(A journey through Verses from the Bible – with practical applications – to Love Jesus & Live Jesus!)

DAY 10: SEEKING GOD’S WILL ALWAYS & LIVING IN HUMILITY

BIBLE VERSE
(Lk 1:38) “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to Your Word!”

CONTEXT OF THE BIBLE VERSE
Receiving the Word of God, Mamma Mary bows Her head in humble submission to the Will of God, as She teaches all humanity…
… to give highest priority in doing the Will of God
… to clothe oneself with the virtue of humility to allow God to work wonders in life

WHAT IS CHRIST SPEAKING TO ME, THROUGH THIS BIBLE VERSE?

Seek the Will of God in everything that you do in life
Be daring to practise the virtue of humility, as St Augustine reminds us: “Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.”

HOW CAN I CELEBRATE CHRIST, THIS CHRISTMAS?

1. Before entering into any venture/work, make it a habit to ask: “What is God’s Will for me?”
2. Practise 3 simple acts of humility today

LET’S PRAY
Lord Jesus, thank you for the gift of Mamma Mary, who is an example to always seek Your Will in our lives, and is an inspiration to live in humility, Amen!

Let us celebrate Christ, this Christmas, and live like Him!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Preparing our hearts to receive His Word as He wishes, in our life and seeking to live, in total accord with Him!”

(Based on Sir 48:1-4, 9-11 and Mt 17:9a, 10-13 – Saturday of the 2nd Week in Advent)

It was December in the year 1903.

After several attempts, the Wright brothers – achieved success in getting their “flying machine” off the land.

They were very much thrilled!

They telegraphed this message Katherine, their sister, informing her of the great invention:
“We have actually flown 120 feet! Will be home for Christmas”

The sister was also super-excited.

She rushed to the editor of the local newspaper, to share the great news and showed him the telegraph message.

The editor glanced at the message and said:
“How nice! So the boys will be home for Christmas!”

Oh! The Editor had completely missed the big news – that man had flown for the first time in history!!

How often is this our experience too in life – Missing the Important Points and settling for lower ones!

We fail to give attention to the most important things of life!
Instead, we get carried away by some other less priorities of life!

This is so true, especially with respect to the Word of God!

The Lord promises so many wonderful things in His Holy Word..
… but often, we miss the point.

Something similar had happened to the people of Israel as well…

God had promised them of the coming of the Messiah…
… but they missed the point..
… and thus, failed to recognise the Saviour He came!

God had promised that Prophet Elijah of old would return…
… but they missed the point…
… and thus, failed to recognize the Prophet when he came!

This is what Jesus points out to His disciples in today’s Gospel, when He says: “I tell you, Elijah has already come and they did not recognise him; but did to him, whatever they pleased” (Mt 17: 12)

John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, had come, preaching the message of repentance and conversion of heart (Mt 3:1)

The Gospel says that John the Baptist…
… wore a clothing made of camel’s hair
… had a leather belt around his waist
… had food of locusts and wild honey (Mt 4: 4)

This appearance was very similar to that of Elijah, the Prophet (2 Kings 1:8)

But in their encounter with John the Baptist, the people failed to recognise him as the “Elijah who was to come”

And thus John the Baptist came to be…
… rejected
… derided
… finally killed!

Many times in our life, we too “miss the point” in our encounter with the Lord…

He gives His Beautiful Word to us…
… but we fail to be encouraged by It and live by It

He makes many wonderful promises of assurance and guidance…
… but we fail to live a life of trust and confidence

He offers Himself wonderfully in the Sacraments, especially Confession and Holy Eucharist…
… but we fail to derive the necessary fruits from Them

Today, the Gospel invites us, to look at God’s Promises, God’s Word’s and God’s Will…
… and discover the true purpose of it in our lives.

This is truer as we prepare for Christmas…

Jesus is the BIG POINT of the Christmas

Let us dare not “miss Him!”

Let us prepare our hearts to receive His Word as He wishes, in our life…
… and seek to live, in total accord with Him!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE AND RECONCILIATION

Without being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church.
Indeed the regular confession of our venial sins helps us form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit.
By receiving more frequently through this sacrament, the gift of the Father’s mercy, we are spurred to be merciful as he is merciful:
Whoever confesses his sins… is already working with God.
God indicts your sins; if you also indict them, you are joined with God.
Man and sinner are, so to speak, two realities: when you hear “man” – this is what God has made; when you hear “sinner” – this is what man himself has made.
Destroy what you have made, so that God may save what he has made!
When you begin to abhor what you have made, it is then that your good works are beginning, since you are accusing yourself of your evil works.
The beginning of good works is the confession of evil works.

You do the truth and come to the light. (CCC # 1458)

(A journey through Verses from the Bible – with practical applications – to Love Jesus & Live Jesus!)

DAY 09: NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD

BIBLE VERSE
(Lk 1:36) “This is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. Nothing will be impossible with God.”

CONTEXT OF THE BIBLE VERSE
Angel Gabriel highlights the omnipotence of God, to Mother Mary as she is gloriously announced that…
… with God, everything is possible and we need to grow in our trust in the Lord!
… when things are entrusted to God, He turns out everything for our greater good!

WHAT IS CHRIST SPEAKING TO ME, THROUGH THIS BIBLE VERSE?

Trust in the Authority of the Lord – the great I AM – Who declares that “With the Lord, every Impossible is I’M possible!”
Recognise the need to entrust ourselves to the Power of Goodness, and to hold on to Him in faith and hope!

HOW CAN I CELEBRATE CHRIST, THIS CHRISTMAS?

1. Is there anything you feel impossible in your life at this moment? Offer to the Power of the Lord!
2. Think of any event/incident that doesn’t seem so nice. Believe and know, that God will turn it for the good!

LET’S PRAY
Lord Jesus, increase my faith to know that You are in perfect control of my life, and that you turn everything – all our struggles and strife – to good, Amen!

Let us celebrate Christ, the Word, this Christmas, and live like Him!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Seeking the grace of God to make efforts to be CHILD-LIKE in the Presence of God!”

(Based on Isa 48:17-19 and Mt 11:16-19 – Friday of the 2nd Week in Advent)

Children are an interesting lot!

They love to play, to quarrel, to engage in arguments, to tease, to show love and affection etc…

Children indeed amaze us…with their simplicity, innocence, curiosity and their power of wonder.

Jesus in the Gospels time and again invites us to grow in our spirit and spirituality of being like a Child!

The famous artist, Picasso, once said:
“All children are artists.
The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up..”

Many of us, as we age in years, tend to lose many of the good qualities and merits of a child.

Many of us, as we mature, tend to fritter away the precious pearls of simplicity and openness of a child

Many of us, as we advance in life, tend to paint our inner innocence with many external shades of duplicity.

But the Gospel of the Day shows us another dimension or rather, warns of a distortion in this striving to be a child…

One can easily stray away from the path of being child-like and transgress into the danger of being Childish!

Child-likeness is a beautiful virtue which is to be cultivated and nurtured to grow in our love of God!

Childishness is an ugly vice which is to be weeded and cast away to grow in our relationship with God!

What is child-likeness?

To be like a child is to possess a kitty of trust, faith, innocence and straightforwardness.

To be like a child is living in the present moment with a deep sense of wonder and admiration over life.

To be like a child is to have a faith which is matchless and a great amount of dependence on the One who cares!

But what is childishness?

Childishness is a child-like behaviour which has grown sore and strays away from honest qualities of life.

Childishness is having selfishness at its core: a vice that wants the world around to always dance to its tune!

Childishness is sticking on to ignorance and unwillingness to learn from people and situations!

Childishness is being glued to being stubborn and adamant at all aspects to suit one’s desires and comforts!

Childishness is being unmindful of the value and preciousness of people, things, feelings and situations.

This danger of Childishness can sometimes creep into our spiritual life and can hamper and cause havoc in many areas of our Christian life.

How can childishness in spirituality become a dangerous ploy?

Childishness in spirituality…
… can make people to suit teachings for one’s own desire, at the cost of the Truth.
… can prevent people from being open to receive new insights from the Divine.
… can cause people to remain obstinate and block the moving of the Spirit.
… can prohibit people from recognizing the providential care of God.

And this is what we come across in today’s Gospel Passage: the exposition of the Childishness of the people!

Our Blessed Lord says:
“To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children…” (Mt 11:16)

Two persons who had committed themselves totally to the cause of the Kingdom are under the scanner today – John the Baptist and Jesus.

John the Baptist lived in the wilderness and in preparation for the arrival of the Messiah.

John did not drink wine, and he and his followers fasted regularly. He baptized people in the Jordan River.

But John also preached repentance and gave a clarion call to turn away from one sins!

And this irked the people…

The elders of the Jewish community dreaded him because he recognized the corruption of the priests, and publicly called them to repent and be baptized.

They refused, because they wanted to keep their power, their wealth, their full stomachs and their fine clothing!

Jesus went around the cities and towns healing the sick and curing the lepers and doing many mighty works.

Jesus shared in the table-fellowship of many people regularly. Jesus preached the Kingdom of God.

But Jesus also challenged people to let go off their sinful and corrupt lives and turn to God in penitence!

And this annoyed the leaders…

The Pharisees hated him because he preached with much authority and his new understanding of the law was highly challenging!

They rejected Him, because they wanted to stick to their traditions, empty hearts and their inhuman practices!

Jesus and John both would have hit high on the popularity charts if they had “lightened up” or “played nice” or “would have allowed things to be little more easy”!

But both of Them did not budge…

This is what Jesus says:
“We played the flute for you, you did not dance;
We mourned to you, you did not weep.” (Mt 11: 17)

This reaction by the people to Them was a song of derision… a tune of mockery…a melody of ridicule!

John the Baptist and Jesus, both, failed to let this Spiritual Childishness to overpower Them and to give in to silly demands!

We all can fall victims to spiritual childishness or we ourselves can fall into the trap of being spiritually childish!

Let us beware of the dangers of this ‘subtle and sly’ vice – CHILDISHNESS …
… and seek the grace of God to make efforts to be CHILD-LIKE in the Presence of God!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE CONFESSION OF SINS

According to the Church’s command, “after having attained the age of discretion, each of the faithful is bound by an obligation faithfully to confess serious sins at least once a year.”
Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution, unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession.

Children must go to the sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time. (CCC # 1457)

(A journey through Verses from the Bible – with practical applications – to Love Jesus & Live Jesus!)

DAY 08: REACH OUT GOD’S PRESENCE IN HUMBLE SERVICE!

BIBLE VERSE
(Lk 1:39) “Mary set out and went with haste!”

CONTEXT OF THE BIBLE VERSE
Having humbly received the Glorious Announcement of Angel Gabriel, and after having given Her consent to be the Mother of the Saviour, Mother Mary sets out ‘in haste’…
… in haste: to serve others
… in haste: to follow perfectly the Will of God
… in haste: to ensure Jesus to be the centre of Her life

WHAT IS CHRIST SPEAKING TO ME, THROUGH THIS BIBLE VERSE?

Seek to always say Yes to God’s Will and Christ to be the centre of your life
Reach out – in enthusiasm and love – to serve and help the ones in need

HOW CAN I CELEBRATE CHRIST, THIS CHRISTMAS?

1. Spend 10 minutes in the presence of the Lord (If possible, in a Church/ or at home) – and renew your commitment by praying, “Lord, thank You for loving me as I am, and I accept Your Will in all the situations of my life!”
2. Identify a person who needs to a spark of inspiration in life, and reach out God’s care to the person

LET’S PRAY
Lord Jesus, may the experience of Your Grace and Blessing, help me to give highest priority to you in my life, and may I reach out Your Love and Care to all those in need, Amen!

Let us celebrate Christ, the Word, this Christmas, and live like Him!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Being fervent and zealous to lead a holier and immaculate life, pleasing to God – like Mamma Mary!”

(Based on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

A priest went to visit a violent criminal who was condemned to death…
… hoping to prepare his soul to die well.

But the man wouldn’t even talk to him.

The priest pleaded him to get reconciled with God…
… but the man’s heart was highly closed!

Finally, as a last resort, the priest entrusted himself to the Blessed Virgin Mary and then said to the criminal, “Before I leave, will you grant me one little favor?”

The man, with an intention to get rid of the bothersome priest, said he would.
“Let us then,” the priest responded, “Say one Hail Mary.”

So, together they began to pray that simple prayer…
… “Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with You…”

They hadn’t even got through the first sentence when the criminal turned pale…
… and his voice started to shake.

The priest to continued the Hail Mary…
… and as he finished tears started to flow from the man’s face, and he fell on his knees at the priest’s feet.

As soon as the prayer was done, the man asked to make confession.

He then confessed his sins with a great sense of repentance!

The words, “Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with you…”
… had ignited the spark of repentance in him!

Yes, that’s the power of the intercession of Mother Mary!

She is the refuge of sinners

Her life of Faithfulness to God’s Grace, is an inspiration to all of us…
… to live an Immaculate and Holy Life!

Today, we celebrate the Solemn Feast of the beginning of the faithful life of the Most Beautiful and Loved Creation of God: The Feast of the Immaculate Conception of our Blessed Mother.

Sin is part of every human life.

St Paul testifies to this fact when he says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23)

By themselves, human beings are incapable of freeing themselves from sin.

Therefore…
… Everyone needs a Saviour
… Everyone needs a Redeemer

But God, in His infinite wisdom had thought of the most excellent way of redeeming humanity.

Salvation was to be accomplished not through any magical power
Salvation was to be brought about not through some superhuman force
Rather, the salvation of humanity was to be won by a Human Himself – the most perfect Human.

This perfect Human deserved and required the most sinless of all wombs for being born
This perfect Human demanded and necessitated the most immaculate of all lives to be nurtured

Thus, God in His perfect wisdom, applied the Grace of Redemption and Salvation to the One He had chosen – Mary of Nazareth.

Therefore…
Mary is the first recipient of the Redemption of Christ!
Mary is the first fruit of the Salvation, won by Christ!

This is the story of the Immaculate Conception of Mother Mary.

The Holy Scripture testifies to this Immaculate nature of our Blessed Mother through the words of Angel Gabriel to Her, “Hail, FULL of Grace!” (Lk 1:28)

The Immaculate Conception of our Blessed Mother points to Her sinlessness, Her being full of Grace, Her perfection in holiness and Her absolute adherence to the Will of God.

“Yes, Lord… Thy Will be done” (Lk 1:38) was a chorus that She sang in all the moments of life!

Today, on this Feast day, this our Blessed Mother invites and exhorts us, also…
… to make a choice for God, always, and lead a sinless life
… to always opt for God alone, at all times, and being immaculate in life
… to unswervingly be faithful to God’s Will, and thus seek to be perfect in life

The challenge is great… the efforts required are radical.

But we are not left alone in this “pursuit of holiness” (1 Cor 9:24)

Our Blessed Mamma – the Beautiful Lady in blue and white – grace in holiness and immaculate in love – holds our hands and tells us:
“My Little Child, I am with you!
I love you, and together, we shall walk in this exciting path of Holiness…
… towards My Son and Your Brother…
… towards Our Saviour Jesus!”

Yes, let us give heed to the loving call of our Blessed Mother

And be fervent and zealous to lead a holier and immaculate life, pleasing to God…
… as we pray, “Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with You…!”

Happy Feast of our Immaculate Mamma!
ALL GLORY AND HONOUR TO HER ETERNAL SON AND OUR SAVIOUR, JESUS!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE CONFESSION OF SINS

Confession to a priest is an essential part of the sacrament of Penance:
“All mortal sins of which penitents after a diligent self-examination are conscious must be recounted by them in confession…
… even if they are most secret and have been committed against the last two precepts of the Decalogue
… for these sins sometimes wound the soul more grievously and are more dangerous than those which are committed openly.”
When Christ’s faithful strive to confess all the sins that they can remember, they undoubtedly place all of them before the divine mercy for pardon.

But those who fail to do so and knowingly withhold some, place nothing before the divine goodness for remission through the mediation of the priest, “for if the sick person is too ashamed to show his wound to the doctor, the medicine cannot heal what it does not know.” (CCC # 1456)

(A journey through Verses from the Bible – with practical applications – to Love Jesus & Live Jesus!)

DAY 07: BE A LIGHT TO OTHERS!

BIBLE VERSE
(Lk 1:79) “To give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

CONTEXT OF THE BIBLE VERSE
At the Birth of John (the Baptist), Zechariah exclaims the song of joy – BENEDICTUS – praising God for His Marvellous Mercy, prophetically revealing the Mind of God about the child, and calling all people…
… to become a Light that shines brightly in situations of darkness
… to experience the Peace of the Lord, and become a messenger of Peace to the world around

WHAT IS CHRIST SPEAKING TO ME, THROUGH THIS BIBLE VERSE?

Share the Light of the Gospel – with virtues of Faith, Hope and Love – to everyone
Allow the Peace of Christ to flood your heart, even if externally situations are discouraging; and with this experience, to become a Messenger of Peace in the world

HOW CAN I CELEBRATE CHRIST, THIS CHRISTMAS?

1. Light a Candle of Hope today, in the life of any one person, today, who is drowning in the darkness of disappointment
2. Make efforts to repair a broken relationship, by starting to pray for the Peace of Christ for that person

LET’S PRAY
Lord Jesus, may the Light of Your Gospel shine brightly in my life, so that experience the Peace that flows from Your Heart, I may become a messenger of Peace, Amen!

Let us celebrate Christ, the Word, this Christmas, and live like Him!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Responding to the Invitation of the Lord!”

(Based on Is 40:25-31 and Mt 11:28-30 – Wednesday of the 2nd Week in Advent)

Many of us would have come across the acronym “RSVP” in Invitations for marriage, baptism, birthdays, wedding anniversaries or some other social events.

RSVP stands for Repondez S’il Vous Plait ( in French) which is translated as
Reply, If you please!

The purpose of this RSVP is that the person sending the invitation, would like you to tell him or her, whether you accept or decline the invitation.

Today, Jesus, the King of all Hearts, presents a thrilling and a pleasant invitation…”Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden…”(Mt 11:28)

Every invitation is to contain “By Whom”, “To Whom”, “What” and a “When!”

Let’s analyse these aspects in the Invitation of the Lord

1. By Whom is the invitation:

Jesus came into the world, primarily as a Saviour!

He’s in deep love with us!
“…You are precious in my eyes and I love You!” (Is 43:4).

As a Beloved Lover, it is He who tugs at the strings of our hearts & beckons us to Himself.

2. To Whom is the invitation:
   Jesus extends His cordial and warmest invitation to each one of us who is weary and heavy-burdened….personally!

The Greek word for Weary is ‘Kopiao’…which means to toil & become weary to the point of exhaustion!

Weary could refer to the internal exhaustion caused by seeking Divine Truth through mere Human Wisdom.
Heavy Laden could be the external burdens caused by futile peripheral efforts & works to seek the Divinity.

Many of us certainly, reach the point of exhaustion and fatigue in our everyday works and life and in our search for salvation.

Yes, You and I – each one of us – is today, an honoured and a privileged Invitee!
“Behold, I stand at the door and Knock!” (Rev 3:20).

3. What is the invitation?
   To rest in His Sacred Heart & to Learn from Him Gentleness and Humility.

A haughty heart robs the person of spiritual insights…

Pride renders a person to look only to oneself; the gaze on the Lord is considered meaningless.

This is where the Pharisaic Mentality went wrong.

They saw legalism as the vehicle to heaven.
They lost sight of God’s desire for the heart.
They glorified the Law of Moses, but failed to see the Glorious God of the Law!

The Kingdom belongs to the Gentle and Humble…
… and that’s what Jesus invites us to learn!

4. When is the invitation?

NOW!

“Why delay good things in life, isn’t it?”

The Yoke of the Lord is easy… because it is HE who takes up the burden…
… we are only sharers in His Divine Yoke!

He gives us a yoke which is made to fit our needs and abilities perfectly well!

And the Time is NOW!

The Invitation is already posted and the Master is waiting!

What is our Response….
RSVP…. Repondez S’il Vous Plait?

Today we also seek the intercession of St Ambrose of Milan, whose feast we celebrate.

He was the Bishop of Milan, a Biblical critic, a doctor of the Church
His literary works have been acclaimed as masterpieces of Latin eloquence, and his musical accomplishments are remembered in his hymns.
He is also remembered as the teacher who converted and baptized St. Augustine of Hippo, the great Saint!

Let us give heed to the exhortation of St Ambrose:
“Open wide your door to the one who comes.
Open your soul, throw open the depths of your heart to see
the riches of simplicity…
… the treasures of peace, the sweetness of grace.

Open your heart and run to meet the Sun of eternal light that illuminates all men!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE CONFESSION OF SINS

The confession (or disclosure) of sins, even from a simply human point of view, frees us and facilitates our reconciliation with others.
Through such an admission, man looks squarely at the sins he is guilty of, takes responsibility for them…

… and thereby opens himself again to God and to the communion of the Church in order to make a new future possible. (CCC # 1455)

(A journey through Verses from the Bible – with practical applications – to Love Jesus & Live Jesus!)

DAY 06: REJOICE IN GOODNESS!

BIBLE VERSE
(Lk 1:58) “Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown His great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.”

CONTEXT OF THE BIBLE VERSE
When the time came for the birth of the child – a miracle after many years of barrenness – the neighbours and relatives of Elizabeth and Zechariah…
… rejoiced in the Goodness of the Lord as they thanked His amazing Providence and Protection
… recognised the Mercy of God which always accompanies and strengthens

WHAT IS CHRIST SPEAKING TO ME, THROUGH THIS BIBLE VERSE?

Recognise goodness in people and situations; rejoice in them and appreciate them – for this is a Divine Attribute as we see God, in the Book of Genesis exclaiming by seeing the Good Creation, “It is good!”
Realise that God’s Mercy is always there to strengthen and protect, even in the weariest situations of life; hold fast to the Heart of God, and be optimistic in the Ways of the Lord!

HOW CAN I CELEBRATE CHRIST, THIS CHRISTMAS?

1. Offer a situation of trouble/concern that you have, to the Heart of God, and seek for His Mercy
2. Appreciate 5 people today for their Goodness and Love in your life.

LET’S PRAY
Lord Jesus, may I always recognise Goodness in others, live a life of joy, and offer all my concerns to Your Heart, knowing that Your Mercy will always protect and heal me, Amen!

Let us celebrate Christ, the Word, this Christmas, and live like Him!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Being be willing to ‘go out of the way’ and doing things that are very beautiful!”

(Based on Isa 40:1-11 and Mt 18:12-14 – Tuesday of the 2nd Week in Advent)

A mother took her three children to a fine restaurant for a dinner.

It was a crowded Sunday and they could only get separate seats.

As food was served, the youngest daughter – 6 year old Mary – who was seated at the far corner of the restaurant…
… loudly enquired from her mother: “Mother, don’t people say grace before meals in this place?”

A wave of silence wrapped the entire restaurant!

The mother did not know how to react.

But soon enough, the manager of the hotel, who was at the counter, said in an assuring voice to the child: “Yes we do. You may start!”

All the people bowed their head in silence

Little Mary closed her eyes, joined her hands and bowing her head…
… in a loud and crystal voice prayed: “Bless us O Lord, and these your gifts, which we are going to receive from your goodness, through Christ our Lord… Amen!”

The child found it strange to observe that none of the elders were praying…
… So she went “out of the way”

And did something that was very beautiful

And taught others an action to be imitated

A child “goes out of the way”…
… in expressing love and affection by trying to imitate the kind acts of the elders
… in trying to help others – giving a hand at the household chores, or doing little works

The Gospel of the Day is an invitation by the Lord to re-discover this “forgotten” child-like dimension of our lives: “To go out of the way!”

Jesus, speaking of this worthwhile quality…
… presents to us the image of a Shepherd who goes “out of the way”, in search of the lost sheep.

Jesus says: “If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray…
… will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills, and go in search of the stray?” (Mt 18: 12)

The shepherd loves all his hundred sheep…
… yet, when one gets strayed, he makes “an out-of-the-way effort” to get the lost one back.

He does not give up on the strayed.

He doesn’t desert the lost.
He doesn’t abandon the one, gone from his circle.

This attitude of going “out of the way”…
“taking an extra pain”
“dripping an extra sweat”
… would seem weird and strange to the calculative, pragmatic and business-minded head of ours, in this modern period!

We might question:
Is it not a waste of time to go after the “lost sheep”…
… of an obsessed drug-addict or a habitual drunkard or a consistent smoker?

Is it just too futile to awaken a “lost sheep”…
… of a soul in slumber, where there is no focus on spiritual life, where there is slackness of prayer and sacraments and where worldliness and materialism have crept and conquered?

Is it of any use to go after the “lost sheep”…
… of a couple who are constantly bickering and a family which is broken up with regular fights and misunderstandings?

Is there any sense in trying to restore the “lost sheep”…
… of a community whose members seem disinterested, who are lethargic, who have their own personal and hidden agenda and who always back-talk and back-bite?

Is it just not meaningless to revive the “lost sheep”…
… of a society or a nation where corruption has taken deep-roots in hearts of people and all sincere efforts of transformation often gets dumped into the bin?

The True Shepherd however, in all such situations, of the “lost sheep” …
… “goes out of the way”

The Good Shepherd makes an extra effort in getting them back!

This Good Shepherd today invites us to be partakers in restoring the lost ones.

A critical danger in the process of “growing- up” is the tendency to lose our “natural child-like” qualities.

As a child, we were free to express our emotions…
… but when we “grow up”, we tend to hold them up all within (only to burst out one day!)

As a child, we were easily dependant on those who cared for us…
… but when we “grow up”, we become arrogant towards them and seek ‘independence’

As a child, we were able to enjoy and relax in the present moment…
… but when we “grow up”, we get caught up in the snare of the past and shrink with fear of the future.

The Lord invites us to get back the “lost” child-like faith and trust.

We need to realise that we are always little children to our Heavenly Father!

He loves to care for us… He longs that we depend on Him entirely!

Yes, children sometimes teach elders great lessons, isn’t it?

Let us be willing to “go out of the way”…

And do things that are very beautiful
And teach others actions, that can be imitated!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
CONTRITION

The reception of this sacrament ought to be prepared for by an examination of conscience made in the light of the Word of God.

The passages best suited to this can be found in the Ten Commandments, the moral catechesis of the Gospels and the apostolic Letters, such as the Sermon on the Mount and the apostolic teachings. (CCC #1454)