Sunday, November 13, 2022

CHILDREN 'S DAY I14.11.2022 - MONDAY I REV. FR. AROKIA DOSS SDB I INDRAY...

Bible Reflections I 14.11.2022 - MONDAY I INDRAYA MANNA I

Ordinary Time - Week 33
Readings 
            I - Rev. 1: 1-4; 2: 1-5
           II - Lk. 18: 35-43
Children’s Day (India)
          
CALL TO THE LORD
                  
Today’s Gospel passage is about the healing of the blind beggar on the road near Jericho. Three lessons can be drawn for life from this passage. One, though the beggar was blind, he was attentive and keen in capturing what was happening around him. When he realised that Jesus was passing by, he began to shout out saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me”. Two, the crowds commanded him to be quite. The more they ordered the shouted even more louder calling out the name of Jesus for his healing. And, three, the gratefulness of the blind beggar. Regaining his sight the blind beggar followed Jesus, glorifying God. At all moments in our life, be attentive to capture the presence of God; call to him at the time of trouble without giving in to despair and discouragement and finally thank God at all times for all his marvels in our life.

Today in India, we celebrate Children’s Day. Children are the greatest gift and model to each of us. Of all things Jesus turned upside down, none was more surprising and unexpected than his depiction of a little child as the model we should imitate and learn from. The image he put forward as the ideal to strive for was not the image of some great heroic figure, a person of great strength and power, a superstar, or even a wise old man or woman . For Jesus, the child was a model of radical humility, trust, a sense of wonder and playfulness. While we thank God for the Children who are the great asset of a nation, do not also forget to pray for those children who have lost their childhood becoming victims of social evils like trafficking, child abuse, alcohol, violence, hard labour and drugs. May God bless all our children, the pillars of the Church and the Nation. God Bless them all. Let our mind and heart resonate with the prayer: “Lord Jesus, bless our children”.