“Nurturing our faith, and allowing the Flame of Christ to shine through the darkest nights, and thus touching countless lives!”

(Based on Rom 5:12, 15b, 17-19, 20b-21 and Lk 12:35-38 – Tuesday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1)

Chiara Badano was sixteen when she fell seriously ill.

The doctors said her time was short.
Pain became part of her daily life.
Yet, she smiled.
She prayed.
She offered her suffering for others.

Friends and family were stunned.

How could a young girl face death with such calm and joy?

She often said: “If I suffer, I want to suffer for Jesus.”

Even in her weakest moments, her faith shone bright.
Her light never dimmed.

She became a living reminder: the Light of Christ shines strongest when the night is darkest.

Today, Chiara is recognized as…
… Blessed Chiara Badano, beatified in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI.
(Her Feast Day is on Oct 29)

Her life continues to inspire young and old alike, showing that even in suffering, our faith can illuminate the world.

Blessed Chiara’s story reminds us that each of us has received the Light of Christ. >> But life has winds that threaten to blow it out…
… trials, distractions, selfishness, and false beliefs – these can dim our flame.

The Gospel today calls us to keep our lamps lit, stay vigilant, and nurture the light entrusted to us.

At our Baptism, we were given the Light of Christ.

This light is not just for keeping…
… it is meant to shine, grow, and reach others.
Yet, life is full of winds that threaten to extinguish it.

1. The wind of losing focus on God Our attention can drift from God to worries, desires, or distractions.

When this happens, our light dims.

Faith needs focus.

Prayer, reflection, and turning back to God rekindle the flame.
Even small efforts of getting back our attention to God, restores our light.

2. The wind of self-centeredness When we live only for ourselves, our priorities shift from love and service to comfort, pride, or greed.

Generosity, humility, and selfless love fan the flame, allowing the light of Christ to shine through our actions.

We need to keep checking: Is the Lord the centre of my life?

Are the thoughts in my mind, in line, with the love of Christ?
Are all my actions oriented for the glory of God?

3. The wind of false beliefs and ideologies The world offers many alluring paths that pull us away from truth…
   … materialism, pride, or shallow philosophies.
   These winds can mislead and dim our light.

Rooting ourselves in the daily deepening of God’s Word and the Church’s teaching, protects the flame and keeps it true.

it is true, that we cannot stop these, and many other winds from blowing.

But we can choose not to let them extinguish the Light of Christ in us.

Strength comes from:

Daily prayer and personal conversation with God>> Frequent reception of the Sacraments>> Immersion in the Word of God>> Faithfulness in our daily duties and vocation
And in our moments of weakness, we are invited to humbly approach our Blessed Lord, and say: “Lord, my light is flickering.
Can you reignite it in me?”

Blessed Chiara’s life reminds us: even the smallest flame, when nurtured by faith…
… can shine through the darkest nights
… touching countless lives.

“Lord… Give me oil in my lamp….
… keep me burning, burning, burning!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – The Sixth Commandment – You shall not commit adultery

Jesus said to his disciples: “Love one another even as I have loved you.”
You shall not commit adultery.
You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery.”

But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (CCC # 2331)

“Remaining perseverant in our prayer life and becoming people who reach out in justice and give comfort to the needy!”

(Based on Exod 17:8-13, 2 Tim 3:14-4:2 and Lk 18:1-8 – 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C)

An interesting incident is mentioned in the life of Jan Paderewski

He was a famous Polish pianist and a pioneer of the solo recital at music concerts.

It is said that when Paderewski was to leave his native Poland to play his first recital in London…
… he asked an influential compatriot to give him a letter of introduction, to a leading figure in Britain’s musical world

This was for any assistance, should anything go amiss.

The letter was handed to him in a sealed envelope.

Paderewski hoped that everything would proceed smoothly and he would not have to use the letter.

Well…
… he did not have to use the letter.
His debut was a great success and he soon began to climb the ladder of success.

Some years later, while going through his papers, he came upon the ‘letter of introduction’ and opened it.

He was surprised to read the content:
“This will introduce Jan Paderewski, who plays the piano, for which he demonstrates no conspicuous (visible/noticeable) talent.”

Life… is often such!

Discouragements lure everywhere
Rejections prowl all around

Do we get bogged down by such discouragements and rejections?
Are we people who bring about discouragement and rejection to people?

The Gospel of the Day is the Parable of the Persistent Widow.

The Parable speaks of a judge and a widow.

The judge is characterized by some features:
He did not fear God.
He did not fear humans.
He was initially adamant in his refusal.

The Widow is characterized by some features:
She had a genuine need.
She was denied justice.
She remained persistent till the end.

We are often in many and true needs.

But we do sometimes find ourselves, a bit depressed at the delays in receiving the answers to our prayers.

The parable encourages and exhorts us to remain persistent in our prayer life and not to get discouraged by God’s delays, which apparently appears as God’s denials.

Yes, God’s delays are certainly not His denials!

God’s pauses are certainly not His refuses!

At the same time, this parable invites us to switch roles:

To see ourselves as the Judge…
… and God as the Widow.

Widows in the first century found themselves at a very sad state.

They were quite literally unprotected.
Many became homeless and destitute after the death of their husbands.

Often they were at mercy of cunning men, including some religious leaders who would “devour widows houses” (Mark 12:40)

A widow couldn’t count on anyone to come to her aid.

She represents the hopeless…
… the unaided… the oppressed.

In Mt 25:35, Jesus identifies Himself with the one who was hungry, thirsty, naked, stranger and the imprisoned.

Jesus in the poor, the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the stranger and the imprisoned…
… is the hopeless one …the unaided one …the oppressed one.

Jesus, like the widow in the Parable…
… comes knocking at our door:

Behold I stand at the door, and knock… (Rev 3:20)

As the oppressed and justice-deprived Widow, Jesus, knocks at our door – we, the judges.

What is our reaction and response to the voice of the needy and the helpless?

The cry of the one in pain and suffering reaches our hears…

Do I reach out my heart to them and seek to ease their troubles and hardships?

The moaning of a broken family or a lost teenager or a spoilt child comes to us…

Do I pray for them and help them, in ways possible for me?

The sad tear of the abused or oppressed people with whom we work is seen by us…

Do I get out of my comfort-shell to make them feel comforted and consoled?

The disturbing reports of violence, corruption, injustice in society falls on our senses…

Do I remain indifferent to them and become saturated with such atrocities?

Yes… the widow – the hopeless, the unaided and the oppressed one… keeps knocking at our doors…

As a Judge…
… do I keep refusing?
… do I keep getting irritated?
… do I feel life as a botheration?

Life often has discouragements luring everywhere and rejections prowling all around

Do we get bogged down by such discouragements and rejections?
Are we people who bring about discouragement and rejection to people?

The Parable of the Persistent Widow is certainly a big lesson to remain firm and perseverant in our prayer life.

And when looked from another perspective is also a big challenge…
… to become a people who reach out in justice and give comfort and consolation to the needy.

Knock… knock…

Do we hear the knock, seeking for help?

As we celebrate Mission Sunday, we are also given the examples of:

Moses, with hands lifted in prayer (Ex 17:8-13)…
… showing us that mission begins on our knees – when we let the Spirit guide us.
St Paul urging Timothy (2 Tim 3:14–4:2) to proclaim the Word — in season and out of season…
… reminding us that mission means perseverance and courage.

Let us renew our missionary spirit, as we seek…
… To be guided by the Spirit – listening and acting with boldness.
… To be centered on the Eucharist – drawing strength from Christ’s heart.
… To be witnessing by life – preaching the Gospel with joy and mercy.

Mission is not just something we do…
… it’s who we are:

Spirit-led, Eucharist-fed and Christ-sent.

Happy Mission Sunday!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – The Fifth Commandment – Respect for human life

Injustice, excessive economic or social inequalities, envy, distrust, and pride raging among men and nations constantly threaten peace and cause wars.

Everything done to overcome these disorders contributes to building up peace and avoiding war. (CCC # 2317)

“Growing in our love for the Word and living the Word, in all our daily activities of life, with St Luke, the great Evangelist!”

(Based on the Feast of Saint Luke, Evangelist)

A poor woman had lost her husband and was going through a great deal of agony and distress.

One day, her neighbour brought her a small, worn-out pamphlet.

She gave it to the sorrowful woman and told her: “I found this lying on the street. Somebody must have dropped it.
I read it.

There is a wonderful story of a Man Who helps those who are unhappy.

I thought of you. It might do you help!”

The sorrowful woman took it.

She not only read it…
… but also had her life transformed by it!

The pamphlet was a copy of the Gospel according to St Luke!

This Gospel with its powerful themes of consolation and comfort had brought peace and relief to the woman in sorrow.

Today, on this Feast day of the Evangelist St Luke, let us meditate on this beautiful gift which he has penned – the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to St Luke.

St Jerome was of the opinion that, “among all the evangelists, St Luke was the most skilled writer of Greek.”

It is to St Luke that we owe some of the finest Gospel portraits…

The nostalgic infancy narratives of Jesus
… The Annunciation of Jesus (1: 26-38)
… The Birth of John the Baptist (1: 57-66)
… The visit of the shepherds at the Birth of Jesus (2: 15-20)
… The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple (2: 22-38)
… The Loss of Jesus in the Temple (2: 41-52)

The distinguished and daring ministries of Jesus
… The Programmatic Speech in Nazareth, His hometown (4: 16-30)
… The raising of widow’s son at Nain (7: 11-17)
… The story of Martha and Mary of Bethany (10: 38-42)
… The Samaritan Leper (17: 11-19)
… The transformation of Zacchaeus (19: 1-10)
… The conversion of the good thief (23: 39-43)
… The encounter with the two disciples on the way to Emmaus (24: 13-35)

The illustrious and much-loved parables
… The Good Samaritan (10: 29-37)
… The Prodigal Son (15: 11-32)
… Rich Man and Lazarus (16: 19-31)
… The Persevering Widow (18: 1-8)
… The Publican and the Tax Collector (18: 9-14)

The marvellous brush of the painters & physician St Luke has some unique thrusts as well…
… which are also great reminders to us, in our spiritual lifestyle.

1. A Gospel of Inclusivity
   St Luke’s Gospel has distinctive stories and incidents on how Jesus accepted and recognized the dignity of those, who were otherwise, left out in the society…
   … the Samaritans
   … the tax-collectors
   … the public sinners
   … the women

Am I a person who is willing to accept those who are rejected, abandoned and pushed-out of the society?

Do I exhibit “exclusivist” mentality by sticking on to only “my” culture, language, race, class etc and fail to celebrate differences?

2. A Gospel of Prayer
   St Luke’s Gospel presents greatly the aspect of the prayer, by presenting many instances…
   … of Jesus praying
   … of Jesus exhorting on prayer
   … of many Temple scenes

Am I a person who enjoys the taste of prayer?

Do I fail to have a regular and consistent time to spend with the Lord and discover and implement the Father’s Will in my life?

3. A Gospel of the Poor
   St Luke displays his special love for the poor…
   … through his many parables on the poor
   … and the denouncement of riches…

And thus exalts them as the “favoured ones of God” and restoring their dignity and honour

Do I make radical choices to grow in my “poverty” i.e. my total dependence on the Providence of God?

Do I share my gifts, my talents and my riches, with those in need and find joy in this sharing?

4. A Gospel of the meal
   St Luke’s Gospel has an interesting presentation of Jesus as most of the time being “at meal or on the way to a meal”

There are about 19 references to food, with around 13 of them being exclusive to this Gospel.
The meal is a reference to the communitarian dimension in spirituality!

Am I a person who cherishes the presence of the other and be willing to celebrate life?

Do I also become aware that the Lord constantly calls us to share in His Meal – the Holy Eucharist and make my life, in turn, a Eucharist to the other?

The Gospel of Luke has also many other features and names…
… which we can pick up for our personal reflection:
The Gospel of the Holy Spirit…
The Gospel of the Blessed Mother Mary…
The Gospel of Joy…
The Gospel of Women…
The Gospel of Universality…
The Gospel of Repentance…
The Gospel showing True Richness… etc…

St Luke has left us a masterpiece with His account of the Life of Jesus!

Some of the most pictorial, most classical, most loved, most remembered and most cherished incidents and parables are from this Gospel…

The Gospel of St Luke, along with many more themes is a wonderful reminder of the Love and Mercy of God…
… calling us to live in joy and service.

May this Feast Day of this Great Evangelist…
… help us to grow in our love for the Word, by reading and reflecting daily
… and living the Word, in all our daily activities of life!

Happy Feast of St Luke, the Evangelist!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

— Fr Jijo Jose Manjackal MSFS
Rome, Italy
Email: reflectioncapsules@gmail.com

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – _The Fifth Commandment – Respect for human life

The production and the sale of arms affect the common good of nations and of the international community.
Hence public authorities have the right and duty to regulate them.
The short-term pursuit of private or collective interests cannot legitimate undertakings…

… that promote violence and conflict among nations and compromise the international juridical order. (CCC # 2316)

“Ensuring that we set our internal life right, so that our externals display the truth!”

(Based on Rom 4:1-8 and Lk 12:1-7 – Friday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1)

A group of people visiting a magnificent church, came across a large clock next to the bell tower.

What attracted the visitors, more than the clock, was the caption written beneath the large clock!

It seems that the clock was habitually too fast or too slow.

And so, a good old-sacristan realising that it was beyond repair, decided to write a caption on the placard.

The caption read: “Neither believe nor blame what my hands show!
The trouble lies deeper!

Therefore, even in life, ensure that you set your interior right, so that your externals display the truth!”

The hands of the clock displayed wrong timings…
… because the interior parts had some trouble!

So often are our external actions such in life!

We seem to be putting on a show outside…
… but the truth of the action can be known, only if the interior intention is true!
We seem to be good at displaying a clean image…
… but the sincerity of our deeds will be known, if we truly ensure purity from within!

We are into a reflection of this aspect of Hypocrisy yet again with Jesus’ insists on this evil tendency with a greater force & urgency.

Hypocrisy is a vice which is much hated by Jesus.

It is a vice which Jesus constantly asks to weed out.

Hypocrisy is duplicity.
Hypocrisy is pretence.

It is trying to be someone, that one is not.
It is masking one’s real identity to show one to be someone else.

The word “hypocrisy” is a composite word in the Greek.

It comes from the joining of two words:

“Hupo” is the Greek word for ‘under.’
… “Krino” means ‘to judge’ or ‘to decide.’

The noun “hypokrisis” meant ‘acting’ or ‘playing a role.’

This word was mainly used in Greek theatres and plays to describe those “actors who would speak their parts, behind a mask!”

Hypocrites in real life, extend this “acting” to their everyday life…

People who try to impress others, in order to hide their real lives!
People who behave to be too good before others, but a sham within!

Do I have any of such aspects of “hypocritical… acting” in my life?

Our Lord calls this vice of hypocrisy as a Yeast…

Jesus speaks to His disciples, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy” (Lk 12: 1b)

Why Yeast?
Yeast or Leaven is something that is used in baking.

Yeast has the great property of Influence…

A little amount of yeast is enough to raise the dough or to leaven the batter.
It has a great characteristic of exercising a great amount of influence, though little in quantity!

Hypocrisy is such…
… though a little amount, it is highly influential, like the yeast!

Hypocritical people are able…
… to boast much about themselves and exert harmful controls!
… to make other people highly pessimistic and negative!
… to drain out the spirit and the enthusiasm in others!

Yeast starts slow, but grows very quickly…

It has the great characteristic of exercising its great influence in a timid manner, but rises very fast and swiftly.

Hypocrisy is such…
… though it starts slow, it spreads its influence speedily, like the yeast…

How does Hypocrisy usually originate?

Usually from a Fear…

Fear of people makes one to adopt a totally different disposition and character.
Fear of situations makes one to adjust with a duplicate personality and behaviour.
Fear of one’s weaknesses makes one to alter the style of life and tamper with one’s nature.

That’s why the Lord, in today’s Gospel would strongly exhort, “Fear Not!”

When we banish the fear of many factors, we are able to be our real self.
When we cast away the fear of our material worries, we are able to live our true identity.

God is our Loving Father
… He wants us to grow in Holiness and Sanctity.

But He also knows that our double standards in life and our pretence in many areas of our life…
… is a block to His Grace in us.

We all wear masks, and the time sometimes comes when we cannot remove them without removing some of our own skin.

The Lord today invites us to peel away our mask of hypocrisy by casting away our fears…
… by throwing ourselves into the care of our Loving God, our Beloved Father in Heaven!

Let us “ensure that we set our interior right…
… so that our externals display the truth!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – The Fifth Commandment – Respect for human life

The arms race does not ensure peace.
Far from eliminating the causes of war, it risks aggravating them.
Spending enormous sums to produce ever new types of weapons impedes efforts to aid needy populations…
… it thwarts the development of peoples.

Over-armament multiplies reasons for conflict and increases the danger of escalation. (CCC # 2315)

“Clothing ourselves in genuineness and truthfulness, by appreciating and realizing the value of people in our lives!”

(Based on Rom 3:21-30 and Lk 11:47-54 – Thursday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1)

“In this world today while we’re living, some folks, say the worst of us they can

But when we are dead and in our caskets, they always slip some lilies in your hand…

Won’t you give me my flowers while I’m living, and let me enjoy them while I can?

Please don’t wait, till I’m ready to be buried, and then slip some lilies in my hand…
In this world is where we need the flowers…
… a kind word to help us get along

If you can’t give me flowers while I’m living, then please don’t throw ’em when I’m gone…

Won’t you give me my flowers…?”

— Lyrics from the Song “Give me flowers while I’m living”

The words of this song is a living experience to many people in this world, including perhaps some of us.

We have many people in our life.

Many of them receive a lot of favours from us…
… but they fail to thank us.

We however, sometimes, do hear them backbiting us or spreading false rumours about us!

Many of them are helped in many ways…
… but they fail to acknowledge those favours.

We however, sometimes, do hear them talking ill of us or spoiling our name!

Many of them are rendered assistance in many ways…
… but they fall short of being grateful to us

We however, sometimes, do hear them being negatively critical about us and defaming us.

But at the grave, perhaps, all those people would talk highly about us.

After our death, perhaps, all those people might acclaim how wonderful a person he/she was!

We often become a people who…
… fail to appreciate when a person is alive, but shower praises after his/her death!
… fail to give a simple flower when alive, but spread garlands and bouquets after his/her death!
… fail to say a good word when alive, but brag and boast highly, after his/her death!

Consciously or unconsciously, we cultivate a habit or a tendency to remain ungrateful and unkind to people when alive…
… but falsely praise and glorify, when they are dead or are no longer with us!

An attitude of ungratefulness while living, but false appreciation after death!
A tendency of indifference while living…but vain glorification after death!

Jesus, in the Gospel of the Day speaks of a similar attitude and tendency among the Pharisees.

In His continued attacks on the hypocrisy and duplicity of the Pharisees…
… Jesus condemns them for building memorials of the Prophets who were killed and murdered by their ancestors.

The Prophets of the old, lived as the true men of God and constantly called the people to a life of repentance and being faithful to God Yawheh.

But these prophets were very often persecuted, attacked and even killed.

The Prophets, who were the voice of God, while living, had their voices silenced and drowned by the wicked people…

But after their death, they used to be quoted and cited in many scholarly and erudite circles.

An attitude of ungratefulness while living…
… but false appreciation after death!

The Prophets, who called the people to live as per their true conscience, had their lives terminated and ended by the wicked people…

But after their death, they had fine memorials and beautiful tombs built in their name

A tendency of indifference while living…
… but vain glorification after death!

The Prophets, who became the champion of justice and truth, had their efforts ceased and their labours aborted by the wicked people…

But after their death, they had many oratories and exquisite lectures in their name.

An approach of passivity while living…
… but fake interest after death!

Jesus condemns the Pharisees for their deception, as they too become sharers of the blood of the True Prophets and the Men of God!

Jesus’ attacks on this Pharisaic attitude is a strong reminder and warning to each one of us too…
… to realize the worth and value of people, while they are alive, and not just heap up empty words of praise, after their death!
… to realize the importance of recognizing the true spirit and teachings of people around us, and not become too late in realizing their significance!

Life is too short to miss appreciating people for their genuine efforts and contributions.

A fresh flower given when alive is far worth and appreciable…
… than a bouquet given at the grave!

Appreciate people when they are around!
Enthuse people when situations are favourable!
Encourage people when time and space permit!

Let us shake of the tendency of duplicity and dishonesty; instead, clothe ourselves in genuineness and truthfulness…
… by really appreciating and realizing the value and worth of people in our lives!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – The Fifth Commandment – Respect for human life

The accumulation of arms strikes many as a paradoxically suitable way of deterring potential adversaries from war.
They see it as the most effective means of ensuring peace among nations.

This method of deterrence gives rise to strong moral reservations. (CCC # 2315)