“Living a Spirit-filled life by making a firm and faithful choice for the Lord, and being obedient to His commandments!”

(Based on Sir 15:15-20, 1 Cor 2:6-10 and Mt 5:17-37 – 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A)

It is said that there are two extremely fatal phrases in the English language.

They are
“What is the use?”
“Why should I?”

“What is the use?” is the fatal tendency…
… that causes people to look at the world from a purely pragmatic perspective

Such a tendency…
… causes people to lose interest in things and people, if they don’t seem useful and beneficial
… causes people to manipulate people, things and situations in a way that suits their self-interests

“Why should I?” is the fatal tendency…
… that causes people to look at the world from a resigned and indifferent perspective

Such a tendency…
… causes people to rot in lethargy and tepidity and lose the spice of life
… causes people to push the responsibility to other, and themselves slacken in comfort and ease

These two phrases were very much reflected in the “Pharisaic and the Scribal lifestyle” which Jesus, in today’s Gospel invites each us to surpass and overcome.

The “What is the use” lifestyle…
… which made them to only flaunt their external piety and lose sight of the unglamorous aspect of devotion.

The “Why should I” lifestyle…
… which made them to reject any offer calling them to repentance or amend their ways and instead made them to be stuck to their own prejudices and adamant patterns of thought.

Jesus always keeps challenging us!

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

This challenge is reflected in today’s Gospel Reading.

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

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

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

1) They liked to preach…but not practise

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3) They liked to compromise the Word of God, to be “user-friendly,” at the cost of God’s Will:

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

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

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

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

Am I in any of these category of peoples?

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

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

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

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

Our modern world strongly advocates the two fatal phrases of…
… “What is the use?” and “Why should I?”

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

We need to counter these two fatal phrases, with inspirational mottos…

“What is the use?” is to be countered…
… by “All to Thy Glory!”
“Why should I?” is to be countered…
… by “To let Thy Will be done!

Let all our actions and thoughts be directed only to God.

The words of the Book of Sirach are powerfully directed to each one of us: “If you choose, you can keep the commandments…
… and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice.

He has placed before you, fire and water; stretch out your hand for whatever you choose.
Before each person are life and death and whichever one chooses will be given!” (Sir 15:15-17).

We are invited to share the depths of God’s Wisdom as St Paul says, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, not the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love Him…
… these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit!” (1 Cor 2:9-10)

Let us make a choice for the Lord and delve into the depths of His Wisdom by living a Spirit filled life….
… and going beyond the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees.

Let our lives truly be the Good News!

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

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Daring to move out of the ‘zone of limitation’ and knowing that God is always with us – caring, loving and providing!”

(Based on 1 Kgs 12:26-32; 13:33-34 and Mk 8:1-10 – Saturday of the 5th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

Two Christian friends were talking about their life experiences.

One of them said: “It is so very hard to trust God and to realize that His Hand is still leading us in the dark phases of our life!”

“Well”, said the other, “if you cannot trust a person out of sight, then he/she is not worth much!

And if you cannot trust God in the dark, it simply shows… you don’t trust Him at all!”

That’s quite a point, isn’t it?

We find our Christian Faith often on an easy course, when things go on well.

But when difficulties come our way, our “trust” level is questioned.

It is in these “questionable moments of trust” that we tend to enter into a “zone of limitation”

We tend to think in a limited and restricted manner.
But God loves to challenge us to move beyond such boundaries and borders!

Yes, human beings tend to think in a limited fashion, but God loves to expand our possibilities.

Human beings tend to get bogged down by boundaries, but God loves to throw open our horizons.

The Gospel of the day is a clear illustration of this expansion of human horizons and possibilities, through the miracle of the feeding of loaves…
… and thus trusting Him deeper!

Jesus is with His disciples and huge crowd.

They are once again in a situation of having a want of feeding this huge multitude.

It’s interesting to highlight the patterns in the attitudes of Jesus and the disciples.

Jesus sees the hungry crowd and His heart moved in compassion…

The disciples saw the hungry crowd and probably their minds were moved in tension!

Jesus foresaw the possibility of immense fulfilment and satisfaction in the deserted area…

The disciples got stuck with seeing only barrenness and emptiness in the deserted area!

The disciples concluded impossibility by their mathematical calculations…

Jesus concluded possibility by His Divine calculations!

The disciples saw only the desert…

Jesus looked beyond – to find an oasis in the desert!

How often are we too like the disciples…
… limited in our thinking and restricted by our inabilities.

But Jesus invites us, like He did to His disciples…to look beyond…
… to look to Him who can expand every horizon and possibility!
… to look to Him who can turn deserts into pools and hills into highways!

Yes, we will have moments in our life which makes us to complain:
“It is so very hard to trust God and to realize that His Hand is still leading us in the dark phases of our life!”

But we are reminded by the Gospel of the Day: “If you cannot trust a person out of sight, then he/she is not worth much!

And if you cannot trust God in the dark, it simply shows… you don’t trust Him at all!”

Let us dare to move out of the “zone of limitation” and trust the Lord…
… knowing He is always with us – caring, loving and providing!

14th February is popularly celebrated as Valentine’s Day.

Valentine’s Day is, of course, a day when a there is a “sudden” wave of expression of love and care and affections to the ones whom we love.

When taken in the right spirit and when celebrated in a meaningful way, this Day becomes a Day…
… of “specially” recognizing the worth of the one(s) we love
… of showing our love and affection to the one(s) dear to the our heart

But our modern society unfortunately and tragically, sometimes tends to “rob” this day to be celebrated in a meaningful.

“Love” is highly commercialized and “sold”
External affections are unduly given greater importance, forgetting the prime duties – of commitment and faithfulness – involved with love

Advertisers and commercialists rake in massive profits with a number of external objects portraying “love!”

Whether this day truly becomes a day of “expressing genuine love and care”

Or whether it is more, a day of “externalities of ‘love-feelings’ taking the upper-hand…
… is a matter of debate, as well as a matter of one’s own personal choice and view.

But as a Christian, this day – Feb 14…
… is a day for us to remind ourselves to grow in the immensity of God’s Love
… is a day for us to revive our basic duty of caring and being responsible to one another
… is a day for us to rediscover the worthiness of our lives and commit to grow in holiness

Jesus, the True Lover illustrates the real meaning of love…
… by leading us out of ignorance to true knowledge
… by inviting us to move from earthly riches to truly heavenly treasures

This is real and true love…
… a heart that makes one to move out of ignorance
…a heart that prompts in action to reach out to those in need of God’s true Word

Jesus, our True Lover… invites and challenges us to grow in this love!

Holding our hand, and with deep love and affection, He asks us: “Will you be My valentine forever?”

Let’s not blush….let’s not be shy…

Instead in deep faith and true commitment, pledge forever, our love to the Lover of all Hearts!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Building our lives into a beautiful edifice of His Love and Mercy, by moving from opinions to convictions in faith, and from mere fashions to passions in life!”

(Based on 1 Kgs 11:29-32; 12:19 and Mk 7:31-37 – Friday of the 5th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

A group of people were standing outside a very large and ornate Cathedral…
… admiring and marvelling at the fine craftsmanship
… the detail work
… the care and the love that seemed evident in building such a fine place to worship a loving God.

One of the men turned to the other in the group and asked:
“Why can’t we build so today?
Why can’t we build with such pride, such craftsmanship today?

After all, we now have better technology than back then!”

The other man gazing at the glorious edifice, replied: “Well…

They had convictions; we, mostly, only opinions!
They had passion; we, mostly, only fashion!”

How is our life of faith?

Enthusiastic… with convictions and passions?

Or monotonous… with only opinions and fashions?

The Gospel of the day presents the fruits of a convinced and passionate follower of Christ…
… with an invitation, to allow the Lord to open our hearts and lives to His Saving Love!

Jesus is back to the district of the Decapolis.

It was in this region that Jesus had healed the man who was possessed by a legion of demons (Mk 5:1-20)

When Jesus had performed the miracle then, the people had requested Him to leave the place.

“Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their district” (Mk 5:17)

But today’s Gospel gives a contrasting picture of this people who had opposed Jesus.

The Gospel says that the people of this area, were begging Jesus to lay His hands on the deaf and dumb person! (Mk 7:32)

What had caused this dramatic change?

The people who were begging Jesus to leave their place…
… were now begging Jesus to perform a miracle!

Probably, the great witness of the man who was delivered from the legion of demons had caused about this transformation!

We hear at the end of that incident…
“And as he was getting into the boat, the man… begged Jesus that he might be with Him.

But He refused, and said to him, ‘Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how He has had mercy on you.’
And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and all men marvelled!” (Mk 5:18-20)

Yes, when the Good News becomes a personal experience and a transformative healing encounter…
.. one is filled with a “passionate zeal” to reach it to others!

As it is said, “a spark can become a flame; a flame a fire”
… the spark of the experience of the Lord’s Power became a fire in his heart, to bring God’s Healing to many!”

This missionary endeavor of the man would have probably…
… led the people of the area to reach out to Jesus
… resulting in the healing of another man – a deaf and dumb person

Jesus in healing this deaf and dumb person, has a very peculiar style of going about.

He takes the person away from the crowd, put His fingers into the man’s ears, spitting, touched his tongue…
… lifted up His eyes to heaven, groaned and said “Ephphatha, Be Opened!” (Mk 7:33-34)

There is a very personal and intimate touch in this healing process!

It is interesting to note that in the book of Genesis, when God formed human beings…
… there was a very personal involvement from the part of God to create humans – the crown of creation.

“God formed man, out of the clay and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being.” (Gen 2:7)

Jesus also does something similar in the healing of the deaf and dumb person….

He very personally involves Himself.
He uses His own touch to heal and recreate the person!

Jesus is the Lord of the New Creation!
God created the world good.

Human beings spoiled it through sin.
But Jesus restores and renews the goodness!

Our ears maybe closed very often to the voice of the Spirit of the Lord
Our mouths maybe often mute to speak the power of the Lord to others.
But the Lord is ready to touch us… and renew and recreate us.

Are we ready to receive this renewing and recreating touch from the Lord?
“Ephphatha… Be Opened!”

This “Ephphatha experience” ought to help us to also reach out His care, mercy and love to many people!

The Lord wishes that we build our lives into a beautiful edifice of His Love and Mercy

But this requires us to move from opinions to convictions in faith!
It requires us to journey from mere fashions to passions in life!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Overlooking all setbacks and defying the odds with deep convictions and trust in the Lord!”

(Based on 1 Kgs 11:4-13 and Mk 7:24-30 – Thursday of the 5th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

Many of us have grown up with an extra kid in the house!

Perhaps…. we didn’t know it…
… but he was there at certain times!

His name was “Not Me.”

He always appeared when something wrong or bad happened.

Like when your mom asked:
“Who has messed up the front room and made this floor dirty?”
(This unseen kid would answer, “NOT ME!”)

“Who has applied mud on the walls of the house?”
(This unseen kid would answer, “NOT ME!”)

“Who has kept the tap water on and caused the water-tank to be almost emptied?”
(This unseen kid would answer, “NOT ME!”)

“Who has broken the glass windows of our neighbours?”
(This unseen kid would answer, “NOT ME!”)

This “unseen kid” often continues to accompany us…
… and shouts loud, when things don’t go well in life!

Our problems, often, find a scapegoat in this excuse called: “blaming”

Our defeats, often, find a cause in this contagion named: “blaming”

But the Gospel of the day presents an amazing personality who silences this “unseen kid of blaming” and wins for herself the favour of the Lord.

The Gospel passage is the incident of Jesus’ encounter with a Gentile woman who comes seeking for a cure for her daughter, from a demon.
“…a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit, heard about Jesus. She came and fell at His feet” (Mk 7:25)

This person who came to Jesus went through a string of ignominies and exploitations…

1. She had to face humiliations because she was a woman…

The Jewish society accorded a lowly and highly subjugated status to women

2. She had to face disgraces because she was a Greek…

The Greeks, who were considered pagans by the Jews, were treated with inferiority.

3. She had to face dishonour because she was a Syrophoenician…

A Syrophoenician denoted a mixed race – half Syrians and half Phoenician; thus denoting also a crisis in cultural and linguistic identity.

4. She had to face scandal because she had to approach Jesus who was a pure Jew…

Greeks and especially Greek woman had no interaction at all with Jewish men
She had to face crisis because her child was possessed with an unclean spirit…

5. A demon-possession in her beloved daughter would have chased away all her peace of mind.

She had to face challenge to her faith when the Lord addressed to her in an apparently disrespectful manner…

6. Being called as a “dog” would have put off the mind of a weak and frail person
   “Overlooking all setbacks and defying the odds with deep convictions and trust!”

Well… this Syrophoenician Greek woman, had many things to complain in life…

She had a number of reasons to “blame” and get defeated in life…

She could have just “blamed” the society for their inhuman attitudes…
She could have just “blamed” the citizens for their class divisions…
She could have just “blamed” the civilization for their cruel outlooks…
She could have just “blamed” her stars and fate for what happened to her daughter…
She could have just “blamed” Jesus for His challenging and apparently resistant answer…
She could have just kept “blaming” anybody and anything….and get bogged down totally!

But this woman decides to silence this “unseen kid of blaming”

She decides to close her eyes to all humiliations and yet stand strong with a bold face!
She decides to overlook all setbacks and defy the odds with her deep convictions and trust!
As a result, the Lord rewards her immensely and her daughter was delivered of the demon!

Are we people who get easily afflicted by the contagion of “blaming?”

Are we people who are easily paralysed by the virus of “blaming?”

The Syrophoenician woman…
… by her tremendous faith and bold trust is a challenge to us.
… by her amazing determination and resolve is an inspiration for us.

Our society, our families, our own individual selves are often under the grip and possession of this contagion of “blaming”.

Let us approach the Lord for a deliverance…
Let us approach the Lord for a liberation…

The Book of Kings presents a striking contrast to the Gospel account.

King Solomon, once gifted with wisdom and Divine favour, allows his heart to turn away from the Lord.

Instead of guarding his Covenantal responsibility, he slowly compromises and drifts.

We are reminded: Greatness is sustained not by past blessings…
… but by present faithfulness and humble trust in God.

The life of King Solomon shows how misplaced priorities and silent compromises lead to downfall.

The incident of the Syro-Phoenician woman teaches that faith that refuses to blame prepares the path to deliverance.

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Remaining open to corrections and co-operating with the Lord in ‘being washed’ of every bit of corruption from our hearts!”

(Based on 1 Kgs 10:1-10 and Mk 7:14-23 – Wednesday of the 5th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

“Mamma”, said the child, feeling quite disturbed, “I feel very upset today, ‘cos my teacher corrected me!”

The mother – who was washing dishes – looked at the child and told him, “look at what I am doing…”

The child looked at the mother, washing the dishes

Pointing to a set of vessels that had been left unwashed overnight – she said:
“Look at these vessels.
It is very hard to scrub these – ‘cos the dirt is stuck for a long time

So the easy method, is…
… to dip them in hot water
… keep it soaked for sometime
… and then wash!”

Then taking the child close to her, she said, “That’s how it is in life as well!

Sometimes when we are stuck with things that are not good…
We need a nice dip in the ‘hot waters of correction’
… remain soaked in the ‘feel of contrition’
So that we can ’emerge clean!’
Always remain, therefore, open to corrections!”

Are we persons who remain open to corrections…
… so that, feeling contrite, we can emerge clean?

The Gospel of the Day is a strong act of Jesus reminding the Scribes and Pharisees to undergo the process of “being washed”…
… and to be “scrubbed off” the long stuck dirt of duplicity and hypocrisy.

The Gospel begins with the statement, “Jesus called to Him the people and said to them…” (Mk 7:14)

Jesus calls together the multitude to Himself to speak something…

The background to this action of Jesus, is the context of the unfair remarks of the Pharisees and Scribes about Jesus and His disciples, in Mk 7: 1-14.

The scribes and the Pharisees had objected that Jesus’ disciples failed to keep up the tradition of the Elders to have the ritual washing before eating.

This exercise of ritual washing was more a ceremonial one.

They attached greater importance to external cleanliness over internal purity.
They accorded higher priority to hygiene outside than to transparency within.

They would not bother, hearts being corrupted…
… but they would not tolerate dirty hands!

But Jesus is in prime opposition to all such deceitful and corrupt human practices.

He flays the Scribes and Pharisees for their misplaced priorities.

And so, Jesus summoned the crowd and explained what is the meaning of real cleanliness and purity:
“Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile” (Mk 7: 16)

Indeed, a remarkable statement from Jesus, the Purest and the Holiest One!

It is not just our hands alone that matter…
… it is our hearts that matter most!
It is not just our medical hygiene that counts…
… it is our lives that needs consideration the most!

The Pharisees and the Scribes for a long time, had enforced importance only to external purity and outside cleanliness.

Their authority was to used to stamp the importance of rituals and traditions, which were meant to…
… only emphasise bodily cleaning, but avoiding transparency in life
… only highlight cleansing of external parts, but overlooking sanctity of heart and mind

But, Jesus comes in great opposition and places things in the right perspective.

He reminds them of the “need for correction!”

Perhaps, we are also in “need of a correction”…
… let us therefore make a self-introspection:

I may be appearing to be clean outside…
… but is my heart pure and holy?

I may be appearing to be an angel to the world…
… but am I a barn of sinful acts within?

I may be appearing to be very good to all…
… but am I full of anger, jealousy and greed inside?

I may be appearing to be successful…
… but am I decaying interiorly with unchastity and deceit?

Is it not time to cleanse my heart and life, which is perhaps…
… defiled with sin?
… impure with unhealthy thoughts?
… and sullied with evil intentions?

Yes… Sometimes when we are stuck with things that are not good…

We need a nice dip in the “hot waters of correction”
… remain soaked in the “feel of contrition”
So that we can be “washed clean!”

We may feel sad for sometime… upset for a few moments

But let us always remain open to corrections…
… and co-operate with the Lord in “being washed” of every bit of corruption and malice from our hearts!

We are called to be open to the ways of the Lord, by seeking and accepting ‘the treasures of His Wisdom’…
… just like Queen Sheba would marvel at the God-given wisdom of King Solomon (Cf. 1 Kings 10:1-10)

God Bless! Live Jesus!