“Doing away with the ‘hypocritical and tactical’ tendency and adopting the ‘way of humility & truth!'”

(Based on Isa 1:10, 16-20 and Mt 23:1-12 – Tuesday of the 2nd Week in Lent)

Here is an interesting letter from a boy to a girl:

“Dearest Marie,

No words could ever express the great unhappiness I’ve felt…
… since breaking our engagement.
>> Please say you’ll take me back.
>> No one could ever take your place in my heart, so please forgive me.
I love you, I love you, I love you!

Yours forever, Jimmy


P.S., And yeah… congratulations on winning the state bumper lottery!”


That’s how very often, our attitudes and approaches in life are!
>> We tend to get very manipulative
And thus, we end up being…
… hypocritical and calculative in our relations
… haughty and proud in our behaviour


The call of the Gospel is to do away with this “hypocritical and tactical” tendency…
… and to adopt the “way of humility & truth!”


Am I a person who is willing to lower myself in humility?

Jesus says in today’s Gospel, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Mt 23: 12)


The 23rd Chapter of the Gospel of St Matthew begins with Jesus turning the attention of His disciples and of the crowds…
… towards the Scribes and the Pharisees.


Focusing on the religious leaders and on their practices, Jesus launches a volley of critically true statements about their wicked misdeeds!
>> The chapter ends with the “Painful Lament” by Jesus over Jerusalem – the city of the Lord!


One of the highlights in this highly volatile and strongly-worded chapter is the number of times Jesus mentions the two groups of people – “Scribes and Pharisees”

There is, in total, 7 occurrences of the phrase, “Scribes and Pharisees” – a biblical number for totality!
>> This chapter is a therefore, a full-blown critique and condemnation of the ways of the Scribes and Pharisees.


Why is Jesus so outright in His condemnation, so merciless in His usage of words and so blatant in His attacks on the Scribes and Pharisees?


(Meanwhile, when we go through these critical attacks of our Blessed Lord on this group, one must always remember the words of Jesus Himself: “I have come not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” [Lk 5:32]

There was deep pain in the heart of the Lord, in seeing the way religion was being manhandled, misused and misinterpreted by the religious leaders of His time
>> As the Son of His Beloved Father, it was hurting for the Son to see a section of people, trampling upon God’s precious and venerable truths…
… and twisting them for their own self-interests and self-agenda
>> A strong form of condemnation was reserved only to those who were hardened in heart – as a means for them to repent and turn back their ways to the Lord.

The method of ‘sharp condemnation’ was reserved only to the proud and the arrogant; never to the poor sinners!)


The reason for Jesus making a scathing attack on the religious authorities of His times…
… could be summarized into one crucial point: Glorification of one’s own self at the expense of the Glory of God and the Mercy deserving for His people!

Therefore, Jesus goes on to point out the many occasions and circumstances when the Self-Interest of the Pharisees and Scribes took extreme priority over God Himself!


It is this self-centred and self-glorifying act that makes Jesus to tell, “For they preach, but they do not practise!” (Mt 23: 3b)


How easily can this be our own state of affairs, in our life…!

We may be people…
… who “appear” to be very fine and kind – but perhaps, we are persons who find it too hard to let go of our pride, in reaching out to the needy, in humble service!
… who speak a lot on helping others and being generous – but perhaps, we go through grilling moments in lowering ourselves and adopting a lowly status to extend a helping hand!
… who desire happiness in communities and peace at homes – but perhaps, we discover
ourselves to be persons who are unwilling to let go of our ego, and allow a listening ear to the opinions of others!


The call, today, therefore is…
… to “work for a cause – not applause!”
… to “live life to express – and not simply to impress!”


We are called to avoid being hypocritical and calculative!

Yes…
Let’s do away with “hypocritical and tactical” tendency…
… and adopt the “way of humility & truth!”


God Bless! Live Jesus!

—————————–
📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
LIFE IN CHRIST – PARTICIPATION IN SOCIAL LIFE
>> The diversity of political regimes is morally acceptable…
… provided they serve the legitimate good of the communities that adopt them. (CCC # 1901)
———

“Cultivating a harvest of goodness and generosity!”

(Based on Dan 9:4b-10 and Lk 6:36-38 – Monday of the 2nd Week in Lent)

This story is told that one day a beggar by the roadside asked for alms…
… from Alexander the Great, as he passed by.

The man was poor and wretched and had no claim upon the ruler…
… no right even to lift a solicitous hand.

Yet the Emperor threw him several gold coins.

A courtier was astonished at his generosity and commented:
“Sir, copper coins would adequately meet a beggar’s need.

Why give him gold?”

Alexander responded in royal fashion:
“Copper coins would suit the beggar’s need…
… but gold coins suit Alexander’s giving.”

Generosity is not just about fulfilling needs…
… it’s a reflection of our character and our inner goodness!

Our behaviours towards others should not be a mere reaction to their actions…
… instead, they should mirror the essence of our own character.

The Gospel of the Day calls for ‘cultivating a harvest of goodness and generosity.’

The Lord, continuing His teachings on a practical Christian life, exhorts, “…give and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give, is the measure you get back” (Lk 6:38)

In illustrating the importance of generosity, Jesus draws upon a vivid scene from the bustling markets of Israel…
… reflecting the common marketplace dynamics prevalent in the Middle East.

Picture the vibrant open-air markets…
… where farmers display their grains—wheat, corn, barley
… on mats laid out on the ground.

In a familiar ritual, potential buyers engage in negotiations…
… bargaining over prices, quality, and quantity of the goods.

Amid this lively exchange, a customer would eventually settle on a price.

The buyer then presents their container…
… whether a sizable bowl, pot, or an open vessel.
The seller, with a measuring scoop, proceeds to fill the container, completing the exchange.

There would be some interesting steps in this process of measuring the grain for a customer and which Jesus quotes in His approach to giving:

First, the seller would fill the container to the top.
Secondly, he would press the grain down and fill some more.
Thirdly, he would shake the container so the grain would settle and then fill in some more.
Finally, he would fill the container until it overflowed!
The contents of this overflowing container would then be transferred to a pouch or a bag so that the buyer could bring home the contents from the market.

Well, this process could sound a bit strange and weird to us in the modern world.

We live in times…
… when contents are sold by the weight, and not the volume
… when manipulations are done to give as less as possible

But this is where, Jesus, bringing in the example of the market, invites generosity in giving
… He encourages us to embrace a spirit of open-handed generosity i

Our giving ought to be measured not by weight, but by volume…
… and that refers to a far-greater amount of giving – generous and lavish!

Our giving ought not to be a calculated effort…
… rather should be a overflow from the heart!

St Paul in 2 Cor 9:6 says, “Whoever sows sparingly, will also reap sparingly; whoever reaps bountifully will also reap bountifully”

When we engage is such a lavish and generous giving, God too will shower His abundance – in fact, in a much better fashion!
“For the measure you give, will be the measure you get back” (Lk 6:38)

Of course, that is not to say that we are limiting God’s power of giving or determining His giving to our actions
But the Lord invites us to be involved in a Divine Barter System…

Give to God, Who deserves all, so that we may be worthy to receive His blessings.
Give to God, Who is worthy of all, so that we may be blessed to receive His graces.

In the Divine barter system, the advantage is that, we get much more than what we give…
… we obtain far greater than what we offer!

God’s giving is not to be seen just from material or physical aspects…

In fact, that would just be a very limited and low level of understanding.

God’s gifts are to be understood more from a spiritual perspective:
… Gift of His mercy to live a life in union with Him.
… Gift of His grace to be faithful and more committed.
… Gift of His love to be better human beings and be more charitable.
… Gift of His salvation to enjoy eternal bliss and happiness with Him .

All these gifts will be surely lavished and given… “good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured out into our laps!”

The greatest exchange – the Divine barter system – is seen and experienced in the Holy Eucharist…
… at every Holy Mass.

Let us give ourselves entirely to the Lord – especially at Holy Mass…

And through the Mass
… at all times of the day
… to all people in our life

Then, in the words of Fulton Sheen, we will be graced to hear the words of the Divine Lord telling us…

You give me your humanity, and I will give you my Divinity!
You give me your time, and I will give you My eternity!
You give me your broken heart, and I will give you Love!
You give me your nothingness, and I will give you My all!

Let’s realize that “generosity is not just about fulfilling needs…
… it’s a reflection of our character and our inner goodness!”

Offer to others “not just the copper coins of unwilling obligations…”
… rather, generously give “the gold coins of joyful service and care!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
LIFE IN CHRIST – PARTICIPATION IN SOCIAL LIFE

If authority belongs to the order established by God…

… “the choice of the political regime and the appointment of rulers are left to the free decision of the citizens!” (CCC # 1901)

“Having the Transfiguration Experience, in imitation of our Blessed Lord!”

(Based on Gen 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18, Rom 8:31b-34 and Mk 9:2-10 – 2nd Sunday in Lent)

There is a little story told of a person who went to Paris on a trip.

Wishing to buy his wife a gift, he purchased a phosphorescent, ‘mother-of-pearl’ match-box container.

(‘Mother-of-pearl’ is the common name for sparkling nacre, a blend of minerals that are secreted by oysters and deposited inside their shells…
.. coating and protecting them from foreign objects; these eventually become pearls)

The beauty of this gift was that in the dark it was said to radiate a wonderful light.

The man packed it in his trunk, took it home and after the family-dinner, asked for the lights to be put out.

In the dark, he took the match-box container from his pocket to present it to his wife.

But, when he looked at it, it was as black as the darkness around.

Frustrated, he said, “That is just the way foreigners are often treated! I have been cheated!”

Next day, however, his wife, a bit curious, discovered on the box, a few words in French.

She took it down to some friends who had a French maid and had it translated.

That night, in the darkness, that box was all aglow, for she had followed the instructions written on the box, which said:
‘If you keep me all day long in the sunlight,
I will shine for you all night long, in the darkness’

Yes…

The greater one is in the light, the greater would be one’s glow in the dark!
… because a glow in the dark is assured for that which has the capacity to infuse light within itself!

Light emerges from the depths of holiness.. to shine clearly even in the dark…

This is Transfiguration!

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are invited to have this Transfiguration Experience…
… in imitation of our Blessed Lord.

The Gospel on the Second Sunday of Lent presents the Transfiguration of our Lord

The scene of the Transfiguration is a visually powerful and an authoritatively impactful incident.

Jesus takes three disciples – the core team among the Twelve – Peter, James and John – and led them up a high mountain. (Mk 9: 2)
There He was – His appearance changing and seen to be with Great Glory!

One of the easy tendencies in life is to “get used to”…

Get used to doing the same works and dealing with the same people.

A tendency of “monotony” creeps in

A feeling of “boredom” crawls in!

The danger with “monotony” is that…
… it can drain away enthusiasm from the works one does

This danger of “monotony” is a strong possibility even in our spiritual life.

We begin to take our faith for granted
We tend to view our devotions with casualness.

Prayers get boring.

The Holy Eucharist seems meaningless
Pious practices fails to generate any passion

The same danger was true even in the case of the Disciples.

The disciples had been with Jesus for a while now…

They had seen Him…
… performing many wonders
… teaching and addressing the crowds
… being the subject of many oppositions too

But slowly, as human tendency is – a feel of monotony would have begun to creep into their lives.

It is at this stage, that our Blessed Lord chooses three of His “core” disciples – Peter, James and John, and in their presence gets Transfigured! (Mk 9: 2-10)

The Transfiguration experience was something very special and unique for these disciples…

They saw our Blessed Lord glisteningly shining – His clothes being whiter “as no fuller on earth could bleach” (Mk 9:3)
They witnessed Moses and Elijah (Mk 9:4) – the great Lawgiver and the mighty Prophet – along with Jesus, Who was the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophet!

They heard the Divine Voice – “This is My Beloved Son; listen to Him” (Mk 9: 7b) – from the cloud…
… reminiscent of God Yahweh who would speak to His people of old, from the clouds

The three disciples were being introduced to a new perspective of their Master.

They saw Jesus – not in the usual way – but arrayed in His Divine Glory and Honour!

Jesus had not become something that He was not…

He was always God and was always the Second Person of the Divine Trinity.

All this while, the eyes of the disciples were kept away from seeing the fullness of glory – only sparks of Divinity was revealed to them

But now, here was a moment, though short – the Transfiguration – when the chosen disciples could come face-to-face with Divine Glory!

The moment of Transfiguration had made them see things in a new light…

Jesus was still the same – but they now saw Him, for a short moment, with a Glorious Glow

That is the splendour and glory of the moment of Transfiguration…
… when woundedness is refined into beauty
… when sufferings are graced into meaningfulness

Have we had this Transfiguration Experience?

Surely, we have had…

But perhaps, many of us fail to recognise it.. or acknowledge it

A moment…
… when our words have touched and sparkled a sad soul..
… when we ourselves have been healed in our brokenness by some Divine intervention
… when we experienced the light of God’s healing, restoration, forgiveness etc through the Sacraments of the Church
… when a pulse of joy and satisfaction raced through our veins in having rendered, perhaps, a tiny but significant act of service and care to a needy person
… when, in our brokenness or deep pain or lethargy, an encouraging word has revived our bent spirits

Many are such moments of Transfiguration in our life…

The more we look deeper, the more we find…
… that God has blessed us immensely with such “Transfiguration” experiences.

It is these “Transfiguration” moments that will take us through, strongly, in our moments of darkness.

The light of Transfiguration on Mount Tabor helped to shine through during the darkness of Crucifixion on Mount Calvary for Jesus!

The greater one is in the light of the Transfiguration…
… the greater would be one’s glow in the dark phases of life!

Abraham in the Old Testament – the Father of Faith – went through immensely agonizing and hard moments. (Gen 22: 1-3)

Asked to sacrifice “His Only Beloved Son” Isaac… His special one…
… Abraham was torn between listening to his own voice of affection for his child or to the voice of God
… Abraham was shredded between listening to his own reasonable mind or to the incomprehensible plan of God

But Abraham chose to put his faith in the Lord.. and to listen

He chose to trust absolutely in the providence of God…
… and to be obedient

When we are in the dry deserts of life, we are asked to be totally obedient to God…
… which will help us to have moments of “Transfiguration!”

The Lord will surely take us through…
… every crisis
… every desert
… every darkness
“If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8: 31)

Let us grow in our efforts to be completely obedient to our Master!

Let us always be reminded of the promise of the Lord that:
“If you keep yourself, all day long in the sunlight of My Love,

I will shine for you all night long, in the darkness of your life”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
LIFE IN CHRIST – PARTICIPATION IN SOCIAL LIFE

Pope St. Clement of Rome provides the Church’s most ancient prayer for political authorities:
“Grant to them, Lord, health, peace, concord, and stability, so that they may exercise without offense the sovereignty that you have given them.
Master, heavenly King of the ages, you give glory, honor, and power over the things of earth to the sons of men.
Direct, Lord, their counsel, following what is pleasing and acceptable in your sight, so that…

… by exercising with devotion and in peace and gentleness the power that you have given to them, they may find favor with you. (CCC # 1900)

“Responding to the invitation to ‘live in love’ by having a proper understanding of the word ‘love!'”

(Based on Deut 26:16-19 and Mt 5:43-48 – Saturday of the 1st Week of Lent)

A catechism teacher – an English trainer by profession – was explaining the importance of the word ‘love’ to her Class 7 students.

She said: “What is love?

Love is silence – when your words would hurt.
Love is patience – when people are rude
Love is deafness – when a scandalous rumour makes rounds
Love is thoughtfulness – when you see others in pain
Love is promptness – when you see someone in need
Love is courage – when unexpected crisis hits the boat of your lives”

And she added, “And finally…
… Love is The Man – Whom you see hanging on the Cross, shedding the last drop of His blood for us!”

Love, which takes many forms, finds its ultimate expression in “The Man” – Jesus – the Saviour of the world…
… Who invites each one of us to “live in love” by having a proper understanding of the word “love!”

Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, continues to pull down barriers of “comfort and coziness” by challenging His disciples to rise above the normal standards of the world.

Today He speaks on the aspect of “Love”.

Love is the fundamental and innate vocation of every human person.

Dictionaries describe love as being ‘a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person’ or a ‘feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection’.

Generally speaking, love is considered only to be a human ’emotion or feeling’.

It is something that is usually understood as being “felt” or “sensed” or “experienced”.

Jesus surely did consider “love” as an emotion and a feeling.
Therefore…
… He loved the company of people
… He cherished affection of those who followed Him
… He treasured relationships and fostered friendships with all

But beyond these “external” dimensions of Love… Our Blessed Lord taught and showed a higher aspect of love

Love, not just being a “feeling” but ” love as a “decision”.
Love, not just being a “sensation” but love as a “commitment”

Therefore Jesus says:

“You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy!” (Mt 5:43)
“For if you love only those who love you, what recompense will you have?” (Mt 5: 46)

These ‘statements on love’ must have stunned the original audience.

In the 1st-century Jewish Palestine, “enemies” and “persecutors” primarily referred to the oppressive Romans.

Jesus challenges His followers, to love and pray for those who were oppressing them…
… those occupying their land
… those imposing heavy taxes
… and those treating them unjustly.

This radical love – mirroring the Heavenly Father’s inclusive care…
… would become an identity for them to be called as ‘true children of the Heavenly Father!’

Love, when understood only as a “feeling” or an “emotion” can get reduced to being just an “object” or a “thing”

Just as one exchanges goods with each other…
… love is also exchanged with one another
Just as one shares one’s belongings and possessions with one another…
… love is also shared with one another
Just as one gives and takes things from each other…
… love is also given and taken from each other

But the Lord presents a higher understanding of love and demands a much supreme expression of love from His followers: “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5: 48)

Love to be a “virtue” has to surpass the ordinary realms of being “an emotion” and “feeling” and transcend to being a “radical decision” and a “faithful commitment!”

When someone hurts us, we don’t “feel” like loving…
But Jesus says, “Love that person”, because love is a “daring decision”

When someone continues to be lukewarm, we don’t have any “emotions” of love…
But Jesus says, “Love that person,” because love is an “absolute allegiance”

When someone continues to cause pain, we don’t “experience” any love…
But Jesus says, “Love that person” because love is a “challenging commitment”

Now this teaching certainly irks our “normal” understanding.

How can I possibly love someone, who has hurt and killed me, mentally?
How can I be expected to show love to someone who still hurts me, even intentionally?
How can I be told to love people, who have no regard for me at all and treat me as an object?

It seems to be an impossibility.
It seems to be absurd.

But we are called to look to the Crucified Lord…
… in Whom we have the perfect example of ‘Love being lived in actuality!’

Jesus on the Cross shows that love is to be
… a “daring decision”
… an “absolute allegiance”
… and a “challenging commitment!”

One may not be able to “show” love…
… but can we at least pray, and seek for God’s blessings on the person?
One may not be able to “talk” freely to the one who has hurt…
… but can we try to wish good, and speak good about the person?
One may not be able to “resist” from having bad feelings when encountering one’s enemy…
… but can we at least offer the person to the mercy of God?

This teaching certainly seems to be a big “burden” and a significant “stress”

But this is where, we need to make a journey…
… of considering people not as a “burden” but as a brother!
… of considering people not as a “stress” but as a sister!

We are assured by the Lord that when we “observe [His commandments] diligently” with all our heart and with all our soul….
… we will be “set high above all nations that He has made, in praise and in fame and in honor; and… to be a people holy to the Lord!” (Cf. Deut 26:16,19)

Let us realize that the Lord has walked through this journey.
He is still with us – to accompany us.

This journey may be hard
This journey may be hurting
This journey may be painful
But lets follow the Loving Law of the Lord…
…being impelled by the encouraging words of the Psalmist: “Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!” (Ps 119:1b)

We are given the powerful reminder that “Love is The Man – Whom you see hanging on the Cross, shedding the last drop of His blood for us!”…
… as we are invited to “live in love” by having a proper understanding of the word “love!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
LIFE IN CHRIST – PARTICIPATION IN SOCIAL LIFE

The duty of obedience requires all to give due honor to authority…
… and to treat those who are charged to exercise it with respect

… and, insofar as it is deserved, with gratitude and good-will. (CCC # 1900)

“Realising that it is not just what we preach, but what we practise, that makes us Christians!”

(Based on Ezek 18:21-28 and Mt 5:20-26 – Friday of the 1st Week of Lent)

An eloquent priest was explaining to a group of youngsters, on who is a Christian.

He said:
“It is not what people eat, but what they digest…
… that makes them strong

It is not what we earn, but what we save…
… that makes us rich
It is not what we read, but what we remember…
… that makes us learned
And finally, it is not just what we preach, but what we practise…
… that makes us Christians!”

So true, isn’t it?

Very often, we associate our Christian way of life, only with practices of prayer and devotion

But we need to realise…
…. every prayer needs to be accompanied with works of charity!
… every act of devotion needs to be complemented with deeds of mercy!

Jesus always keeps challenging us!

He loathes laziness and lukewarmness!
He loves to keep raising the standard of our holiness and faith!

This challenge is reflected in today’s Gospel reading.

Jesus says, ” Unless your righteousness exceeds that of Scribes & Pharisees, you can’t enter the Kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5: 20)

The righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees would consist…
… in a lifestyle which insisted only on the exact following of the ‘letter’ of the Law neglecting its spirit
… in a tendency to neglect the fundamental aspects of the Law and focus only on the peripheries

What could be some of the negative aspects of the Righteousness of Scribes and Pharisees, which Jesus condemns…
… and which perhaps, we need to overcome?

1. They liked to preach, but not practise

We live in a world where there are many people who are good in preaching, writing reflections and advising on spiritual matters.

But very often, a massive chasm appears between their preaching and their way of life.

The Scribes and Pharisees seemed to be in this category of people.

2. They liked to do things to “show-off”

A tragedy of religious practices can be, when things are done not to please God, but to win the approval and endorsement of people.

Religious piety and devotions very often become means to have self-gratification of one’s senses, and sadly, even platforms to boast and brag about one’s capacities and capabilities.

The Scribes and Pharisees seemed to be in this category of people.

3. They liked to make the Word of God, user-friendly, at the cost of God’s Will:

One of the trends in the modern world, is to have all products and gadgets “user-friendly”.

Sadly, this trend is also often applied to the Word of God.

The Word of God, its commandments and laws are twisted and condensed and expanded and interpreted and quoted and explained and elucidated – all to suit one’s own comfortable and pleasurable way of life!

The Scribes and Pharisees seemed to be in this category of people.

Am I in any of these category of peoples?

The Lord challenges us today.. to exceed this sort of a righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees.

We need to be people…
… “who walk the talk!”
… “who practice our Faith to Please God and Him alone
… “who live a Gospel-oriented life”

The Gospel ought to mould and shape us – and not we changing the Word of God to suit and justify our secured and comfortable lives!

Gal 1:10, says,” If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ.”

As followers of Christ, it is our duty and task to go beyond a “Pharisaic and Scribal Lifestyle”…
… and live as Jesus would want us to!

Let’s realise that it is not just what we preach, but what we practise…
… that makes us Christians!

Let our every prayer, be accompanied with works of charity…
… and our every act of devotion, be complemented with deeds of mercy!

Yes… may our lives truly be a Good News!

As St Francis of Assisi says, “Preach the Gospel always… use words, if necessary!“

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
LIFE IN CHRIST – PARTICIPATION IN SOCIAL LIFE

The authority required by the moral order derives from God:
“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.
For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” (CCC # 1899)