shaped by God

When Mary was entrusted with the greatness of the task, She gave Herself readily to the power of God

She didn’t hold back anything
She was complete in Her surrender

It is when we offer ourselves wholly and be ready to be moulded and shaped by the Lord, that He can perform wonders through us.

4. Mary held on to Jesus as the Greatest Treasure of Her life

The greatness and the eminence of Mother Mary came as a result of Her single-minded focus and love: Everything for Jesus and in Jesus.

When in the womb…
… Her sole attention was on Jesus
While in the manger…
… Her whole care was for Jesus
While in His ministry…
… Her thoughts were centred on Him
While on the Cross…
… Her entire self rested on Him

It is when Jesus becomes the Treasure of our life, that our lives get enshrined in Grace and Holiness

5. Mary is the New Ark of the Covenant, bearing Jesus.

The Scriptures easily point to the fact that Mother Mary is the New Ark of the Covenant

The ark in the OT travelled to the land of Judah and remained for 3 months (2 Sam: 6:1-11)

The Ark in the NT, Mary travels to Judah, to meet Her cousin Elizabeth and remained for 3 months (Lk 1:39, 56)

David danced and leapt, and shouted before the ark in the OT (2 Sam 6:14)

In the NT, John, the babe, leapt and Elizabeth exclaimed with a loud cry before Mary (Lk 1: 41, 43)

Inside the ark of the Old Covenant was the manna – the miraculous bread from heaven, the staff of Aaron, the Priest and the tablets of the covenant (Heb 9:4)

The NT Ark, Mother Mary had within Her Jesus, the Bread of Life, Jesus, the Eternal Priest and Jesus, the Law-giving Word!

As the New Ark of the Covenant, Mother Mary deserves our highest veneration and honour…
… which will lead us to a greater closeness and intimacy with the One, She derives all Her praise – Jesus, Her Son and our Brother!

(The last book of the Bible testifies to this greatness of the “Ark of the Covenant…
… now present in the temple of God, in heaven – “Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple..” [Rev 11:19])

Let us embrace Mary, the beautiful instrument chosen by God…
… and be led to love the Lord more!

The Feast of the Annunciation is an invitation for us:

To grow deeper into embracing the Will of God in our lives.
To give consent to the inspirations of the Lord that come constantly to us.
To be open to march forward in faith and hope, in our life of faith in the Lord.

The Lord is wishing to find a place in a willing heart, even today…

Just as Mary, our Loving Mother, who said Yes to the Will of the Lord, let us also say Yes to God’s Will…
… and allow our Blessed Lord and Mamma Mary with St Joseph, to enter into the “train of our life” and to have a journey of “joy and mirth!”

Happy Feast of the Annunciation.

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 Fourth Commandment

Jesus said to his disciples: “Love one another even as I have loved you.”
Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the Lord your God gives you.

He was obedient to them. (CCC # 2198)

“Surrendering ourselves to the Truth and falling to our knees and saying, ‘Lord, I believe in You!'”

(Based on 2 Kgs 5:1-15 ab and Lk 4:24-30 – Monday of the 3rd Week of Lent)

He was brilliant.

A scholar.
A man of reason.
He had built his entire life around logic and intellect…
… dismissing faith as nothing more than outdated superstition.

Whenever someone spoke about God, he would scoff…
… armed with arguments to tear their beliefs apart.

He was certain – absolutely certain – that Christianity was a fairy tale for the weak-minded.

But then, something began to happen.

Truth – relentless, unshakable truth – kept pressing in.

He found himself surrounded by great minds – writers, philosophers, professors – many of whom were deeply convinced of God’s existence.

This phenomenon baffled him: ‘How could such intelligent people believe in something he had always dismissed?’

And then, there was the person of Jesus.
The Gospels.

The undeniable weight of His words.
The historical reality of His life, death, and resurrection.

He resisted the naked Truth standing before him!

He fought and argued with himself.

Accepting this truth meant surrender.

It meant admitting he was wrong.
And that terrified him.

But the Truth would not let go.

One night, alone in his room, he felt it closing in, undeniable, inescapable.
And finally, he broke.

He later wrote: “I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed…
… describing himself as “the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England”
… and admitted that he fought against faith until he could no longer deny the truth.

That man was C.S. Lewis.

(C.S. Lewis was one of the greatest minds of the 20th century – a brilliant Oxford professor, a master of logic – and a man whose writings would inspire millions in the defence of the Church)

Lewis would later write:
“The hardness of God is kinder than the softness of men, and His compulsion is our liberation.”

Yes, Truth doesn’t change to fit our pride…
… our pride must bow to the truth.”

Rejecting God doesn’t make Him less real…
… it just makes it harder for us to see!

A proud mind rejects the plans and workings of God in one’s life, and makes one to say:

“I can manage my life by myself!”
“I know what’s best for me! None need to teach me!”

How often do we do the same?

When God speaks to us and when He calls us beyond our comfort zones, do we resist?

The Gospel of the Day presents the rejection of Jesus, in the Synagogue at Nazareth, by the people, who displayed a proud mentality, a haughty spirit and an arrogant heart.

Jesus, is in His hometown.

He entered the synagogue and began to teach.

Though initially, there was a wave of excitement…
… the words of Jesus caused a major setback to the people.

This caused the people to reject Jesus…
… they even try to kill Him (Lk 4:29-30)

St Luke uses a very strong word to describe the feelings of the people…
“When the people in the synagogue heard, they were all ‘filled with fury'”

Or another translation… “… they were all ‘filled with wrath'”

When one’s pride is hurt…
…. One tends to become angry and hurt

When one is made to get out of one’s comfort zones…
… one tends to become restless and agitated.

This is what happened to the people in the Synagogue.

Their pride was hurt..
… because Jesus spoke to them on the need to be humble, and accept the “all-embracing” love of the Lord!

They were made to get out of the comfortable zones…
… because Jesus spoke to them on the need to change their closed ways of thought-pattern, and to accept the “all-merciful” invitation to the Kingdom of God!

This “instigation” can happen in our life too…

When we are challenged to move out of our “traditional” style of thinking…
…. and accept instead, the merciful and compassionate ways of God

When we are forced to change our crippling attitudes of rejecting people on the basis of caste, creed, colour, language etc…
… and accept instead, the “all-welcoming” style of the Kingdom of God

Human tendency it is, to sometimes “get used to” comfortable situations…
… even if they are fruitless or unproductive and useless

In 2 Kings 5:1-15, Naaman’s initial pride and resistance to Elisha’s simple solution reflects the human tendency…
… to “resist change and to move out of the comfort zone!”

The Lord today, invites and challenges us in our proud mentality, a haughty spirit and an arrogant heart.

There is a constant invitation by Jesus:
“Learn from Me… for I am gentle and humble in heart”

God’s truth will always challenge us.

The only question is: when it stands before us, will we fight it?
… or can we fall to our knees and say, “Lord, I believe in You!”

Let us learn from the Gentle and Humble ways of the Lord, and become persons, who are open to the workings of the Holy Spirit.

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 Fourth Commandment

God has willed that, after him, we should honor our parents…
… to whom we owe life and who have handed on to us the knowledge of God.

We are obliged to honor and respect all those whom God, for our good, has vested with his authority. (CCC # 2197)