“You are under CCTV surveillance!
>>  This is one common notice that is increasingly seen, these days.

Institutions, offices, public places…. are getting scanned under the CCTV (Closed Circuit TeleVision) camera.

The CCTV seeks to capture…Every movement that occurs, in order to trace any untoward incident.

The CCTV is mainly placed…
>> In order to identify possible mishaps and troublesome occurrences.
>> In order to find out people who involve in pranks, harmful actions and terrors.
>> In order to trace any untoward incidents by capturing every movement that occurs

Well.. though the gadget named CCTV is a modern technology…
… we have its human version already existing centuries back…
And the Gospel of the Day is proof of this aspect!

Check out the CCTV – which was sponsored and used by the Pharisees and the Scribes.
>> And in today’s Gospel, Jesus and His disciples are under the surveillance of this CCTV!

Jesus and His disciples were walking through a field of grain on the Sabbath.
>> The disciples were hungry and decided to pluck some of the grain.

The OT law of keeping of the Sabbath in no way prohibited picking a handful of grain to satisfy one’s immediate hunger

In Dt 23:25, God makes a wonderful provision for travellers:
“When you enter your neighbour’s standing grain, then you may pluck the head with your hand, but you shall not put a sickle in your neighbour’s standing grain”

The traditional law however added many rules and regulations.
>> These traditions were extremely rigid, and concerned the Sabbath observance.

The Talmud, the book of Jewish traditions has 24 chapters listing various Sabbath laws.
A rabbi would sometimes spend 21/2 years studying one chapter to figure out all the details.

>> No burden could be carried that weighed more than a dried fig, or half a fig carried two times.

>> If you threw an object in the air and caught it with the other hand, it was a sin.
…  If you caught it in the same hand, it wasn’t!

>> A tailor couldn’t carry his needle…. The scribe couldn’t carry his pen… A pupil couldn’t carry his books.

>> No clothing could be examined lest somehow you find a lice and inadvertently kill it.

>> Nothing could be sold. Nothing could be bought. Nothing could be washed.

>> Cold water could be poured on warm, but warm couldn’t be poured on cold.

>> You could not bathe, for fear when the water fell off of you it might wash the floor.

>> If a candle was lit, you couldn’t put it out. If it wasn’t lit, you couldn’t light it.

>> Women couldn’t look in a glass or they might find a white hair and be tempted to pull it out.

>> Women couldn’t wear jewellery because jewellery weighs more than a dried fig!!

It goes on an on…!!

The system had become mercilessly oppressive, horribly ungodly and brutally unkind.

The safe guarders and protectors of these scrupulous laws were the Scribes and the Pharisees.
>> And today they are out, to catch hold of Jesus and His disciples.

>>> Their detective eyes are keen to observe the mistakes committed by them.
>>> Their probing eyes are on the look out to get hold of their Sabbath breakages!

>> It’s like a CCTV…
… that is capturing minute-by-minute movements
… that keeps a constant watch for any untoward happenings…

Do I sometimes adopt this tendency of the Pharisees and the Scribes…?
>> Being on the constant look out for mistakes of others…
>> Watching others’ behaviours to probe faults and failures in them…

It’s interesting that the Scribes and the Pharisees fail to see that they also broke the Sabbath Law!

The Pharisees are following Jesus and His disciples….
>>This meant walking beyond the stipulated steps prescribed by the Sabbath Law!

But, they conveniently don’t mention this!

They self-justified themselves…
… but accused others of guilt!
They self-approved themselves…
… but blamed others of faults!

Am I a person prone to only find faults and negativity in situations and in others…
>> Or do I make constructive criticisms and also be a person who genuinely appreciates?

Am I a person constantly bickering about what is lacking and missing in my life…
>> Or do I rather be a person who is delightful and content with all what God has blessed me?

Am I person who magnifies the weaknesses of others and defames others character…
>> Or do I be a person who understands others and encourages them to be stronger?

Its human to chance upon the weaknesses of others…
… but its Divine to accept, understand and encourage them to be better instead!

Its human to always look into the negative dimensions in a person…
… but its Divine to have a magnanimous heart to look to positives in life!

Let’s seek the grace of the Lord…
… to avoid the snare of being pessimistic…being judgemental…being critically evil!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

Most of us are familiar, with the story of that person who bought large new, exquisite flower vase from the market.           
>> This person was excited in possessing this big and wonderful flower vase.

He came home and placed this flower vase in the centre table of the main hall.

He looked at the vase and admired saying, “Wow! This vase looks so pretty”.

But as he kept admiring the beauty of the vase, he realized, that somehow the torn and the rugged carpet beneath, was not matching with this newly bought vase.

So he decided to change the carpet…

Once he did the changing of the carpet, and as he admired the flower vase, he realised, the painting on the walls of the house also did not match with the flower vase, and the new purchased carpet..

So there.. he decided to paint anew the walls as well!

Well.. the entry of the single vase…. brought about effective changes in the surrounding!
>> The love for the beautiful vase prompted the person to make additional changes.
>> The admiration for the charming vase made the person to bring in extra alterations.

Something similar is to happen, when the Beautiful and Precious Jesus enters into our lives…

The old is to get transformed.. the new is to be ushered in!
>> The former is to undergo an alteration…the changes have to be welcomed in!

This is what the Lord puts forward in the Gospel of the Day by the examples of the old & new cloak and old & new wine

Our Lord often used examples from daily life to illustrate his parables.

Today, He uses two concepts that would have been readily understood by his listeners:

>> No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak. (Mk 1:21)
>> No one pours new wine into old wineskin (Mk 1: 22)

It was a known fact as to what would happen if an unshrunk (new) patch was sewn onto an old garment. When it was washed, the new patch would shrink and pull away from the garment leaving a bigger tear than before.

In ancient Israel, the grapes were pressed in the winepress and left in the collection vats for a few days.

Fermentation starts immediately on pressing, and this allows the first “tumultuous” (gassy) phase to pass.
>> Then the fermenting juice was put in clay jars to be stored, or into wineskins if it was to be transported some distance.

When this new wine was placed into a wineskin, it continued to ferment;
>> So it was essential to put it into a new, flexible, skin that would expand, as the carbon dioxide gas (a by-product of fermentation) was given off.

Historically, these examples illustrate the incompatibility of the old with the new.

The new is Jesus’ message of the Kingdom of God.
>> The old is the present status of Judaism.

Contextually, what do these examples mean to us today?

We have professed and declared ourselves to be Christians, following the path of Jesus.

>> Is there a newness and a novelty that I experience and live in my daily life?
>> Does Jesus Christ really effect any difference in my attitudes and my actions?

For long, perhaps, we have been proud to carry the tag of being a Christian.
>> But is it not time that Christ really begins to become “REAL” and “LIVING” in my life?

We use Christianity as a bait to obtain concessions, quotas, easy entries for jobs etc…
>> But does Christianity make me to live the values of the Gospel to root out corruption from the society & within ourselves?

>> Does being a Christian…
…  impel me to forego a sinful life and seek after holiness?
… encourage me to stand for the values of truth and honesty?
… make me to be less materialistic and more focussed on things eternal?
… make me shun peer & societal pressures & stand for moral convictions?
… propel me to defy evil tendencies of the world and be firm to the Kingdom values?
                        

The one who is truly living in the Lord, cannot, but alter his/her sinful way of life.
>> The one who is really professing to be a Christian, cannot, but seek after holiness.

Let Jesus, as a beautiful vase, occupy the greatest presence and authority in my life!

>> This would certainly mean changing the old carpet of sinfulness and evil habits.
>>This would certainly mean painting the soiled walls with the new shade of holiness.

May the newness and the novelty of the Lord sparkle and glitter in our everyday Christian Life!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

There are a few things which are not understood in life…

(Well, don’t worry…. we are not getting too philosophical here…!)

One among these… which has perhaps, intrigued many, including me is… a physician’s (doctor’s) medicine prescription!

(Are physicians reading this more closely now??)

The physician usually is a busy person, with many patients to be attended to and many in distress seeking his/her advice.

In the midst of this heavy work, the medical prescription is often scribbled down.

>> Many times their handwriting goes for a toss!
>> Many times the legibility of this writing is hard to decipher!

This untidily written prescription of medicines is often not much understood by the patient.

This quickly scribbled medicine prescription is often criticized by the patient’s attendants…
>> “Why can’t they write neatly?”
>> “Who can understood this indecipherable paper?”

But the Physician is quite at ease with the prescription!

The poor writing doesn’t disturb….
>> The illegibility doesn’t come in the way.
>> The scribbled letters don’t prevent from suggesting the right medicine.

The physician’s prescription in the hands of people who do not understand and grasp, is a cause of irritation and criticism!
>> The physician’s prescription in the hands of person who understands them well, is a cause of life-giving medicines!

The script is the same…but…
… to the one who fails to understand, it becomes a basis of cribbing and complaining
… to the one who understands it well, it becomes the source of life and vitality

The Gospel of the Day is nice setup – a Physician, a chief patient, other patients & some complaining people! (Mk 2: 13-16)

>> The Physician is the Lord Himself…

>> The chief patient is Levi, the tax collector…

>> The few other patients are the other sinners and tax collectors…

>> The set of complaining people are the scribes and the Pharisees…

Jesus, the Great Physician is out on His regular rounds…
… of nursing the wounds of people with His soothing bandages
… of strengthening the brokenness in people with His powerful words
… of touching the miseries and sicknesses of people by His healing touches

On one such round, He comes across Levi, the tax collector.

He sees him busy at his desk, counting the money, exchanging coins…

>> Jesus sees in Levi, a man who perhaps has indulged in cheating…
>> Jesus sees in Levi, a man who has been looked down badly by the local people…

The physician Jesus, sees in Levi, a patient who is sick and in trouble.
>> And so, He scribbles down a prescription…”Follow Me” (Mk 2:17)

The patient, with this prescription is happy and relieved…
… because he realizes, the Physician has given him a prescription that will bring him life!

Levi must have not understood much of this prescription….
>> But he follows the great Physician!

However, the other people who watch and see this prescription…fail to understand it!

And they begin to complain and groan:
“Why does He eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (Mk 2:16)

Yes, the Physician’s prescription in the hands of people who do not understand & grasp, is a cause of irritation and criticism!
>> But, the Physician’s prescription in the hands of  people who understands them well, is a cause of life-giving medicines!

But Jesus, the Great Physician of Galilee, knows well & is confident of the prescription that He has given to His patient.
>> And so He boldly proclaims, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mk 2: 17)

Is any of us sick among us?

>> Spiritually sick…
… .with crisis with God or difficulties in prayer life or a standstill in faith?

>> Emotionally sick…
… with hard feelings hitting our life or unable to handle various moods?

>> Physiologically sick…
… with painful diseases and ailments or troubling aches, hurts and ills?

>> Financially sick…
… with businesses and jobs going down the drain and no hopes seen ahead?

>> Socially sick…
… with ill-acceptance by others and painful  rejection by those whom we love?

Then the Great Physician is out here…. to heal and touch us!
>> No matter whether the prescription is not understood by us…
>> No matter whether the prescription is criticized by other people…

It makes perfect sense to the One who has prescribed it!
>> It makes perfect sense to the One who is to give the medicines!

The Great Physician is on duty…
>> Come, let us go to Him…for His Healing and Life-Saving Prescription!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

There is a popular quote in Hindi, which goes so:
” Bhagwaan jab deta hain, chappar phaad kar deta hain”

The meaning of the words are given below:
>> Bhagwaan (God)  jab (when) deta hain (gives), chappar (roof)  phaad (tear open)  kar deta hain (gives)!

Therefore, literally, in English, this quotation would get translated as:
“When God gives, He tear opens the roofs and gives!”

The Gospel of the Day gives a similar scene of “The roof being torn open!”

We are travelling very quickly with St Mark’s journey of the ministry of Jesus.

We were with Jesus by the Sea of Galilee, where He called the first disciples (Mk 1: 16-20)
>Then we came to the synagogue, where Jesus cures a man with an unclean spirit (Mk: 1: 21-28)
>> Then we reached Simon’s house, where Jesus heals Simon’s mother-in-law (Mk 1:29-31)
>>> Then we went to the mountains to pray with Jesus, who always remained focused (Mk 1: 35)
>>>> Then we met a leper, unacceptable in the society, who was made clean by Jesus (Mk 1: 40-45)

The journey moves fast and immediately…

At Capernaum, a great crowd has gathered in a house, where Jesus is preaching (Mk 2:1-2)

>> The house is fully packed with people cramming to hear the Lord..
>> The house is brimming with  persons seeking the healing of the Lord..,

Then comes a group of thick friends who have brought their paralytic friend to Jesus.

>> They came with much expectation to get their friend whole and well again.
>> They sought with an eager and earnest desire for the Lord of power and healings.

But as they approached the house… their hopes would have gone down!
>> The thick crowd of people would have slimmed their hopes!
>> The massive gathering at the door would have thinned their anticipations!

But when the chips are down, one is given a chance to find strength one never knew one had & put it toward the greater good.

>> They came seeking for blessings…
>> They came seeking for the God of blessings…
But it seemed, that the firmament was closed to shower down blessings!

But then they had a hope…similar to that of …” Bhagwaan jab deta hain, chappar phaad kar deta hain!”

Yes …”When God gives, He tear opens the roofs and gives!”

And so they decided to take on this same principle that God uses to shower His blessings:
“To tear open the roof!”

“Unable to get near Jesus, because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above Him” (Mk 1:4)

“Opened up the roof” has other translations…
… “dug a hole through the roof”
…“removed part of the roof”
… “uncovered the roof”

We would perhaps think the roof was some primitive, thatched roof.

But most likely, that was not the case…

As per the architecture then, this roof was more than likely a mud clay roof with tiles

To lower their paralyzed friend through the roof, they literally had to do a major demolition of the roof.

Well… picture this…

You’re in this packed house – people crammed to the max…trying to listen to Jesus.
>> All of a sudden you start to hear some banging on the roof.

These friends would have literally tore the tiles off the roof, made a hole & lowered the paralyzed man by a rope into the house.
>> Then the roof materials begins to fall in on you!

Well… picture the people’s responses…

>> They would have been astonished, amazed and some even angered!
>> They were there to listen to Jesus….they had come early…they had won their spot…

They were perhaps hearing their life-transforming sermon!
>> It’s at this point, that the “roof starts tearing down!”

But Jesus, the God of blessings, is immensely pleased and edified by their faith and trust!
>> Their “tearing of the roof” is blessed by “pouring down of blessings”.
>> Their “tearing of the roof” is rewarded with a “cleansing of sins”.

Many of the times, we too face similar barriers and blockages in our experience for the Lord.

>> Are we willing to “break through the roof”…
… of discouragements, disappointments and distresses?

>> Are we willing to “break through the roof”…
… of ‘end-of-the-road’ feelings and ‘hopeless situations’?

>> Are we willing to “break through the roof”…
… of problems which seem impossible and unsolvable?

>> Difficulties and barriers will always be many in life…
>> Hardships and challenges will often stare on our face…

But let us have the grit and the guts to be ready to “break through the roof” of all such adversities!

Then, we will experience the God of blessings also pouring down graces on us… “Chappar phaad ke!!” (breaking the roof)

God Bless! Live Jesus!

 
One of the common experiences in many of our daily lives is the aspect of “delay”…

> Go to get a certificate in a university….and we are told: “Come next week”
>> Go to an office to get a document signed…and we are told: “Today it’s not possible”
>>> Go to a department to meet an official…and we are told: ” Sir is busy today”

Our works are not done in time… Much of our time gets wasted.
>> We experience a lot of “delays”

>> Delays could suggest lack of availability.
>> Delays could suggest a lack of interest.
>> Delays could suggest a lack of sincere efforts.

But the Gospel of the Day is in stark contrast to this “delay” syndrome!
>> Get set to meet the “fast-paced” and “accelerated” Jesus in the Gospel of St Mark!

The Gospel of St Mark is the shortest of the four Gospels and probably the earliest.
>> This Gospel was primarily intended to the group of persecuted Christians.

It was most likely intended to be read aloud in the Christian assembly, rather than a private reading.
>> A Gospel for the ear more than the eye!

And so we would have in the Gospel of Mark, the use of constant repetitions, summaries, recapitulations and variations on a theme.

One of such word that is an oft-repeated one.. is the word “Immediately”

The Greek usage of this word is Eutheos,” which is variously translated “straight away, immediately, at once, soon” etc.
>> St Mark would use this word “Eutheos” an astounding 40+ times in his Gospel!

Here are some examples:
>> Immediately, the Spirit drove Him to the desert (Mk 1: 12)
>> And they immediately left their nets and followed Him (Mk 1: 18)
>> Jesus immediately knew in His mind what they were thinking (Mk 2: 8)
>> The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel against Him (Mk 3:6)
>> The seed sprang up immediately because the soil was not deep (Mk 4: 5)

Even the Gospel of the Day uses this word “immediately”…
>> The leprosy left him immediately and he was made clean (Mk 1:42)
>> Then warning him sternly, he dismissed him immediately (Mk 1:43)

No other Gospel or New Testament writer uses this word “immediately” to the extent that Mark does in his Gospel.

What’s happening?
>> Why is St Mark so obsessed with this word “immediately”?

Perhaps the foremost word to describe the Gospel of Mark is action.
> No effort is wasted.
>> No time is spent on the frivolous.
>>> The pace is fast.
>>> The language vivid.

Mark’s purpose was to immediately confront readers with the need to respond to the Lord.

What does this “immediacy” mean for us – you and me?
>> This sense of immediacy is still relevant to us today.

When we take a stand for the Gospel…
… we are immediately tempted.

When we are called by the Lord…
… we are invited to follow Him immediately.

When we are touched by the Lord…
… we are made to respond immediately.

>> There is to be no “delay”, but a need to “immediately” perform.
>> There is to be a promptitude in His service and the urgency for His mission.
>> There is to be no holding back, no reluctance, no slackness, but a blessed “immediateness”.

As Christians, we have perhaps allowed ourselves to get into a “delay” syndrome…
>>> We no longer feel the pinch to react when there is immense injustice and corruption around
>> We take it so lightly when we hear reports of tragic deaths and heart breaking calamities.
> We are not much moved when people around us suffer and undergo deep pain.

We have many who “talk” in defence and importance of faith…
>> But very few who really live and profess this faith.

We have many who raise protests when false accusations and persecutions of faith are made
>> But very few who actually live a life of prayer and holiness.

We are often no longer on the cutting edge of relevancy… We seem to be more comfortable!

>> Are we “delaying” to help the suffering people?
>> Are we “delaying” to reinvigorate our Christian lives?
>> Are we “delaying” to take our faith and spiritual life seriously?
>> Are we “delaying” to stand up in defence of Christ and His Church?
>> Are we “delaying” to mould and shape our lives according to God’s Will?

In all these “delay” syndromes, the Gospel of Immediacy is challenging and confronting us!

Come, let us be ready to act…
Come, let us be ready to respond…
…Yes…. immediately!!

God Bless! Live Jesus!