Widow's copper coins

Like the widow at the temple treasury, the poor were victims of the 'prosperity gospel' practiced by the scribes and Pharisees. In their silent grief over their misery they had only God to hope for. what God saw was not what fell in the temple treasury, but her trust in God. The poor and widows had to sell whatever they had for their daily survival. Their helplessness could easily be exploited. By offering money we cannot please God. God wants the gift of ourselves.

 

The widow of Sidon, even in her poverty placed hope in God and offered generosity to Elijah, a hungry stranger. The more we go deeper inside and find the treasure of God the more we grow outward in kindness. Temple treasuries have grown equal to God securing many against their duty to care for the poor.

Pharisees were rich in holiness, scribes were rich with the knowledge of the Scripture and law, proselytes were rich with zeal for religion. But in their richness there was no space for God. The greater was their emptiness the more they swallowed the properties of widows and poor. in their emptiness they even assumed they have swallowed God's kingdom.

Faithful in small things

We may give extra attention and care in great things, but may take small things for granted. In fact there is a greater struggle in being faithful in 'small' things. Sincere care of small things bring beauty to our life. That is the lived beauty of the Gospel.
May the Lord grant us the strength to live the Gospel.

The Lost ones

'This man welcomes sinners," "he shows mercy to them," "he forgives" were 'complaints' from the sinless. The response of Jesus shows how precious they are to him. They are not lost ones, they are the loved ones. In the context of the parable those lost ones were not living in sin, but they were the ones rejected by the sinless. The 'holy ones' could afford to be blameless and perfect before the people. The lost ones could not do that. God rejoices in finding them where they are.

A Gospel Challenge

We follow different laws and customs, written and unwritten. Why are we told that the love of God and love of neighbours is the standard for any other law? “Love is the one thing that cannot hurt our neighbour; that is why love is the reference point for all other commandments (Rom 13: 10). This love is reflected in the living of the Gospel, the experience of the kingdom of God in everyday reality. The Gospel in action asks us to deny ourselves, facing the daily crosses to be taken up.

St. Martin de Porres, whose feast we celebrate today, had a great devotion to the crucifix. He experienced the love of Christ from the Cross, and became a miracle of love for many. He administered medicine and brought healing. He loved everyone with an attitude of humility and service. His love led him to be friendly even with the wild animals and plants.

How does the Gospel place our lives into our living environment? How does the commandment of love find its expression in the reality of our society and culture? How should each one of us commit ourselves in emptying ourselves and taking our crosses? Pope Francis often said: “Let us build bridges of love so that the voices of the periphery with their weeping, but also with their singing and joy, provoke not fear but empathy in the rest of society.” In a recent message on the occasion of the fourth world meeting of popular movements, he asked pharmaceutical companies to release patents that the covid vaccines can be made available to all. He asked to change socio-economic structures that are destructive to humanity.

“In the name of God, I ask financial groups and international credit institutions to allow poor countries to assure ‘the basic needs of their people’ and to cancel those debts that so often are contracted against the interests of those same peoples.

In the name of God, I ask the great extractive industries -- mining, oil, forestry, real estate, agribusiness -- to stop destroying forests, wetlands and mountains, to stop polluting rivers and seas, to stop poisoning food and people.

In the name of God, I ask the great food corporations to stop imposing monopolistic systems of production and distribution that inflate prices and end up withholding bread from the hungry.

In the name of God, I ask arms manufacturers and dealers to completely stop their activity, because it causes violence and war, it contributes to those awful geopolitical games which cost millions of lives displaced and millions dead.

In the name of God, I ask the technology giants to stop exploiting human weakness, people’s vulnerability, for the sake of profits without caring about the spread of hate speech, grooming, fake news, conspiracy theories, and political manipulation.

In the name of God, I ask the telecommunications giants to ease access to educational material and connectivity for teachers via the internet so that poor children can be educated even under quarantine.

In the name of God, I ask the media to stop the logic of post-truth, disinformation, defamation, slander and the unhealthy attraction to dirt and scandal, and to contribute to human fraternity and empathy with those who are most deeply damaged.

In the name of God, I call on powerful countries to stop aggression, blockades and unilateral sanctions against any country anywhere on earth. No to neo-colonialism. Conflicts must be resolved in multilateral fora such as the United Nations. We have already seen how unilateral interventions, invasions and occupations end up; even if they are justified by noble motives and fine words.”

He also asked governments and political parties to stop listening exclusively to the economic elites and represent their people and to work for the common good. He asked religious leaders never to use the name of God to provoke conflicts, rebellions and wars.

This invitation from Pope Francis is a call to restructure our socio-economic models to have a human face which many models have lost. If the love flowed from the crucifix found genuine actions in St Martin, Now, it is our turn to give a living impact of the kingdom of God to the Socio-economic structures we all live in. Righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit are to be lived and brought to our daily commitments. There is the cross, the narrow door for entering the kingdom of God. The Lord wants us to bring the kingdom of God into action. It is indeed a Gospel challenge.

Let me live in your house

In gratitude we remember them,
In love and generosity we pray for them.
May the flame of God's love consume them.

They will live with him in love.

Rest in eternal peace is our union in Christ in love.

It should not be fear that motivate us,
to offer prayers, masses ... for them.
They and we, both are in the hands of God,
they are not to harm us.

It is the quality of our life that is to be moulded,
the moment of choice to live like Jesus, a life of grace,
is the moment of entering heaven.
Purgation is needed all throughout our life;
our struggle to chose for grace, the growth of the inner man.

The heaven that we dont chose to enter 'today' we may never enter.

Saints Companions

We might like to believe the presence of ghosts and demons around us, but not saints. Ghost stories are more real to us because our fear is real though we have not reflected sufficiently about the reality of ghosts. 

However, saints are real. they are our friends and companions. A true friendship and confidence in sharing our life with them is something we need to learn in our relationship with the saints. They are not objects of devotion. Saints are not in our altars and niches, they are where we live our daily lives. Saints companions relate to us in charity. We are applying their patronage in connection with something specific in their life. Our sanctification adds their joy whose completion will be only when everyone is united in Christ. Communion of saints is not an association of saints gathered together, it is their union in Christ.

If we show devotion to the saints, it should not be only for favours. True essence of devotion is love. It is to be inspired to bear witness to Christ in our time and world as they did in their time. As in the saints God is glorified, God is glorified in our lives today. Thus the church becomes the visible presence of God. Seeing each of us as the members of the Church, can the world see Christ preaching, healing, comforting?  

We speak of a Christian tradition and culture, old glories of chirstian institutions, many dream for a Christian world. What we miss today is a Christian conscience. To have a Christian conscience, first of all we need to have close acquaintance with the person of Christ in order to learn the attitudes of Christ. We also need to know the faith and the social teaching of the church. We also need to learn to see the face of God in events and people and in ourselves. We will be able to see godliness in ourselves and around us. It is a great struggle. But only with such a conscience we will be able to become people of the beatitudes. In one way in  solidarity with those who are deprived of what they deserve, and God is the only hope for us. in other way by becoming the gospel to the poor, bread to the hungry, justice for those who hunger and thirst for it, peacemaker, comfort and hope for those who are persecuted. To be in the company of the saints is a Gospel challenge.

🎬

 ‘Synod’ means ‘walking together.’  So, by walking a journey together, we, as the Church, want to reflect and learn what can help us to live a deeper communion, to achieve fuller participation, to have greater openness to fulfil our mission in the world. The synodal path that Pope Francis opened last Sunday (10^th October 2021) wants to involve all of us in this journeying together.

Synodal Journey

Pope Francis invites us to reflect on the aspect of synodality as the path that God expects of the Church of the third millennium. The meaning of the journey is of discovering the face of a synodal Church, in which everyone, the faithful people, the college of bishops, the Pope: all listening to each other, and all listening to the Holy Spirit. In the light of the Word of God and united in prayer, we will be able to discern the pathways to which God leads us. Since the Church realizes that synodality is the path for the entire People of God, the Synodal Process is no longer only an assembly of bishops but a journey for all the faithful. This journey together embraces the entire family of humanity, together with our fellow Christian denominations and other faith traditions. This journey together will call on us to renew our mentalities and our ecclesial structures in order to live out God’s call for the Church amid the present signs of the times. Only a ‘journeying together,’ can bring together in unity the variety of gifts, charisms, and ministries, embracing all humankind, whose joys and hopes, griefs and anxieties we share, pursuing the good of all, thus becoming the ‘the universal sacrament of salvation.’

The theme of the Synod is “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission.” The communion we share is rooted in the love and unity of the Trinity. Christ reconciles us to the Father and unites us with each other in the Holy Spirit. We all have a role to play in discerning and living out this union with God and reconciliation between one another. Participation: Through the gifts we have received from the Holy Spirit all are qualified and are called to serve one another. In the free and rich diversity of its members, including even those who feel excluded, all are called together to pray, listen, analyse, dialogue, discern and offer advice on making pastoral decisions. Mission: The nature of synodality enables the Church to witness to the Gospel, especially with those who live on the spiritual, social, economic, political, geographical, and existential peripheries of our world.

Three levels on which synodality is articulated

 The synodal path is rooted in the concrete life of the People of God. “Journeying together” is already being experienced in our ordinary way of living, praying, celebrating and working, even if the term synodality is not known or used. Another level takes place within ecclesial structures and processes, taking into account theological and canonical dimensions, in which the synodal nature of the Church is expressed in an institutional way at the local, regional, and universal levels. Another level is the universal level of synod when convoked by the competent authority.

‘Journeying together’ can be understood from two different perspectives

The first perspective looks within the particular Churches, about the relationships between their constituent parts; between the Faithful and their Pastors, bishops and different parishes or other ecclesiastical bodies, the Bishops and the Pope. How does each particular Church integrate within itself the various forms of vocations, movements and ecclesial and ecclesiastical institutions of various kinds like schools, hospitals, universities, foundations, charitable and assistance organizations, etc. What are the relationships and common initiatives with other Christian denominations? The second perspective considers how we journey together with the entire human family reflecting on our relations, dialogue, and possible common initiatives with believers of other religions, with people who are distant from the faith, as well as with specific social environments and groups, with their institutions (the world of politics, culture, economics, finance, labor, trade unions, and business associations, non-governmental and civil society organizations, popular movements, minorities of various kinds, the poor and the excluded, etc.). The spirit of synodality, I am sure, also motivates us to journey together with water creatures, animals, plants, and birds listening to their voices also.

Ten Thematic nuclei are given to reflect how synodality could be lived in our own different local contexts.

1. Who are our journeying companions in our local Church and in society? When we say: “our Church,” who is part of it? What persons or groups are left on the margins? 2. Listening requires an open mind and heart. Whom do we usually listen to? Whom do we need to listen to? What space is there for the voice of minorities, the discarded, and the excluded? Are we able to identify prejudices and stereotypes that hinder our listening? How do we listen to the social and cultural context in which we live? 3. Speaking out happens only in integrating freedom, truth, and charity. How do we promote an atmosphere of communication free of duplicity and opportunism? How does the relationship with the media system (not only Catholic media) work? Who speaks on behalf of the Christian community, and how are they chosen? 4. “Journeying together” is only possible if it is based on together listening to the Word and the celebration of the Eucharist. How do prayer and liturgical celebration inspire and direct our “journeying together” and inspire the most important decisions? 5. All are co-responsible in the mission supporting its members committed to service in society (social and political commitment, in scientific research and teaching, in the promotion of social justice, in the protection of human rights, and in caring for the Common home, etc.)? Where there are different independent churches coexisting, is there collaboration in mission or we have competitions? 6. Dialogue in church and society is a path of gathering the experience of peoples. How are divergences of vision, the conflicts, the difficulties addressed? What experiences of dialogue and shared commitment do we have with believers of other religions and with non-believers? 7. We address our relations with the other Christian denominations. What fruits have we drawn from this “journeying together”? What are the difficulties? 8. How is authority exercised within our particular Church? What are the practices of participation and co-responsibility? 9. In a synodal style, decisions are made through discernment based on a consensus that flows from the common obedience to the Spirit. what are the procedures and methods we discern together and make decisions? 10.  For us today, this journeying together is a learning process of formation of the human person and of the Christian, of the families, and of the communities. How do we form people, especially those who hold roles of responsibility within the Christian community, to make them more capable of journeying together, listening to one another and engaging in dialogue? What formation do we offer for discernment and the exercise of authority? we need to be familiar with many tools that can help us to understand the dynamics of the culture in which we are immersed and their impact on our style of Church?

Avoiding pitfalls

1) The temptation of wanting to lead ourselves instead of being led by God. Synod is a spiritual process that is led by the Holy Spirit. Our humble efforts of organization and coordination are at the service of God who guides us on our way. 2) The temptation to focus on ourselves and only our immediate concerns. What is God’s plan for the Church here and now? How can we implement God’s dream for the Church on the local level? 3) The temptation to only see “problems.” Fixating on the problems will only discourage us. Instead of focusing only on what is not going well, let us appreciate where the Holy Spirit is generating life and see how we can let God work more fully. 4) The temptation of focusing only on structures. The Synodal Process will naturally call for a renewal of structures at various levels of the Church. The conversion and renewal of structures will come about only through the on-going conversion and renewal of all the members of the Body of Christ. The experience of synodality should focus on the experience of journeying together to discern the path forward, inspired by the Holy Spirit. 5) The temptation not to look beyond the visible confines of the Church. A Synodal Process is a time to dialogue with people from the worlds of economics and science, politics and culture, arts and sport, the media and social initiatives. It will be a time to reflect on ecology and peace, life issues and migration … to fulfil our mission in the world. 6) The temptation to lose focus of the objectives of the Synodal Process. No one Synodal Process is going to resolve all our concerns and problems. Synodality is an attitude and an approach of moving forward in a co-responsible way that is open to welcoming God’s fruits together over time. 7) The temptation of conflict and division. It is vain to try to impose one’s ideas on the whole Body through pressure or to discredit those who feel differently. 8) The temptation to treat the Synod as a kind of a parliament in which in order to govern one side must defeat the other. It is contrary to the spirit of synodality to antagonize others or to encourage divisive conflicts that threaten the unity and communion of the Church. It is also against the synod to polarise to promote one’s ideologies. 9) The temptation to listen only to those who are already involved in Church activities. This approach may be easier to manage, but it ultimately ignores a significant proportion of the People of God.

Synod is intended to inspire people to dream about the Church we are called to be, to make people’s hopes flourish, to stimulate trust, to bind up wounds, to weave new and deeper relationships, to learn from one another, to build bridges, to enlighten minds, warm hearts, and restore strength to our hands for our common mission.

Spirit prays within

The inmost cries long for words,
what do they cry out for?
The Spirit knows them beyond words,
and reach them to their fountains.
Let our prayers reach to the inmost depths,
where Spirit makes our cries his own.

Be free

Sabbath to be a day of rest and to be meant for religious duties was a view of the Priestly tradition. Jesus, following the Deuteronomic tradition, understood Sabbath as the experience of being set free. Untying and freeing of yoke were also suggested by prophets as part of true meaning of fasting.

We are in fact afraid of freedom. Though unknowingly we like to be under bondages. We enjoy the safety of such bondages and give noble and pious forms to them. Then they become sacred and unquestionable. One of such favoured burden is a guilty conscience and guilt culture we live in. We cannot hold hope when protected by guilt and fear, and it explains how we fail in our true Christian living.

“The spirit you received is not the spirit of slaves bringing fear into your lives again; it is the spirit of sons, and it makes us cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’”

Let me see again

Look a bit deeper into the eyes of the other,
the merciful eyes that seek your kindness.
"Lord, let me see again."

Dream to be alive!

The fig tree in the parable Lk 13: 6-9 just grew where it was rooted. There was sunlight, water, nutrients ... and the fig tree was happy about it. But it had to dream about what it was meant to be. 

In the beginning there was dream and everything came to be. We too share the same dream. A ladder, pyramid, or a pillar may be symbolising our desire to ascend to the divine presence above. Yet, some others go deep inside caves to connect to the interior divine power. Whether it is above or within the human conscience want to make a meeting point with the divine. We do receive responses that guide us. These responses touch us deeply in our ‘mortal’ bodies. We can understand St Paul’s presentation of mortal body – spiritual body, physical man – spiritual/inner man, only when we get the difference between the life without grace and the life in the freedom of grace. “Body may be dead,” because it is not producing any fruit of grace. What we produce is sin, and then the grace may be seen as external. Once we are willing to live, grace, in fact, wells up from within. There is the seed of grace, the fountain of grace inside of us. “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, then he who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to your own mortal bodies through his Spirit living in you.” If the life devoid of grace produces death and sin, the life welling up grace will produce fruits of Christ.

Dream to be alive!

Being in the present, can you interpret it?

Generally, we are good people, and we all have good will. But, we know that it does not reflect always in our words, attitudes, and actions. We know what to do, and what should have been done, but it does not happen. Is it because everyone does in the other way?

Doing good is not just some deeds of goodness. It also includes our desire to behave well, accept others, be patient, tolerate, maintain peace, ensuring growth. Etc. Some time, we may be lacking courage to do the good that is to be done. That first daring may free us for moving in the right direction. Perhaps we are ashamed of ourselves. Am I to do the good works? I am unworthy to do that. Ask for the embrace of God to feel the worth of ourselves. If we are envious, it may put us into competition and desire to defeat. It will not allow us to walk a humble path in relationships. If we are dominated by ego we will lack the freedom to do good even if want to.

A plant which has less water and nutrition surely lacks the capacity for growth, flowering and fruition. When we lack life, personally or as a society, we too will not be able to express the signs of life. I want to live to the full, but just can’t. Life will show its early signs of where we are moving towards. It will show our good orientations and freedom to do good, or our irritation, suspicion, prejudices and competitive spirit that hinder our doing good. 'Be in  the present' is a familiar phrase for us, But are we able to interpret it well? Interpret these signs as early as possible, sense the richness or the needs, make our efforts, trust in the Lord.  Our interpretation shapes the attitudes not only of ours, but of the whole of our generation. Why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

Struggle of the living

If we are dead, we cannot be sensitive to what happens. There will be decay, worms around. We cannot act. If we are alive, we are able to respond. Gracelessness or lifelessness can keep us fine with wickedness. Life and grace bring its struggles too. We cannot nourish grace and live a Christian life with exclusion and inequality. Only if we have grace within us, we will have the fire burning within. Ensuring the freedom of the children of God necessitates the hunger and thirst for justice. Even peacemakers have to struggle against false peace and ensure life. Fr. Stan Sami could have a peaceful death if he could be silent on miseries. Jesus could have died as a great Jewish sage just preaching nice things.

Waiting for the master

Unknown is the hour that someone needs Christ. Be ready, those coming near to you beg of you to open your richness. The gift of grace overweighs the fall. We are habituated to mourn over the fall being blind to the abundance of grace. The gift itself is a task and a challenge. Gift of grace challenges us to live like Christ at every moment of our life.

"Here in this person, I experienced the mercy and compassion of God. I know that Christ lives."
The master comes to you in the one who seeks the tenderness of Christ in you.

St Luke

Luke pictured a compassionate Christ, Christ who welcomes and belongs to everyone, a merciful healer, but pained as any child on earth, Christ who let himself be touched by the sick, women and children.

Drink the cup that I must drink

We have been on the way with Jesus in his journey to Jerusalem. He revealed to us who he is, enquired about what we think about him, taught us how to be a disciple. He also told us that he had to suffer. Now as nearing Jerusalem, he is clearer how he is going to suffer and die. “Now we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man is about to be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the gentiles, who will mock him and spit at him and scourge him and put him to death; and after three days he will rise again” (Mk 10:33, 34).

As happened at the time of the previous predictions, here too there is a misunderstanding. As nearing Jerusalem, perhaps, the disciples expect the reestablishment of Israel and the Messiah being seated at the throne of David. James and John come forward asking for privileged positions in the kingdom.

In his reply to the disciples, we can feel the tender and gentle heart of Jesus in teaching them the depth of discipleship. Jesus speaks of the very purpose and meaning of his life as a life not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mk 10: 45). He knew very well how authority and power can become an exploitative system. Abusive use of authority blind us against the reality of people, history and culture. We will turn deaf to the voice of God and cry of humanity. When Jesus says, “among you this is not to happen,” it is his desire about the quality of disciples, his vision of the Church and the nature of the kingdom of God. “You know that among the gentiles those they call their rulers lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt (Mk 10: 43).

Journey further is rather difficult. “Can you drink the cup that I must drink?” Jesus asks each of us. It is even difficult and dangerous to walk with him. God chose to be a friend, and servant to the least in the society. Freedom, power and blessings were the privileges of the few. Jesus exercised his power to raise others to the dignity of the children of God. The suffering and humiliation Jesus underwent was unavoidable from the day he proclaimed liberty to captives and the year of the Lord’s favour. Like the master, every disciple is called to make all share the joy of the kingdom of God. It demands that we forgo our tendencies to be a little ruler in the way we can. The more we come near to the sacrificial self-emptying the deeper is the challenge to discard the power to rule, command and control.

“Can you drink the cup that I must drink?” Jesus asks. If we say, yes, we need to first remind ourselves that our life is not for preserving for itself but to be given for the life of many. Then, concerning others “I” must be a servant of all. About our purpose and meaning “I” must be a life giving sacrifice in my life, prayer, work, decisions. This cup gently discourages us from our imaginations of the royal rule of Christendom. “Among you this is not to happen” also invites us to erase many military terminologies like war, weapon, attack, crusade… from our expressions of spirituality and faith. Even unknowingly such symbolism should not dictate a style of belief which Jesus never imagined.

The cup that Jesus had to drink was not simply that of physical or mental suffering. It was at the challenge of abandoning himself to be the life giving sacrifice in his living, speaking, and in dying. The self-emptying was there when he embraced the excluded and the neglected. Healing, raising and even challenging involved an emptying of self, giving of life. Cross itself is an outcome of his generous love. His suffering would merely be an injury inflicted by an unjust system. But offering of his life to give life for many turns his mental and physical injuries into wine and oil of healing, care, comfort and accompaniment.

“Can you drink the cup that I must drink?”

Where is the key?

The aim of the harsh sayings of Jesus  addressing the Pharisees and lawyers was that they would  remould themselves to the freedom of the children of God. It also calls to introspect their approach regarding laws and customs which were really meant to open the richness of life.

They had the key, they had the knowledge of the Law and the power to interpret. They used the key to close the richness against the people of God. Power of interpretation with bad intention will formulate patterns of customs to exploit people.

Do we use the key to open or to close. Do our faith, religious customs, devotions ...  ensure justice and love of God in persons, society, and in different systems we are engaged in.

What does it profit for a man if he does all religious customs perfectly and loses his soul?

N Fan

Don't be a crazy religious fan of anyone.
We might chose to believe the lies they say than the truth we ourselves might know.
Hero worship is not religious faith.

What should have been done!

When rituals loses their sacredness, they are like honouring scarecrows, seeking revelations from dry wood. It can happen with any of our religious rituals however noble and great they are.

If Jesus asked his people to begin a great annual sacrifice they would be very happy. Sacrifices without self-emptying has no life in it. Jesus wanted justice and love of God to form the pattern of our life.

Mostly the popular religious figures are famous for the 'religiosity' they uphold and spread. They are easy, and can hide us from many of our responsibilities in the name of godliness. Those who have money can better do these 'offerings.' They feel themselves justified by the things they have fulfilled.

In our observances, devotions, religiosity... have we overlooked justice and the love of God?

Sign greater than Jonah

Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, and they repented. They listened to a strange man. But what was the base for their repentance? They were not given the Ten commandments, and they were not part of the Covenant. So if they had to change their hearts what did they change from? It had nothing to do with a  conversion in any 'religious' sense. It was turning away from evil ways, ways of cruelty, injustice and injustice. They cried out to 'god' asking for their life. 

There was a sign greater than Jonah, but they did not repent. Jesus was the sign, not any single miracle, healing, or even death or resurrection taken separately. The sign of Jesus asks us to repent, first to recognize that we are the children of God. There is growth, responsibilities, maturity along with weaknesses and failures. So, to repent is to be open to the Father as his children and trust in his grace. We may have sinned, but our identity is not a 'sinner.' We may have named so, but Jesus has not done it for anyone.

One obstacle to our repentance may be our feeling of ourselves as a holy, selected people, and condemning others to be sinners. There is no need of repentance for 'me.' Thus we lose the freedom of the children and close ourselves within hard shells of our certainties we create for God. If we repent, our repentance welcomes all because all are children of God. Can we make an attempt to pray for a few people whom we really don't like? Christian charity and repentance demand that. Can we be open to the good news spoken by the 'other'?

Wisdom for the Rich Young Man

It would have been really good if we were able to know what is real and true, and the real intentions of people around. We would be happy and successful if we were able to make right decisions and choices. Wisdom guides us to search for the will of God in all things and act accordingly as sincerely as possible. 

For a righteous and godly living, we need the gift of wisdom. Wisdom is closely related with the gift of knowledge. By knowledge we come to know reality even when it is hidden, or when there is confusion and chaos, or when we are trapped to cunningness of others. Knowledge also helps us to know God’s will and plan. Wisdom gives us a direction to our life especially in a specific context according to the knowledge we have received. Wisdom guides us when and how the truth known to be responded to or acted upon according to the will of God. When wisdom is put to use, a “knowing” truth turns into a skill of insight and putting God’s Word to work. Wisdom guards and shapes us into a man or woman of God by possessing the skill of using truth in a generative and fruitful manner. Knowledge without wisdom can make us intolerant and we might do damage with the truth we possess. Wisdom helps us to understand the truth within the providence and mercy of God, and be at peace and serenity. A life of wisdom ultimately results in a life that gives glory to God. 

The word of wisdom or utterance of wisdom or teaching of wisdom also has a prophetic function with the goal of guiding others toward a life of holiness and worship. Wisdom enables us to speak, teach, instruct and counsel others in compassion, and interpret their life in clarity towards the fullness of life. It leads us to practicing righteousness. 

Wisdom guides the society too giving light to the social conscience. It reveals the truth about time, its challenges, conflicts and struggles. We learn how to go about according to what God wants. We have many examples from the life and teaching of Jesus, how he was guided by wisdom. In wisdom, he had to dishonour some conventional practices and accepted values. Many of the lawful signs of blessings, like richness, were interpreted to secure the unjust practices that maintained the status of the privileged. Jesus discerned those so-called blessings as having no value in the kingdom. 

Rich young man makes his entry calling Jesus as ‘good master,’ seemingly for an approval of his own greatness. He was perfect in following the laws. But the lawful richness was a hindrance for him to enter the kingdom, just as the righteousness of the Pharisee in the temple was a hindrance to see someone crying out for God’s mercy. Being religious does not necessarily make a disciple. Rich young man was lacking something like the rich man who was blind towards Lazarus. 

Of course, the poor are invisible, they are seen as unworthy burden on the public purse. In their struggle to survive they are exploited. Though it is lawful to have wealth and richness, the self-centred storing of wealth necessarily creates poverty, injustice, hunger, and inequality. According to the law, it was not necessary for the rich man to share his wealth, it was not necessary for the priest and Levite to attend to the wounded at the roadside. They were disabled to see how the law should guide them. In fact, there they lacked wisdom. Therefore, today we need to reflect more on a globalisation of solidarity and fraternity if globalisation in the level of economy left many uncared. Who owns and has the benefit of increased wealth, fast developments, amazing infrastructures… 

Wisdom guides us to see and act within an integral whole, for the common good and fulfillment of all. The saying of Jesus to the rich young man is today for the individuals, nations, organisations, and global corporates. They do act legally and perfectly following every commandment from the beginning. They keep Jesus too in good records in a very religious manner. Jesus would say, you lack something, sell your richness, share the benefits of developments and technology with the poor, and follow me. Justice, and righteousness according to God's will makes a disciple. Will it make you sad? May wisdom keep us in the path of God.

Hallowed be your name

Prayer is a pattern of life more than a religious activity. Jesus taught the prayer 'Our Father...' saying, "when you pray, pray like this." Anyone who sincerely pray the Our Father  will be a person "of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in graciousness, relenting from evil." That is how God's name is glorified and His kingdom is established.

The Old covenant bond was "I am your God and you are my people." The New Testament bond is "God is our Father and we are all God's children" We cannot show our love for the Father by hating or desiring the destruction of any of the brothers and sisters.

How could we let the Messiah fail?

Jesus was a wonder and excitement to many of his people. But for some he was a dangerously growing threat. Though many listened to him, many were not his disciples. For some the listening ended in an appreciation “he spoke well!” Others marvelled at his miracles. Some showed affection and praised the privileges of ‘his close people.’ “Blessed are rather those who hear the word of God and keep it” was the response Jesus had.

These are varieties of ways people spoke of Jesus. When Jesus asks ‘what do the people say that I am, the answers vary depending on how they liked to listen to the Word and responded. Some thought of an immediate return of John the Baptist in Jesus because he was known as a prophet and had to suffer an unjust death. Even Herod thought the same. When Jesus worked miracles they may have thought of the miracle working prophets Elijah and Elisha and there was great expectation that Elijah would come in the beginning of Messianic age. Because Jesus taught with authority some thought that he was Moses.

Not only these, Jesus was thought to be a mad man, possessed by devil, drunkard and glutton, friend of tax collectors and prostitutes, antinational and lawless. These are opinions about a man out there, showing some miracles and challenging the authorities having a number of people as his followers.

Opinions are many within the crowd, but the disciples are formed with an intimate knowing of the heart of the master. When a master is gradually understood more than a source of a new path and enlightenment, it seeks deeper convictions on the many questions that arise from the present standpoints. So, the significance of the master reshapes one’s own outlook over the world, religion and ethics.

Messiah would remove all sufferings. How can that Messiah fall victim to sufferings? How can we let our Hero, the master, the Messiah become a failure? Would it not be our failure too? Would it not break whatever we thought about him? They had not understood that being messiah had a price to pay, the price of life, because it is for this he came.

True love and life challenge the self-righteous and selfish powers. But for the disciples Jesus was not practical. His preaching ‘kingdom of God’ is beautiful to dream, but standing on realities we have to see that we live. The failure of theirs and ours is in making God obey for the survival of ourselves and the preservation of God himself. We have failed God by replacing the Gospel with News that seem good to us. Christ can be made an ideology, an object of best explanations and definitions. Christ can also be made an object of cult, a wheat that does not fall down, does not die. The cross itself becomes sign of domination and invasion. In these attempts of preservation it can so happen that we celebrate lies to defend our hypocrisy.

The true understanding, devotion, and communion can be there only in belonging to him. He lives among us. He is the source of our life, the model for our living, and the image we want to become. This, we achieve by sharing with one another the grace that we have received. The living, understanding, and witnessing to the World can happen when we have the messiah in and among us. The suffering, sacrifices, humiliations, persecutions, being handed over … are not the mode of atonement, they are the modes of life-giving.

When Peter professed that Jesus was the Christ the Son of the Living God, Jesus says that it was revealed to them by the heavenly Father. Yet, they needed more understanding on what it meant to be the Christ and the Son of God. It would happen only by being with him in all his trials. Generally, the people expected a political Messiah who would restore Israel. Some of them expected a change of heart in the people, some even expected a cosmic newness. Would all these happen just at a touch of the Messiah? Could it happen all of sudden at the very moment of the arrival of the Messiah?

Let us ask the Father to reveal to us the face of Christ present amongst us today, and also the face of the Messiah the Father asking us to be.

Preacher of Grace

For the Dominicans, annunciation is a favourite scene to contemplate in relation to their life of preaching. It was a time of darkness as people were victims of economic, political and religious exploitation. As prophet Isiah says ‘raise your head high’ in hope in a world afraid of future, Mary was able to ‘raise her head high’ to see new horizons of hope, and open new doors to enter into unfamiliar ways that the Word spoke to her.

Historians state that the world was in darkness in the time of St. Dominic. There was famine, hunger, wrong teaching of faith and different spiritualities taking advantage of the situation. The dark ages can emerge in different forms at any time of crisis and conflict. What is important is that we see the light of the presence of God. These moments of darkness are those of renewal, and of revelation (of insights, learning the lessons from history, available hope and courage for the future). Such is the mystery we live today that deserves graceful contemplation.

Only in hope and courage we can converse with a time where God seems not to be found. If the conversation is made possible, we will be able to see not just the Word spoken but the Word incarnate among us. This conversation is what we hear about St. Dominic as “He spoke to God and spoke about God.” Ability to converse to a time requires enormous courage, hope, and communion with God and communion with people.

Preaching involves listening. We need a sincere spirit of seeking the truth of humanity, godliness, divinity, and the truth of history, culture and the biosystems in order to give an incarnated form to the Word we receive. What do they speak in me? Preaching without hearing is only a data transfer which may not offer life. Let us also reflect that the night with the inn keeper was a night of listening. The inn keeper’s beliefs were speaking to Dominic what the innkeeper pathetically disposed his humanity to. We listen together to the truth in dialogue. Preachers of the truth have a responsibility to identify the dominant lies (even in matters of faith) and to train people to search for truth. A teaching is to be seen erroneous not because it is differing from my rightness, but because if it exploits humanity. Even the error about God leads to manipulations of human status and exploitation.

Contemplation on the realities we encounter in our ministry itself is the ‘eyes to see with and ears to hear with’ that open our depths into insights and in-voice. That contemplation is impossible if we do not have a ‘heart to feel with.’ If Dominic spent the whole night in prayer, the lives of his people were alive in them. Their lives show the enfleshed mysteries of salvation which are to be contemplated and to be raised in prayer.

Dominic’s cry for salvation reflects even deeper about the outcome of sinful structures. Our ministry of compassion extends beyond ‘helping’ the poor. It is also about active participation in efforts to destroy the structures that create such miseries for them. Pope Francis brought the dominant structures of evil into four words: Indifference, self-centeredness, division and forgetfulness. They are institutionalised and are part of the system both in public and in religious life. These structures deserve meditation if we are to encounter truth amongst turmoil, rediscover God and humanity that we announce the good news to the poor. Because evil structures are facilitated with some forms of lies. Presenting of reality in dual nature is found not only in teaching, they repeat every time in perspectives and devotions. Any condemnation of the world and body repeats the heresy that Dominic and companions fought, and condemn God who created everything good. A God who finds pleasure when we take up pain is not a God of love and goodness and truth.

So, what has it to do with our charism of ‘veritas’? If conversion, reparation, salvation … continue to originate from a guilty conscience of humanity for the atrocities we have done in history, they remain non-functional and fruitless. It has to reveal to us how we have contributed to the larger structure of sinfulness, and make sure that even our smallest gesture enable the humanity to act for peace and justice. In our sermons, writings, discussions…we need to encourage models of growth “capable of guaranteeing openness to life, concern for the family, social equality, the dignity of workers, respect for the environment, and the rights of future generations.” Is it not there where we want the Word incarnate? It is possible for us to introduce, collaborate, and integrate the new model “of a culture of communion based on fraternity and equality.” When our economic and social system no longer produces even a single victim, a single person cast aside, we will be able to celebrate the feast of universal fraternity. So we pray, preacher of grace, unite us with the blessed.

Celebration of the Gospel

We have been listening to Jesus about welcoming the kingdom of God into our lives. We can imagine ourselves being with Jesus and his disciples where disciples were plucking and eating the grain in the field on a sabbath day. It had invited criticism from the Pharisees which we see in the beginning of chapter 12 of the Gospel according to Matthew. Chapter 13 told the parables of the Sower, weeds among wheat, mustard seed, yeast, treasure, pearl, and the net. All these speak of the value of the kingdom, our growth, and of course about our choice for or against it.

Growing of the kingdom in our lives producing a rich harvest, or the finding the precious pearl even at the cost of everything else, is a joyous experience. In growth there is already a fulfilment, and a harvest makes that joy complete. The first reading speaks of the solemn festivals of the Jews. At Passover everything that is old is discarded and we pass over to the new time. Then there are Pentecost and the feast of the tabernacle, thanksgiving and celebration of the harvest. So there is remembering, gathering thanking, giving, rejoicing.

Do we see the kingdom growing in us gradually, slowly, day by day, moment by moment? Can we see the grace at work when we toil in our daily lives with different duties, responsibilities? Are we able to see more of a Jesus quality in our words and attitudes? Rejoice! Are there temptations and trials? That is fine. If Christ is growing in us there will be encouraging voice within us. We too can be confident because we trust in God. If that trust is lacking we will be worried about what we can do to please God. This botheration can disrupt our joy in the growth of the kingdom. We can pay, we can please and expect what we want. So, there is no joy of the harvest that we can raise in thanksgiving. We are familiar with performances before God and others. Many of us suffer inside because what we live is not the truth of what we are.

Dear friends, the harvest, the joy is because of the truth of the Gospel, truth about God and truth about ourselves. We are the children of God who cares for us. God sets a home for us in Christ where we gather as brothers and sisters. Perhaps this God was not palatable because it challenges us for true love for God and others. True love includes the true self of ourselves that we can offer before God and before one another.

Jesus being carpenter’s son was not the reason that he was rejected, the problem was that he said the righteous and those condemned to be sinners, both were worthy of having the treasure of God’s kingdom in their heart and deserve to be at the joyous celebration.  The Gospel asks us to move to a new time of freedom of the children of God, freed from prejudices and fears, freed from the favourable masks we created for God. The Gospel growing in us generates a great sense of gratitude. The Gospel directs our actions, relationships, visions, and convictions that we can gather the harvest with joy. The Gospel is a celebration, gathering our fruits along with the pain, trials and suffering gone behind it. We share it joyfully too.

Leviticus 23:1,4-11,15-16,27,34-37, Matthew 13:54-58

Let us give them bread to eat

God does not make bread out of stone in a moment, nor does God shower food from the sky. Bread is a graceful miracle that God does in the soil. “You give them something to eat” should also meet the whole question of “why are they hungry?” If we cannot participate in ensuring the right answer in some way, we have no part in the Eucharistic banquet. Since bread became a money maker, we store food, make consumption increase, and waste what is excess. World’s people are hungry not because food is insufficient, but because over consumption and wastage. Around the world, more than enough food is produced to feed the global population—but as many as 811 million people still go hungry each night. From 2019 to 2020, the number of undernourished people grew by as many as 161 million, a crisis driven largely by conflict, climate change, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Somehow we are fooling ourselves being at the luxury of the altar expecting God to do magic and end poverty, end conflicts and establish peace. We are simply to enjoy the entertainment. We are, in fact, wasting the grace that works within us. Stone to become bread is a temptation. Bread and fruits are outcome of a big process of generosity and sacrifice. From the soil, the earthworms, the farmer to the baker it is a graciousness. What we hear from the servant of Elisha (2 Kings 4:43) and the disciples of Jesus (Jn 6:7) is the same, “We don’t have enough to serve the needs of the hungry.” The servant of Elisha does not ask what are we to do with the twenty loaves and fresh grain for themselves. 

The storers have power, and power creates further conflicts. In 2020, conflict was the primary driver of hunger for 99.1 million people in 23 countries. So, the saying of Jesus, “You give them something to eat” is very significant to our context. Mt 14: 16 Mk 6:37. We too can ask, “what do we have to meet the world hunger?” 

First step to do is to feel the hunger, know that there are hungry people around just as Jesus saw and had compassion on them. Even if we take the theological presentation in St John as Jesus offering pointing to himself as the bread of life, it calls us in a deeper way to be conscious of how we function as the bread of life if we are part of his body. Feeding the hungry is to offer life. It involves sacrifice and death. Hunger relates to many other factors like safe stay, general health, water and sanitation … If we are thinking of the kingdom of God sincerely the doors are here.

Then the Lord God said: “Let us give them bread to eat.” The earth community gathered, the soil, water, earthworm, fallen leaves, ash … “what can we do for these many people?” they asked. “For one grain a thousand measure,” so generously let us produce if we stand together. Grains were in abundance and fruits were plenty.

Seed for eternal harvest

The life-giving word is not written in letters, it is given to us in love. Through the Holy spirit the love of God is poured into our hearts (Rom 5:5). Living Word the person of Christ not only lives in our hearts, but transforms us into His image (2 Cor 3:18). It is Christ who is sown into our hearts. Perhaps we have understood the Word as the words and letters that we read and have become like soil that could not produce a rich harvest.

 In explaining the parable of the sower, Jesus considers the first category as those who hear the word of the kingdom without understanding (Mt 13: 18). For them the words are for ‘using’ against their fears and insecurities, not for living and growing based on trust in God. They find special power in certain verses, and use them for miracles and wish fulfilment.  Some take it as a political text using selective portions with a fixed view in mind. Naturally the words are scattered, and simply taken away from them.

 The second category (Mt 13: 20, 21) has a ‘wow’ feeling of the word due to the eloquence, ​​the dramatics​, ​​​or​ ​narrative styles, stirring of their emotions. The word does not enter their hearts because they do not want to let it sprout and take root. They just enjoy it without integrating into their own personal life. It is all the more dangerous for us today because we are not able to distinguish between a spiritual nourishment and a spiritual entertainment. Ultimately the rocky ground can do only a performance of initial enthusiasm.

The third category Jesus mentioned ​included those who hear the word, but cannot produce anything because the worry of the world and the lure of riches choke the word (Mt 13: 22). Worries of the world are not only about so called ‘worldly’ things. Worries and lures are dominant in our lives even in so called ‘spiritual’ matters. Often worries become motive, and benefits called as blessings becomes the aim. On many occasions we are worried which prayer to be said and how many times it has to be said, which prayer to what blessing … We have ‘powerful’ prayers, powerful verses to make certain effects. Faith, devotion, and prayer are thus reduced into some ‘performance’ under the disguise of committed prayerfulness and spiritual life. Gradually this external cover gets thicker and harder and begins to hurt others due to our demands and judgments. Something to be noted here is that the soil equally grew the thorny bush or even more happily. Have we sufficiently attended to the jealousy, hatred, revengeful attitudes ...growing within us that cannot allow the grace to grow in us? and we are very pious and religious persons, aren't we?

The seed sown in rich soil (Mt 13: 23) is someone who hears the word and understands it as the living word that transforms one into children of God, one who receives the love of God and the power of the spirit into one’s daily life, struggles, and joys, hardships and temptations, relationships and social responsibilities, one who finds peace and contentment in God because he is sincere and able to trust God wholeheartedly.

Video

Law of the Lord

Before the law was given Moses had prepared the people, sanctified them. There was large cloud, thundering and lightening, and among the people great trembling when God appeared. The author of the book of Exodus narrates the giving of the law stretching from chapter 20 till 31: 18. However, what we see immediately is the making of the Golden calf. This context must evoke in us a sense of rejected bond of a loving heart. When the book of Deuteronomy reflects about the giving of the law for the second time what is needed is the circumcision of the heart (Dt 10: 16) what Joel speaks similarly later about the tearing of heart instead of the gestures of tearing garments Joel 2:13.

“I am the Lord your God” is the very reason of the law. Even the continuing phrase “there shall be no other god besides me” is because “I am the Lord your God.” From Is 54: 5 we have "I am your Lord, the maker, your husband." No following of rules, no ritual performance and sacrifice, no images can substitute for entering into intimacy with God in knowing who he is to us. That is why we emphasise that it is a covenant, a personal relationship. We cannot worship concepts, nor any of our convictions can grant us grace.

This shows the danger if law itself becomes God. We may be mistaken and move in a belief system based on certain regulations, not rooted in faith. Thus we lose ourselves and misguide others. In our rigidity and hardness, we want to see the victory of that belief system, bang others with ‘that truth’ which has unknowingly become an ideology but still thought to be faith and morals. Unfortunately, when law becomes God it serves those who have the power to interpret and manipulate the law. So when the law itself becomes the Golden calf it is my own desire for power is being worshiped in disguise.

So the New Covenant is not a set of laws, it is the person of Christ. We cannot dupe Christ. Whatever he is, we are enabled to be through the power of the Holy Spirit. His attitudes and behaviour is the new law we follow. Through him, with him, and in him we have the following of the Law and the living of the covenant.

What I want is mercy, not sacrifice!

What I want is mercy, not sacrifice!

What is easier? Of course, it is sacrifice, even if it is costly or painful. We are ready to anything that does not touch our convenience and comfort. We can perform sacrifices and easily escape from what really can transform us.

The nature of relationship to God changes if we place god in a retributive system. It will be of numbers and measures. We perform a number of offerings, sacrifices, fasting, and then God ought to give blessings that we ask. It is a consumerist transaction in nature. God's blessings are not like salary to the things that we do or perform. God does not want to play a child who is pleased and happy when it is given some chocolate, or something 'very nice' is told about the child. Nor does god want to be a sympathizer who approaches us in favour when we take up some pain for God.

We often act well as if we are very faithful to god only to create an expectation of wonder and miracle, and miss the presence of God constantly among us. After all what is the use of a god who does not do what we want?
Such things are offering of abomination to God, a burden to God, says Isiah. not because they were not lawful, but because they were heartless.
Instead of such vain oblation what God desires is this: "cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow." Is 1: 13, 14, 17 Even the kind of fasting God wants is something similar: " to loose the chains of injustice and release the oppressed, sharing
food with the hungry, sheltering the homeless, and clothing the naked." Is 58: 6, 7
Ps 50 says, "Let thanksgiving be your sacrifice to God" Ps 50: 14
God will not reject a humble spirit and contrite heart. Psalm 51:17 Daniel 3:39-42

Worship happens only when God is known as someone worth, not when god is found useful. Our loyalty to god and devotion is based on the love of God, and God's constant presence with us. There is a bond of love and trust. If we can understand this, the loyal devotion will be generated in our relationship with others too in words, gestures and attitudes. We can be kind and merciful both to the living and the dead. It must be gratitude and love that motivate us to pray for them, not because of any fear that something might happen to us otherwise.

Just like what we heard about the sacrifice offered to God, we get to know the meaning of our relationship to them in gratitude, charity and trust. There we can experience and express not only the mercy and kindness of God, but the true power of God also.

What I want is mercy, not sacrifice! If you have understood the meaning of this you would not have condemned the blameless.

_____________________________ 

We do have repetitive prayers and patterns of prayers. that is not the problem here. the problem lies when the prayers are thought as if they 'produce' or cause grace. No prayer produces healing, forgiveness, victory... They are from God. "This blessing for this being said for this number of times," "try this and know what happens" ... are patterns of YouTube devotions. Sharing, giving Likes for holy pictures, repetition of Bible verses, writing sections or whole of Bible ... are extension of it. 

Those who find shelter in devotions are often unaware what they are trying to escape from. It might end up in failure emotionally, in life patterns and even in faith. 

It is really unhealthy and dangerous when we are not ready for transformations that are essential. It might worsen the situation when one relies only on miraculous praying over by someone. even though it is effortful to practice discipline, patience, industriousness, prudence ... it is not proper to expect conversion and a standing renewal without these sincere efforts. 

See Video

in Malayalam

... become a burning lamp

The child grew and became strong in the Spirit Lk 1: 80

At the greeting of Mary, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and the child leaped in her womb. At the naming of John the Baptist,  Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke words of prophesy. Close to his death, John was again comforted by the signs of the Spirit in the works of Jesus. 

We are greeted with many messages everyday, many information directly from people and from media. It is a time for a proper introspection to understand how many of them give us the touch of the Spirit, filling us with joy, and leading us to peace. It is important what we listen.  Only those messages that offer hope and ensure social friendship can make us leap with joy.

You shall be called the prophet of the most high. Lk 1:76                                                                Prophet listens to the truth, and speaks the truth, and sincerely searches for truth. Simply being zealous or revolutionary cannot make us prophets. True prophets listens to the truth through the loving kindness of the heart of God, introduces God's salvation to the people, and guides us into the way of peace. He became a voice crying out in the wilderness. 

Are you the one to come after me or shall we wait for another? Lk 7:19-23 Were I giving testimony to a wrong Messiah? What John's disciples saw and heard gave John another moment of leap of joy in the darkness of the prison. 

We too are being transformed into a prophet who speaks truth, searches the truth though the loving kindness of the heart of God. Listen to the messages leads to peace and life, lead others in the way of peace. in the light of the holy spirit challenge constantly the image of the Messiah and of God.

Then we will be able to point out to the Lamb of God, and become a burning lamp. Jn 5:35

Nurses - A voice to lead Nurses' Day 2021

Nurses - A voice to lead - A vision for future health care' Theme for 2021 Nurses' Day
One nurse from Holy Family Hospital Delhi (NDTV 9pm May 11, 2021) said that there is no time even to grieve, express our emotions.
Can we hear them, or their silence will be continued to be taken for granted and exploited? Do we know that they too have a family and a future, and personal ailments?

What the nurses and other health care workers need is not flowery praises like 'angels' and 'warriors,' they need dignified salary and due rest as any other professionals.

The burden upon them, especially in this time of pandemic is unbearable. Their lives and commitment will be valued only when the entire healthcare system is given priority over many profit making choices.

 
It is from the great contribution of these health care workers that "India squandered the early achievements" and brought to the present stage of crisis. Even now the priority does not seem to be in attending to the emergency and making immediate and alternative arrangement. It might bring very pathetic and helpless situation for the nurses in the Third Wave, and their silence will be taken for granted as ever.

 
Courts, media, political parties who were silent when the crowding occurred in different occasions that contributed to this spread, must see and speak for the health care workers now if they value their service in itself and for the sake of their contribution in the third wave which is said to be 'inevitable.'

Love one another

 Just as the presence of God is a living reality, loving one another is also a lived reality. It cannot be simply an affectionate extension. I like someone, I love someone. That is fine.

'Love one another' means I can never be 'not loving' anyone. if I keep someone away from love, I cease to be in the church, I cease to be in the body of Christ. We can reflect on this relating to Jesus' words, 'Abide in my love,' Wine and the branches,' 'when you did this to the least of my brothers you did it to me' ...

In loving one another we come to experience the living presence of Jesus.
As the father has loved me so I love you. therefore love one another.
He was at the bosom of the Father, offered life for us in his living and dying.
It is for this same experience the church has been preparing us so far in this Easter season.

The disciples were afraid, anxious, disappointed. They were praying, and they were telling the story of their genuine emotions. They loved one another, and strengthened one another as Jesus had once told Peter (Lk 22:32). There they experienced the presence of Jesus, offering peace to their hearts.

When we love another, we too experience the same consolation, embrace from God, holding close as a shepherd. We will l be able to come closer to others to see the wounds with life-giving power available in each other. We will know the infinite love available for us, and the truth that Christ is alive. It tells us what we experience deep within ourselves the life of god, longing for the further welling up of the Holy spirit.

In this difficult time it is a sign of love and trust that we share our fears and anxieties to one another, offer nourishment, comfort and encouragement, hold the life of one another as close as possible, do the good things whatever possible for us.

we will see a miracle; the sacrificial love of many who offered us life. Being in Christ's body they say: see these wounds, love, not be non-loving, but loving.

false pride murders many

There are people of good will and those capable of doing what is necessary . But they have no decisive or commanding power, even sometimes financial resources. Last year, many technicians had introduced alternative ways for meeting urgent needs. The same must be applied in present urgent situation.
The issue is largely in the good will and management. In hot summer many have a shelter under a tree in hospital surrounding. It may be needed that the District Collectors and Panchayats must be given more power and funding to meet the emergency so that they can pool multiple resources.

It can be thought that the centralized supply of Oxygen, vaccines ... was for a just distribution of these essential lifesaving things. But what we see is shortage even when the y continuously say that there is no shortage. Why does it not reach where it is needed?

People develop a normal feeling that NoOne Cares, we are left to our destiny. Our lives are not the priority of the government. When local social and health machineries fail and stand helpless, people at large cannot see each other dying a pathetic death. they will begin to act anything they can to save their lives. Of course the ordinary people cannot produce vaccines and oxygen generators. I hope it will be creative and spontaneous. I am afraid whether the dysfunctional system will create obstacle for such momentum.

The system is dysfunctional, just because lack of good will. Are we lacking in resources? Surely the world will help us. Humanity is not dead. Unfortunately false pride murders many.

begin to contemplate on death

If we want ourselves and others free of panicking in a pathetic situation, it cannot be done just by denial of it. We are in the midst of it, and we are faced with unfortunate events occurring almost every moment if we are waiting in a hospital. what prevails is uncertainty, and the fear of death.

If we speak of hope, it is not born just within a positive thinking or avoiding some 'bad' information. I feel that two things are essential in having hope that comforts and consoles our fears and uncertainties. They are gratitude and trust. Gratitude not only reminds us of what we have received, it also tells us how we have been held towards a bond of love, acceptance and nourishment. So it maintains an assurance of nearness of many though they may not be physically near. if we have lived a true bond of love, we also have a feeling of fulfillment and readiness to offer everything. Only our confidence of great human family we will be able to be free of our concern for other members of the family. Trust enables us to give ourselves in the hands of others and of God. Is it really true and practical? whatever may be the answer, it is sure that it is not something that is not impossible.

It is important to be able to be calm and not in distress. What we come to learn in such occasions is that we need each other as a human family and as members of the community of all living and nonliving things. They are with us, and they accept us. They can be trusted.

So it is important that we begin to contemplate on death more creatively as a moment of generous giving and trust. Seeing our loved ones in struggle is painful, but we cannot lose peace, then alone we can grant peace. Seeing the struggle of many we too may find ourselves helpless. This interior preparation is necessary for being ready for the worst. It is a preparation of cultivating and fruition of human goodness. We need each other. Our minds and hearts are to be ready in persona and in society to stand the third wave of Covid. We need to 'reinvent the human' within ourselves. It is a deep process, but urgent.

When we are still alive we will have been a new humanity with bonds of love, capable of trusting, nourishing one another.

Peace, we need

Many of us are facing a life-death struggle face to face these days. At times we are helpless, anxious, afraid, and broken. May God the giver of life fill us with peace; peace which is an openness towards a life-touch in every sphere of life. That may not 'solve' the crisis, but we will be able to stand these difficult moments.

When people are dying all around, losing the beloved ones we too may have a fear of death or a desire for death. We need a comfort and consolation from God that guide us towards trusting in God who leads us through the course of life in whatever direction it moves. That could enable us to pass through a death that is self emptying and life giving like that of Jesus.

What is required now is to encourage, support, trust, console each other, filling more of peace in everyone's heart. It is a ministry that is called for from all of us irrespective of religions. Seeing the vulnerable faces of each other we might come to know the bond among us.

There is no easy and immediate solution; and our prayers are not problem solving tools. The divine action is in our attitudes and gestures. They may be of an encouragement to keep the hope alive, not to be afraid even as someone feels deadly fatigue, to develop a heart that frees ourselves from unaccomplished ambitions and dreams in order that the moments of struggle may not be those of disappointment and regret, to offer a message of forgiveness that they are forgiven (by humanity and by the divine) that they may not be burdened by guilt.

May we be filled with peace, whether we are to live or to die.

It adds a responsibility for having concern for the poor, those who have no access to hospitals. We cannot let them die helpless.

Behold the man ...

We have become creators of history, creators of a developed world, creators of a new humanity. We have engineered ourselves, and the animals and plants to our benefit. We have created our future.

A sign from Ninevites is that they were ready to open themselves to look at the creator. People of Nineveh were ready to change their hearts. The king “rose from his throne, took off his robe, put on sackcloth and sat down in ashes.” He ordered a fast, “Men and beasts, herds and flocks, are to taste nothing; they must not eat, they must not drink water. All are to put on sackcloth and call on God with all their might….” It seems that he was convinced that we can look to God only when we put ourselves in equal footing with all of creation. This is possible in seeing the hunger and thirst in humans and other-than-humans alike.

Solomon prayed for ruling his kingdom in right judgement. According to the book of kings (1 King 4:33), he knew everything about trees, animals and small creatures. Considering the wisdom of his age, he may have known astrology, magic, language of animals and birds, and medicine. Stories about Solomon testifies to that.

Jonah, coming out of the belly of the whale preached condemnation on Nineveh. Jonah means ‘dove,’ and Israel is the beloved dove of Yahweh (Ps 74:19; Songs 2: 14). Jeremiah (51:34) speaks of Babylon as a great monster that has opened its mouth towards Israel. The prayer of Jonah (ch 2) shows the mourning and the hope of Israel in exile.

Solomon who knew everything did not know the dust from which everything emerged. For him men and animals became objects of exploitation. Animals were captured for sacrifices for many gods. People were merely a labour force. Jonah forgot the providence and care he experienced inside the belly of the whale (Israel during exile). He could not proclaim the message of mercy.

Gospels say: here is someone greater than Solomon, greater than Jonah. Jesus said: I feel compassionate towards them, they may faint on the way.

Let us Jonah once again. He is angry that God changed his plan of punishing Nineveh. He made a tent, and sat inside waiting to see Nineveh burning under the wrath of God. A worm destroys the creeper that gave some cool shade for Jonah. The worm is a sign of elements disturbing the comforts and security in waiting to see God’s vengeance over ‘others.’ Jonah in fact is a story that aims to correct the heartless cleansing movement that broke out after return from exile. Thus Jonah becomes significant for the pharisees who labelled the tax collectors, Samaritans, ‘sinners’ … as unclean. Jesus was able to see them as the children of God.

Let us meditate. “… he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, wiping them with the towel that was wrapped around him” (Jn 13: 4,5). …. Behold the man (Jn 19: 5).

Lent is that, to be one with all the creatures of the earth, knowing in gratitude the providing dynamics towards the hunger, thirst, breath…, and be alarmed about the situation if these dynamics disappears with ‘our creation’ of the world, see once again the kindness of the creator in nature.

Fasting and emptying

Forty days and forty nights,
He fasted and prayed in the desert.
He fought against 'divine' promises that were false.

produce bread with a word of command

prove yourself to be the Son of God by foolish heroism, an exhibition of divine power, even supported by the Word of God 

make everything under your possession by an act of worship

After he heard the voice that he was the son of God, in fasting he fought with falsity of God; what god is not.  

With loud cries and bitter tears he offered his prayers and supplications to the father who would hear him. He was heard because of his faithfulness.  

His prayer and fasting was of emptying, not with expectation of gaining.

We may have everything, managing power, resource, miracles, ... but may lack Christ. That is the time we need to fast and earnestly pray for the grace of self emptying.