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

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

A popular story with a minor variation goes as follows:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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

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

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

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

Hands started going up.

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

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

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

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

The hands still continued to go up!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So often we get carried away by external appearances.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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

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

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

Two men were candidates for the office.

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

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

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

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

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

Throwing down his basket, he went away.

The other man continued until he had exhausted the well.

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

Our work was not useless!”

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

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

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

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

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

Saul was blessed with many blessings and protection from the Lord

And these favours therefore demanded a greater faithfulness from Saul!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Listening to God’s Will; living a Life of Holiness; letting the light of His Love to shine”

(Based on Isa 49:3, 5-6, 1 Cor 1:1-3 and Jn 1:29-34 – 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A)

Six-year-old Johny made a trip to some European countries with his parents.

On returning back to the Catechism classes, his teacher asked him about his experiences.

And Johny said, “I loved all the churches in Europe – they are so many and they are so beautiful!

They have so many glass paintings on the windows of these bog churches of many saints!”

On hearing the word, “Saint”, the teacher asked Johny: “So tell me, who is a saint?”

And Johny, recollecting those glass paintings on the Church windows said:
“A saint is someone, who allows the Light of the Lord to pass through!”

That’s a beautiful description of a Saint, isn’t it?

One who allows the Light of the Lord to pass through!

The Liturgy of the Day invites each of us to allow the Light of the Lord to pass through…
… and become a light – a witness – of God’s Love to the world!

The First Reading (Is 49:3, 5-6) is one of the Four Servant Songs in the Book of Isaiah, about Jesus, the Messiah. (The other three – Is 42:1-9, 50:4-9, 52:13-53:12).

The Servant is named Israel (Is 49:3)

And elsewhere, the nation of Israel, is called the servant of the Lord (Is 41:8-9, 44:1-2, 21; 45:4; 48:20).

But Israel failed in its vocation.

This title of the “Servant of the Lord” is, however, faithfully lived by Jesus…
… who is shown to be the one faithful Israelite (Mt 12:15-21, Phil 2:6-8).

This title is later also given to those who make up God’s reconstituted Israel – all those who follow Jesus!

Each of us is thus invited to be “the light to the nations, that His Salvation may reach to the ends of the earth!” (Cf. Is 49:6)

St Paul beautifully shows this way to be the light to the nations: By doing His Will and living a Holy Life!

He understood the depth of his vocation by identifying himself with the Will of God…
… “Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God…” (1 Cor 1:1)
He also invites the people of Corinthians to live a sanctified life…
… “to the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints…” (1 Cor 1:2)

When we do the Will of God in our lives and live a holy life, we allow God’s light to shine through us

When doing what God wants becomes the first priority for us, we become His Authentic Witnesses!

This is what we find St John the Baptist doing in the Gospel: Following the Will of God, he takes up this mission and duty of “being a light – a witness!”

“The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him and declared, ‘Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” (Jn 1:29-30)

Jesus would later testify to this fact when He tells about John the Baptist:
“He was a burning and shining lamp…” (Jn 5:35)

Our Christian lives are to be lived…
… by seeking and doing God’s Will!
… by living a holy life!

It is this transparency and openness to the Will of God that will help us to allow the Light of the Lord to pass through…
… and become a light – a witness – of God’s Love to the world!

May our prayer be, like the words of that beautiful hymn to our Blessed Mother:
“Mamma Mary, help me be open
To let the Light shine through me

Mamma Mary, teach me obedience,
Make me transparent like You!”

As we enter into the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Jan 18-25)…
… let us remember that divided glass scatters the light, but joined panes reveal its full beauty.

When we submit together, as one family, to the Will of God, Christ’s Light shines undistorted through His Church.

Unity, then, is not optional…
… it is the clarity through which the world truly sees the Lamb of God!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Meeting and experiencing the Lord, in our everyday – simple and ordinary – situations of life!”

(Based on 1 Sam 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1 and Mk 2:13-17 – Saturday of the 1st Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

An old lady loved visiting antique shops.

One day while browsing one, she came across a beautiful old ‘Singer-style’ sewing machine…
… the manual kind, mounted on a table with a foot pedal.

When she saw it she whispered a simple prayer: ‘God, I’d love something like that for my place.’

A couple of days later, as she was walking out her front door on her way to work when she saw a pile of junk by the roadside.

She stopped, stunned!

There in the rubbish stood an old Singer-style sewing machine…
… the manual kind, mounted on a table with a foot pedal.

On it hung a sign that said: “In good condition – anyone can take.”

God is, indeed, a God of surprises!

He visits us even in the most ordinary situations of life.

Are we open to meet and experience the Lord, in our everyday – simple and ordinary – situations of life?

The Gospel of the Day presents a person who encounters the Call of the Lord in his “routine of life!”
… Levi, who would become an apostle of Christ.

The mission of Jesus – sent by His Father – was to search for “lost sheep” and “sick patients”

The Gospel today – Mk 2:13-17 – presents this aspect of Jesus, in search of His flock

Jesus says, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mk 2:17)

This encounter of the Lord ‘searching for us’ can take place even in the ordinary and daily situations of life.

This was what Levi experienced.

He was “busy at table counting taxes”…
… with his own worldly interests and concerns
… surrounded by people who hated tax-collectors like him, and looked down on him, in contempt and rejection

But, even in a situation of “counting the taxes at table,” God can intervene in human lives!

Even though Levi was only looking for “taxes,” Jesus was in search of Levi!

How about us?
Do we find ourselves “busy at table counting taxes?”
… busy with many worldly concerns and worries?
… busy in being surrounded by people who reject and hate us?

Then let us know and understand that even in such ordinary situations of being “busy at table counting taxes”…
… can become moments when God wants to address you and tell you, “Follow me!” (Cf. Mk 2:14)

God is looking for us…
… even if we are not thinking much about Him!

Jesus wants us to follow Him closer…
… even if we are not ready for it, and busy with the affairs of the world!

Let us learn to remain open and docile to the voice of the Lord – the Word of the Lord – in the daily circumstances of our life.

Yes, God is a God of surprises!

He visits us even in the most ordinary situations of life.
His Word is addressed to us, in all the circumstances of our life.

Are we open to meet and experience the Lord, in our everyday – simple and ordinary – situations of life?

God Bless! Live Jesus!