Eight-year old Jack, along with his parents were watching a Passion Play.
(Passion Play is the dramatic presentation of the Passion of Jesus Christ – His suffering, death and resurrection)
Jack was very much emotionally involved watching the play.
>> The sufferings that Jesus was undergoing was having a deep emotional impact on li’l Jack.
The drama progressed to the scene, where Jesus is stood before the people…
… and Pilate asks the crowd for their choice of persons: Barabbas or Jesus
So the one who was acting as Pilate, stood before the audience, with Jesus and Barabbas on his two sides.
>> And with a loud voice, he asked:
“So whom do you want? Jesus or Barabbas?”
When li’l Jack heard this question, he felt a deep push within himself…
… he was getting very emotional… he was feeling a sense of urge to defend Jesus…
The Pilate on stage, went on shouting “Jesus or Barabbas….Jesus or Barabbas”…
Finally, being unable to control his emotions, Jack got up from his seat, and shouted aloud:
“I am for Jesus!”
His parents did not realise how to react to this emotional outburst of their li’l son…
… so too the others who were sitting around them.
But Jack went on shouting, with more boldness: “I am for Jesus… I am for Jesus!”
The play had to have an abrupt break…
… but in the meanwhile, many other people also joined the enthusiastic cry of li’l Jack and blended with his chorus: “I am for Jesus!”
What about you?
>> Are you for Jesus?
Christian life is a warfare…
… with a constant question posing us…”Are you for Jesus?”
The Gospel of Day is an invitation by Jesus to follow Him – by the “narrow gate”…
… and to always make a choice for Him!
>> Jesus says, “Enter by the narrow gate… for the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Mt 7: 13-14)
The Sermon on the Mount continues with Jesus presenting the wonderful message of the Kingdom of God and its radical requirements.
One of the key aspects in the Sermon on the Mount is the demand made on the part of the disciple to “make a choice”
• One has to radically “make a choice” for the Kingdom of God.
• One has to stay committed to this “choice” that is taken and live it to the fullness.
The discipleship to which Jesus calls is radical…
… it requires an honest and wholehearted surrender of oneself to God’s Will
… it demands a complete and undivided focus on Him and His Mission
A Christian either walks on the road to life…
… or walks on the road to destruction!
>> There is no third alternative!
It is this “choice” that will determine whether our entry to eternity…
>> Eternal condemnation – is through the “wide gate” or
>> Eternal life – is through the “narrow gate”.
Jesus says that it is easy to pass through the wide gate…
• All those who take life very casually and without any responsibility
• All those who are content to make life “merry” and just “live life to the max”
• All those who fail to respond to God’s Grace and deny having a life in Him
>> But this will lead to doom and condemnation!
To pass through the narrow gate is hard…
• All those who make a choice to live according to the teachings of the Lord
• All those who boldly seek to proclaim the Kingdom by their faithful and holy lives
• All those who constantly hold on to the Lord despite hardships and difficulties in life
>> But this will lead to joy and eternal life!
Christian life is indeed a warfare…
… and we are constantly posed this question: “Are you for Jesus?”
What is our answer?
God Bless! Live Jesus!
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Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “In all your affairs, rely wholly on God’s providence, through which alone you must look for success.
>> Nevertheless, strive quietly on your part to cooperate with its designs.
Imitate little children who with one hand, hold fast to their father…
… while with the other they gather strawberries or blackberries from the hedges.
There was a school system in a large city that had a program, to help children keep up with their school assignments…
… during the time when the children were admitted for sicknesses.
One day a teacher who was assigned to this program, received a call asking her to visit a particular child.
She took the child’s name and room number and had a short talk with the child’s regular class teacher.
“We’re studying about words in his class now – nouns and adverbs,” the class teacher said, “and I’d be grateful if you could help him understand them so he doesn’t fall too far behind.”
The hospital-program teacher went to see the boy that afternoon.
The boy had met with a bad accident, been badly burnt and was in great pain.
Upset at the sight of the boy, she stammered as she told him, “I’ve been sent by your school to help you with nouns and adverbs.”
When she left after teaching, she felt she hadn’t accomplished much.
But the next day, a nurse asked her, “What did you do to that boy?”
The teacher felt she must have done something wrong and began to apologize.
“No, no,” said the nurse. “You don’t know what I mean. We’ve been worried about that little boy, but ever since yesterday, you met him, his whole attitude has changed.
He’s fighting back, responding to treatment…
>> It’s as though he’s decided to live!”
Two weeks later, the boy explained that he had completely given up hope until the teacher arrived.
Everything changed when he came to a simple realization which he expressed it this way: “They wouldn’t send a teacher to teach about words, and work on ‘nouns and adverbs’ with a dying boy, would they?”
The gesture of teaching about “words” reinforced hope and courage to that dying boy!
Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear.
>> If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today!
The Feast of the Nativity of St John the Baptist comes with this great message of “hope”!
The Gospel presents the beautiful incident of the birth and naming of St John the Baptist.
The birth of John the Baptist is the pivot around which the history of our faith turns.
>> He was the last prophet of the Old Covenant – and the first of the New Covenant.
One of the highlighting aspects of the birth of John the Baptist is the message that “hope is not to be lost, even in the midst of extreme barrenness!”
The Gospel of St Luke says that “Elizabeth and Zechariah, both were advanced in years”, but they had no child; Elizabeth was barren” (Lk 1: 7)
Elizabeth’s barrenness was also symbolic of the barrenness of the land, of the world and of the entire humanity…
· Wickedness had caused creation to be incapable of nurturing and sustaining life
· Sin had rendered human beings infertile, to bear God’s grace and live in holiness
But God…
… is the God of hope
… the God of fulfilling every promise
… and the God of surprises!
>> From the barrenness of Elizabeth emerged the forerunner of the One who is Life!
>> From the barrenness of the world, God gave rise to the Fountain of hope and trust!
The entire life of St John – through the key events – is a spectacular reminder of this great virtue of “hope”…
a. The conception of John
Even when there is barrenness all around, we need to “hope” in God who is able to work miracles and give us life and joy!
b. The naming of John
Even when there are many worldly voices that seek to distract us from the ways that God wishes for us, we need to “hope” in God and follow whatever He wills, so as to find glory and joy in Him!
c. The life of John in the desert
Even when life takes us through the deserts of emptiness, dangers, hardships and misery, we need to “hope” in God who has a definite plan and purpose for our life!
d. The beheading of John
Even when we become victims of cruelty, exploitation, wickedness and inhumanness, we need to “hope” in God by living a life of truth, courage, convictions and valour!
The Church celebrates the Nativity of only three persons, in her liturgical calendar…
1. Jesus -“Hope” Himself
2. Mother Mary – the Mother of “Hope”
3. John the Baptist – the symbol of “Hope”
May our lives become truly rooted in “hope” and become beacons of spreading this “hope and trust” to others.
>> There are many who are sick in our world.
>> There are many who are burnt by the fires of afflictions and at the point of death
>> There are many who have lost all faith in life and give themselves up to despair and dejection.
Our gestures of teaching about “The Word – Jesus” can reinforce hope and courage to those dying – in sin, in affliction, in depression, in loneliness.
Wish you a Happy Feast of the Nativity of the “symbol of Hope” – St John the Baptist.
>> May Jesus our “Hope” and Blessed Mamma, our “Mother of Hope” strengthen us!
God bless! Live Jesus!
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Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “Put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations, and say continually:
“The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart has trusted in him and I am helped.
>> He is not only with me but in me, and I in Him.”
The initial years of the 20th Century saw communists seizing a Catholic parish and imprisoning the priest in his own rectory near the church.
After being locked up in his own house, the priest looked out the window and was horrified to see the anti-Catholic militants enter the church.
Once inside, they went into the sanctuary, broke open the tabernacle and in an act of desecration, threw down the Ciborium – scattering the Sacred Hosts on the floor.
>> The priest knew exactly how many Hosts had been in the ciborium: Thirty Two.
However, the communists either failed to notice or didn’t pay any attention, to a small girl who had praying in the back of the Church.
>> She saw everything.
That night the girl returned, and slipping past the guard at the rectory, entered the Church where she made a Holy Hour.
After her Holy Hour, she went into the sanctuary, and kneeling down, bent over and received Jesus in the Holy Communion with her tongue (Since at that time, it was not permissible lay-people to touch the Sacred Host with their hands)
Each night, the girl returned to the church to make her Holy Hour and received Jesus in Holy Communion on her tongue, just as she did the first night.
On the thirty- second night, after having consumed the last Host, she accidentally made a noise that awoke the guard who was asleep at his post by the priest’s residence.
From his bedroom window, the priest could only watch in horror as the heartrending scene unfolded before his eyes:
>> The girl tried to run away…
…. But the guard chased her, grabbed her, and beat her to death with the butt of his rifle!
The little girl had a heroic martyrdom – all because of her tender and deep love for the Holy Eucharist!
It was this incident that would inspire Archbishop Fulton Sheen – one of the greatest 20th century proponents of the Catholic Church – to spend one hour each, daily, before the Holy Eucharist!
>> The daring action of that little girl, inspired the heart of another fervent soul, Fulton Sheen, who would go on to influence millions to love Jesus in the Holy Eucharist!
Last Supper, Juan de Juanes, 1562, Museo del Prado, Madrid
Today is the great Solemnity of the Corpus Christi – the Body and Blood of Jesus.
The Catechism of the Church declares that “the mode of Christ’s presence under the Eucharistic species is unique”
The Catechism teaches, “In the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist, the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained” (#1374).
The Holy Mass is not another sacrifice nor a repetition of the sacrifice of Calvary.
Instead,
• The Holy Mass is the same sacrifice of Jesus – the perpetual continuation and adoration of the sacrifice of Calvary.
The Priest at the Holy Mass is Jesus Himself, the High Priest and Victim of the Sacrifice.
The Holy Eucharist – the Body and Blood of Jesus – is the greatest treasure that the Church offers to Her children…
>> Yet, the Holy Eucharist sometimes, also becomes the great barrier for people to misunderstand and misinterpret the Church.
The same was true even in the time of Jesus.
>> The mention of His Body and Blood caused great division, misunderstanding and led to the misinterpretation of Jesus.
After having provided physical nourishment for the crowd (Lk 9: 11-17), Jesus had declared Himself as “The Bread of Life” (Jn 6: 35).
The Greek word that is used for “bread” is “artos”.
>> This “artos”….
… refers to food composed of flour mixed with water, and baked.
… also refers to food of any kind or food in general.
As “bread” or “food” is essential for the physical life
… Jesus as “the bread of life” is required for the spiritual life!
Without bread, physical life would perish….
… Without Jesus, the bread, spiritual life would perish!
The Lord surprised His hearers by saying that “the bread that I give is my flesh for the world” (Jn 6:51b)
>> This saying had caused a dispute among the people, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” (Jn 6:52)
The bold declaration of the Lord that He would give His Flesh and His Blood as food and drink, caused a huge scandal among His listeners and it caused deep divisions and disputes.
>> The same is so much true in our own world – when the Church declares the Holy Eucharist to be the True and Real Body and Blood of the Lord, there are so many disputes and divisions.
On this great Feast day, there are questions that arise before us…
1. What is my belief and understanding of this most Treasured Gift of the Holy Eucharist – “the source and summit of Christian Life”
… Do I believe with conviction that Jesus is truly present in the Blessed Eucharist?
… Do I celebrate and participate in the Holy Mass with this Divine Fervour?
2. What is the effect that this Sacrament of Total Self-giving on me?
… Does the reception of Jesus – the Love Incarnate, make me in turn to be more loving towards others and do I make deliberate choices to extend love to all?
… Does the sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist impel me also to make sacrifices – even tiny, insignificant, unnoticed – for the cause and good of others?
3. What is my contribution to spread the good news of the Holy Eucharist to others?
… Am I being a person who radiates the love of the Eucharist to others, by my conscious efforts to be respectful, reverent and devoted in the Chapel or Church and also become aware of the Lord’s Presence, when passing by Churches or handling Sacred objects?
… Do I tell to other people about this exciting, real presence of God in the Holy Eucharist – especially the sick, the suffering and those in distress, that they may experience the real healing presence of the Lord?
Jesus – the Bread of Life – in the Holy Eucharist…
… eagerly longs for our reception and our adoration
The tragedy in our life, however, is that very often, this “magnetic” Eucharistic presence remains abandoned and forsaken!
It’s a pity that the Living Lord is hardly visited in the Blessed Sacrament!
>> Chapels and Churches often remain empty and forlorn!
>> Hardly any say “Hello” to the Lord in the Eucharist!
We sometimes are reducing ourselves to a generation seeking only after mighty wonders,
fascinating miracles and attracted only to external sensations!
>> But the Holy Eucharist – the greatest miracle of the world often remains unnoticed!
We need to come to experience that…
>> 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!
>> The Lord waits for us…every moment…every day!
>> The Lord seeks for us…every second…every hour!
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!
>> The more we remain with Him, the more we become like Him!
In the midst of daily scuffles and struggles of life, the Holy Eucharist ought to be the strength and support of our lives.
The Holy Eucharist may not give us…
… perfect answers or solutions in the way we expect.
… us immediate responses and remedies in the manner we want.
But the Holy Eucharist will most certainly…
… strengthen us with grace and power to face the challenges with courage.
… infuse us with a deep and intense authority to defy any difficulties that we meet.
… empower us with immense joy and peace in order to withstand the storms of life.
May we grow in the love of the Holy Eucharist, for, as Bishop Fulton Sheen says, “The greatest love story of all time is contained in a tiny white Host”!
>> And, in turn, may we 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!
Wish you a very Happy Feast of the Holy Eucharist!
>> May our Blessed Mamma of the Holy Eucharist, help & intercede for us, to love the Lord more!
God Bless! Live Jesus!
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Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “ Our Savior has instituted the most August Sacrament of the Eucharist, which contains His Flesh and His Blood in their reality…
… to the end that he who eats of it shall live forever.
>> Whoever, therefore, frequently eats with devotion this Food, so effectually confirms the health of his soul…
… that it is almost impossible that he should be poisoned by any kind of evil affection.
A top ranked official, was extremely efficient and skilled in all his works.
>> However, he suffered from constant bouts of ulcer in the mouth, stomach upset and headaches.
Several medications couldn’t solve this problem.
Finally, a close friend of his, who had been away abroad for some years, met him..
… and knowing of his problems, suggested:
“I have the solution for all your physical troubles.
With all your works and responsibilities, you daily take up a lot of tension and worry.
So all that you need to do is…
> Choose any one particular day of the week.
Whenever you get a problem that causes you anxiety…
>> Write it on a piece of paper….
>> Drop it inside a ‘Worry Box’…
… and then completely forget about it.
This ‘worry box’ is to be opened on that particular day of the week.”
The official tried this method of “writing the anxieties and problems on a paper, dropping it into a ‘worry box’ and opening it only on a Sunday.”
To his surprise, he found that most of the things that had disturbed him over the past six days were already settled.
>> It would have been useless to have worried about them.
That’s when he realised, his foolishness in being anxious and worried about a lot of things in life…
… things that deserved no attention for worry or anxiety!
>> And behold, in doing so, he also found his health to be regaining to full force.
Is that not pretty similar in our lives as well?
We often fret and worry about a lot of things in life…
… only to realise, that most of them, do not actually deserve the “anxiety attention and the worry weightage.”
The Gospel of the Day is a beautiful reflection given by Jesus on this nagging factor in our life – anxiety and worry.
The Lord firstly invites us to have a clear conviction regarding our loyalty: to God or to mammon.
>> He says, “No one can serve two masters… You cannot serve God and mammon” (Mt 6: 24)
We can be faithful and committed to only one of them.
To whom have we pledged our loyalty and allegiance…?
>> To the True and Living God who alone is worthy of every honour and who alone is able to bless our lives with true joy and happiness….?
… or to false and make-believe effigies of money, wealth and possessions which may give momentary satisfactions but fail miserably in rendering true peace of mind…?
When we have made this pledge and commitment to the Lord, He invites us to “live” this commitment.
One of the strongest signs of “living” this commitment is to “trust” in Him!
>> And the external sign of “trusting” in Him is to not get into the vice of “anxiety”
Jesus asks this very practical and logical question:
“Can any of you, by worrying, add a single moment to your life-span?” (Mt 6: 27)
All of us..
… surely, as we live our lives have our quota of tensions and troubles.
… without doubt, as we discharge our duties, will have our share of pressures.
But do we let these tensions and troubles and pressures to get converted to needless “worries” and undue “anxieties”?
It is said that “worry is wasting today’s time, to clutter up tomorrow’s opportunities with yesterday’s troubles.”
Worries and anxieties cause us…
… to miss the beautiful gift of the present – Today
… causing blockage in the golden chances awaiting ahead – Tomorrow
… as a result of the cloud of undue pressures and fears of the past – Yesterday
Humans, as we are, stresses and strains are sure to come our way…
… but, does my Christian Faith help me to convert such circumstances to occasions to trust in God deeper and build our faith stronger?
>> For a person on deep faith, situations of tension are made into moments of seeking God deeper and experiencing His providence.
>> For a person of higher trust, circumstances of worries are transformed to occasions of cherishing God’s presence and developing an approach of stronger reliance and dependence.
There is no doubt that life will constantly hurl ‘bricks of worry and anxiety’ on us
>> Discouragements are an easy trap for us to stumble in our life of faith
>> Anxieties are easy snares to corner us with fretfulness and fear.
But as Christians, we need to be courageous to use these ‘bricks of worry and anxiety’ into castles of “confidence and success!”
The evil one, in life…
… tries to hamper our desire to seek the Lord and work for His Kingdom
… attempts to tarnish our good intentions to be a messenger of His Kingdom
Do we succumb to those attacks of “anxiety” and “worry”?
… or do we stand firm, in faith and trust, placing our faith in the Lord, entirely?
Worries and anxieties often eat up our life…
… and many of us even suffer physically, spiritually and socially.
The Lord, our best friend, advises us today:
“Write down your worries and anxieties on a piece of paper… (i.e. speak to me in Prayer!)
… put them into the “worry box”… (i.e. Offer them to My Heart!)
… and open it once a week… (i.e. On a Sunday – the Sabbath Day, set apart for the Lord!)
>> And you will realise, most of the things that had disturbed over the past six days, were already settled.”
Yes, let us firmly pledge our loyalty and allegiance to our Loving God…
… and trusting Him at all times, boldly declare, with hope:
“I seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness”!
God Bless! Live Jesus!
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Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “If our heart is inwardly troubled and disturbed…
… it loses both the strength necessary to maintain the virtues it had acquired
… and the means to resist the temptations of the enemy!”
This tale from ancient Greece tells of a king named Midas who did a good deed for a Satyr (a class of Greek gods) and was granted a wish by the GOD of wine, Dionysus.
For his wish, Midas asked that whatever he touched would turn to gold!
Although Dionysus tried to dissuade him, Midas insisted that the wish was an excellent one, and it was granted!
Excitedly, Midas went about touching all sorts of things, turning them into gold .
Soon Midas became hungry.
He picked up a piece of food, but he couldn’t eat it, for it had turned to gold in his hand!
“I’ll starve,” moaned Midas, “Perhaps this was not such a good wish after all!”
Midas’ beloved daughter, seeing his dismay, threw her arms about him to comfort him, and, she too turned to gold !
“The golden touch is no blessing,” cried Midas.
>> He cried out to Dionysus, begging the god to take back his power.
Dionysus instructed him to travel into the hills, and bathe at the source of the river Pactolus.
And sure enough, as Midas bathed, the power of the golden touch flowed into the water.
>> The water becomes speckled with tiny flakes of gold.
Midas left the river, free of his curse and feeling like a new man.
Greed and avarice made King Midas to consider gold as the greatest treasure.
However, life taught him the lesson for true happiness by making him realise the transient nature of worldly treasures.
The Gospel of the Day present Jesus teaching us the lesson of not being attached to earthly riches, and instead, invites us to discover our true treasure in the Lord.
Our Blessed Lord says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal…” (Mt 6: 19)
Jesus points out to the futility of having our security on earthly goods by citing two similes:
· Moth and rust
· Thieves
Any possession or any wealth on the earth, has to face a danger from both these aspects:
>> Those which cause damage from within… Those which cause destruction from outside.
Moth and rust cause damage from within…
…they spoil money, render precious things useless and cause irreversible harm to costly goods.
Thieves cause destruction from outside…
… they loot valuable things, threaten lives for acquiring wealth and induce immense tension and worry.
However, the Lord says to place our treasure on things that are eternal and heavenly.
The advantage?
There is to be no fear of destruction: from within or from outside.
That is why the Lord would assure to His disciples, later on in the ministry:
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give you peace” (Jn 14: 27)
“…your hearts will rejoice and no one will take your joy away from you” (Jn 16: 22)
St Paul would later articulate this in his letter to the Romans:
“For I am convinced that neither death, not life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the Love of God in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8: 38)
Jesus assures a treasure and wealth that cannot be either damaged from inside or can be destroyed from outside.
· There is total guarantee in placing our hearts on heavenly treasures.
· There is full assurance in letting our mind set on spiritual wealth.
What do these teachings mean for us?
>> Am I simply being forbidden to use wealth?
>> Am I simply being discouraged from having money with me?
Jesus goes a step beyond these queries and seeks to check our intentions and our attitude:
“For where your treasure is, there your health also will be” (Mt 6: 21)
· Is my heart constantly set only on worldly treasures and riches…
… and fails to, instead, give the prime place and honour to the Lord and set priorities for Him?
· Is my life constantly only worried about money, properties, gadgets and possessions…
… and fails to, instead, accord the rightful and due place to the Lord and concerns for Him?
Any of us can, at any time, fall into the desire to have the wishes that King Midas had: an attitude of avarice and wanting to have only wealth and earthly treasures.
But can I know and realise, that all such external possessions will not be able to assure my true peace and happiness?
>> Real treasure is to be cherished only by having the Lord as our only true possession!
>> Greatest joys of life come by clinging on to those realities which have eternal value!
God Bless! Live Jesus!
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Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “There is a wide difference between having poison and being poisoned.
All apothecaries (a person who prepares and sells medicines and drugs) have poisons ready for special uses, but they are not consequently poisoned, because…
… the poison is only in their shop, not in themselves
>> And so you may possess riches without being poisoned by them, so long as they are in your house or purse only…
In the centre of London stands an iconic building – St Paul’s Cathedral.
This majestic structure is built in the shape of a cross…
… with a large dome crowning the intersection of its arms.
>> At 111.3 metres high, it is one of the largest cathedral domes in the world.
Climbing up 259 steps inside the dome, one reaches the “Whispering Gallery”.
The speciality of this gallery is:
>>When one stands on one side of the circular gallery, and whispers…
… these soft tones of sound can be heard, on the other side – even 30 metres away.
The sound bounces back many times on the smooth walls of the dome…
… and the whisper can be heard even at a far distance.
What is said, even in the lowest of tones, can be heard, on the opposite side of the dome.
In the spiritual realm, the entire space is like this “whispering gallery”…
… even the lowest of tones, are heard by our Loving God.
>> No matter how low we whisper, He hears!
>> No matter how silent be our prayer, He hears!
Are we able to have such a trust and confidence in our prayer life?
The Gospel of the Day is a beautiful initiation by Jesus to help us to know, grow and deepen our understanding of God as being a Loving and Caring Father…
… as the One Who listens to our every prayer – including the ones whispered in the lowest of tones!
Today’s Gospel passage begins with Jesus issuing a warning on the danger of making prayer a mere “lip-service”
>> “In praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do….” (Mt 6:7)
What was Jesus meaning by the clause “heaping up empty phrases as the Gentiles…”?
One of the notable Gentile groups at the time of Jesus, were the Romans, under whose occupation the Jews were living.
It’s noteworthy to see some of the aspects of the ancient pagan Roman prayer:
1. All sacrifices and offerings required an accompanying prayer to be effective.
>> It was declared that “a sacrifice without prayer was thought to be useless and not a proper consultation of the gods.”
2. Prayer – the spoken word was considered the single most potent religious action.
>> And knowledge of the correct verbal formulas were the key to efficacy.
3. An accurate naming was vital for tapping into the desired powers of the deity invoked.
>> Hence public religious ritual had to be enacted by specialists and professionals faultlessly…
… even a small a mistake would require that the action, or even the entire festival, be repeated all over!
(A historian named Livy, reports of an occasion when the presiding magistrate at the Latin festival forgot to include the “Roman people” among the list of beneficiaries in his prayer…
… the festival had to be started all over!)
The Greek word used for “empty phrases” is “battalagesete”.
>> It means to stammer, babble, talk gibberish, or to repeat the same things over and over mindlessly!
With this in background, Jesus emphatically declares that prayer is not about “heaping empty phrases”.
In this context, it also good to provide the Catholic understanding and logic of some of the prayers, which are perhaps considered as repetitive (eg: The Rosary, Novenas, Litanies.. etc)
Are all these standard prayers mere “heaping up of empty phrases…?”
>> No!
The Bible teaches us many examples of repetitive prayers…
>> The angels continually – day and night – sing “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” (Rev 4:8)
>> Psalm 136 repeats the words “for his steadfast love endures forever” nearly 26 times in 26 verses!
>>Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane prayed in the “same words” three times (Mk 14: 32-39)
>> Jesus, in fact, also commends the fact of continually praying, through the example of the widow and the unjust judge (Lk 18: 1-14)
Thus, it is seen that the Bible has many examples of repetitive prayer.
>> Therefore, the repetitive Catholic Prayers like the Rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, Novenas, Litanies etc… are scripturally well-supported
>> When prayed with honesty and devotion, they become means to allow the heart…
… to praise God and understand His mighty works
… to grow in His love and come to a deeper awareness of His Providence
… and pray with Mother Mary and the Saints and intercede to them for our intentions
>> Prayer is not rattling off a few external words and feel satisfied in having done that…
… It is opening up, in dependence, the interiority of our hearts, to the One Who knows all!
>> Prayer is not going through a series of stipulated and organised system of words…
… It is allowing the heart to “mean what is said”, and to cause the lips express what the heart feels!
It is to this effect that Jesus says “Your Father knows what you need, before you ask Him” (Mt 6:8)…
… and teaches us the beautiful prayer – “The Our Father”!
Jesus presents the beautiful understanding of God being a Loving and Caring Father…
… The Father, in heaven, Whose Name we acknowledge to be most Holy and Worthy
… The Father, Whose Kingdom becomes the target to Which we ought to aspire
… The Father, Whose Will is to become the compass and blueprint of our life
… The Father, Whose providence nourishes us with daily bread for our sustenance and well-being
… The Father, Who extends His Immense Mercy to us, which we receive only if we forgive in turn
… The Father, Who strengthens us in our moments of trials and temptations
… The Father, Who rescues us from all evil by tenderly holding us in the palm of His Hand
Yes, Jesus wants us to understand and experience God as a Loving and Tender Father.
May we realize that in the spiritual realm, the entire space is like a “whispering gallery”…
… and even the lowest of tones, are heard by our Loving God.
>> No matter how low we whisper, He hears!
>> No matter how silent be our prayer, He hears!
Let this be our trust and confidence in our prayer life…
… and thus throw ourselves, into the loving arms of our Heavenly Father!
God Bless! Live Jesus
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Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “Do not look forward in fear to the changes and chances of this life….
… rather, look to them with full confidence that, as they arise.
>> God, to Whom you belong will in His Love enable you to profit by them.
A legendary story goes is told of a holy person who lived an extremely virtuous life.
>> The goodness in him diffused, as a flower would spread its fragrance.
So impressed were the angels, that they came down to enquire on his secrets and even to offer him special gifts of miracles and thus he could gain more popularity and fame.
>> They offered him the gift of the “touch of his hand” – so that he would be able to heal the sick or raise the dead…
… But he refused, saying that “God alone could heal”
>> Then, they offered him the “power of conversion” – so that people could turn to God in repentance…
… But he refused, saying that “the Holy Spirit alone could work repentance in souls”
>> Then they offered the power to be a “model of goodness” so that many more would be drawn to him by the virtue of his life…
… But he refused, again, saying that “if all are drawn to him, people would be away from God”
Puzzled, the angels asked him what gift did he desire!
The holy person replied:
“Grant me the gift of humility…
… so that I might do good to all, without me even knowing it!”
And so the angels interceded to God…
… and he was blessed:
>> Wherever his shadow would fall, where he himself could not see it…
… the shadow would cure sicknesses, heal broken hearts and bring back people to God in repentance!
Humility was the virtue that was sought by the virtuous person…
… and it was this simplicity to allow the Lord to take complete possession of all his goodness, that exalted him to climb the ladder of sanctity higher!
Yes, Humility is the prime virtue that needs to embellish the life of every Christian.
The Gospel of the Day is a teaching by Jesus on the prime importance of doing away with pride and instead, beautifying one’s life with sincere humility.
Jesus, through the Sermon on the Mount continues to target the key areas of one’s Christian living.
Today He speaks on the three core practices that were essential pious practices of His time: almsgiving, prayer and fasting.
Jesus condemns the practice of these devout exercises becoming instruments to show-case one’s pride and exhibit pomp and self-glory.
· With respect to almsgiving, Jesus says…
… “sound no trumpet”
· With respect to prayer, Jesus says…
… “shut the door and pray to your Father”
· With respect to fasting, Jesus says…
…”anoint your head and wash your face”
One of the fundamental aspects in the Spirituality of Jesus is His emphasis on the intention of the heart.
>> Sin is…
… when the heart rejects the working of the Spirit.
>> Holiness is…
… when the heart accepts the grace of the Spirit.
· When the heart consents to evil, sin occurs
· When the heart consents to grace, goodness is affirmed.
>> An act of almsgiving happens, when the heart willingly gives – in generosity and with wholeheartedness
>> An act of prayer happens, when the heart seeks communion with the Lord – in openness and with faithfulness
>> An act of fasting happens, when the heart self-sacrifices and renounces – in sincerity and with willingness
When the intention of the heart is genuine and sincere, then one remains least bothered of external attractions and publicity…
… there is no desire to seek for attention and appreciation for one’s devout actions
… there is no inclination to want acknowledgement and recognition for one’s pious deeds
And this is the ideal to which Jesus invites us:
>> A religion that spreads not simply on the basis of external shows..
…but on the basis of genuine spirituality
>> A faith that grows not merely on the strength of pompous deeds…
… but on the foundation of true dependence and trust in the Lord
Is my practice of religion resembling a peacock’s display of feathers – wanting to flaunt one’s pride and vain glory – but in the process…
… exposing one’s unattractive face of life?
… revealing one’s cheap side of life?
Let us give heed to the wisdom from the book “Imitation of Christ” and seek to grow in humility and dependence on the Lord:
“Do not think yourself better than others lest, perhaps, you be accounted worse before God who knows what is in man.
>> Do not take pride in your good deeds, for God’s judgments differ from those of men and what pleases them often displeases Him”
May we take concrete and practical decisions to practise the three pillars of Christian Piety – Fasting, Almsgiving and Praying…
… in its truest sense.
>> And may this be our prayer to enshrine all our activities:
“Grant me the gift of humility…
… so that I might do good to all, without me even knowing it!”
God Bless! Live Jesus!
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Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “The most perfect degree of humility is to take pleasure in contempt and humiliations.
>> Contempt suffered patiently for love of Him is worth more before God…
>> Popularly, it is also called as “near-sightedness” or “short-sightedness”.
It is a state of the eye that causes distant objects to appear blurred, while close objects can be seen clearly.
Coming from the greek word, “muōpia”, which literally means “trying to see like a mole”…
… Myopia is a condition of the eye that causes the image that one sees, when looking at a distant object, to be out of focus, but in focus when looking at a close object.
Well, this short-sightedness or myopia is limited to not just the physical eye…
>> It can also easily be applicable to our general outlook of life or our spiritual life.
Yes, it is often found that one becomes short-sighted in life – seeing things only as they appear at the moment, and unable to take the long view of matters.
>> This is “spiritual myopia”
>> This is “spiritual short-sightedness”
The Gospel of the day presents Jesus inviting us to become aware of the presence of a possible “spiritual myopia” in our lives and to take measures to get rid of this condition.
The passage begins with the statement.. “You have heard that it was said….. But I say to you” (Mt 5: 43)
It must be borne in mind that the region in and around the ministry of Jesus, was multicultural and multilingual.
>> Under the Roman Empire, there was an infusion of languages… Latin, Greek, Aramaic, Hebrew…
Many of the common people of Israel usually spoke in Aramaic or Greek and perhaps Latin.
In this multi-linguistic situation, the reading and understanding and interpretation of the Scriptures (which was in Hebrew) was mainly by the religious leaders of the time – the Pharisees and the Scribes.
This therefore gave them the chance to interpret the Scriptures in a manner that reflected their own personal and biased teachings.
>> As time passed, this style of interpretation finally led to the situation that just observing the Law in an outward allegiance was sufficient in fulfilling God’s demands.
The spirit of the law was sacrificed for the letter of the law!
>> The inner dimensions and requirements were abandoned.
A “spiritual myopia” had crept in…
>> A “spiritual short-sightedness” had overpowered them…
· They were fixed only to doing the stipulations, but failed to live the spirit of the Law
· They were limited to a vision of doing only the externals, but got blind to the internals.
And therefore, Jesus warns the people to be aware of this “spiritual myopia” and to see beyond…
…to the real requirements of the law
…to the core of God’s commandments
Jesus attacks the method which interpreted Scripture with a limited vision and perspective…
He contrasts the Pharisees’ interpretation of the law with the law’s real meaning, by using the formula :”You have heard that it was said to those of old. . . . But I say to you . . .”
Six times in the second half of Matthew 5, Jesus uses this formula…speaking about…
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… anger (Mt 5: 21-22)
… adultery (Mt 5: 27-ikuj28)
… divorce (Mt 5: 31-32)
… oaths (Mt 5: 33-34)
… retaliation (Mt 5: 38-39)
… loving enemies (Mt 5: 43-44)
>> Each time Jesus described the “limited” interpretation of the law…and each time He “broadened” the vision of the law.
>> Each time Jesus exposed the “myopic” understanding of the law…and each time, He “enlarged” the understanding of the law.
Am I also in a condition of a “spiritual myopia”?
… limited in my vision of the love of God and failing to extend His charitable love to all
… limited in my vision of the law of God and being stuck to my egoistic interpretations
… limited in my vision of the mercy of God and blocking it from reaching our enemies.
Am I also in a condition of a “spiritual short-sightedness”?
… having eyes fixed only on materialistic aspects and failing to see heavenly realities
… having eyes fixed only on what happens externally and failing to understand inner facts
…having eyes fixed only on being pious outside and failing to have a genuine intimacy within
In the Nazareth Manifesto, at the beginning of His public ministry, Jesus declared that He has been sent, “to proclaim…recovery of sight to the blind…” (Lk 4:18)
Let us seek the grace of the Lord
… to have our eyes touched
… and thus to be healed of our spiritual “myopia”
God Bless ! Live Jesus!
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Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “Retire at various times into the solitude of your own heart, even while outwardly engaged in discussions or transactions with others…
The TIME magazine, in its declaration of Jesus, as the Man of the Millennium, proclaimed:
“The single most powerful figure – not merely in these two millenniums but in all human history – has been Jesus of Nazareth…
… a serious argument can be made that no one else’s life has proved remotely as powerful and enduring as that of Jesus.”
One of the reasons for this Massive Influence of Jesus, was His uncompromising and ever-bold attitude with respect to sin, evil and living a life of total love!
The Gospel of the Day presents this lofty teaching of Jesus on non-retaliation and the power of forgiving love.
One of the highly debatable and confusing teachings of Jesus is contained in today’s Gospel reading.
Jesus says, “Do not resist the one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the one cheek, turn to him the other also” (Mt 5: 39)
This verse could easily raise a lot of doubts and questions…
>> Did Jesus mean that a Christian should be passive to evil?
>> Did Jesus teach that we should suffer unnecessarily in the face of social evils?
>> Did Jesus teach passivity and being lethargic when one encounters wickedness and evil?
The one direct answer to all such doubts is seen in the light of the life of Jesus Himself…
>> He was always actively against evil and sinful activities
>> He was a constant opponent to oppression, condemnation and human wickedness
Then what would have Jesus meant by those strong phrases of “resist evil.. and turning one’s cheeks?”
There could be, speaking in general terms, three responses to evil:
1. Opposing with violence
2. Bearing everything passively
3. A courageous non-violence
The first two responses are also popularly called as Fight or Flight
…either FIGHT against the evil… or take FLIGHT from the evil situations
>> FIGHT: oppose with evil and violence
>> FLIGHT: run away from the situation or passively be submissive
But the way of Jesus is a higher one… a much higher and bolder one: the way of ACTIVE NON-VIOLENCE.
The Greek word that is used by St Mathew, for “resist” is “antisthemi”
‘Antisthemi’ is not a passive or a weak term.
>> It was a classical Greek ‘military’ term.
It means…
… to take a stand against, to oppose or to resist
… to establish one’s position publicly by conspicuously “holding one’s ground,”.
… It means refusing to be moved (” being pushed back”)
This clearly shows that “to resist evil” is not merely a passive act of submission…
… rather is a firm, courageous and bold action of holding onto one’s convictions of truth and opposing every reaction to subdue truth.
This is further illustrated in the example that Jesus gives, “of turning one’s cheek, when hit on the right cheek”
In the culture of Jesus, the left hand was commonly used for unclean tasks, and only the right hand was considered appropriate for such actions as striking another person.
Now, its common sense to note, that if one hits with the right hand, it would hit the other person only on the “left” cheek.
Therefore, if the person is hit on the “right” cheek, as in the example of Jesus, it simply means, that one was hit with a “back-hand”.
What is the significance of a back-handed slap?
>> A backhanded slap, had a greater message than merely hurting or causing pain…
>> Instead, it meant to be an act of “severe” humiliation… of “terrible” insult!
A backhand slap, in the time of Jesus, was the usual way of admonishing inferiors:
A story is told of various fruits, coming together for a discussion.
The topic of discussion was to know the reason, why no other fruit, but the grape, contains juice, from which the best wines were ma de.
They also discussed from the Biblical perspective, as to how, the wine from the grape, is an important element in Sacred Scriptures.
“Her drink is famous throughout the world”, declared all the other fruits.
>> “Why is she more worthy, than we are, to be so blessed by God?”, they asked one another.
A cluster of grapes, which were hanging nearby in the garden, heard the complaint and told them:
“All of you grow individually – each one to oneself and by oneself.
But we, grapes, always, grow in bunches.
>> We always hang on to each other.
That is our nature – that is the only way we can grow.
And it is this mutual dependence on one another, that puts something special into the wines that come forth from us!”
Mutual dependence, selfless unity and constant integration with one another, was their nature – and this brought the best in them.
These qualities, also ought to become the nature in our own families, communities and society – and that will bring out the best in us!
Adoration of the Trinity (detail), Albrecht Dürer, 1511, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
Our God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – the Blessed Trinity is the Perfection of this Mutual Dependence, Selfless Unity and Constant Integration with one another!
Today, as we celebrate the Great Solemnity of the Holy Trinity, we are invited to grow into this Nature of our God.
The Dogma of the Blessed Trinity is indeed the most fundamental, yet the most baffling and confusing mystery of the Christian Faith.
However, we are encouraged by a great truth about this mystery…
> The mystery of the Trinity is more to be lived, than merely be understood
> The mystery of the Trinity is more to be encountered, than merely be grasped
> The mystery of the Trinity is more to be experienced, than merely be comprehended
This feast is celebrated on the Sunday, following the Feast of the Pentecost.
The encounter of the Holy Spirit, was a life-transforming experience for the Disciples.
> It brought about a huge upliftment in courage for their sagging and fearful spirits.
> It brought about a massive alteration of mind, to being bold and dynamic in their faith.
Along with this, it also brought in the tremendous experience of the Holy Spirit as a God!
>> This was something very new, strange and heart-experiential.
The disciples, as we know, were Jews.
Jews believed in strict monotheism – One God.
>> They professed this belief in One God, daily, by the ‘Shema Israel’: “Hear O Israel, the Lord your God is one God….” (Deut 6:4)
However, in Jesus, the disciples encountered a deep Divine experience.
>> On Pentecost Day, they also encountered a deep Divine experience in the Holy Spirit.
This tremendous experience, along with the Grace of God, helped them to reflect on the many words and sayings of Jesus…
… that pointed to the dimension of Three Persons in the One nature of God.
Thus, with gradual and deeper reflection on the words of the Lord, and the power of the Holy Spirit, the disciples – strict monotheists – began to understand the mystery of God in a new light…
>> God is One
>> There are three Persons – the Father is God, the Son is God, the Spirit is God
>> The Father is not the Son and the Spirit; the Son is not the Father and the Spirit; the Spirit is not the Son and the Father.
This Triune invocation was the way the Lord exhorted to Baptize disciples in all the nations, “Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them, in the name of the FATHER and of the SON and of the HOLY SPIRIT” (Mt 28: 19).
The Dogma of the Blessed Trinity has explanations, rationalization and details in the Holy Scripture and the Teachings of the Church.
>> However, with all that, the Dogma continues to remain a mystery…
And this is the beauty of the Mystery of the Triune God…
… It is something to grow in, daily
… It is something to develop a deeper relationship, daily
… It something to be lived and experienced in practical life, daily
As Evagrius of Pontus, a Greek monk of the 4th century said: “God cannot be grasped by the mind. If God could be grasped, God would not be God!”
This is our Blessed Triune God…
… He escapes being subjugated to the prisons of the mind; instead, invites to forge a powerful bond with the heart!
… He gets away from being trapped in the intriguing theological explanations and philosophical reasoning; instead calls forth to form an everlasting covenant of love!
Our whole world reflects the Triune nature of the Blessed Trinity…
>> Water exists in three forms – solid as ice, liquid as water, gaseous as steam
(In physics, it is also proved that theoretically, water exists as solid, liquid and gas at the same time at something called the triple point – a temperature of 0oC or 273.16 K and at a pressure of 611.2 Pa)
>> Sunlight displays a triune dimension – the substance of the sun, the heat, the light
>> The universe consists of three things: matter, space, and time.
(Each one of those is itself a trinity.
Matter = mass + energy + motion.
Space = length + height + breadth.
Time = past + present + future)
>> Human beings have a triple dimension, consisting of the body, the mind and the soul
The Trinity is everywhere!
>> The most important factor that is needed is that we need to grow in this awareness and deeper our love for Him!
The Lord in today’s Gospel presents this deep love of the Blessed Trinity, in perhaps, the most popular verse of the Gospels: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Son, that whoever believes in Him, may not perish, but may have eternal life!” (Jn 3:16)
>> Are we willing to grow in cultivating an intimate and close bond with the Triune God – the God of Love and Holiness?
>> Are we willing to live the beautiful virtues of the Blessed Trinity – Mutual Dependence, Selfless Unity and Constant Integration – in our personal relationships with one another ?
Let us become greatly aware of the many invocations we make to the Blessed Trinity (Sign of the Cross, in our daily prayers etc…) and perform those actions with greater meaning and significance!
May the Blessed Trinity – the Father, Son and Holy Spirit- helps us to grow in our intimacy and union, and in turn, help to reflect His image to all people in our lives…
… and thus, bring the “best wine” in us all!
Happy Feast of the Blessed Trinity!
God Bless! Live Jesus!
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Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – ”
“With our right hand, we use either three fingers to represent the Trinity or five fingers to represent Jesus’ five wounds.
We begin the prayer by placing our right hand on our forehead to acknowledge that God the Father is the one from whom all things originate.
>> Next, we move our hand down to our stomach as a sign that Jesus proceeded from the Father. >> Lastly, we cross ourselves from left shoulder to right shoulder to show that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son…
… and that He is the bond of love between Father and Son!”
Reflection Capsules 