There was a certain king who possessed a magic ring.

This ring, looked like any of the other rings that the King wore, except the fact that this ring had some influential powers.

Whenever some evil thought would cross across his mind, or if he was tempted to do some wrong thing, this ring would press painfully on the finger!

This would make the King realise that he was on the wrong track, and would quickly become aware of the paths of danger.

Perhaps, many of us – especially with the ease with which we often slip into the slush of sin – would wish that we too could possess such a ring…
… a ring that would prick us painfully, so that we become aware of the wrong we do
… a ring that would act as a reminder to prevent us from treading on the thorny tracks of sin

But how many of us do realise, that all of us have been blessed and adorned with this beautiful ring?

Perhaps, some of us are ignorant of it..
Perhaps, some of us have lost touch with it..
Perhaps, some of us have forgotten its presence…

This ring is nothing else but our Conscience!

Am I aware of the voice of the Conscience prompting me with its timely warnings and admonishing… ?
… or have I lost awareness of the Conscience, by my constant rejection and frequent refusal of its still, gentle voice…?

The Gospel of the Day is the dramatic re-telling of the story of the Martyrdom of St John the Baptist – a favoured victim of a “Deadened Conscience”!

One of the important focus subject of this “soul-stirring and heart-gripping” incident is the aspect of Conscience.

Conscience is the inner guide to determine the right from wrong.

The Catholic Church, in her teaching on the Conscience says:
“In the depths of his conscience, man detects a law which he does not impose upon himself, but which holds him to obedience.
Always summoning him to love good and avoid evil, the voice of conscience when necessary speaks to his heart: do this, shun that.

>> For man has in his heart a law written by God; to obey it is the very dignity of man; according to it he will be judged.

Conscience is the most secret core and sanctuary of a man. There he is alone with God, Whose voice echoes in his depths.”

The Education of the Conscience is a life-long task.

However, as a person grows up – going through various experiences in life – there can be…
… errors that creep into the conscience
… areas in the conscience that are never informed

Hence, the formation of the Conscience is to be of utmost importance in the moral life of a person – a formation that has the Word of God as the light for our path!

In the Gospel, we encounter King Herod, who failed to give heed to the Word of God, prophetically spoken by John the Baptist.

>> The Word of God was directly addressed to him…
… but he chose to reject it.

The Result: His conscience became subdued and the voice of his own personal desires grew louder in the depths of his heart!

>> The Word of God was put forward to him and challenged his moral integrity and his lustful life…
.. but he failed to give any heed to the call to repent or change.

The Result: His conscience was stifled and its gentle voice was drowned in the ocean of adulterous appetite and carnal cravings.

This danger is a possibility in so many of our lives too…

>> We hear God’s Word telling us not to do certain things, or forbids us from following a particular lifestyle…
… but often, we don’t give any consideration to it, and live life “bindaas – without any fear”

>> We are informed by people who care for us, on the need to mend our ways or to live a life which is more disciplined or oriented towards our faith…
… but sometimes, we just don’t bother about it, or pretend as if “We know to live our lives, without anyone’s advices”

>> We come to know of the many wrongs that We indulge ourselves in, or are made aware of the sinful paths that We may be treading across…
… but quite often, we sink into the waters of lethargy or indifference or climb up the mountain of pride and arrogrance

The Result? : Our conscience becomes weakened… fails to become a forceful power in our lives… and slowly, stutters towards a crippling death!

The powerfully intense story of the Beheading of John the Baptist is a mighty call for us to give greater heed to the formation of our conscience.

Can we take some practical resolutions ( just to mention a few) to help towards the same…

>> Making a daily examination of conscience (ideally twice a day – noon and night – or at least at the end of the day)

…. consciously going through each activity of the day
.. thanking the Lord for all His blessings at every step of the day
… discovering the moments when we have strayed away from His paths and failed to do His Will
… make deliberate and practical decisions to amend them, and to foster actions of goodness

>> Reading the Word of God – seeking to assimilate It and moulding one’s lives as per the Sacred Will of God

… setting apart, strictly, at least a few minutes of the day ( A day consists of 1440 minutes!) to spend time with the Word of God

>> Seeking to spend more time in personal prayer (ideally and whenever possible, before the Most Blessed Sacrament)

… The conscience derives strength, clarity and cleansing, when presented before its Creator!

>> Strengthening our Sacramental life especially in the Sacraments of the Holy Eucharist and Holy Confession

… making it a point to participate in the Holy Eucharist more often (with wholehearted preparation and due reverence)
… resolving to make a Confession at very regular times (probably, once in a month), realizing that Confession is not only for “forgiveness of sins” but also “for grace to be stronger and courageous in one’s spiritual life)

May the words of St Euphrasia, the saint from India, who was recently canonized ( Nov 23, 2014):

“May your heart be an altar, from which the bright flame of unending thanksgiving ascends to heaven”

… and her intercession, inspire and help us to constantly have the ‘beautiful ring” of our conscience in tune with God’s Will and helping us to live a life of complete commitment and courageous passion, like St John the Baptist.

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Take time by the forelock” is a phrase that means ‘to act quickly and decisively” and “not let slip an opportunity”
( “Forelock” is the strand or cluster of hair, growing just above the forehead)

This phrase has an interesting origin…

A statue chiselled by Lysippus (one of the greatest sculptors of the Classical Greek Era in the 4th century BC) stood in one of the cities in Ancient Greece.

This statue…
… had wings
… a lock of hair on the forehead
… and was bald at the back of the head

Underneath this statue, was engraved the following conversation, in a question-answer format…

“Who made thee?”
“Lysippus made me.”

“What is thy name?”
“My name is Opportunity.”

“Why hast thou wings on thy feet?”
“That I may fly swiftly over the earth.”

“Why hast thou a forelock?”
“That men may seize me as I come.”

“Why art thou bald on the back of thy head?’—
“Because, when I am gone, none can lay hold of me.”

“Opportunity is like this bald-headed man with only a patch of hair right in front.

One has to grab that hair, grasp the opportunity while it’s being confronted…
… else, one will be grasping a slick bald head!”

Is my Christian Life characterised by an enthusiastic response to the many opportunities for blessings that God offers me…?
.. or do I ‘doze off’ in lethargy and laziness, letting away many wonderful opportunities and squandering many chances of God’s abundant favours?

The Gospel of the Day presents the Parable of the Ten Virgins, with a strong warning to “make use of every opportunity that life offers” and “to be ever-prepared” in receiving the coming of the Lord.

The parable of the Ten Virgins has its setting in a Jewish Wedding.

In the time of our Blessed Lord, the wedding was probably one of the greatest events in a typical Palestinian village or an Israeli town.

This was a time of great social celebration!
All got together…
… friends, relatives, villagers..

It was a time of great festivity, abounding happiness and overflowing celebrations.

A Jewish marriage consisted of three parts or elements:

1. Engagement

>> It was sort of an official contract between the two fathers, who would be giving their son and daughter to each other.

2. Betrothal

>> This second element consisted of the friends and family members coming together and the couple making vows and promises that were binding.

This phase onwards, they would be officially considered as husband and wife.

3. Marriage

>> The time after Betrothal lasted up to a year, which was for the bridegroom to prepare a place for his bride – either an addition to his father’s house or to have his own

It was to be his concrete expression of showing his love to her – preparing a home for her and preparing his heart and life for her!

At the end of the time that he needed to get it prepared, he would go to take her and bring her to his place – and they would thereafter, live together.

This third phase, therefore was the fulfilment of the eager longing of the bridegroom and bride, in being together for the rest of their life!

The Wedding set-up that is mentioned in today’s Gospel is this scene of the third phase of the wedding.

This is the climax of the wedding festivity where the bridegroom goes to get his bride.

This was done in a grand procession through the village, so that all in the village could be part of this festivity.

The Ten Ten Virgins (or bridesmaids) who are mentioned in the Gospel Passage, had the role of performing one of the acts of entertainment.

>> They would have to perform a wedding dance – “torch dance” around the bride and the groom, holding torches.

It would symbolize the light of their love, wishing them a luminous future.

Then the wedding party would go into the house, and the celebration would last for seven long days!

In the parable, it is mentioned that “since the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep” (Mt 25: 5)

It was only when the call that the Bridegroom had arrived was given, that Five of the Virgins realised, that “they brought no oil with them” (Mt 25: 3)

It’s so ironical that the wedding which was such a well-prepared and a long-awaited event, had these five virgins who were so unprepared and so  unequipped for the grand moment!

The story of these five virgins who were unprepared (whom our Blessed Lord calls as ‘foolish”) could well be our own stories too..

How often are we too unprepared and unequipped….. missing out on opportunities….

… The Lord gives ample opportunities to get back our life on track, through various Biblical inspirations, talks,retreats, literatures etc.
… There are so many occasions that are provided for us to grow in our virtues, to learn deeper the mysteries of heaven and to illumine ourselves with holy knowledge
… We also get so many chances to build our relationship with one another, to grow in appreciation and praise of other and to discover and nurture the goodness in others

Do we make good use of all such opportunities or do we squander them away?

Today we celebrate the Feast of St Augustine, the great Doctor of the Church.

It can happen that many of us may enter into a mode of “delaying God’s power” and “denying God’s Grace” just as Augustine in his early days who would say, “Give me chastity and continence, but not yet!”

But his life is also a reminder, that if we allow God’s power to work in us – in openness to the Spirit of God – He can mould us and shape us, into His mighty and powerful instruments!

May this Great Doctor of the Church who said:
“What does love look like?
> It has the hands to help others.
> It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy.
> It has eyes to see misery and want.
> It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men.
That is what love looks like.”…

… intercede for us, to make use of every opportunity to grow in God’s Love and to be truly prepared to welcome the coming of the Lord!

May we always keep ready “our lamps” to shine bright for the Lord with the “oil of gladness and love”!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

Let’s get into some visual imagination to help today’s reflection process…

Imagine a Person comes into the room of your heart, this evening.

He is charming…
He is there with a purpose…
He is imposing with His charisma…

As this Fascinating Person approaches the door of your room, ready to step-in, some flash thoughts pass through your mind…

“The magazines and the books on my table…
>> Do I need to hide them or keep them away, so that He doesn’t feel shocked at the kind of materials I read?

The wallpaper on my laptop and mobile and the pictures that are pasted in my room…
>> Do I need to change them or dispose them off, so that He doesn’t realise the ‘visual food’ that is often fed to my mind?

The music that is blaring in my room and to which I tap my feet…
>> Do I need to put it off and plunge the room into a silent mode, so that He doesn’t feel offended by the ‘audio junk’ that I dance to?

The websites that I browse through, the chats that I engage in and the jokes that I think of…
>> Do I need to forcefully shut-down my system or delete all the unnecessary files, so that He doesn’t come to know the ‘e-waste’ that I bombard my life with?”

Well, the time is too short…’cos He is fast approaching me!

Have I made a mess of my life…
… filling it with filth or unwanted aspects of life…?
… missing out on opportunities to do good or render service…?
… engaging in activities that are just not worth being exposed to…?

The Charismatic Person is all set to enter my room…
Have I made myself worthy and prepared, to allow Him to enter…?

Well, no prizes for guessing who is this Mysterious Person we are imagining about…

… Yes, Jesus – the Lord and Saviour and the Judge who is coming into this world!

Is my heart ready to recieve Him?

The Gospel of the Day is a powerful preaching by Jesus on the need to remain ready for His second coming.

Chapter 24 of the Gospel of St Matthew..
… begins with Jesus addressing His disciples on the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple(Mt 24: 1ff)
… and continues, with Jesus further explaining the forthcoming persecutions and calamities that were to befall

With this background, Jesus speaks of the need to be “watchful” at all times (Mt 24: 42) and explicates it, with the help of the Parable of the Unfaithful Servant (Mt 24: 45-51)

One of the important realities of human life is “unexpectedness”

“Unexpectedness” strikes at many turns of life…
… an unexpected sickness or disease which pushes people into the pit of anxiety and worry
… an unexpected misunderstanding which damages and crushes our relationship with one another
… an unexpected financial crisis which drowns individuals or families into the sea of hopelessness

This “unexpectedness” can also strike our spiritual life!
And this is the danger, that to which the Lord raises our attention towards, by means of the parable of the Unfaithful Servant.

In the parable, the servant was entrusted with the duties of the household, while his master was away.

But when the worm of wickedness crept into the mind of the servant, he said, “My Master is delayed” (Mt 24: 48)

This is very much possible and practically happening in many of our lives.

As Christians, our Blessed Lord, the Great Master has entrusted many responsibilities and duties, to us, His servants.

But often times, we tend to live in the comfort of telling ourselves that “My Master is delayed” or that “My Master is not watching me”

This feeling of the “Lord not being around me” makes us to somehow get into activities and engage in pastimes that are not worthy of our lives…

>> We let our moral lives be loosened..
>> We allow our prayer lives to be haywire…
>> We permit our sacramental life to be lethargic…
>> We enable our social life to be without the power of the Lord…

But the consequences of such “letting loose” can be disastrous, as the parable teaches us.

What is needed therefore….
… is a constant vigilance and a relentless perseverance in being faithful
… is an unfailing performance of our duties and being on the guard at all times

We celebrate today the Feast of St Monica, that exemplary mother-saint, who was ever-vigilant in interceding for her child, to get back to the ways of the Lord.
>> She becomes an example for us to be always on the watch, and wait in patience and hope!

Her prayers bore fruit in St Augustine, the Great Doctor of the Church

The Lord is knocking at the door of our hearts (Rev 3:20)

Is my life neat and clean enough to allow the Lord to enter in …?
… or do I need to make suitable alterations and necessary repentance so that the Lord may find me worthily waiting for Him and that He may dine with me?

God Bless! Live Jesus!

Here is an incident (though perhaps a bit silly one) from a short film, which captures a great essence of an aspect of our society…

A college girl, is giving her Viva (oral) examinations.

When the professor asks her a particular question, she goes into a deep thinking-recollecting mode.

The professor gives one or two clues to help the girl to help her answer it.

But she still fails to get the answer.

Seeing her desperation, the professor, noticing also a tear or two in her eyes, out of compassion says, “Do not be too worried! Please don’t cry!”

The girl, who had come to the exam with heavy make-up, quickly composed herself and said, “No Sir! Don’t worry, I will not cry!
After all, I can’t allow my tears to spoil this heavy make-up, that I have applied, with much difficulty and care!!”

Well, this incident might sound a bit funny or slightly bent towards exaggeration..
… but it still does capture an important trend that is constantly on the rise in our societies today: A Cosmetic-Culture!

This Cosmetic-Culture is not merely to be considered in connection to the cosmetics or items of make-up.

It is in fact an increasing trend that seeks to make inroads into every aspect of our life… social, political, economic, religious…

Cosmetic-Culture could be described as a “tendency to project entities/things with an external beauty and with a greater visual appeal, without necessarily ensuring the actual quality from within!”

The presence of Cosmetic-Culture can be seen in various strands of our living…

Socially (in communities, families, nations etc), there is a lot of discrimination on the basis of colour, language, caste etc…
…but the “cosmetic-culture” presents the society in such a way, that everything seems to be fine and all are living in unity and happiness!

Politically, there is a great deal of hidden agenda, back-biting and differences in ideologies among the political parties or groups…
… but the “cosmetic-culture” covers-up the ‘evil intents’, causing many of such “opposing” parties to join hands and to be seen as being united, for their own selfish interests!

Economically, there are enormous cases of poverty on the rise, in different parts of the world and people missing out on even the basic essentials etc…
… but the “cosmetic-culture” puts a mask on all such “stark realities” and gives an impression as if there is only growth, development and prosperity!

The Gospel of the Day presents Jesus sharply lashing out at the “Cosmetic-Culture” existing in our religious practices, with a clarion call to do away with such “hypocritical” trends and tendencies!

Continuing His prophetic denunciation of the practices of the religious leaders of His times, Jesus comes down heavily on the Pharisees and Scribes by comparing then to “white-washed tombs”

“Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like white-washed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness!” ( Mt 23: 27)

Tombs of Palestine, in the time of Jesus, were painted with a lime paste or whitewash, at the start of the year.

There was a two-fold purpose to this:

1. It would helps in easy identification of the tomb, so that it could be avoided
2. It would help in the beautification of the tomb, so that it could be admired

Jesus likens the Pharisees and the Scribes to these white-washed tombs…

>>> Just as the white-washed tombs would clearly hide the decayed stuff within…
… these religious leaders, by the external shows of piety, would hide their decayed character of deceit, falsehood, duplicity and fraud!

>>> Just as the white-washed tombs would look wonderful on the outside, but would be full of filth and disgust inside…
… these religious leaders, would impress all with their strict ritualistic-practices, but would be full of dishonesty, falsity and deviousness!

They had probably mastered the art of being “Cosmetically-Cultured” – projecting themselves with an external beauty and with a greater visual appeal but without ensuring the actual quality from within!

This then is the danger to which we are exposed to…
… Is my spiritual and religious life also “Cosmetically-Cultured?”

> I may be known to be exemplary in my prayers and a role-model in my strict following of Christian practices…
… but is it just a “cosmetic” to hide my inner vices and to cover-up my sinful tendencies?

> I may be appearing to be a very a charitable person in extending a lot of material help in many causes…
… but is it just a “cosmetic” to conceal my hidden agenda or a means to boost my ego and inflate my pride?

> I may be considered as a very social person – always jovial, cracking “many” jokes and being a “happening” person…
… but is it just a “cosmetic” to mask my inner-wounds and pains, to veil my own complexes or to trigger opportunities to gratify some of my desires?

Our generation is gravely exposed to this “Cosmetic-Culture” and perhaps many of us, knowingly or unknowingly, become proponents of the same.

A generation which focusses only on the peripherals of life and fails to give consideration to the core and inner dimensions is bound to doom!

A quotation by a modern-day American politician goes thus:
“If you look at great human civilizations, from the Roman Empire to the Soviet Union…
… you will see that most do not fail simply due to external threats…
   … but because of internal weakness, corruption, or a failure to manifest the values and ideals they espouse!”

It requires the power, grace and strength in the Lord to become counter-witnesses to this “Cosmetic-Culture”

As Christians, our beauty in life ought to spring forth from an integrated life of faith!

>> The deeper that one is united with Christ…
… the lesser will be the dependence on “external shows” and greater will be the harmony and attractiveness of one’s life!

>> The stronger that one is in the faith in the Lord…
… the lesser will be the wanting to be “flashy on the outside” and greater will be the level of true charm and pleasantness!

May our Blessed Lord, help us in our efforts and desires “to beautify our life not just with an outer show, but with an inner glow!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

In Milan, Italy stands a cathedral featuring a wonderful entrance, in which one has to pass through three doors, in succession.

Each of these doors has an arch, with an inscription.

~~ Over the first door is carved a beautiful wreath of roses.
Underneath is written, “All that which pleases, is but for a moment”

~~ Over the second door, is sculptured a cross.
Underneath is written, “All that which troubles, is but for a moment”

~~ Over the third door – which is the great entrance to the main isle, is written:
“That only is important, which is eternal!”

> Do the thoughts of eternity permeate us and cast its radical influence in our every belief and action?
… Or am I stuck to being busy with the affairs of external trifles and obessesed with being engaged in only the ‘peripherals’ of life?

> Am I a person plagued with only the “external” fantasies of life…
… Or am I growing to be a person making the right ‘priorities’ in life and choosing to make choices for a hopeful eternity?

The Gospel of the Day presents our Blessed Lord lashing out at the Scribal and Pharasaic attitudes of “being obsessed with the mere unimportant aspects of life” and instead, invites us to “being interested in the real necessities and true essentials of life”

Jesus, in today’s Gospel passage makes a two-pronged attack on the religious leaders of His time:

1. “…tithing mint and dill and cumin and neglecting the weightier matters of the law – justice and mercy and faith” (Mt 23:23)

>> Mint was a garden herb which had a fragrant smell. It was used to sprinkle the floors of the houses and synagogues.

>> Dill, also known as Anise, was a plant used as a spice and in medicine

>> Cummin, was a plant with seeds that have a bitter warm taste and an aromatic flavour

The Jewish Law required that a “tenth of the produce of the earth” be given as tithe (Lev 27:30)

However, this ‘produce of the earth’ was generally considered only to be limited to the common grains and items like corn, oil, wine etc.
>> Tiny garden herbs were not considered part of it.

However, the religious leaders, in their over-zeal to keep the law, made it a point to include even the minutest herbs, in their ‘tithing custom’.

Unfortunately, this over-zeal for the “peripheral and externals” of the law, made them to completely neglect the more important requirements of the law…
… the fragrant ‘mint’ of “justice” was denied to those in need
… the spiced ‘dill’ of “mercy” was not offered to those suffering
… the aromatic ‘cummin’ of “faith” was not displayed in situations where it mattered most

Transient aspects of life had far-overtaken their priorities over the eternal truths required from life!

2. “… cleansing the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside being full of extortion and rapacity” (Mt 23: 25)

The Jewish oral law gave rules and regulations with respect to washing and cleansing – of oneself and of the vessels used.

However, the religious leaders, in their “strict external observance” of the Law, completely missed in having also an internal purification…
… the washing of the ‘dirt’ on the outside failed to wash the ‘dirt’ of greed and avarice from their minds
… the cleaning of the ‘stains’ on the external were unable to cleanse the ‘stains’ of materialism and covetousness in their hearts

Transient aspects of life had far-overtaken their priorities over the eternal truths required from life!

And so the Lord charges them with “a vocabulary of strong condemnation” – ‘Hypocrites’ – in order to make them realise their mistake.

>> Theirs was a case of misplaced priorities of life
>> Theirs was a case of pursuance of wrong goals in life

Are we in the same boat as that of these Pharisees and Scribes?

Are we also people who invest a great deal on the “externals and peripherals of life”, but fail to give any priority or importance to the “true, real and eternal aspects of life?”

~~ I may be a person who, perhaps, spends a lot of time on prayer, reading the Bible, engaging in devout activities etc
…. But do these pious actions also make me to become a person of “humility, service and grow in genuine relationships with one another?”

~~ I may be a person who likes to participate in Church Fests and engaging in a lot of works for the Church and even contributing materially much
…. But do these ‘great actions of charity’ also help me to grow in my love for the Lord, personally and also help me to reach out to the poor and needy, in their craving for love and acceptance?

~~ I may be a person who treasures having the statues and relics of saints, garlanding holy statues and offering them flowers, collecting exquisite rosaries, medals and other religious articles etc
…. But do these ‘external objects’ help me to look deeper into myself so that I too may grow deeper in serving the Lord with a spirit of self-sacrfice and dependance on God?

The Lord does not object to any of our “external” actions of piety or devotions.
>>> But He certainly challenges and indisputably impels us to ‘grow beyond the peripherals’ and to focus on the ‘weighter aspects of our faith in Him’

This ‘focus on the greater essentials’ will definately…
… cause inconvenience in our comforts
… and challenge us to be humbler

It is, however, this “proper prioritizing” that our Blessed Lord demands of us!

Today we celebrate the Feast of St Louis, who was a King of France – a just king, a devoted spouse and the loving father of eleven children.

May His words also inspire us to have the “proper priorities’ in life:

“Fix your whole heart upon God, and love Him with all your strength, for without this no one can be saved or be of any worth.

It is a greater thing to be a child of God than to be the ruler of a Kingdom.
This last I shall lose at death, but the other will be my passport to an everlasting glory!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

There is a challenging incident that goes thus…

A pastor, having completed the Sunday services was standing outside the Church, when he came across a young girl.
This girl had been in the hotel plaza and had missed the Sunday service.

“Good Morning!” greeted the Pastor.

“Good Morning too, Pastor”, came the reply from the girl.

“Are you well this morning?”

“Oh, I am so tired!” she explained, “I blistered my feet dancing, the whole night!”

And then she had a query, “By the way, Pastor,what do you think about dancing?”

With a grave seriousness, the Pastor replied, “You call yourself to be a Christian, isn’t it?
Have you ever blistered your feet for God?”

That question hit her like a lightening!

She turned away, with guilt and shame displayed on her face.

A few days later, she spoke to the Pastor again, saying, ” I have hardly slept since you asked me that question.
I want to tell you honestly… I have never blistered my feet for the Lord.
But to the best of my abilities, I will seek to work for Him, hereafter!”

Has our Christian Life ever caused us…
… blisters on our feet?
… aches in our hands?
… tensions in our minds?
… anxiety in our hearts?

It pays to be a Christian!
It costs much to be a Follower of Christ!

Yes, Christianity demands…
And only the ones who are willing to respond to these demands are worthy of being the Followers of the Lord.

The Lord is pretty straight-forward and candid in His challenging requirements and would even ask us, as He asks His disciples in the Gospel of the Day, “Do you also wish to go away?” (Jn 6: 67)

We are at the concluding portion of the 6th Chapter of the Gospel of St John – known as the chapter on the Discourse of the Bread of Life.

The hearers of Jesus, from the beginning of this Chapter have been taken through a very intriguing path…

>>> It began with the fragrance of compassion and mercy being radiated by the Lord in the multpilication of the loaves (Jn 6: 1-15)

>>> This fragrance developed into an aura of authority and power that was displayed in the incident of the walking on the water (Jn 6: 16-21)

>>> This aura began to radiate more gloriously through His teachings on He being the Bread of Life (Jn 6: 22-59)

>>> This glorious splendour was further revealed and explained when He declared Himself as the Son of Man who would ascend to where He was (Jn 6: 61-62)

The Chapter, as its nears the conclusion, finds many of the hearers abandoning Christ.

Therefore we read, “As a result of this, many of His disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied Him” (Jn 6:66)

It seemed nice and wonderful to be the followers of Christ, when He provided food to their satisfaction
… But when there was a demand made by Christ, the “goody-goody” feelings disappeared and they began to reject Him!

Is this not the attitude that is prevalant among many of the Christians… including we, perhaps?!

As long as the ground of our lives, recievs the continual showers of favours being granted and prayers being instantly heard, we feel nice with the Lord.
… But in the times when the ground has to experience the drought of delays in prayers and absence of the rains of consolation, we feel to do away with the ways of the Lord!

As long as the garden of my life, is blessed with the flowers of prosperity, security and comforts, we remain happy to be with the Lord
… But in the circumstances when the garden goes dry and the weeds of misery begin to crop up, we feel to abandon the presence of the Lord and tread our own wills!

And therefore the Lord asks us, “Do you also wish to go away?” (Jn 6: 67)

Faith in the Lord is no cheap thing!
It indeed costs to be faithful!

The History of the Bible is replete with examples for this fact…

It cost Abraham in giving up Isaac, his beloved, in order to prove his faith in the Lord

It cost Moses to let go off his weaknesses and frailties, in order to become the leader of a vast multitude

It cost Daniel to be cast into the den of lions in being a faithful warrior of the Lord

It cost Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to pass through the ordeals of the fiery furnace in proving to be loyal to the Lord

It cost Stephen a painful death by being stoned in order to witness his daring courage in the Lord

It cost Peter to be nailed upside down to stand firm as the rock of faithfulness and commitment

Yes, Christianity demands…
And only the ones who are willing to respond to these demands are worthy of being the Followers of the Lord.

What is it costing us to be faithful to our Lord and King?

Often times, our practice of Christian faith enters, tiptoed and slyly, into the halls of comfort and coziness…

A Baptism received long ago…
Some Sacraments obtained now and then…
A few Church obligations completed once in a way…
Some occasionally unavoidable practise of piety and devotion…

This is all that sometimes it “costs” us in being a Christian!

But the Lord today powerfully seeks to shake off the dusts of lethargy and casualness and confronts us, “Do you also wish to go away?”

Our remaining with the Lord, ought not to be in mere words, but also in deeds and actions

Being with the Lord demands…
… that we grow in our zeal and love for the Lord
… that we become an extension of Christ to the needy
… that we strive to be passionate proponents of His love and mercy

We have to be ready and willing, to let our “feets be blistered”, bear “aches in our hands”, go through “tensions in our minds” and battle “anxiety in our hearts” for the sake of the Lord and His Kingdom!

The Holy Father has given the beautiful theme for this Year of the Consecrated – “Wake up the World!”

May our Christian lives be encompassed by a deep love for the Lord and may we rise up to the challenge to remain loyal and faithful to the demands placed on us by Christ, our Powerful and Mighty King!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

Maundy Thursday is associated with a customary practice that is followed in many of the Churches all around the world…

It consists of choosing of twelve persons from the Church – based on various parameters or criteria.
>> These twelve are given the “privilege” to have the feet washed by the Main Celebrant (usually the parish priest) during the Holy Mass.

This is a symbolic remembrance of the “washing of the feet” that Jesus had undertaken on the evening of the Last Supper.

Preaching on this custom, on a Holy Thursday, a priest once spoke the following in his sermon:

“There are twelve of us, who have been chosen from among us, whose feet will be washed this evening.

Perhaps, there were many others also who had a desire that their feet also be washed.
Probably, some of you, children, are dreaming of growing up faster in life, so that one day, you too may be chosen to have your feet washed.

But here is a point to be considered…

Most of us probably are thinking only about ‘having our feet washed’.

But I really do wonder, how many of us – be it those who have got a chance or those who have missed – think also of ‘being the one who washes the feet of others?’

We all probably are desiring and wishing only for the chair, to be seated, and have our feet washed.
But how many of us also wish and desire for the ‘towel’?”

It was his crude way of telling that there were very few who will to be the last, the least and the lowest in the Church, the Body of Christ.

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

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

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

Focussing on the religious leaders and on their practices, Jesus launches a volley of critically true statements, a string of their hypocritical misconduct and a barrage of their wicked misdeeds!

The chapter ends with the “Painful Lament” by Jesus over Jerusalem – the city of the Lord!

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

There is, in total, 7 occurances of the phrase, “Scribes and Pharisees” – a biblical number for totality!

This Chapter is a therefore, a full-blown critique and condemnation of the ways of the Scribes and Pharisees.

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

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

>>> There was deep pain in the heart of the Lord, in seeing the way religion was being manhandled, misused and misinterpreted by the religios leaders of His time

>>> As the Son of His Beloved Father, it was hurting for the Son to see a section of people, trampling upon God’s precious and venerable truths, and twisting them for their own self-interests and self-agenda

>>> A strong form of condemnation was reserved only to those who were hardened in heart – as a means for them to repent and turn back their ways to the Lord. The method of ‘sharp condemnation’ was reserved only to the proud and the arrogant; never to the poor sinners!)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Queenship of our Blessed Mother Mary.

Her life is the epitome of how, any of us also, on co-operation with God’s Grace, can achieve the heights of humility!

Her Humility is the model for us…
… a humility that was constantly attuned to listening to God’s Will in life
… a humility that prioritised God’s desires over her own personal wishes
… a humility that deeply trusted in the providence of God, despite not understanding His mysterious ways

A life of immense humility being crowned with the highest glory of God could be a one-line summary of the Feast of the Queenship of Blessed Mother Mary.

She is the embodiment of the quote, “Fairest and best adorned is she, whose clothing is humility”

Yes, the Feast of our Blessed Mamma, crowned as Queen of Heaven and Earth, sharing in the beauty and honour,of Her Beloved Son Jesus, invites us today…
… to love Her deeply so as to be able to inculcate Her spirit of humility and dependance
… to honour Her lavishly in order to grasp the mighty wonders of God in Her life

Let us “never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much, because one can never love Her more than Jesus did!”

Following the Great example of Jesus, and imitating our Blessed Mother Mary, may we dare to pick up the “towels” of service and kindness and live a life “clothed in humility!”

Happy Feast of our Humble Blessed Mamma, raised to the heights of glory and seeking to reign over our hearts, with Jesus, her Glorious Son!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

One of the important equipments aboard a ship is a boiler.

This marine boiler is “a closed vessel, in which water or other liquid is heated and steam is generated.

This steam is superheated, under pressure
or vacuum, for use, external to itself.”

In an engine-room of the ship, it is highly difficult to look into the great boiler and see how much water it contains.

But thankfully, beside this great boiler, is a tiny glass-tube.
This serves as the gauge.

>> When the tube is full, the boiler is full.
>> When the tube is empty, the boiler is also empty

The level of water in the little tube is an indicator of the level of the water in the great boiler.

This illustration very practically demonstrates the kind of correspondance that exists between the one’s level of loving one’s neighbour and loving God.

The level of the love towards one’s neighbour is an indicator of the level of one’s love towards God.

Love of God and Love of neighbour are two sides of the same coin.

Such are the expressions, sentiments and teachings that are derived from the Gospel of the Day, when Jesus responds on the query, “Which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” (Mt 22: 36)

The Gospel passage opens with the verse, “When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they came together” (Mt 22: 24)

A couple of interesting viewpoints on this often overlooked, yet a “worth-reflecting” verse…

1. The verse says that the Sadducees had been silenced

The Greek used for “silenced” is the word “Phimoo”.

>> Phimoo means a muzzle.
>> A muzzle is device or a guard,usually made with straps of wire, fitted over the mouth of an animal to prevent it from biting or eating or opening its mouth.

The Sadducees had appraoched Jesus, as we read in the previous verses (Mt 22: 22-33) to encounter Him on the subject of the Resurrection of the Dead.

~ They had sought to grill Jesus…
~ They had desired to put Jesus to the shame…

But the tables had been overturned!

The Sadducees found themselves “silenced” – muzzled and gagged!

They were made silent not out of their choice…
~ They wished to talk, but somehow they were made to be quiet!
~ They wanted to fight out, but the answer of the Lord totally muted them!

They wanted to humiliate Jesus with their human wisdom…
… but Divine Wisdom, tracked their evil intentions, and they were made totally silent!

>>> Do we make the mistake to challenge God’s Wisdom and Will by trying to distort them by our own evil manipulations?

>>> Do we try to boast and be proud by taking offence at God’s Word and making attempts to rig and distort His Word?

The result will be that sooner or later, we would be pushed into silence and made to realise that nothing can be greater than God and His Wisdom!

2. The verse also says that the Pharisees “came together”

The silencing of the Saduccees would have delighted the Pharisees.

These two groups were at loggerheads with each other, especially on some theological issues especially the Resurrection of the Dead, which the Saduccees did not approve.

However, on the other,the Pharisees would have also felt the rising presence of a greater Enemy – Jesus!

And so, with a wicked mentality, “they come togther”…
>> not to seek a genuine clarification
>> not to grow more in Divine Wisdom
.. but with a clear ulterior motive – of testing Jesus by somehow trapping Him in His words and teachings!

In our lives, do we also engage ourselves in this “Pharasaic style of Coming together?”…
… to discuss plans and strategies on putting down other persons or scheming against them?
… to ‘examine the conscience of other persons’ and making them the subject of slander, mockery and enjoying vile pleasures?

It’s in this background that the Scholar of the Law approaches Jesus with this question to test Him, “Which commandment in the Law is the greatest?” (Mt 22: 36)

This man, who questioned Jesus was no ordinary man or any ignorant person.

He was a Scholar of the Law.
>> Some translations would put it as “a Lawyer”.

He was an expert in the Mosaic Law.
… Like a Scribe, someone who studied the law, interpreted the law and taught the law!

Jesus, aware of all this background…

>>> the wicked conspiracy that was brewing against Him
>>> the plot of testing that was hanging in the air

… responds with something immensely marvellous and spectacular:

“You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind… You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Mt 22: 37, 39)

Here was a gem of an answer…

>> The air was filled with “hateful” thoughts and “wicked plannings”
… but Jesus dares to answer with the sublime answer of “Love”!

>> The Lord was being targeted badly with stones of “hatred, jealousy, aversion and hostility”
… but He powerfully showers back the flowers of “love, tenderness and commitment”!

And that is the essence of the Greatest Commandment that Jesus put forth – Love of God and Love of Neighbour.

~~ Life sometimes hits very hard at us – in the form of we not being accepted by others, in being ridiculed or criticized or slandered by others and in finding ourselves as the subject of hatred and injustice.
… Can we still dare to “love them”?

~~ Life sometimes is very unfair to us, we feel – by not rewarding us with the prizes that we consider, we deserve, in answer to the hardwork we put in.. or by not allowing us to enjoy the joys of life and instead being bombarded with tensions and worries
… Can we still go out of the way and live a life “in love and for love”?

Love, as Jesus defines, is not simply about feelings and emotions, as is the popular and the ‘commercial’ understanding.

Love surely has, without any doubt, the dimensions of being a tender feeling and an expressive emotion.

But beyond that…

Love is..
… a commitment
… a dedication
… and a decision
….  that one makes to be faithful – to a person or a duty or a situation!

“Agape” is the Love to which we are called…
.. a self-giving love
… a self-sacrificing love
… an other-centered love

It is when we assume this attitude of “loving others” that the measure of our Love for God is visibly seen.

The level of the love towards one’s neighbour is an indicator of the level of one’s love towards God!

May the intercession of Pope St Pius X inspire and strengthen us in our journey of Loving the Lord deeper, and expressing it in loving service to our neighbours.

In His words:

“My hope is in Christ, who strengthens the weakest by His Divine help.
I can do all in Him who strengthens me!

His Power is infinite, and if I lean on Him, it will be mine.

His Wisdom is infinite, and if I look to Him counsel,I shall not be deceived.

His Goodness is infinite, and if my trust is stayed in Him, I shall not be abandoned.”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

A story goes of a King in the olden days and of his “clown” or “jester”

This jester would sometimes say very foolish things whereas sometimes he would make some wise utterances.

One day, it so happened, that this jester said something so foolish that the King handed him a staff and mocked at him saying, “Take this, and keep it.. till you find a bigger fool than yourself!”

Years later, the kind fell ill and was on his deathbed.

His favourite courtiers were summoned to him; his family and other friends were also around him.

The King, sick and pale, addressed them saying, “I am about to leave.
I am going on a very long journey and will never be returning to this place.
In deep sorrow, I wish all of you ‘goodbye'”

At that moment, the Jester stepped forward and said to the King, “Your Majesty, May I, please, ask a question?”

“When you journeyed abroad – visiting your people, or paying diplomatic visists to other Kingdoms, you have always made sure there is a great deal of preparation that is ensured.

May I kindly ask, what preparations has your Majesty made for this long journey that he is about to take?”

With tears and remorse and self-realization, the King replied, “Alas! I have made no preparation!”

‘Then,’ said the jester, here is this staff for you. For now I have found a bigger fool than myself.’

Is the state of the King – being unprepared for the journey towards heaven – finding resonance with our own lack of preparations, with respect to eternal life?

The Gospel of the Day presents the parable of the Wedding Feast with a mighty warning to “stay prepared” in our endevours to be part of the Banquet of Eternal Joy in Heaven.

The Parable of the Wedding Feast, broadly speaking, presents two dangerous attitudes that can overpower a Christian:
1. The arrogant attitude of rejecting God’s omnipotence
2. The lethargic attitude of taking for granted God’s graciousness

In the first part of the parable, we come across the group of people, who turn down the offer of the King for the Wedding Banquet (Mt 22: 5-6)

They made several excuses…
… some ignored the invitation and went away
… one to his farm
… another to his business
… the rest manhandled the King’s servants

On display was their highly casual and lethargic attitude towards the King.

> They were least bothered regarding the royal nature of the invitation
> They cared little for the feelings and the sentiments of the King who had called them with much expectations

In the second part of the Gospel, we come across the guest, who failed to wear to the appropriate wedding garment (Mt 22: 11-12)

It was a sheer lack of failure to follow the customs of the land and was a betrayal of the host’s generosity…
… It was customary for the hosts to provide the suitable wedding apparel
… The “speechless” silence of the man, showed his inability to produce any valid reason for this act of disobedience and non-compliance

On display was his highly diminishing and disrespectful attitude towards the King.

> He was overly adamant in keeping up the wedding protocols of his times
> He was exceedingly proud to acknowledge the generosity of the King and chose to purposely insult the King

These two extremes, then, are fearful plagues that a Christian needs to be wary of…
1. A devastating tendency to be arrogantly proud towards the Mercies and Favours of God
2. A dissipated tendency to be lethargic towards the Graces and Blessings of God

Do I put down the power of God…
… by failing to give any response to His constant calls and inspirations to lead a more holy life?
… by busying myself in my worldly activities and failing to give any heed to the works of the Kingdom?
… by engaging constantly only for self-centered glory and sideline anything that promotes the Glory of God?

Do I make a mockery of the Grace of God…
… by professing to be a Christian and yet failing to wear the garments of doing God’s Will and in living His Gospel Virtues?
… by wanting to be proudly seen as a follower of Christ and yet unwilling to follow His teachings and commandments in daily life?
… by enjoying all the comforts that comes alone with being a ‘Christian’ but shamelessly failing to perform the duties associated with it?

The foretaste of the Heavenly Banquet is seen in the Holy Eucharistic Celebration.

The seriousness in our preparation for the Holy Mass is a clear indicator of our seriousness in preparation for the Heavenly Banquet.

Do I approach the wonderful foretaste of Heaven – the Holy Eucharist – with greater devotion and preparation…
… or do I adopt an attitude of arrogant denial of its Holiness or an attitude of lethargy and “taking for granted”?

The Lord adopts a tone of seriousness and strictness, when it comes to our question of preparation for Eternal Life.

> There is only one life here on earth – and it deserves to be lived in its utmost fullness by responding to God’s Graces.

May we respond to this demanding call of the Lord – and make ourselves worthy of Life Eternal, to the best of our possibilties and capabiltities.

“Many are invited and a few are chosen” (Mt 22:14)

Are we willing to respond to the invitation and follow the norms of Love, to be among the chosen ones?

God Bless! Live Jesus!