“Being loyal to the Gospel by remaining firm in faith and hope – trusting in the Providence and Power of the Lord!”

(Based on Jer 14:17-22 and Mt 13:36-43 – Feast of St Alphonsa – Tuesday of the 17th Week of Ordinary Time)

One of the very famous hymns in Malayalam, composed by Sadhu Kochukunju Upadesi (1883 –1945 – preacher, poet and composer) goes thus:
“Dukhathinde paana paathram
Karthav yende kayyil thannaal…”

Translated as…

“If my Lord offers a chalice
Full of worries into my hands,
I will accept it with pleasure
And sing ‘Hallelujah’ with thanks.

My father will never offer
Anything that is harmful I’m sure.
He may give me moments of pain
Still He loves me beyond measure!”

The hymn pays glorious tribute to the Immense Love of the Lord…
… despite the seemingly tough and troublesome moments that we go through in life.

The spirit of this hymn was beautifully lived and celebrated by St Alphonsa, the first woman of Indian origin to be canonised…
… whose feast we celebrate today.

Life often takes us through…
… trials of struggle and pain
… situations of agony and abandonment
… occasions of evil encounters and malicious moments!

Yet, in all such moments, the call of the Gospel is to remain firm in faith and hope – trusting in the Providence and Power of the Lord.

The Gospel of the Day is an exposition by the Lord on this crucial Reality of our lives, by the explanation of the Parable of the Weeds.

It’s noteworthy to know some interesting facts about this parable…

1. Sowing weeds in someone else’s field, was a way take revenge on the other and to express one’s hatred and anger!

Something similar to today, people…
… breaking the glass of the houses of those whom they don’t like
… disfiguring the walls of the house of the people whom they hate

2. The weeds that Jesus speaks of in the parable, were highly similar to the wheat that was sown.

It was almost impossible to distinguish the two, in their initial stages.

3. Seeking to pull up the weeds would definitely destroy the wheat plant

This was because, their roots would get inter-twined.

Any attempt to pull up the weeds, would also cause harm to the good plant.

It is in the light of these points, that our “doubt and perplexity” about the Parable of the Wheat and Weeds grows:

“Why does evil exist in a world that was created good?”

This is where the Lord challenges every Christian to understand…
… that some mysteries in life cannot be fully understood…
… but are to be boldly lived!
… that some struggles in life cannot be totally eliminated…
… but are to be bravely challenged!
…. that some problems in life cannot be completely solved…
but are to be fearlessly encountered!

As we take time to digest this fact, let us also spare a thought for the seed of wheat that was sown by the Sower.

For the Sower, the Seed of Wheat was priceless… special…!

He had sown it with a lot of love, care and affection.

And so, He would do everything in His power, to make sure, that He loses nothing of it, in the attempt to get rid of the weeds.

The Sower is God.

And the Bible, throughout, speaks about how the seed that is sown – the wheat – is precious to God…
… the lost sheep is passionately sought until it is found (Lk 15: 1-7)
… the lost coin is ardently searched till it is found (Lk 15: 8-10)
… the leftover pieces of loaves are devoutly gathered up (Mt 14:20)
… the rejected short man, hiding on the tree, is assigned a new chapter in life (Lk 19: 1-10)
… the nearly-stoned woman, caught in the act of adultery, is given new life (Jn 8: 1-11)
… the impulsive fisherman, called as the rock, and who denied three times, is accepted back (Jn 21: 15-19)

We are the precious Wheat.

Jesus opens our hearts and minds to have a “realistic understanding” of life.

We need to be patient with ourselves and with others…
… in dealing with sin and with evil tendencies

Of course, as humans, we do many times…
… bite our teeth in anger, glaring at the inhumanness in our society and the world
… lose our cool, in finding ourselves to be imperfect and sinful even after years of trying
… go mad, in encountering silly disputes and indifferences in our families & communities
… have our blood boiling, seeing the various scandals and shameful incidents in the Church

But the Lord says… “Hold On”….

Surely, we have our emotions and feelings when we come across unjust situations..
But the Lord says:
“Do your best…and leave the rest to Me!

Aim for perfection… but give not into despair because of devastations!”

This certainly is no excuse for us to deny our duty and responsibility…
… and even the obligation to seek to avoid wickedness and dissuade evil practices.

But we may never find ourselves in PERFECT elimination of evil and sinful behaviours…
… either in our personal life, or societal life or even in the life of the church.

The Lord, the Final and the Supreme Judge, will make sure, that “Good finally triumphs over the evil!”

“The Son of Man will send His angels, and they will collect out of His Kingdom, all who cause others to sin and evildoers…
… the Righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of Their Father!” (Mt 13: 41, 43).

As the national motto of India says: “Satyam eva jayate” (Truth alone triumphs!”)

Let us have recourse to the Awesome and Ultimate Power of God, and be strengthened in our lives…
… knowing and trusting that He will ultimately cause “Everything for our good” (Rom 8:28)

In all moments of trials and struggles, let us be loyal to the Gospel by remaining firm in faith and hope – trusting in the Providence and Power of the Lord.

We are given the example of St Alphonsa today

While declaring her as a Saint, Pope Benedict XVI said: “St Alphonsa suffered herself…
… to heal the suffering of others!”

Let us seek the intercession and be inspired by St Alphonsa, as we too sing: “Dukhathinde paana paathram, Karthav yende kayyil thannaal…”

“If my Lord offers a chalice, full of worries into my hands,
I will accept it with pleasure, and sing ‘Hallelujah’ with thanks.

My father will never offer, anything that is harmful I’m sure.
He may give me moments of pain, Still He loves me beyond measure!”

• Fr Jijo Jose Manjackal MSFS
  Bengaluru, India

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Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “Let us practice that holy resignation and pure love of our Lord that is never as perfect as it is amid suffering.

We must pray for that holy resignation so that God can shape our hearts…

… into a fitting place for him to dwell and reign in eternity!”

“Seeking the Grace to realize the power of ‘little things’ and ‘little efforts’ in building up the ‘Great Kingdom of God’ and to spread the ‘Immense Love of the Lord’ to all!”

(Based on Jer 13:1-11 and Mt 13:31-35 – Monday of the 17th Week of Ordinary Time)

Jesus in the Gospels loves to use simple, tiny and insignificant objects, to project His message of the Kingdom!

Today He uses the example of the Mustard Seed and the Leaven in describing the Might of the Kingdom!

The mustard seed & leaven would’ve hardly received any attention in the normal sense.

But Jesus, the Master Artist paints these li’l objects into the Mighty Canvas of the Kingdom & delivers a powerful message…

The Kingdom of God has its humble beginnings….but it develops into a Powerful Force!
The Kingdom of God often starts very insignificantly…but it expands into a Huge Reality!
The Kingdom of God initiates in an unnoticed manner….but it enlarges into an Influential Entity!

Little is much when GOD is in it!

The mustard seed develops into a Tree, which renders shelter to the birds of the air (Lk 13: 19)…..
• The sinners find a solace in this Tree….
• The sick encounter support in this Tree..
• The rejected have a remedy in this Tree…
• The cast-outs meet consolation in this Tree….
• The prostitutes experience peace in this Tree…

The leaven which is little, makes the whole mass of dough to rise (Lk 13: 21)…
• The rod in Moses’ hand…a shepherds’ ordinary crook…became a mighty symbol of God’s Power
• The jawbone with Samson…. a decaying useless bone…became an instrument of killings thousands of enemies!
• The stone in David’s hand….an unnoticed stone… became the means of conquering the gigantic Goliath!

Little is much when GOD is in it!

We live in times when many things are explained or rejected in terms of science, psychology, post-modern modern philosophies and assorted spiritualities
We live in times when material values and worldly attitudes are corroding our lives.
We live in times when ethical principles and traditional virtues often get kicked into the backyard!

Times are bad. Times are worsening. Times are sickening…
Times, are even, sometimes seen to be hopeless, scary and terrifying!

But we also ought to realize that…many things, which cannot be discovered and understood through the microscope of science and modern theories can be discovered by looking through the eyes of faith!

Yes, massive things can be seen and achieved by looking through the miniscule eye of Faith!

Our efforts and attempts to spread God’s Kingdom may be just minor and appearing to be insignificant…
… like the Mustard Seed and the Leaven.

But, little is much, when God is in it!!

The Lord reminds each of us of “His Immense Love” (and His deep pain, when we refuse to accept His Love!) through the example of the “loin cloth” in the Book of Prophet Jeremiah:

“This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who stubbornly follow their own heart and have gone after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be like this waistcloth, which is good for nothing.”
“For as the waistcloth clings to the loins of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, says the Lord, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory, but they would not listen!” (Jer 13:10-11)

May we seek the grace to realize the power of “little things” and “little efforts” in building up the “Great Kingdom of God” and to spread the “Immense Love of the Lord” to all!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “If you do all in God’s Name, all you do will be well done…
… whether you eat, drink or sleep…

So long as you do all wisely, you will gain greatly as in God’s sight, doing all because He would have you do it!”

“Seeking the Lord, more fervently and deeply by immersing ourselves into the waters of repentance and new life and coming out, with an excited shout of discovery: ‘Eureka, Eureka! I have found It!’”

(Based on 1 Kings 3:5-12, Rom 8:28-30 and Mt 13:44-52 – 17th Sunday of Ordinary Time)

One of the common yet interesting legendary stories goes thus…

Archimedes was a Greek scientist – a young man of 22 years old – renowned for his work in mathematics, mechanics and physics.

One day Archimedes was summoned by the king Hiero of Syracusans to investigate if he had been cheated by a goldsmith.

The king said he had given a goldsmith the exact amount of gold needed to make a crown.

However, when the crown was ready the king suspected that the goldsmith cheated some silver into the crown, keeping some of the gold for himself.

The king then asked Archimedes to solve the problem.

Struggling to find the answer to the problem, Archimedes decided to freshen himself with a bath.

With his clothes off, as Archimedes immersed himself into the bathtub.

And as he lowered himself, the water level in the bathtub rose and overflowed…

This phenomena, of the “water overflowing” caused Archimedes to realize: the amount of water displaced depended on how much of his body was immersed into the bathtub.

This simple observation helped him to get the solution to his problem.

This discovery excited him so much that he jumped out of the tub and ran through the streets naked…
… shouting ‘Eureka, Eureka!’

A word in Greek which means, ‘I have found it! I have found it!’.

What about us?

Have we had a “Eureka – I have found It” experience?

A discovery transforms Life!
Every age has its own discoveries and inventions which have transformed the lives of human beings.

These could be the discovery…
… of logical thought, of using stone tools, of fire…
… of domestication, of the wheel, of mathematics and other sciences…
… of metalworking, of language, of paper and the printing press…
… of many medicines…etc etc…

A discovery, indeed, transforms Life!

Discovering God, as the Supreme Treasure of One’s Life is the Greatest Transformation, one can ever have!

Have I discovered God as The Most Important and Matchless Treasure of my Life?

The Gospel of the day presents three parables (Mt 13: 44-52)…
… which speak on the Kingdom of God and an Invitation to each one of us to discover Its Pristine value!

1. The Parable of the Hidden Treasure:
   The olden days had the practice of hiding one’s treasure like jewellery or money in the field…
   … especially in contexts of wars or natural calamities or foreign invasions.

Sometimes, this hidden treasure remained unclaimed or forgotten…
… and was discovered by some “lucky” persons!

The Parable describes one such person who discovered a treasure.

According to the Palestinian laws of that time, the mere finding of a buried treasure did not entitle the finder to possess it, unless he also owned the property in which it was found.

The Discoverer of our Parable does that…
… Gives up everything, for the Matchless Treasure!

King Solomon gave up all offers of wealth, long life or vengeance on enemies…
… for the Treasure of the Wisdom of God! ( I Kg 3:9)
The Samaritan Woman, was “lucky” to meet the Thirsty Man by the well…
… and she discovered Him to be the Treasure of her life! (Jn 4:29)

The parable dares to offer ourselves totally for the sake of the Discovery of the Kingdom!

2. The Parable of the one in search of Pearls
   Pearls were the most costliest and the most sought-after.

The trader of our Parable is on a Mission…a clear-cut mission, to discover the Fine Pearls… He is single minded in His search… He is focused on what he wants, in his task.

He has an amazing passion and a dedication to discover the best!

Jacob of the Old Testament was resolute in receiving a Pearl of blessing from the Angel of God (Gen 32:27)
Mary Magdalene was persevering in her search for the Lord, the Pearl of her life ( Jn 20:11)

The Parable dares us to be totally dedicated and zealous in our Discovery of the Kingdom!

3. The Parable of the Fishing Net
   This parable is an invitation to accept the hard and unpleasant realities in our life and to make the necessary changes and amendments.

Not everything is goody-goody when it comes to spiritual life…
Not all is well when we consider the life in the Church…
Not all is ok in our personal or family or societal life!

We need to strive to cast away the unwanted elements…
… and thus be willing to live a purified and sanctified life!

The People of Nineveh gave up their sinful life to embrace a life in God Yahweh (Jon 3:5)
Zacchaeus was boldly able to throw the unwanted aspects of his life after encountering Jesus (Lk 19:8)

The parable dares us to cast away the unbecoming aspects of our life, in our Discovery of the Kingdom!

These 3 parables when applied to our personal spiritual life, would also give us the 3 key Virtues, that forms the basis of a True Spirituality:

1. Renunciation: “The parable of the Hidden Treasure” is a call to renounce our everything in order to possess the Kingdom. (Mt 19:21)
2. Longing: “The Parable of the one in search of the pearls” is a call to have an intense thirst and longing for Jesus and His Kingdom!
3. Humility: “The Parable of the fishing net” is a call to humble ourselves and acknowledge our limitations and weaknesses so as to grow in perfection of the Kingdom!

Let us discover…

A true Spirit of Renunciation…
A fervent heart of Longing…
A gentle mind of Humility…

Yes, a discovery can transform life!

King Solomon discovered the need to boldly choose the Wisdom of God over all other things (I Kg 3:9)
Paul discovered a great Trust in God’s Providence by saying, “all things in life happens for good! (Rom 8:28)

Have I discovered God as The Most Important and Matchless Treasure of my Life?

Let us seek the Lord, more fervently and deeply…
… immersing ourselves into the waters of repentance and new life

And thus coming out of it, with an excited shout of discovery:
“Eureka, Eureka! I have found It!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “”Riches can prick us…
… with a thousand troubles in getting them
… as many cares in preserving them
… more anxieties in spending them

… and with grief in losing them!”

“Being inspired by St James, to lower down our minds – the vessels of pride and greed – and allow the Lord to fulfil His promise, of raising to our hearts, the cup of joy and glory!”

(Based on the Feast of St James)

A man who had an experience of conversion and a new life in the Lord describes:
“I never professed to be a Christian or anything like that.

But one morning as I was going about my business, I heard my colleague, in office, reading aloud the passage where Jesus asked Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me?’

Something within, made me to wish with all my heart, that I could also answer them as Peter did.

But, I felt very sad that I could not!

Then this li’l thought came to me, `Well, if I cannot say so much as Peter, perhaps I could turn it around a little and find something easier.’

So I began to think there was one thing I could NOT say…

What was that?

I surely, could not say, ‘Lord, You know that I do NOT love you’!
And I found some comfort in that!

Strange, isn’t it?

At last I grew bold enough to look up and say:
‘Lord, You know all things. You know that I WANT to love you…’

That made me to think of His great love for me…

I thought of His life, of His words, of His Cross…

And almost before I knew what I was doing, I looked up and said:
‘Lord, you know all things, You know, that I DO love you'”

That was the blessed moment of conversion of the man…
… the moment of consciousness of forgiveness
… the moment of a fresh lease of life that was injected into him

Do I really love the Lord?

This is a question that each one of us need to pose to ourselves and answer honestly.

As humans, surely…
… we have our moments of weaknesses and frailty
… we have our spots of selfishness and pride

But if we are willing to lower down our minds – the vessels of pride and greed – then the Lord promises to raise to our hearts, the cup of joy and glory.

Today we celebrate the Feast of one such Great Person – St James – who willingly lowered his mind – the vessel of pride and greed – and enjoys today, as per the promises of the Lord…
… the cup of joy and glory raised to his heart!

The Gospel of the Day is the incident of the Mother of James and John – the Sons of Zebedee – seeking for a place of honour for her children when the Lord comes in His glory (Mt 20: 20-28)

She said to Jesus, “Command that these two sons of mine, may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom” (Mt 20: 21)

This passage might seem quite awkward to be read on the Feast day of St James.

Here is a passage…
… that brings to light the natural desire of many humans to possess honour and to enjoy constant glory
… that calls to our attention the fact that human limitations of greed and appetite for positions, can affect even the close followers of the Lord

In a way, this passage shows the weaker side and the frail dimension that can very much be found in the followers of the Lord.

Yet, the pertinent question of the Lord, “Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” (Mt 20: 22), would have probably sunk deep into the heart of St James, the Apostle.

He would realise the full meaning of that statement gradually…
… as He witnessed more and more the works of Jesus
… as He became a witness to the Passion, Death and Resurrection of the Lord
… as He himself, would, one day, give up his life, in martyrdom for His Beloved Master

This then is what we celebrate on this feast day:
As humans, we have our weakness.

Yet, if we be constantly with the Lord, we would slowly be purged of these frailties and grow more and more, in the Image of Christ.

The more we are in the perfumed presence of the Lord, the more His fragrance would envelop and enfold our lives.

Do we feel weak or full of vulnerability or consider that being a “true” follower of the Lord is just not my cup?

Then, let’s look to St James, the Apostle for greater inspiration and strength.

We all need to have our moments of conversion…
… moments of consciousness of forgiveness
… moments of a fresh lease of life that will be injected into us by the power of the Spirit

This alone can help us, to say, with sincerity and honesty – ‘Lord, you know all things, You know, that I DO love you'”

St James invites us: to lower down our minds – the vessels of pride and greed – and allow the Lord to fulfil His promise, of raising to our hearts, the cup of joy and glory!

Happy Feast of St James, the Apostle!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “Friendship is completely founded upon communication and exchange…

… and cannot exist in practice, without sharing in the qualities and defects of the friend loved!”

“Discovering the Bible as the mighty source, containing the immensity of God’s Power and encountering the Lord Himself”

(Based on Jer 3:14-17 and Mt 13:18-23 – Friday of the 16th Week of Ordinary Time)

One of the most famous persons who had been greatly impressed and influenced by the Holy Bible was Mahatma Gandhi.

He once made a statement, which would make all of us…
… to examine deeply our level of love for the scriptures
… to make relevant changes in order to match our lives with the teachings of the Bible

This statement goes thus:
“You Christians look after a document containing enough dynamite to blow all civilisation to pieces, turn the world upside down and bring peace to a battle-torn planet.
But you treat it as though it is nothing more than a piece of literature!”

Now, that indeed is a mightily powerful statement isn’t it?

That’s an intense statement..
.. of, on one side, our Sacred Scripture being acknowledged…

as having tremendous power to transform
as having remarkable force to bring about changes

… and yet, on the other side, We, the caretakers and promoters of the Bible – the Christians – being people…

who give very minimal respect and reverence
who fail to find the worth of the treasure that is in possession!

Well, it is left to each one of us.. to examine, in the light of this statement, whether…
… the Holy Bible has become a constant and regular companion of my life
… the Sacred Scriptures have become a catalyst for effecting personal transformation

The Gospel of the Day is the beautiful explanation, by Jesus, of the Parable of the Sower and through it, a reminder for us to revive our delight in and our dedication to, in living the Word of God.

The famous author Mark Twain once said:
“Most people are bothered by those passages of Scripture which they cannot understand;
But as for me, I have always noticed that the passages in Scripture which trouble me most, are those which I do understand.”

The passage in consideration – the explanation of the Parable of the Sower (Mt 13: 18-23) – is surely one which has come very often under our scanner of reflection and meditation.

We almost know each of its elements in detail:
• The Sower sowing the seed
• Some falling on the wayside and birds devouring them
• Some falling on the rock and after a quick sprouting, withering away
• Some falling among the thorns and failing to grow, suffocated by its choke
• Some falling on the good seed and yielding – a thirty, a sixty and a hundred fold

We also have understood its applications in our life

Yet, very often, its implications fail to take root in us and we remain indifferent or casual regarding the Seed – the Precious Word of God!

Today, therefore, the Lord once again seeks to awaken our minds and shake our lethargic minds, in seeking to revive our love and enthusiasm for His Word.

Here are some of the practical pointers for self-introspection, towards this objective…

1. What is my reading habit with respect to the Bible – God’s Word…?

Have I read the Bible fully, at least once?
… If YES… why not make efforts to read “the beautiful expressions in God’s love-letters”, once again
… If NO… why not make a bold step to try to read the Bible fully, atleast once.
• One could perhaps, start with some of the easier books/sections of the Bible.. maybe, the New Testament, or the Psalms etc…
• Sometimes we might feel too bored or disinterested to pick up the pages of the Old Testament – some passages might seem even disturbing or distressing.

Yet, when we understand that those were some of the societal manners that existed back then, and Scriptures were written by human authors, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, in concrete life-situations, we would be able to appreciate them much better

Can I set apart, daily, at least a few minutes to read the Bible?
Can I make genuine efforts to memorize at least a few verses from the Bible?

• These verses can be invoked in our moments of prayer, in our moments of needing spiritual strength, in our moments of deepening the faith etc.

2. What is my effort and dedication in putting into practical effect the Bible – God’s Word…?

Am I a person who only simply reads the Bible – without making efforts to understand it, or one who fails to try to put into practice what I learn from God’s Word?
Is my love for the Word of God only finding expression in forwarding ‘Daily Bible Verses’ through social media sites/apps, emails or SMS’S or do I also try to apply and live those verses in my day-to-day activities?
These days, we have access to – especially through the internet and many magazines and books – an innumerable amount of Bible Study material, explanations on the Bible, sermons and reflections etc.

• Do these become a springboard for me to personally learn more and deepen my spiritual bond with the Lord of the Word; or do I only take these, without making any personal reflection and use it for giving sermons, talks etc.

Has the Word become a personal and intimate life-giver for me and do I have a deep thirst to know and grow more in the Word?

Through Prophet Jeremiah, the Lord reminds us to become ‘shepherds after His Own Heart’:

“And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding” (Jer 3:15)
… the Bible is the great source to grow in Knowledge and Understanding of the Lord!

As Christians, we are privileged and prized – to possess the Precious Book of God’s Salvific acts – in the Holy Bible.

As it is said, “The BIBLE contains B(asic) I(nstructions) B(efore) L(eaving) E(arth)”

The Bible…
… is a treasury of immense love
… is a source of unmatched transformative power
… is a supplier of unparalleled strength and grace towards salvation

Let us realise that we have a “Document containing enough dynamite…
… to bring peace to a battle-torn planet!”

Do I treat The Bible just an ordinary piece of literature, a lifeless object to be just decorated (or in some cases, dusted and dirtied) and a book of sacredness but still untouched and unexplored…
…or can I discover It to be the mighty source, containing the immensity of God’s Power and encountering the Lord Himself, “Who is the Word – that became flesh and dwells among us”?

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “The slow pace of our perfection has to be borne with patience…

… provided that on our part we always do whatever we can to continue advancing!”

“May the Word of the Lord – and in particular, the Parables_ – turn out to be a powerful form of Mass Media, effecting transforming changes in us!”

(Based on Jer 2:1-3, 7-8, 12-13 and Mt 13:10-17 – Thursday of the 16th Week of Ordinary Time)

Every form of mass media has some kind of an influence on its audience or users.

Some forms of mass media are more powerful and influential…

Some others are lesser…

There is a sense of identification that users have with the content of the Mass Media.

For example:

A scene in a movie may make its audience to burst out laughing, to shed tears at an emotional scene or even induce anger at seeing a disturbing scene.

A commentary or a nice song or jingle or a funny comment by the host in a radio program may make the listeners to smile, to be excited or to be just relaxed.

A meme that is seen on the social networking site or a video or a picture that is shared through mobile social apps like WhatsApp, may make the user to reflect deeper or to feel happier or draw out of ignorance

The Gospels are also a great and effective form of Mass Media…
… sharing the message of God’s love to all
… spreading the news of the Kingdom to all
… reaching out the compassion of the Lord to all

One of the important composition of the Gospel is in the form of “parables”

The Gospel of the Day, presents the dynamics of Jesus using “parables” as an effective method of communication of the message of the Kingdom of God.

The passage begins with an enquiry by the Disciples:
“The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” (Mt 13:10)

The Gospel of St Mathew is generally structured comprising of The Five Discourses…

1. The Sermon on the Mount (Chapters 5-7)
2. The Sermon for the Mission (Chapter 10)
3. The Sermon in Parables (Chapter 13)
4. The Sermon of the Church (Chapter 18)
5. The Sermon on Eschatology (Chapters 23-25)

The Thirteenth chapter of the Gospel of St Matthew is the “Sermon in Parables”

Jesus was a master story-teller.
He presented the mighty mysteries of the Kingdom in plain parables.

The parables, however, had two contrasting aspects to it…

1. On one side, they were simple and revealed many things
   The parables of the Lord were based on everyday experiences of the people and local practices, customs and culture.

This contextualization helped the people to easily connect with the message that Jesus wanted to convey.

2. On the other side, they were complicated and concealed many dimensions
   The parables of the Lord would neatly conceal many of the complicated dimensions of the mysteries of the Kingdom.

This concealing caused many people to misunderstand, misinterpret Jesus as well as the message that He wanted to convey.

This dual aspect in the “parables” of Jesus…

simple and revealing many things
yet, complicated and concealing many dimensions
… had a dual effect:
To many, it generated interest, a sense of wonder and made way for deeper reflection and personal transformation
Yet, to many others, it failed to make any impact, or even made them to close their hearts in receiving the truth of the Lord

The Parables of Jesus, therefore, also sparked two types of hearers…
… Supporters and Believers

Those who heard and understood the parables, and had their life transformed – growing closer to the Lord and becoming effective missionaries of the Kingdom!
… Opponents and Skeptics
Those who heard, but with minds were closed to the message of the Parables, and had their hearts hardened – distancing themselves from the Lord and turning to be adversaries of the Kingdom!

Through Prophet Jeremiah, the Lord:

Reminds us: “…I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown…” (Jer 2:1)
And makes us aware: … “for My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns, that can hold no water!” (Jer 2:13)

The Word of the Lord – especially through the Parables – are delivered to each one of us too.

What effect do they have, on our lives…

Do I remain open to its message and thus grow to be a supporter of the Kingdom and Believer in the Lord….?
… or do I close my heart to its truths and thus reduce myself to be an opponent to the Lord and a skeptic of the Kingdom of God…?

Jesus used the “parables” as an effective method of communication of the message of the Kingdom of God…
… to share the message of God’s love
… to spread the news of the Kingdom
… to reach out the compassion of the Lord

Do I find a sense of identification with the message of the Parables…
… or do I remain closed and hard-hearted?

May the Gospel – and in particular, the Parables – turn out to be a powerful form of Mass Media, effecting transforming changes in us!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “… [The] use of a parable, Theotimus… [is a] method [that] was so agreeable to the sovereign Master of the love which we are teaching!”

“May St Mary Magdalene help us to understand that ‘Love transforms everything!’ and thus do everything with greater passion!”

(Based on the Feast of St Mary Magdalene)

A Dutch diamond collector was seeking for a very rare diamond.

A diamond dealer in New York heard of this inquiry and contacted him…
… letting him know that he believed he possessed the diamond he was looking for.

The diamond collector arrived…
… and the dealer had his salesman present the diamond.

The salesman described all the technical aspects of the diamond.

However within minutes, the diamond collector rose his hand and said: “I am sorry! This is not the diamond I am looking for”…
… and began to walk away.

Watching from a distance, the diamond dealer hurriedly intercepted him…
… and he asked him if he could present the diamond again.

Since he had travelled a long distance, the collector agreed to listen once again.

The dealer pulled out the same diamond and started describing his admiration for this particular diamond.

Within minutes they were signing papers, and the diamond was purchased.

As the gentleman was walking out, he asked, what just happened?

Why was it so easy for me to say no to your salesman a little while ago, while with you I purchased the diamond?

The dealer replied: “That salesman is the best in the business.

He knows more about diamonds than anyone, including myself, and I pay him a large salary for his knowledge and expertise.

But I would gladly pay him twice as much if I could put into him something I have which he lacks.
You see, he knows diamonds…
… but I love them!”

Love transforms everything!

Love adds passion in any activity we do.

Today we celebrate the Feast of one such person who deeply loved the Lord – St Mary Magdalene.

The Bible presents St Mary Magdalene as a woman who loved Jesus intensely and passionately.

She teaches us remarkable things for each one of us to Love the Lord deeper:

1. She Followed Him
   Luke 8:2 presents Mary Magdalene as having been cured of seven demons.

Her experience of the Healing of the Lord, made her to Follow Jesus, in His ministry of preaching and healing.

Am I following the Lord?

All have us have, in our life, have experienced the power of the Lord.

But do I truly follow the Lord?

2. She was Persistent to seek Him
   The Death of her Lord had rocked Mary Magdalene…
   … and she seeks persistently, in the tomb where Jesus was laid.

Even though she witnessed an empty tomb, her heart longed to see the Saviour…. “so she stayed outside the tomb weeping” (Jn 20:11).

Am I persistent to seek the Lord?

I have often had setbacks in my prayer life, work situations & aspirations.

But do I still persevere in looking for the Lord?

3. She was Single-hearted in her search for Him
   In her search for Jesus, whom she misunderstood as a gardener, Mary Magdalene expresses her sincerity and frankness and single-mindedness – “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” (Jn 20:15)

She sought no empty phrases or consolations…but the Lord alone!
Nothing and none else could suffice her… but the Lord alone!
Am I single-hearted in my search for the Lord?

I am sometimes content with fleeting pleasures, transitory consolation and momentary comforts in my spiritual life.

Do I rather be single-hearted in my longing for the Lord?

4. She was enthusiastic about Him
   Once she recognized the ordinary gardener as her Precious Master, Mary Magdalene is enthusiastic and fervent about Him.

Nothing could stop her from proclaiming Him.

In the words of St Bernard, “she became an apostle to the Apostles”.

Am I enthusiastic in my life?

As a Christian, I have in me the influencing, the powerful and the salvific good news of the Lord. >> Am I enthusiastic in sharing about the Lord to others?

Let us learn from St Mary Magdalene…
… her commitment in following of Jesus
… her persistence in waiting for Jesus, her single-heartedness in searching for Jesus, and her enthusiasm in telling others about Jesus.

St Mary Magdalene…
… is a beautiful model of being a Disciple
… is a wonderful example of being a Divine-Seeker
… is a classic illustration of being a Dispenser of the Good News

St. Mary Magdalene holds a unique place in the history of Jesus.

The One who rose from the grave of death, appeared first to her, who herself experienced a rising from the grave of sin!
She was the first (as per the Gospel accounts) to see Him alive and the first to hear His voice.
She became the first evangelist in Christian history.

She is the Mourner who turned into a Missionary!

Let us passionately love the Lord, like St Mary Magdalene,
… ‘cos there isn’t an ocean too deep, a mountain so high it can keep…
… keep us away, away from His love!

As Christians it is not enough that we “know about Christ”…
… it is more important “to know Christ” and to love Him!

May St Mary Magdalene help us to understand that “Love transforms everything!”

Love adds passion to any activity we do.

Happy Feast of St Mary Magdalene – the Disciple, the Divine-Seeker, the Dispenser of the Good News!

Happy Feast of Tender Love and Mercy to all!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “Today I want to wish you one of the blessings accorded to Saint Mary Magdalene.

Not her ecstasies or extraordinary gifts…
… but imitating her by sitting at the feet of Jesus all the days of our life.
Above all, I hope you have the courage to overcome the difficulties that impede you from God.
Therefore, continually seek the Lord and do not give up until you have found Him.
Seek Him out during this mortal life, not risen and glorious, but crucified and dead.
Prepare your shoulders to carry the cross of the Crucified with love, and if the burden is heavy, console yourself…
… because courage and love will give you the strength!”

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“Being members of the Family of God by being ready to do the Will of the Father!”

(Based on Mic 7:14-15, 18-20 and Mt 12:46-50 – Tuesday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time)

A lady once remarked to her spiritual guide, “I am very afraid to pray, ‘Thy Will be done'”

“And why is that so?” asked the guide.

“I am afraid…”continued the lady, “… that God will bring some calamity to my only child or send me a heavy trial in life”

The spiritual guide, having patiently listened to her, replied:
“Suppose if your beloved child comes to you and says, ‘Mummy, here after, I want to always do whatever you say and live as you will…’

Would you say to yourself…
‘Ah! Here is my chance!

I will make my child to do all the harsh things.
I will make use of his willingness to obey me, by cutting off all his pleasures
I will make sure he has a tough time because anyway he will do whatever I say”

“Oh no!” answered back the mother, “I will give him the best possible things that I can. I will make sure that he is protected from every danger.

I will do anything to ensure him true happiness!”

“And do you think…” continued the spiritual guide, “Do you think that God is less loving than you?”

The will of every human parent is to ensure the best for their children, isn’t it?

How much more loving and caring is the Will of the Father!

“God’s Will” is best understood in the set-up of a family…

Even in a human family…
… Every member wishes that the other is taken care
… Every member seeks for the good of the other

How much more is the love and concern in the Family of God…
… to all those who seek to do the Will of the Father?!

Jesus, in today’s Gospel invites each of us to be part of the Family of God…
… by doing the Will of the Father.

Our Blessed Lord says, “For whoever does the Will of My Heavenly Father, is My brother and sister and mother” (Mt 12: 50)

The passage begins with the family of Jesus waiting to see Him…
“While Jesus was still speaking, behold, His Mother and His brothers stood outside, asking to speak to Him” (Mt 12: 46)

This is a passage that is often used to attack the position of the Catholic Church on Mary.

Many misinterpret this passage to mean that Mary was out of the Family of God
Many wrongly consider this passage to mean that Mary had other sons, referred to as ‘brothers’

We take a short apologetic approach to our Bible passage today….

1. Who are the brothers mentioned here?
   There are about ten instances in the New Testament where “brothers” and “sisters” of the Lord are mentioned

The term used for ‘brother’ in Greek is “adelphos”

“Adelphos” can mean…
… a biological brother
… an extended relative
… or even a spiritual brother

The languages – Hebrew and Aramaic (the language spoken by Jesus) – did not have a special word for “cousin”

The writers of the New Testament used the Aramaic equivalent of “brothers” to mean both cousins and sons of the same father—plus other relatives and even non-relatives.

When the Old Testament was translated into Greek and the New Testament written in Greek, the word “Adelphos” was used to capture all of these meanings.

Further, the Gospels are clear that Mary was a virgin at the time she conceived Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit (cf. Mt 1:18-25, Lk 1:26-38).

After the birth of Jesus, no mention is made of Mary and Joseph ever having other children.

Never does the Gospels refer to the “sons of Mary” or “a son of Mary,” but only “The Son of Mary.”

We also see that at the Crucifixion, Jesus entrusts His Blessed Mother to John, who was not his blood-brother (Jn 19: 25-27)

According to Jewish law, the oldest son had the responsibility of caring for the widowed mother, and that responsibility would pass to the next oldest if anything happened to the first-born son
Since Jesus, “the first-born”, had no “blood brother,” He entrusted His Mother to the care of St John, His Beloved Disciple.

Thus, the Catechism of the Catholic Church clarifies “the brothers of Jesus”….
“The Church has always understood these passages as not referring to other children of the Virgin Mary.
In fact James and Joseph, “brothers of Jesus”, are the sons of another Mary, a disciple of Christ, whom St. Matthew significantly calls “the other Mary”.

They are close relations of Jesus, according to an Old Testament expression.” (CCC #500)

2. Was Mary only the ‘biological’ Mother of Jesus?
   Jesus said, “Whoever does the Will of My Father in Heaven, is my…. Mother!” (Mt 12: 50)

Did Mary fulfil this call of Jesus?

When we scan through the pages of the New Testament, we find, that perhaps no other person fulfilled the Will of the Father as perfectly as Mary

Mary was Blessed indeed…

Not just because she gave a physical birth to Jesus…
… but also because She listened and lived the Will of the Father!

She is blessed…
… because She listened to God’s Word and accepted it wholeheartedly.
… because She chose to put Her faith in God, though the path ahead was dim
… because She was obedient to God’s Will, though She did not understand many things”

As St. Irenaeus says:
“Being obedient, She became the cause of salvation for Herself and for the whole human race.”
The knot of Eve’s disobedience was untied by Mary’s obedience
What Eve bound through her disbelief, Mary loosened by Her faith”

Mother Mary is the first Evangelizer and the first Disciple of Her own Son and Lord, Jesus the Christ!

Mother Mary is thus, not just the biological Mother of Jesus…
… by doing the Will of the Father perfectly, She is also His Spiritual Mother!

As St Maximilian Kolbe says, “If anyone does not wish to have Mary Immaculate for his Mother, he will not have Christ for his Brother!”

Yes, doing the Will of the Father…
… is the DNA that joins all the members of the Family of God
… is the sole and mandatory criteria to be part of the Family of God

We may have our fears in doing His Will….

But let us realize, that the Will of Father is wrapped with much love and affection…
… there is a tenderness in His Will, that ensures each of us, His children are protected!
… there is a warmth in His Will, that makes sure that we, His children are always given the best!

Prophet Micah reminds us of the Merciful Love of the Lord…
… which casts all ours sins, even into the depths of the sea: “He will again have compassion upon us, he will tread our iniquities under foot. Thou wilt cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” (Mic 7:19)

Jesus is our Supreme Model and Leader in listening and living the Will of the Father

Mother Mary is our Beloved Mother and Perfect Disciple, Who followed Her Son wholly, in obedience to the Will of the Father!
Many saints and holy people also show us, by their sanctified lives that it is worth, meaningful and salvific to do the Will of the Father!

All of them beckon us:
“Come be part of the Family of God…

Listen always to what God wants of you in your life
Ask Him, at all times, what you should be doing in life
Put your trust in His Power and Providence, when you do His Will!”

Are we willing to be members of this Family of God?
… Then we need to be ready to do the Will of the Father!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “God’s Will is that we should be perfect, uniting ourselves to Him…

… and imitating Him to the utmost of our powers!”

“Being closer to Jesus, the Great ‘Sun’ and living our Christian Lives, in ‘sincerity’, in zealousness and with a deeper passion for the ‘Son’ of God!

(Based on Mic 6:1-4, 6-8 and Mt 12:38-42 – Monday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time)

The English word (according to a popular legend) ‘sincere’ comes from two Latin words : ‘sin-e’ and ‘cere’.

‘Sin-e’ means: without
‘Cere’ means: wax
So ‘sin’e’ + ‘cere’ means “without wax”

Sincere, therefore, literally means, being “without wax”

In ancient Greek, when art flourished, it was a common practice to repair with “invisible wax”, any vase or statue that had, as a result of carelessness, been damaged.

Sometimes while chiselling the bust in marble, if the chisel slipped out the Sculptor’s hand, some edge of the statue would be chipped off.

Rather than taking the trouble of making a new bust, the sculptor would repair the features with “wax” so that the flaw could not be detected, unless by very close scrutiny.

However, if the client happened to be a knowledgeable person, he would carry the finished statue into the open before paying for it, and examine it carefully in the sunlight!

If the statue was “sincere” i.e. “without wax” – it would remain firm; else some parts of it would drop down!

“Sincerity” of the statue was thus examined in the presence of sunlight!

Am I a “sincere” person… “without the wax” of deceit, malice, corruption or guile?
• I need to come into the presence of the Sunlight – Jesus – to be examined!

The Gospel of the day presents an incident where the “insincerity” of a certain group of people was exposed in the warming and bright presence of Jesus, the Light of the world.

Some of the Scribes and the Pharisees said to Jesus, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you” (Mt 12: 38)

Through St Paul, we get to know that it was, probably, a characteristic of the Jews to ‘demand signs’.
“For Jews demand signs, and Greeks look for wisdom” (1 Cor 1: 22)

When we scan through the pages of the Bible, we also see God Himself giving many signs to His people…

God put a mark on Cain, after he had killed Abel, so that no one should kill him at sight (Gen 4: 15)
God gave the sign of the ‘rainbow’, as a sign of the covenant, so that the waters would never become a flood, to destroy all mortal beings (Gen 9: 13-15)
God empowered Moses with many signs, when Moses had to present himself before Pharaoh, in a bid to ask him “to let go” of the Israelites ( Ex 3: 12)
Two hundred and fifty men were consumed, by a fire from the Lord, after they had unworthily offered incense to God (Num 16: 35)
God gave a sign to Gideon, when he asked for it, humbly, as a confirmation in his entrusted task (Judg 6: 17)
God gave a sign at King Saul’s anointing (1 Sam 10: 1-13)

However, in today’s Gospel, we find that when the Pharisees and the Scribes, demand a sign, Jesus doesn’t yield to it!

What was the reason?

The demand of the Pharisees and Scribes was a demand for a sign “not in humility” or “to really cast off any doubt”
• Rather, this was a demand for a sign that exposed their obstinacy to remain in unbelief!

In fact, Jesus sees through their “insincerity”

He sees through the fact, that they were “with wax” – the wax of deceit, falsity and deception!
• And this their “wax” of trickery, began to melt in the presence of Jesus, the Powerful Light!

Therefore Jesus comes down heavily on them and says, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign…” (Mt 12: 39)

Note the two strong words that Jesus uses…

Evil: pointing to a wicked heart that sought destruction and spoiling the lives of others
Adulterous: pointing to an unfaithful heart that reduced relations to a mere pragmatic nature, and was characterised by cheating and disloyalty.

Is my life also characterised by constantly wanting “only” signs from God…
• I expect immediate answers to all my prayers, in the way I want
• I always want some miracles, as I choose, to keep the light of my faith burning
• I get depressed and feel totally lost when I do not get the signs that I expected in life
• I witness a lot of wondrous deeds around me, but still I remain obstinate in my unbelief

Is my Christian life only a sign-seeking one…
… or is my Christian life, rather, a Saviour-seeking one?

Am I obsessed with wanting only miracles…
… or am I, rather, passionate and zealous about the Master?

Jesus invites us to be “sincere” – “without wax”.
• In His bright presence, all “wax” of duplicity and hypocrisy will melt
• In His glowing light, all “wax” of dishonesty and deception will dissolve

Prophet Micah beautifully echoes the mind of the Lord when he proclaims: “He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Mic 6:8)

May we be closer to Jesus, the Great ‘Sun’ and live our Christian Lives, in “sincerity”, in zealousness and with deeper passion for the ‘Son’ of God!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “Assuredly straightforward honesty and sincerity in speech is a great beauty in the Christian life!”

“Allowing God to be God in our Lives – the Ultimate Judge and Defeater of all evil!”

(Based on Wis 12:13, 16-19, Rom 8:26-27 and Mt 13:24-43 – 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time)

One of the most baffling and mysterious aspect in our world is the active & dynamic presence of evil in this world.

Today the Lord Jesus ventures into opening His mind on this crucial Reality of our lives….

Last Sunday, we were with the Generous Sower, who was madly liberal in sowing on different types of soil and which had their corresponding results.

This week, we are back to the field….
But our deliberation is not on the Sower or the
Seeds…
… but on the presence of Weeds among the Wheat.

Let the botany in us, focus today on The Weeds…. the Irritable Weeds!

Botanically named Lolium temulentum, the weeds are also called Darnel or Tares.

These weeds have a characteristic of making one feel poisoned with drunkenness, when consumed.
They also have the deceptive characteristic of bearing a close resemblance to Wheat. In fact, these weeds are also called as False Wheat!

So the enemy in the parable…is a Learned Deceiver…

He sows this deceptive and misleading weed among the innocent and harmless wheat!

But the Lord, the Ultimate Judge gives out a strong, yet strange command, “Let the weeds not be pulled up, lest the wheat be uprooted with them; let them just grow together until harvest!” (Mt 13:29-30)

Some mysteries in life cannot be fully understood…
… but they are to be boldly lived

Some struggles in life cannot be totally eliminated…
… but they are to be bravely challenged

Some problems in life cannot be completely solved…
… but they are to be fearlessly encountered

Here is another hard reality to be digested:
God uses the very wickedness and injustices of evildoers to perfect his Elect.

As the saying goes: “God writes straight, even with crooked lines!”

The triumph and prosperity of the wicked are short-lived…
…whereas the reward of the Christian who suffer from their wickedness is everlasting.

Hard and Unpopular and even Impractical statement, right?

But Facts remain facts – we consent or not!

This leads us to a vital aspect of our Practical Christian Living: To be Patient with ourselves and with others…
… in dealing with sin, with unacceptable practices, with unalterable addictions, with evil tendencies, with horrifying obsessions and with abominable disgraces.

Often…
… we lose our cool in finding ourselves to be imperfect and sinful even after years of trying
… we have our blood boiling seeing the various scandals and shameful incidents in the Church
… we bite our teeth in anger glaring at the atrocities and inhumanness in our society and the world
… we go mad in encountering silly disputes and appalling indifferences in our families & communities

But the Lord says: “Hold On….!”

Do your best…and leave the rest to Me!
Aim for perfection….but be not saddened by scandals…

This certainly is no excuse for us to deny our duty and responsibility and even an obligation to avoid wickedness and dissuade evil practices.

But we may never find ourselves in PERFECT elimination of evil and sinful behaviours…
… either in our personal life, or societal life or even in the life of the church.

The Ultimate Eliminator is the Lord Himself…
The Supreme Conqueror is the Lord Himself!

Is it all too abstract, theoretical & impractical talks?…
… NO!

St Paul gives an assurance in Romans 8:26-27:
“The Spirit comes to our aid in our weaknesses. He Himself will intercede for us, when we co-operate with Him.”

And God Who is all-powerful shares His Omnipotence with us…
… in the Holy Sacraments
… in Prayer
… in the Bible
… and in the Church

Let us tap this power of God, and be strengthened in our lives!

Let us try to do our utmost….but let us also permit to encounter disappointments…!
Let us strive for the finest….but let us fret not too much over failures and frustrations…!

The Lord knows all.

The Lord sees all.
The Lord has the perfect solution to all.

St Faustina would say…”our sins and weaknesses and miseries are like little sticks, before the burning furnace of the Love of God”.

Let us throw our little sticks into this burning furnace…

Let God be God in our Lives – the Ultimate Judge and Defeater of all evil!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “We have freedom to do good or evil; yet to make choice of evil, is not to use…
… but to abuse our freedom.

Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit!”