This is because in India, the Memorial of Sts Timothy and Titus will be on Jan 27.

Jan 26 is the day with a special Liturgy, on the occasion of the Republic Day of India.

Thank you. God Bless! 😊

“Praying and working with sincere commitment, knowing that Truth alone triumphs!”

(Based on 1 Tim 2:1-8 and Jn 8:31-42 – Monday of the 3rd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2 – Republic Day of India)

There is a simple fable, perhaps known to many of us… of a swan….

The swan – white, beautiful and spotless – was pitying a poor pig, who was in its muddy environment.

It began to describe to the pig, that further up the river, there was a beautiful country – with green banks and rising slopes.

The swan invited the pig to join the happy company of the white swans that lived in that “pleasant country”.

The pig was pretty fascinated and was willing to go.

But it asked a question: “Is there any marshy swamp in that pleasant country?”

“Oh no!” replied the swan, “the land is free from all mud and mire”

“Ah Hmm…” said the pig with face cast-down, “In that case, I am sorry, I cannot accompany you!

I must stay here in the swamp!”

An invitation to move from the dirty swamp to a pleasant country was extended…
… but the offer was refused and rejected!

So true is this fable, with respect to our own experience in spiritual life.

We are constantly exhorted, to advance to live in holiness and purity…
… but we stubbornly choose to inhabit in sin, shame and ignorance!

We are often invited, to move into a life of spotlessness and sanctity…
… but we remain satisfied to dwell with the unclean and dirty things of life!

The Gospel of the Day is an account of the Jews getting into arguments with Jesus on the question of His Divinity.

The Lord invites them open their eyes to see and experience the Truth…
… but they close their minds, and choose to remain stubborn, in their own understanding

The Lord exposes before them the futility of being ignorant and the advantage of knowing the Truth…
… but they wilfully choose to remain stuck in their past knowledge and be unwilling to open their hearts to possibilities of change.

Jesus, the Truth-Incarnate, declares:
“You will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free” (Jn 8: 31)

But the people retorted and answered: “… we have never been enslaved…” (Jn 8: 33)

They considered slavery from only a physical perspective!

They were extremely offended when Jesus considered them to be slaves!

But Jesus brings the focus into right perspective (as He does always!), and speaks of a deadlier form of slavery and a higher form of freedom…

A slavery to Sin…
… that causes one to be away from God and His people

A slavery to ignorance and error…
… that causes one to be closed to God’s Word and prevent His transformation to take place within

He invites to receive Freedom in Him…
… that enjoins with knowing and doing the Father’s Will
… that liberates one from the bondages of death, and leads into peace and joy!

The danger to remain stagnant in sinful or ignorant ways constantly lurks in our life:

The Truth of the Bible is often presented to us in appealing and interesting formats…
… but we often seek to remain ignorant or don’t show any interest to read and understand God’s Word

The beauty of the Sacramental Life and the Teachings of the Church is laid before our eyes…
… but we time and again, tend to be lethargic, casual and sometimes even, hostile to them

Our eyes often come into contact with the suffering lot of people, in and around us…
… but many times, we turn a blind eye to them and remain indifferent in our cosy lifestyle

Each of us needs a purification…

Each of us needs a movement…

A purification from our stubborn ways to a life of obedience and docility to God’s Word

A movement from a sluggish life of faith to being a fervent and committed Christian

Yes, Jesus is constantly extending His Nail-Scarred Hands to lead us to the “pleasant country” of holiness and sanctity.

Let us not deny his invitation and say:
“Ah Hmm…! I am sorry, I cannot accompany You!
I must stay here in the swamp!”

Instead, let us make a self-examination of our state of life…
… realize the need to have a purification and a movement…
… and embrace and live with Jesus, the Truth, “Who sets us free!”

As India celebrates the Republic Day, we pray that we may truly experience freedom and liberation…
… and constantly pray and work with sincere commitment to the Nation and to the Kingdom of God
… knowing that “Satyameva Jayate” – Truth alone triumphs!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Avoiding all ‘lame’ excuses and wholeheartedly accepting the Mission Mandate of the Lord, inspired by the example of St Timothy and St Titus!”

(Based on Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops)

A lady – affected much with polio – and able to walk with just one leg approached a visa desk to go to the missions in the land of Africa.

She had been greatly influenced by the call of the Lord in the Gospels, to “be a missionary” and so decided to give her life totally for the missions.

The visa officer – himself a Christian – after reviewing and verifying her documents…
… had one last question to be ask, before giving the approval:
“Can you give me a convincing answer as to why, with just one leg, you are taking up this risky mission journey?”

The lady, with a grin replied: “Well, I don’t find those with two legs going!”

The visa request was immediately granted!

Zeal for missions… zeal for reaching out in help and service
… is a task entrusted to every Christian.

Do we wholeheartedly accept this responsibility…
… or do we make ‘lame’ excuses and avoid this mandate?

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St Timothy and St Titus…
… Bishops in the early Church and close companions of St Paul

1) St Timothy…
… (came from Lystra in present-day Turkey) was the son of a Jewish mother and a non-Jewish father

After St. Paul’s visit to Timothy’s home region of Lycaonia, around the year 51, the young man joined the apostle and accompanied him in his travels.
St Paul later sent him to Thessalonica to help the Church during a period of persecution.

Later, they came together in Corinth, and Timothy accompanied Paul on many of his missionary travels.

Around the year 64, Timothy became the first bishop of the Church of Ephesus.

In the year 93 AD, during his leadership of the Church in Ephesus, he took a stand against the worship of idols and was consequently killed by a mob.

St. John retreated to Ephesus before eventually dying on the island of Patmos, and that the Virgin Mary followed John to Ephesus, living in a house above the town.

It is also quite possible, that St. Timothy – being the Bishop of Ephesus – also had interactions with Mother Mary and St John, who had (as many scholars say and many writings testify) spent their last years in Ephesus.

St Timothy therefore would have drunk from the deepest wells of the Christian tradition – hearing about the life of Christ from the lips of the most important witnesses of His Life and Death!

2) St Titus…
… was born into a pagan family – is said to have studied Greek philosophy and poetry in his early years.

He pursued a life of virtue, and purportedly had a prophetic dream that caused him to begin reading the Hebrew Scriptures.

According to tradition, Titus journeyed to Jerusalem and witnessed the preaching of Christ during the Lord’s ministry on earth….
… only later, however – after the conversion of St. Paul and the beginning of his ministry – did Titus receive baptism from the apostle, who called the pagan convert his “true child in our common faith.”

St Titus accompanied Paul to the Apostolic Council of Jerusalem during the year 51, and was later sent to the Corinthian Church on two occasions.

After the end of Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome, the apostle ordained Titus as the Bishop of Crete…
… He is credited with leading the Church of Crete, overturning paganism and promoting the faith through his prayers and preaching.

These two great saints teach us important lessons on living as a follower of Christ…
… Christ reminds and exhorts every one of us: “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves…” (Lk 10:2-3)

a. Being ready to face any challenge or opposition in being a witness to the Gospel

St Timothy and St Titus had to face innumerable opposition – from within community, from the persecutors around, in their mission journeys etc
… yet to remained firm and faithful to their mission mandate

Are we ready to brave every challenge to be a courageous witness of the Gospel in our own life situations?

Are we ready to depend on the Lord for everything?

b. Untiring zeal and passion for the Kingdom
St Timothy and St Titus accompanied St Paul in his missionary journeys…
… and learnt the “art of passionate zeal for missions” in imitation of Christ

Are we ready to be enrolled into the school of Jesus, the Greatest Missionary and learn from him the “art of passionate zeal for missions?”

Zeal for missions… zeal for reaching out in help and service
… is indeed a task entrusted to every Christian.

God has blessed us immensely with many good things…
… and it is our duty to put all these blessings and graces for the Glory of the Lord

Do we wholeheartedly accept this responsibility…
… or do we make ‘lame’ excuses and avoid this mandate?

May the missionary zeal of St Timothy and St Titus inspire us…
… and help us to “rekindle the gift of God that is within…” (Cf. 2 Tim 1:6)

Happy Feast of St Timothy and St Titus!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Discovering Jesus as the Light of Hope, even in the ‘mines of deepest darkness and despair!'”

(Based on Isa 8:23-9:3, 1 Cor 1:10-13, 17 and Mt 4:12-23 – 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A)

August 5, 2010.
In the San José Mine of Chile, a sudden collapse trapped 33 miners under 2,300 feet of rock.

The world above had no way of knowing if they were alive.
Days passed.
No food. No water.
Just darkness, heat, and despair.

Seventeen days later, when all hope seemed lost, a drill finally broke through.
As it was pulled back up, a small note was attached: “Estamos bien en el refugio, los 33” – “We are well in the shelter, all 33 of us.”

The world erupted in joy!
The rescue mission intensified.

But there was one problem – getting them out would take time…
… the miners would have to survive 52 more days underground.

But down below, something remarkable was happening

Cut off from the world, these men turned to God.

Many of them had never thought about God before.
But now?
Now they realized – no money, no success, no strength could save them.
Only God could.

Buried beneath the earth, they discovered a thirst no water could satisfy!

And later, when they were finally rescued, after 69 days in darkness, one of them testified:”We were 33… but God made us 34.
He was with us the whole time.”

Life often traps us in ‘the dark mines of difficulties and despair!”

But we are reminded that “Hope does not disappoint!” (Cf. Rom 5:5)
God is always with us!

Even when buried under the weight of impossibility, God’s light finds a way through!

This is what the readings of the Day present through Prophet Isaiah speaking of “people walking in darkness seeing a great light” (Cf. Isa 8:23-9:3)…
… and this prophecy fulfilled in Jesus, the Light of the world.

Prophet Isaiah speaks to a people living under intense political and social pressure.

The northern kingdom of Israel faced repeated threats from the Assyrian empire.
The region of Galilee, near the border with hostile territories, was historically a place of vulnerability and uncertainty – a place of darkness
… fear of conquest
… loss of autonomy
… economic hardship
Yet God promises that a light will shine…
… bringing guidance, hope and restoration.

This is what we see historically in the ministry of Jesus in Galilee.

After John the Baptist was arrested by Herod Antipas, Jesus moved into this northern region (Mt 4:12).

Galilee was not a politically secure, influential, or elite area…
… it was a borderland, a crossroads of cultures, and a place under constant threat of invasion.

Into this context, Jesus begins proclaiming: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt 4:17).
He later goes on to call his first disciples (Cf. Mt 4:18-22)

The people of Galilee, living under Roman influence and local unrest…
… were invited into a new reality through Jesus
… just as Isaiah had foretold.

We often go through moments of unrest and struggle.

Are we ready to accept “the Light of Christ” into our lives?

“Yes” would mean:
“Repenting of our former ways,” and living in accordance with the norms of the Kingdom of God…
… repenting of sins, to which we cling on to!
… willingness to be healed of our past memories which wound us!

“Yes” would also mean:
“Leaving behind our fishing nets” and following Jesus in complete trust
… letting go of our attachments and sinful tendencies!
… doing away with habits and practices that takes our hearts away from Christ!

St Paul exhorts us to “be united in the same mind and the same purpose.” (cf. 1 Cor 1:10)

We are called to live as “God’s Luminous People” – living in unity and living in hope!

Yes… life often tends to bury us under “fear, loss and hardships!”

But the Promise of the Lord always shines forth.

Lets realise that “sometimes it takes being trapped in darkness…
… to finally see the light God offers!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Dare to walk and live the path of the Crucified Lord with a passionate zeal!”

(Based on 2 Sam 1:1-4, 11-12, 19, 23-27 and Mk 3:20-21 – Saturday of the 2nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2 – Feast of St Francis de Sales)

It was a tense afternoon in the September of the year 1594.

The Bishop of Geneva in France, had convoked a meeting of all his clergy.
There was an urgent need for priests to go to a place named Chablais.

Chablais was a territory in Geneva, which had been under political and religious siege.

Around fifty priests in this place had been banished.
Many churches had been burnt and devastated.
Chablais had become a place of terror for the Catholic Church.

It’s in this horrifying situation, that the Bishop of the place had called for a meeting…
… to ask for volunteers to go to this place and renew the faith.

But none came forward…

None were willing to risk their lives…

It’s at this point, that there comes a gentle yet firm voice – “My Lord, if you think that I am capable of it, command me, I am ready!”

The voice was of St Francis de Sales.

His own father considered this decision as “utter madness”

Perhaps, the other priests and clergy would have also felt this decision as a “crazy one”

The risk of being driven out, failing in his undertaking and of becoming a laughing stock of the world was great indeed.

But St Francis de Sales stood firm to His decision.

It was a decision which perhaps defied reasons…

It was a decision which perhaps seemed out of senses…
But this decision was to become the turning point of a spiritual revolution!

The one who has eyes fixed on one’s goals is indeed a mad person!

Mad for one’s aim…
… obsessed in love
… passionate about one’s goals!

The Gospel of the Day is also a narrative of the “mad and insane” Jesus!

St Mark’s Gospel is pretty straightforward, to the point and blunt in its nature.

The Lord is out to preach and proclaim the Kingdom of Love and Mercy…

Hardened hearts are touched by the softness of His presence
Broken lives are mended by the balm of His Holiness
Ruined minds are revived by the power of His teachings
Shattered destinies are made whole by the cure of His touch
Ruptured consciences are restored by the gentleness of His love
The crowd following has increased!

This however causes a great disturbance and distress in the family of Jesus…
“Again the crowds gathered, making it impossible for them, even to eat.

When His relatives heard of this, they set out to seize Him, for they said, ‘He is out of His mind’ ” (Mk 3:20-21)

Jesus was labelled as being “out of mind!”
… tagged as being “insane and mad”

The one who has eyes fixed on one’s goals is indeed a mad person!

Mad for one’s aim…
… obsessed in love
… passionate about one’s goals!
And Jesus was indeed passionate and highly zealous for His mission…

So much so, that even His own relatives misunderstood and mistook Him.

The Bible and the Church is a gigantic collection of deeds and acts of such people who were “mad” and who took “crazy” decisions in life…

Abraham was “crazy” to have faith in God, to have children, even at the ripe old age of hundred!
Moses was “mad” to trust God to lead a tiny nation from the clutches of the imposing Egyptian empire!
Mother Mary was “crazy” to give up her promising life and instead consent to an Angel to become the Mother of God!
St Peter was “mad” to abandon his career and family to follow Jesus for a ministry of unknown and uncertain future!
St Paul was “crazy” to undergo tremendous sufferings and agonizing troubles for the sake of the spread of the Gospel!
St Francis De Sales was “crazy” and “mad” to undertake risk of going to the Chablais mission and renew the faith of the people!

When one is really passionate towards one’s mission, there is an element of “craziness”!

Do I have and reflect this “mad” passion and zeal for God’s love?
… by seeking Him in all our works, activities and plans
… by reaching out His love to the needy and the disadvantaged
… by spreading hope, courage and optimism in this broken world

Today we celebrate the Feast of St Francis de Sales.
He is the Doctor of Love!
He is the Gentleman Saint!

And today, he invites and encourages us to embrace this path of love and gentleness!

Let us dare to walk and live the path of the Crucified Lord…
… the One who was called mad and insane
… the One who was misunderstood and unaccepted

Because He chose to live and die for His convictions of Love!

Let us not be worried…
Let us not be anxious…

But trust in our Loving God!

In the words of St Francis de Sales…
“God takes pleasure to see you take your little steps; and like a good father who holds his child by the hand,

He will accommodate His steps to yours and will be content to go no faster than you. Why do you worry?”

Happy Feast of St Francis de Sales!

With joy and love, let us proclaim with him, “Vive Jesus… Live Jesus!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Seeking to grow in the ‘spirituality of living in love – with gentleness and kindness!'”

(Based on 1 Sam 24:3-21 and Mk 3:13-19 – Friday of the 2nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

A hostel warden had fallen into the disagreeable habit of yelling at the boys who were in his charge.

He thought this necessary in order to maintain his authority

Once, he was confined to bed for a week with severe laryngitis (inflammation of the vocal cords)

He could not speak above a whisper…
… and had to run the affairs of the hostel from his bed.

“Do you know,” he confessed afterwards, “I found that the children were far more well-behaved and good-natured when I could only speak to them in a ‘firm whisper’…
… than when I used to ‘wildly shout’ at them!”

The waters of gentleness and kindness always find a way to seep through the rocky terrains of tough situations of life!

And it is God’s Mighty Love that causes us to act with gentleness and kindness…
… and “to repay evil not with evil, but to do good to people!”

The First Reading of the Day (1 Sam 24:3-21) is a marvellous exhortation on the need to “repay evil not with evil, but with good!”

David and his men are in the Desert of En Gedi.

It is a wild place of cliffs, caves, wilderness and springs.

Saul – along with nearly three thousand chosen people – who were in search of David to have him killed…
… goes into a cave

David gets an opportunity to kill Saul, who had in fact, come to kill him!

Here was a neat chance to take revenge and settle scores.

David would even be instigated by his fellow men:
“The men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good to you.” (1 Sam 24:4)

David, however, would deny “doing evil for evil!”

Instead, he follows the Divine Strategy of “doing good, even in the face of evil!”

He spares the life of Saul – who is the anointed of the Lord – and even goes on to make an oath of not harming him!

Here is David following the great Divine Strategy, and invites and inspires us to follow the same:
“Doing evil for evil is bad!”

Doing nothing for evil is better!
Doing good for evil is best!”

The Gospel of the Day (Mk 3:13-19) presents Jesus Who moves about with His Ministry of “failing to stop in the face of evil, and continuing to do good!”

Jesus, in the midst of a ministry, of people rejecting him, and failing to accept His words…
… refuses to give in to failure or to stop doing the good.

Instead, “He responds to evil, by doing good” and establishes a band of twelve chosen ones…
… who were to join Him and continue His Noble Mission of “doing good, even in the face of evil!”

The twelve disciples who are chosen (Mk 3:13-19) would be schooled in the Discipleship of the Lord…
… to “leave everything and adopt the Divine Strategy of ‘doing good, even in the face of evil’”

We are invited to grow into Christians who display the Love and Mercy of God to people…
… by a life of gentleness and patience!

David would beautifully display this dimension by sparing the life of Saul and giving us the great lesson of “respect and honour” that is due to all the anointed and consecrated ones!

Jesus, remarkably responds to hostile and antagonistic situations in His Ministry by establishing a “group of people who would be invited to become agents of the Lord’s Mercy and Compassion!”

Let us always remember that the waters of gentleness and kindness…
… always find a way to seep through the rocky terrains of tough situations of life!

And it is God’s Mighty Love that causes us to act with gentleness and kindness…
… and “to repay evil not with evil, but to do good to people!”

Let us seek to grow in the “spirituality of living in love – with gentleness and kindness!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Being attracted to the Presence of the Lord, to become more and more like Him!”

(Based on 1 Sam 18:6-9; 19:1-7 and Mk 3:7-12 – Thursday of the 2nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

A magnet is an object made of certain materials which creates a magnetic field around itself.

This magnetic field causes objects of certain properties to attract to itself…

The closer the objects are to the magnet, the stronger they are pulled to the attracting force.

Another interesting thing is that…
… objects attached to the magnet, over a certain period of time, themselves become magnetized and are able to attract other things to itself.

Divine Love constantly invites us to be attracted to Divine qualities…
… and to radiate the same in our lives.

The First Reading of the Day (1 Sam 18: 6-9, 37, 19:1-7) presents contrasting characteristics…
… the negative condition of jealousy: displayed by Saul, the king
… the positive quality of appreciation: radiated by Jonathon, his son

Saul is unable to digest the fact that the people sing higher praises of David and felt envious of his rising popularity:
“Saul was very angry, for this saying displeased him. He said, ‘They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands; what more can he have but the kingdom? So Saul eyed David from that day on.'” (1 Sam 18:8-9)

Jonathon, his son, however displayed a lot of maturity and exuded a sense of goodness and appreciation

“Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul, saying to him, “The king should not sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have been of good service to you” (1 Sam 19:4)

Jonathan had responded positively to Divine Love, Which constantly invited him to be attracted to Divine qualities…
… and to radiate the same in his life.

The Gospel of the Day (Mk 3:7-12) is this wonderful presentation of Jesus Who radiates Divine qualities….
… and attracts many to by His Charismatic personality – like a magnet!

St Mark beautifully presents this attractive power of the Lord through the words:
“A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea.

Hearing what He was doing, a large number of people came to Him…” (Mk 3: 7-8)

The popularity of the Lord was spreading far and wide…

His power over sin had many to look up to Him…
His authoritative teaching was astonishing to many…
His dominance over evil spirits was awe-inspiring for many…
His amazing healing power had caused a stir among people…

Like a magnet, the Lord was attracting many to Himself!

The magnetic and charming power of the Lord attracts us too..
… But are we willing to get attracted to this amazing force?

The Living Presence of the Lord in our midst is in the Holy Eucharist.

The Holy Eucharist is the powerful magnet that can pull and attract many!

The tragedy in our life is that very often, this “magnetic” Eucharistic presence remains abandoned and forsaken!

It’s sad that the Living Lord is hardly visited in the Blessed Sacrament!

Chapels and Churches often remain empty and forlorn…
Very few to visit Jesus to say Hello to Him, in the Eucharist!

We sometimes are reducing ourselves to a generation seeking only after mighty wonders!

But the Eucharist – the greatest wonder and miracle of the world often remains unnoticed!

There is nothing more sublime in this world than the Holy Eucharistic Presence!

There is nothing more beautiful than moments spent before the Eucharistic Lord!

Am I ready to get attracted and charmed by this magnetic presence of the Holy Eucharist?

The Lord waits for us…every moment…every day!

We may have different excuses to evade and avoid time before His presence…

Maybe too many works and occupations…
Maybe a feeling that it is too dry and boring to be with Him…
Maybe an attitude that social works suffice and go beyond all such pious devotions…

But no excuse and no theory can give justification to miss the Presence of the Lord!

It is possible that some of us may have the negative condition of jealousy: displayed by Saul

But we are invited to imbibe the positive quality of appreciation: radiated by Jonathon!

Jesus is the magnet who can infuse us with power and strength!

The closer we are, the more attracted we be!
The more we remain with Him, the more we become like Him!

May the Magnetic Power of the Holy Eucharist be sought more!

May the Magnetic Love of the Holy Eucharist be longed more!

And may, we, in turn, become a magnetic Presence of the Lord to others!
… Seeking the Eucharist, to be a Eucharist to the other!
… Loving the Eucharist to break and share oneself to the other!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Having faith and trust, to follow the Word of the Lord and to be assured that His Providence will take us through!”

(Based on 1 Sam 17:32-33, 37, 40-51 and Mk 3:1-6 – Wednesday of the 2nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

A popular story with a minor variation goes as follows:

A man fell off a cliff, but managed to grab a branch of a tree on the way down.

The following conversation then proceeded:
“Is anyone up there?”

“I am here. I am the Lord. Do you believe me?”

“Yes, Lord, I believe. I really believe, but I can’t hang on much longer.”

“That’s all right, if you really believe you have nothing to worry about.

I will save you. Just let go of the branch.”

After a moment of pause, the many continued and sad:
“Is anyone else up there?”

The man failed to depend on the Lord when the “crunch situation” was encountered!

Faith and Trust in the Lord requires us to follow His Word and to be assured that His Providence will take us through!

The First Reading of the Day (1 Sam 17: 32-33, 37, 40-51) is a wonderful story of a young little man who trusted immensely in God in defeating a gigantic enemy…
… the story of God defeating Goliath through the instrumentality of David!

This popular story is a wonderful saga of faith and the power of depending on the Lord for everything.

On the other side, this story also teaches us that failure to have the Lord as the strength of life can paralyze and cripple our life with fear and inactivity…
… as we see in the life of Saul.

Saul being the king should have taken the lead to lead the Israelites against the gigantic Goliath

But he measured only his human capabilities and strengths in calculating the battle strategy

David however, first counted on the Lord, before gathering together his human skills and expertise!

“I cannot walk with these; for I am not used to them.” (1 Sam 17:39)
“You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied!” (1 Sam 17:45)

We understand an important truth here:
In our life, we are often on the battlefield, with Satan as the gigantic Goliath…
… challenging us in our faith
… laughing us at our face

Do we understand that if we hold on, in faith, it is the Lord Himself Who fights for us?

Do we deepen our conviction that our faithfulness will be rewarded by God with the victory shout?

Jesus in the Gospel had to fight the deadly battle with “the hardness of hearts of people!” (Cf. Mk 3:5)

Faced with a man who had a withered hand…
… the Lord had to encounter face-to-face with a Goliath – with the face of indifference, unbelief and animosity – in the Pharisees and the Herodians (Cf Mk 3:6)

The man with the withered hand was asked by Jesus to “Come forward” (Cf Mk 3:5)
… to come forward in the battle of life – in faith – to defeat the forces of unbelief!
… to come forward in the war against Satan – in trust – to slay the head of indifference and animosity!

Just as David would “come forward” in faith and trust – totally depending on the Lord’s power…
… we need to step ahead by taking complete refuge in the Divine Providence of the Lord!

We may have our moments when we “hang onto the branches of life” in our moments of struggles and crisis

As the Lord invites us to trust in His Word, we need to check if we fail to depend on the Lord when the “crunch situations” are encountered!

Yes, Faith and Trust in the Lord requires us to follow His Word…
… and to be assured that His Providence will take us through!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Trust the Lord’s Word in complete obedience and be open to the Ways of God”

(Based on 1 Samuel 16:1-13 and Mk 2:23-28 – Tuesday of the 2nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

A very popular story is said of a speaker who started off his seminar by holding up a $100 note.

He asked, “Who would like this $100 bill?”

Hands started going up.

He said, “I am going to give this $100 to one of you but first, let me do this.”

He proceeded to crumple the dollar bill up.
He then asked, “Who still wants it?”
Still the hands were up in the air.

“Well,” he replied, “What if I do this?”

And he dropped it on the ground and got it more crumpled and dirty.
“Now who still wants it?”

The hands still continued to go up!

Well… the worth of the money is not in the external aspect…
… but in the internal value!

So much more is the value of a human person…
… whose value is measured by the heart!

God gives this mighty message through the First Reading of the Day (1 Sam 16:1-13) when He reminds Samuel:
“For the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Sam 16:7b)

The passage is about Prophet Samuel being asked by the Lord to anoint one of the sons of Jesse as the successor king to Saul.

Samuel learns an important principle that reigns in the heart of God: External appearances can be deceptive; the real worth of a person is in the value of his heart!
“For My Thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My Ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My Ways higher than your ways and My Thoughts than your thoughts” (Is 55:8-9)

God values the love and commitment that a person has in the heart, than at just the external appearances.
“… only You know what is in every human heart!” (1 Kings 8:39)

Samuel was under the impression that one of the seven older sons of Jesse would be the future king.

But God always knows to spring a surprise!
He would place His Heart on the youngest lad, David – the shepherd boy
… “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong” (1 Cor 1:27)

So often we get carried away by external appearances.

But the Lord invites us to see the way He does: Look at the heart!

David was tending the sheep, when he was called by God

His family would have never had a thought like this
All the people had totally overlooked him and never considered him as even a “possibility!”

So often it can happen to us, that…
… people don’t mind us
… people overlook us and even put us down
… people make fun of us and we are disgraced often!

But in all such “unlucky” or “unfortunate” or “unfair” situations of life…
… trust in the Lord and know that He loves, accepts and appreciates us, the way we are!

Jesus in the Gospel (Lk 2:23-28) exhorts the people to have a “heart spirituality” than a mere “law fulfilling religion!”

Learn to obey God more, not because you are afraid, but because you love Him much!

Let us deepen our conviction that the value of a human person…
… is to be measured by the heart!

Let us grow in our “heart spirituality”
… of understanding that we ought to defer judgment on people, by merely look at their externals – and instead, to leave space for the Mercy and Providence of God to reign in life!
… and of deepening the conviction that our worth is in the fact that God loves, accepts and appreciates us, the way we are!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Trust the Lord’s Word in complete obedience and be open to the Ways of God”

(Based on 1 Samuel 15:16-23 and Mk 2:18-22 – Monday of the 2nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

A popular legend is told of a certain king who needed a faithful servant.

Two men were candidates for the office.

The king took both at fixed wages, and his first order was to fill a cane basket with water from a neighbouring well…
… saying that he would come in the evening and see their work.

After putting in one or two basketfuls, one man said:
“What is the good of doing this useless work?
As soon as we put the water in one side, it runs out the other.”

The other, however, answered:
“But we have our wages, haven’t we?

The use is the master’s business, not ours.”

“I am not going to do such fool’s work,” replied the other.

Throwing down his basket, he went away.

The other man continued until he had exhausted the well.

Looking down into it he saw something shining – a diamond ring.
“Now I see the use of pouring water into a basket,” he cried, “If the basket had brought up the ring before the well was emptied, it would have been found in the basket.

Our work was not useless!”

The obedient servant understood the importance of trusting in the word of the master…
… and he would reap the benefits of gaining the approval of the master!

Christians must believe that their Divine Master knows what is best, and obey His commands…
… and in due time, they will know and understand the worth of the Master’s Word!

Failure to obey the words and commands of the Lord will lead to our downfall…
… and this is highlighted in the First Reading of the Day (1 Sam 15:16-23) in the fall of King Saul.

The reading begins with Samuel reminding Saul of the innumerable favours and blessings He had received from the Lord.

“Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel.” (1 Sam 15:17)

Saul was blessed with many blessings and protection from the Lord

And these favours therefore demanded a greater faithfulness from Saul!

Each favour from the Lord ought to be a reminder of our Sacred Duty to love Him more!

Each blessing from the Lord should be a sign of being invited to be more faithful to Him!

Saul, however, failed to display this obedience and faithfulness to the Lord.

God had commanded him not to retain any of the spoils of the battle that he was to have with the Amalekites…
… Saul would, however, not fully obey the Lord in this matter – and would retain the best of the spoils that he got

“And the Lord sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go, utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do what was evil in the sight of the Lord?” (1 Sam 15:18-19)

Even though Saul apparently had a good intention – to use these spoils as a sacrifice to God…
… God was not pleased with him, because what God demands is “an obedient heart than the choicest sacrifice!”

“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obedience to the voice of the Lord?

Surely, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.
For rebellion is no less a sin than divination, and stubbornness is like iniquity and idolatry.” (1 Sam 15:22-23)

In the Gospel, we have the Pharisees and the Scribes who question Jesus on the aspect of fasting (Mk 2:18-22)

The Pharisees and Scribes were stuck on following their own ways of understanding the ways of God…
… and failed to have an openness and docility to the Will of God!

Each of us is invited to allow the “New Wine of God’s Word” to be filled in the “new wineskin of our minds – in obedience and openness!”

We are also warned to not try to patch up the “old garment of our disobedience” with the “new garment of God’s Commandments and Instructions!”

Let us remember, “failure to obey the words and commands of the Lord will lead to our downfall!”

Let us always trust that our Divine Master knows what is best…
… and thus obeying His commands, may we be blessed to discover the “shining ring” of God’s Love!

God Bless! Live Jesus!