“Being pleasantly ready for surprises in life, because God is close to us… always!”

(Based on Philemon 7-20 and Lk 17:20-25 – Thursday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

A young man, facing lot of difficulties in life, came across a large billboard in front of a Church.

That message brought in rays of hope, and caused the young man to once again, smile in life.

The billboard message read thus:
“God has planned happiness for each one of us, at the right time!

The only thing is that…

This calendar is kept hidden from us!
So be pleasantly ready for surprises in life!
God is close to you…
… always!”

Yes, each of us goes through the tough terrains of life

But we are called to realise, that the Lord is very much with us.

Are we ready to deepen our awareness…?
… that God is close to us, always!”

Are we aware that each of us is an abode of the “Presence of the Lord?”

The Gospel of the Day is a teaching on the Kingdom of God…
… and to deepen our awareness of God’s proximity with us.

The Pharisees ask “when” the kingdom will come (Lk 17:20)

Jesus, however, explains “how” the Kingdom will come (17:22-35)

Jesus does not give an answer to the question of the Pharisees.

Rather, He makes them realize what should be the proper question.

It’s the style and technique of the Lord to get right the priorities and focus in life!

The people searched for Jesus after the miracle of the multiplication of loaves…

Jesus sets right their intentions by speaking of the need to hunger for the bread of life (Jn 6)

The disciples of John came to clarify whether Jesus was indeed the Messiah to come…

Jesus sets right their focus by turning their attention to all His signs and deeds (Lk 7:19ff)

The two disciples, James and John, sought privileged places in Jesus’ future reign…

Jesus sets right their priorities by exhorting them to grow rather in humility and service (Mk 10: 35-45)

Nicodemus, in his encounter with Jesus, remained on peripheral questions and doubts…

Jesus sets right his doubts by calling his attention to living a life in the Spirit and being born anew spiritually (Jn 3: 1-21)

The Lord loves to challenge our doubts, theories and even convictions…
… in order to be in harmony with the priorities of the Kingdom.

Am I willing to allow the Lord to work in me to change some of my thinking patterns, that would be in accord with His Will?
Am I flexible to let the Lord to mould and shape my lifestyle and thus be in tune with the focus of His Kingdom?

The “Kingdom of God” is an oft-repeated phrase in the New Testament and especially in the Gospels.

What is the Kingdom of God?

A kingdom normally brings to mind a geographical territory, with its clear-cut boundaries and its rulers and citizens.

The Kingdom of God is, however, quite different!

The Kingdom of God is not a geographical dominion like worldly kingdoms!
The Kingdom of God is a spiritual reality where God’s Will is done.

The Kingdom of God is a Person…
… It is He – Jesus!

“Jesus leads people to realize the overwhelming fact that in Him, God is present among them and that He is God’s presence…” (from the book “Jesus of Nazareth – Part I” by Pope Benedict XVI)

The Pharisees who asked Jesus “when” the Kingdom would come, were probably expecting an external sort of a Kingdom.

They probably expected a Kingdom which would overturn and overthrow the Roman Government.

But Jesus clarifies the nature of this Kingdom…

He speaks of a Kingdom which is much more internal and spiritual, and whose impact would be felt and experienced in the external world.

One experiences the Kingdom of Heaven first in one’s inner life…
… and this is manifested in one’s external lifestyles

The Samaritan Woman experienced the power of the Kingdom of God within herself, when she spoke to Jesus, the fountain of life…

And this experience of the Kingdom led her to proclaim the name of Jesus to all her villagers and bring many to the saving fold of the Lord.

The Disciples experienced the power of the Kingdom of God within them, when the Holy Spirit descended on them…

And this experience of the Kingdom was manifested in their bold and powerful witnessing life!

St Paul experienced the force of the Kingdom of God within him, when he encountered the Risen Lord on the way to Damascus…

And this experience of the Kingdom was displayed by him through his passionate life of preaching and missionary works.

In the Prayer, the Our Father, we pray:
“Thy Kingdom come,
Thy Will be done…”

The Kingdom of God is, where the Will of God is fulfilled.

The question arises before us:
Is the Kingdom of God here?
… or is the Kingdom yet to come?

This is where we speak of the concept of “Already and not yet”

The Kingdom of God is already here, but not yet!
The Kingdom of God already reigns now, but not yet, in its fullness!

St Paul says in 1 Cor 13:12, “At present, we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present, I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known”.

Do I experience the Kingdom of God in my life?

The Kingdom of God is not a matter of food and drink, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17)

I need to experience the joy and the peace of the Lord in my life…
I need to place the priorities of God over all else in my life…
That’s the Kingdom of God.
That’s the Reign of God.

We are invited today “to radiate heaven on our faces!”

Let us be ready to collaborate with Jesus, to infuse a greater spirit of the Kingdom of God in this world …
… to promote the reach and spread of the Kingdom of God!
… and thus live as citizens, worthy of our Great King!

Let us know for sure that God has planned happiness for each one of us, at the right time!

So let us be pleasantly ready for surprises in life, because God is close to us…
… always!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Appreciating and acknowledging the various gifts of God in our lives!”

(Based on Titus 3:1-7 and Lk 17:11-19 – Wednesday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

During the dark days of the Second World War, two sisters, Corrie and Betsie ten Boom…
… were thrown into the Nazi concentration camp of Ravensbrück.

Their crime?
Hiding Jews in their home….
… for love of Christ.

Their barracks were overcrowded…
… and crawling with fleas.
The stench was unbearable.
The pain unending.

Corrie broke down in tears:

“Betsie, how can we live like this?”

And her sister, with eyes of faith, whispered:
“Corrie, our faith teaches us to “give thanks in all circumstances. Even for these fleas!”

Corrie thought it was madness.

Thank God for fleas?
But she obeyed.

Together, they began to pray and give thanks…
… even for the pests that tormented them.

Weeks later, they discovered something incredible: Because of those fleas, the guards refused to enter their barracks.

And that meant…
… they were free to live their faith, with prayer and reading the Bible
… they could even share the Love of Christ to people around them.

[Betsie later died in the camp, but Corrie was released and survived]

(Source: Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place, 1971)

What was to be a cause of complaint…
… became the very reason they could praise!

What looked like punishment…
… was actually protection!

The ungrateful heart complains!
The thankful heart witnesses miracles!

The Gospel of the Day is a reminder to grow in this dimension of appreciating and acknowledging the various gifts of God in our lives.

The story of the Healing of the Ten Lepers is a very familiar and popular incident.

In the Biblical days, leprosy, was one of the most dreaded diseases. Leprosy finds its mention in the Bible in over 40 places.

One of the reason why leprosy is talked about so much in the Bible is that it is a graphic illustration of sin’s destructive power.

Incurable by man, many believed that God inflicted the curse of leprosy upon people for the sins they committed.

Leprosy became a disease that was so despised and loathed that those afflicted were not allowed to live in any community with their own people (Num 5:2).

A leper wasn’t allowed to come within six feet of any other human, including his own family.

The disease was considered so revolting that the leper wasn’t permitted to come within close vicinity of anyone when the wind was blowing.

Lepers lived in a community with other lepers until they either got better or died.

This was the only way the people knew to contain the spread of the contagious forms of this dreaded sickness.

When our Blessed Lord travelled through the region of Samaria and Galilee, He encountered the group of ten lepers.

In loud exaltation, they cried, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” (Lk 17:13)

The chorus reached the ears of the Divine Choir-Master, Jesus!

Their pleading voice, echoed in the ears of the Divine Healer!

“Go, show yourselves to the Priest” (Lk 17: 14) were the words of the Divine Lord.

Lev 14:1-9 states that the priest must authenticate any cure from leprosy.

This was to allow the afflicted person to re-enter the society.

But as the lepers are on their way to show to the priest, they are cured!

Miracles occur, when one chooses to put one’s trust in God!
Wonders happen, when one obeys the words of the Lord, in faith and hope!

But one of them realizes that He had been healed.

And so he returned and glorified God in a loud voice and fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked Him (Lk 17: 15)

Here is a big lesson for us all…
All the ten lepers sought for a free blessing from the Lord.

Jesus, in His graciousness, did bless all of them with a free miracle.
But just one among them, acknowledged the worth and value of that free gift
The rest of the nine, probably completely forgot the source of that free blessing.

A thankful heart witnesses miracles!

But perhaps, this is a reality that we very often forget in our lives.

We often take for granted the many free gifts and blessings that are showered upon us.

The one who returned back to thank the Lord, received not just physical healing…
… but also was doubly blessed with the gift of being saved!

The Lord showers His gifts on us…

Do I return back to thank God for His marvelous blessings?
Do I reduce my life to being a clatter of complaints or do I adorn my life with a litany of praises and thanksgiving?
Do I take all my blessings for granted and merely groan about my duties?

Ten people were healed that day, but only one came back to give thanks.

The one who returned to give thanks chose not to forget what Jesus had done for him.

Are we living as this grateful one or as the other nine?

We may often be in the “confinements of troubles”
… with many “fleas of hardships” making life super-tough!

Can we still respond to our faith…
… and “give thanks in all circumstances. Even for those fleas!”

Praise is a choice.

The secret of a thankful heart is a conscious choice not to forget what God has done for us.

Shall we also possess this secret?

(Psst…once again…this too is a FREE offer…. )

Today we seek the intercession of St. Martin of Tours, once a Roman soldier…
… who laid down his sword to follow Christ, became a beacon of mercy and faith.

May his life of compassion inspire us to seek the grace to grow each day…
… in loving and faithful service of the Lord.

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Seeking for the grace of growing in the Service of the Lord!”

(Based on Titus 2:1-8, 11-14 and Lk 17:7-10 – Tuesday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

The Pope is the Head of the Universal Church.

He is recognized by many titles…
… Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church etc.

Another prominent title among these is: the Servant of the servants of God.

Servanthood is an important dimension in being a follower of Jesus Christ.

The Gospel of the Day is an invitation and reminder to this great aspect of our Christian Lives: Being a Servant.

The Lord narrates the Parable of the Unprofitable Servant.

In this parable, Jesus tells about a servant who works all day long out in the field, or out taking care of the flock.

And after he works all day long, he comes into the house…

Is he expected to sit down and rest and eat his own meal?
No!
Rather, he is required to serve his master by providing him the meal first.

And after doing all that work – all day long – there’s no word of thanks, no gratitude.

Jesus closes out this parable by saying that the servant was unprofitable because he only did what he was told to do.

Is it something practical?
Is it something easy?

Our modern-day psychology would speak of the concept of a “positive stroke” that is to be given to those working or those who undertake some labour.

It’s important that the employers in a company are given a “positive stroke” by appreciating their good works…

It’s important that the servants in a house are given a “positive stroke” by encouraging with good words and a cheerful countenance…
It’s important that the workers in a firm or factory are given a “positive stroke” by acknowledging their worth and constantly boosting their confidence level…

And of course, it rightly is needed and important!

We are called to be encouraging and appreciative with all those with whom we work and serve…
… even those “functionally” lower than us.

However, when it comes to “our duty as a Christian”….
… the Gospel of the Day demands much more from a Servant…

A servant who works whole day long ploughing in the field or tending the sheep…
A servant who delays his needs and instead prepares and serves meals for his master…
A servant, who after all his works, doesn’t expect words of gratitude…

The Parable is surely a tough one!

But, the One who preached this Parable is not a mere preacher, but is a practitioner!

Jesus, the one who preached this Parable, practised perfectly, this life of being a servant.

He is the Servant, who works in the field ploughing…
… sowing the seed of the Word of God, ploughing the Gospel in the hearts of people and toiling in the hot sun of oppositions and mockery

He is the Servant, who tends the sheep in the field…
… providing pasture for His people, protecting them from the wolves of the evil and going after any of the sheep which are lost in the wilderness

He is the Servant, who prepares a meal and serves at table…
… nourishing those at table with His own body, strengthening them with His own blood and constantly reinforcing in the journey of life

How are we to be such a Servant of the Lord?

1) Having a mind of being a Servant of God:
The world of a servant centers not around himself, but around the Master.

Whatever pleases the Master, the servant does.

If we truly acknowledge God as our Master, then we too…
… will do the works which please Him
… will think and seek to do His Will
… will speak the words which are worthy of His grace

2) Being Faithful in this task of being His servant

The world of a servant centers around total availability and openness to the needs of the Master.

If we truly accept God as our Master, then we too…
… will give ourselves to Him totally at all times
… will place His priorities over ours
… will avoid anything that blocks my complete service of Him

Jesus is our model and example in being a Servant.

It’s a demand placed on us.

Servanthood is an important dimension in being a follower of Jesus Christ.

Let us seek for this grace of growing in the Service of the Lord.

Today we seek the intercession of St Leo the Great, the Pope and Doctor.

In an age of confusion, Pope Leo stood firm, not by power but by clarity of faith.

Let his words inspire us:
“No one, however weak, is denied a share in the victory of the cross.

No one is beyond the help of the prayer of Christ!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“With the Grace of God, seeking to renew our love for the Lord and growing in our duty, ‘to hold up the Church!’”

(Based on Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome)

An interesting story is told by a tourist who was visiting the Basilica of St John Lateran in Rome, Italy.

Just across the street of the Basilica, at a square, is a statue of St Francis of Assisi…
… with his arms outstretched.

This statue commemorates an important moment in Church history:

It was at this place – the Lateran Basilica – that the Great Saint went to ask the Pope for permission to start a religious order.
This was in the light of the Great Inspiration that he had received, when he heard the words of the Lord: “Rebuild my Church!”

The tourist says that recollecting this incident, as he stepped back, to have a better look at the statue…
… from a particular angle, he could see the Lateran Basilica between St. Francis’s outstretched arms

St Francis appeared to be holding the Church with his hands!

The tourist says: “That’s a great image!
That’s a great lesson!

A church building is brick and mortar, wood and glass.

But – ultimately, it is supported by the arms and the labour of those who love it.
The Church is held up by the people who are in love with Christ!”

Yes, the Church is indeed “held up by the people who are in love with Christ!”

We, the children of the Church are today invited, to renew our love for the Lord and grow in our duty, “to hold up the Church”…
… on this Feast Day of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

The Gospel of the Day also vividly and dramatically displays the zeal and passion of the Lord…
… for the House of God through the incident of the Cleansing of the Jerusalem Temple.

Today, Holy Mother the Church celebrates the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

This Basilica is the oldest Christian churcbuilding in the world.

It is the first permanent, public place of worship for Christians in the world.

Christianity, in its infancy, suffered a great deal at the hands of her persecutors.

The Roman Empire sought to extend its domination over the entire world.
The power and might of the Roman Empire was determined to utterly destroy the Christian religion.

Christians, with a staunch belief in Jesus Christ, refused to worship the Roman pagan gods.

This led the Christians to be labelled as the enemies of the state and thus were sought to be eliminated.
Christians were arrested, imprisoned, tortured, and even cruelly executed!

This wave of violent persecution crashed against the Rock, the Church for three centuries!

It was only in 313, when the Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity that these persecutions ceased.

In gratitude to Christ, the new Emperor Constantine sponsored the construction of Christian churches, the first of which was the Church of the Most Holy Saviour, known today as the Basilica of St John Lateran…
… or simply called as the Lateran Basilica.

On this Feast day of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, the call of the Gospel is towards examining our relationship with God in the Church.

In the Old Testament, we read that the Lord had established a covenant with His people, Israel.

This covenant had its physical symbol in the Temple of Jerusalem.
The majestic and glorious Jerusalem Temple was an external symbol of God’s love-relationship with His people.

Jesus cleansing this Jerusalem Temple, was a strong message to the people, that He had come to revive and revamp the strained relationship between God and His people.

It was also symbolic of the need of the people to realize that the Jerusalem Temple which was to be destroyed in a few decades…
… was only a temporary symbol.

Jesus, Himself is the real and everlasting Temple…
… the permanent symbol of God’s eternal covenant with His people.

And so, He showcases tremendous zeal and passion, in cleansing the Temple, of all the corruption and filth and fraud!

The Commemoration of this Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica and the Cleansing of the Jerusalem Temple is a call for each of us, to examine our own lives…

Is my relationship with God corrupted by many evil tendencies and pleasurable sins?

My heart needs a cleansing drive by the Lord…

Is my relationship with the other, who is also a Temple of the Holy Spirit, badly tainted with anger, jealousy, calumnious thoughts etc…

My relationships needs a cleansing drive by the Lord…

Is my relationship with the Church, strained by negative feelings of her dogmas and teachings, and stained by angry-feelings due to many scandals by her responsible authorities?

My mentality towards the Church needs a cleansing drive by the Lord…

This Feast is a call to revive our zeal and passion for the Lord, His Mission and His Church.

The Lord’s ways are sometimes very hard to follow and difficult to tread in this highly materialistic and sensational world.

But the Lord promises to be with us, in all our trials and hardships.

The Mission of the Lord to spread His Kingdom is a very challenging one and at times, they seem too very impossible and our efforts meaningless.

But the Lord assures His ever-abiding presence and love to those committed and faithful.

The Church of the Lord is very often found to wrench in corrupt practices, discouraging scandals, heart-crushing and shameful incidents.

But the Lord assures that His might Spirit will guide the Church through any storms and “He will surely write straight… with crooked lines!”

The invitation is strong…
To be filled with a deeper love and zeal for the Lord, His Mission and His Church!

Undoubtedly, the challenges are deep…
… the trials seem too discouraging.

Yet, with the Grace of God, let us seek to renew our love for the Lord…
… and grow in our duty, “to hold up the Church!”

Happy Feast Day!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Using every opportunity to receive God’s abundant favours!”

(Based on Wis 6:12-16, 1 Thess 4:13-18 and Mt 25:1-13 – 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A)

“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 characterized 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.

The climax of the wedding festivity was when the bridegroom went 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 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 andfell asleep” (Mt 25: 5)

It was only when the call that the Bridegroom had arrived was given, that five of the Virgins realized, 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?

The book of Wisdom reminds us of the need to be desirous and ever-prepared:
“Resplendent and unfading is wisdom, and she is readily perceived by those who love her…
…and found by those who seek her.

She hastens to make herself known in anticipation of their desire;
Whoever watches for her at dawn shall not be disappointed, for he shall find her sitting by his gate!” (Wis 6:12-13)

Let us pray with the Psalmist: “My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God!” (Ps 63:2b)

Let our Christian Life be characterized by an enthusiastic response to the many blessings that God offers me…
… and use every opportunity to receive God’s abundant favours!

God Bless! Live Jesus!