Bible Reflections I 14.06.2021 - Monday I Indraya Manna

Ordinary Time - Week 11

Readings: I - 2Cor. 6:1-10

                II - Mt. 5:38-42

                

CONCERNING REVENGE

According to the Law of Moses concerning revenge, evil inflicted has to be paid back with the same density of evil viz. an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But Jesus, the New Moses gives a new law reversing and replacing the one that existed. Not to retaliate but to resist the evil doer with our good deeds.           

Revenge, Tit for tat, revolt is the existing norm of present scenario. Jesus instructs us to conquer evil with goodness. If we try to walk by the Gospel passage today we might be ridiculed and labelled as foolish and coward. If we dare to be Christians we should also dare to abide by the teachings of Jesus that calls us to challenge the existing world order. Forgiving the one offended, walking an extra mile for the good of one that manipulates, wishing the good of the one that inflicts evil is of course a challenge and a risk. The Bible says “Jesus went about doing good” (Acts 10:38). With the grace of God let us aspire to go about doing good modelled after our Master and Lord Jesus Christ.

Bible Reflections I 13.06.2021 - Sunday I Indraya Manna I

Ordinary Time - Week 11

Readings: 

           I  - Ezk. 17: 22-24

        II -  2Cor. 5: 6-10

      III - Mk. 4: 26-34

               

THE PARABLE OF THE GRWOING SEED AND THE MUSTARD SEED

The First and the Gospel reading of the day portray God as a gardener who plants a twig on lofty mountain top and scatters the seeds respectively.  The twig and the seeds are God’s choice of people for a specific purpose.  Israel to behold the Promised One, the Messiah and the New Israel for the purpose of gathering all people unto God and into His Kingdom.  As people of God it is our responsibility to please Him by walking in His way by faith is the guideline given by St. Paul in the Second Reading. 

The mustard that Jesus speaks of is tiny in size and it is a symbol of faith.  Tiny deeds done in faith can have ripple effect on people we live around transforming our earth a heaven as the 19th century poet in her poem ‘Little Things’ say:

“Little deeds of kindness

Little words of love

Make our earth an Eden

Like the heaven above”

As we live our lives so we sow the seed of the Word of God and God in His time will make it grow as St. Paul would say, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow” (1Cor. 3:6).  An encouraging nod, an appreciating word, a compassionate look, a gentle pat, silent presence, a kind gesture and above all a loving heart has a great power to touch and transform the world paving way for the heaven on earth. As people of God let us trust Lord, touch the life of the people and transform the world for the better.

மரியாவின் மாசற்ற திரு இதயம் Iதூய கன்னி மரியாவின் மாசற்ற இதயம் - நினைவு I...

Bible Reflections I 12.06.2021 - Saturday I IMMACULATE HEART OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY I Indraya Manna I

Ordinary Time - Week 10

Readings: I - Is. 61: 9-11

               II - Lk. 2: 41-51

             

IMMACULATE HEART OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY - Memorial 

The feast of Immaculate Heart of Mary follows the Feast of the Sacred of Jesus for Mary loved Jesus more than anybody could on the earth. Mary’s love for Jesus surpasses and supersedes the love of all other human being. Her love for Jesus was a combination of affection and devotion. Affection as her own son and devotion as Son of God. Today’s Gospel passage is about the hurting response of Jesus to His anxious parents about the loss of their son, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” Mary was unperturbed. She kept everything in her heart and pondered. To the question of an ordinary mother Jesus responds as a Son of God. Mary had to integrate the dichotomy as her only son and the only Son of God though she was not able to grasp. With the wisdom of heart she withstood by her son at all stages of his life with perfect understanding and love.  

We are living in a reality where the expectations of mother and children are outweighing one another resulting in disappointment, abandonment and strained relationship. The love of the mother manifests the love of God Himself as Gandhiji would often say, “God could not be everywhere, and therefore He made mothers”. The love of the mother is most of the times taken for granted. We are living in a scenario where mothers sheltered in old age homes, children feeling shy to introduce their mothers to their friends for a number of reasons, rashly judging them based on hearsay or no reason. Mary was with Jesus in supporting him and sustaining him at all times and the Bible tells that Jesus was obedient to his parents (Lk. 2:51). May the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary enlighten both the mothers and the children that, the mothers may understand their children and help them to grow up in the way God has designed for them without any self-interest or selfishness and that the children be obedient in cooperating with their mothers in realising God’s plan for them.

எனக்காய் ஏங்கும் இயேசுவின் திரு இதயம் I இயேசுவின் திருஇதயம் பெருவிழா I 1...

Bible Reflections I MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS I 11.06.2021 - Friday I Indraya Manna I

Ordinary Time - Week 10

Readings

       I - Hosea 11:1-4,8-9

     II - Eph. 3: 8-12, 14-19

    III - Jn. 19: 31-37

MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS – Solemnity

World Day of Prayer for Priests

St. Paul in his first letter to the Church at Corinth speaks about the characteristics of love (13:1-13) and St. John in his epistle says the God is love (IJn. 4:6). Jesus is ‘Man-God’ and personification of that unseen and unfathomable love of God. This is the crux of the feast the Church solemnises today - The Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Jesus gave up his life to the point of shedding even the last drop of his blood to save us as the Gospel reading of the day goes. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends” (Jh. 15:13) and “demonstrated his own love for us in this we were still sinners” (Rom. 5:8) and unworthy to be called as his friends. 

In the first reading today God says to the people of Israel, “The more I called them, the more they went from me”. The expressions of God’s love in our lives are inexplicable as the Psalmist say, “were I to proclaim and tell of them, they would be more than can be counted” (Ps. 40:5). If we turn back the pages of our life to count for God’s blessings, we will be amazed and astounded and behold they are the perfect expressions of God’s benevolent love for us. Have we not like the people of Israel taken His love for granted in sheer coldness, ingratitude, pride and wilful neglect?  

The Holy Bible says, “He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation” (Is. 61:10); “you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you” (Is. 43:4); “You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God’ (Is. 62:3). Am I worthy enough to befit this unconditional and absolute love? 

If we are able to grasp His gratuitous love for us we will be able to fulfill the commandment of Jesus, “love one another as I have loved you” without setting any condition, parameter, standard or bench mark for our love towards others. In this our love then, we will be able to prove to the world that we are disciples of Jesus. Let our hearts today resonate with this prayer, “Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, make my heart like yours”. 

 

Today let us in a special way intensify our prayers for the priests as we keep the World Day of Prayer for Priests. Let us thank the Lord for all the priests who sacrifice even their life in tending the flock of God entrusted to them with utmost love and care. We have lost so many priests during this pandemic. May the Lord grant them eternal rest.

நல்லுறவே சிறந்த காணிக்கை I 10.06.2021 - வியாழன் I Rev. Fr. Arokia Doss S...

Bible Reflections I 10.06.2021 - Thursday I Indraya Manna I

Ordinary Time - Week 10

Readings 

           I - 2Cor. 3:15-4:1,36

         II - Mt. 5:20-26

             

CONCERNING ANGER 

The murders are liable for judgment but in today’s Gospel Jesus says that the one who is angry with her brother or sister is liable to judgment. He goes a step further and insists to leave the offering at the altar and go to reconcile with the person who has something against this person. Through this powerful sermon Jesus enlightens the humanity that love of God and love of neighbour are inseparable and that they are two sides of the same coin.   

 

Insults inflicted and words spoken in anger can incapacitate, mutate and invalidate persons to the point of leaving them dead while they are still alive. Hence anger tantamount to murder. Jesus proposes reconciliation as a rudiment to quench anger and foster peaceful living. Reconciliation is to be resorted not only when we hurt others in our anger but also when we realise that others have something towards us. This requires humility. Jesus says, “Learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart” (Mt. 11:29). Anger comes from pride and reconciliation from a humble heart. 

May the Lord Jesus teach us to be humble so that hatred, anger, rancor, resentment and violence can be resolved in reconciliation and peace restored. Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God”. Getting angry is our weakness but feeling sorry for the same is Godliness. Let us repent, reconcile and recourse to peaceful living for we are children of God.

உம் வார்த்தைகள் எம் பாதைக்கு விளக்கு I 09.06.2021 - புதன் I Rev. Fr. Aro...

Bible Reflections I 09.06.2021 - Wednesday I Indraya Manna I

Ordinary Time - Week 10

Readings: I - 2Cor. 3:4-11

                II - Mt. 5:17-19

          

THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS 

Israel was chosen to walk by the law and wait for the promised one in prophesy. Jesus, the long awaited Messiah came as the fulfillment of the law and the prophets but in the stubbornness of their heart, the Scribes and the Pharisees refused to behold the promised one in Jesus. They were adamant in holding on to the difficult and multiplied version of the law than to accept its simplified and condensed version given by Jesus to love God and to love one’s neighbor as oneself. Jesus through his love and life proved that this commandment is possible to observe and through today’s Gospel passage invites us to observe and exhorts us to help others to in observing the same. 

The secrets of the Kingdom are revealed to mere children and are hidden from the learned and the clever (Mt. 11:25). If we wish to be great in the Kingdom of God we have to just feed the hungry, give a drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, cloth the naked, care for the sick and visit those in the prison (Mt. 25:35-40). In this way we certainly outdo not only the Scribes and the Pharisees but also the hypocrites of our time as well. For whatever we do to the least of our brethren we do unto God Himself (Mt.25: 40). Let us in the simple acts of our kindness and charity try to become great in the kingdom of God.

Bible Reflections I 08.06.2021 - Tuesday I Indraya Manna I

Ordinary Time - Week 10

Readings: I - 2Cor. 1:18-22

               II - Mt. 5:13-16

            

SALT AND LIGHT

Technology addiction, enormous self-love, cut-throat competitions, power obsession, false pride and vain glory have marooned the lives of people making them mechanical. Hence there is a decline in the nuances of humanness and human values leading to a tasteless, colourless, purposeless and meaning less life. In this scenario, according to today’s Gospel, Jesus invites us to make the marooned life colourful and meaningless life purposeful by being a light and the salt of the earth. 

As Christians we have the responsibility to testify to the world that it is in sharing and not accumulating; it is in giving and not in receiving; it is in synergy and not in success; and it is in solidarity and not in aloofness, can we make our life colourful and purposeful. It takes a lot of courage to go against the current carrying the light of Christ to savour the lives of the people living in darkness and despair. Courage! Our Lord Jesus Christ, “the Light of the world” is with us and walks ahead of us so that we may not stumble but walk steadily in His light lighting the lights of love, peace, joy, happiness, hope and forgiveness thereby savouring the lives of people we encounter. 

May the grace and blessings of our Lord Jesus Christ support, sustain and strengthen us in this our striving to be a light and the salt of the earth.

நீங்கள் பேறுபெற்றோர்கள் I 07.06.2021 - திங்கள் I Rev. Fr. Arokia Doss SD...

Bible Reflections I 07.06.2021- Monday I Indraya Manna

Ordinary Time - Week 10

Readings: I - 2Cor. 1:1-7

               II - Mt. 5:1-12

            

THE BEATTITUDES

In today’s Gospel, Jesus calls those labelled and branded by the world as ‘cursed’, ‘ill-fated’ and a ‘threat’ because they choose to live by high ideals of life, as ‘Blessed’, encourages and consoles them with the reward that awaits them. With the Sermon on the Mount Jesus sets the parameter for Gospel living, the sufferings on its account and the reward for enduring false accusations and sufferings inflicted on this accord. 

Whenever we are pushed into tight corner in our choices for decision making, may we dare to choose God again and again and suffer for the same so that we may hear in the silence of our hearts God calling us ‘Blessed’ and filling us with His peace and joy. In our striving to live for God we may have to suffer but let us remember that we have Christ with us to standby, understand, help and support, for the Scripture says, “since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us as we are being tested” (Heb. 2:18) and prove ourselves as Christians and the followers of Jesus. May we in the silence of our hearts keep praying the prayer of Jesus, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from all that is evil”.

கிறிஸ்துவின் திரு உடல் திரு இரத்தம் பெருவிழா I 06.06.2021 - ஞாயிறு I Rev...

Bible Reflections I 06.06.2021 - MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST - SOLEMNITY I

Ordinary Time - Week 10

Readings

      I - Ex. 24: 3-8

   II - Heb. 9: 11-15

  III - Mk. 14: 12-16, 22-28

MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST - SOLEMNITY

The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ signifies the gradual transition of the Old Covenant of God with His people Israel through Moses - "You are my people and I will be your God” to the New Covenant with us, the New Israel through Jesus, the New Moses as “Children of God”, confirmed in the blood of Jesus.

Today’s Gospel passage is about the celebration of the Passover and the Institution of the Holy Eucharist. At the outset of the celebration of the Passover Jesus says, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer” (Lk. 22:15). His desire in the Institution of the Holy Eucharist that assures us of His continual presence with us forever until the end our time. 

After the Institution of the Holy Eucharist, Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God”. An expression of His commission in building up a new world order. Thus Eucharist become a sign and symbol of His presence and mission.  

As Christians and the followers of Jesus, every time we celebrate the Holy Eucharist, we are assured of God's presence with us and are commissioned to establish a new world order where freedom, fraternity and justice reign. We are prone to go by the existing world order and enjoy the temporary peace that the world offers. 

But Jesus assuring His continual presence with us, commissions for a new world that implies saying ‘no’ to corruption, selfishness, casteism, racism, violence, revenge, exploitation, hatred and oppression and enjoy His everlasting peace. It’s a warfare between the friends of Jesus and the friends of the world. May we fight the battle with Jesus, hoping to raise our cup joyously with Him at the celebration of our eternal life with Him.

விளம்பரமில்லா நற்செயல் புரிவோம் I ஆயர் புனித போனிப்பாஸ் - நினைவு I 05.06...

Bible Reflections I 05.06.2021 - Saturday I Indraya Manna I

Ordinary Time - Week 9

Readings

          I - Tobit. 12:1,5-15,20

       II - Mk. 12:38-44

JESUS DENOUNCES THE SCRIBES AND PRAISES THE WIDOW

The Gospel passage of the day proposes two models of personality viz., the Scribes, noble and respectable persons but mere preachers and a widow, poor and insignificant but practitioner of the law. The former is the model of hypocrisy and the latter is the model of spirituality. One took delight in vain glory the other in the generous giving as the scripture says, giving up all that she had to live on, the two copper coins. It is the attitude that takes precedence over our actions.

  

We are living in the reality that is so much influenced by the ‘culture of publicity’. There are so many corporates, consultants and agencies besides the SNS platform that are working for the same cause. Scientific and technological developments have made publicity a click/tab away. Still we do find people like the poor widow, going about doing good out of their way noticed by none but God alone. For instance, during this pandemic we did find ordinary common people helping the affected out of humanity and not publicity by providing physical, moral and spiritual support by contributing their mite. 

Somee have also volunteered to help even at the cost of risking their lives by offering frontline services or by providing a decent burial to the deceased. May God be glorified in their generosity. As Christians we are called to imitate our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ shunned publicity either while performing the miracles or while preaching in the public or when the people wanted to make him a king. Modelled after our Lord Jesus Christ may we live our lives challenging the existing culture of publicity.

நீ வணங்கும் கடவுள் இயேசுவா? I 04.06.2021 - வெள்ளி I Rev. Fr. Arokia Doss...

Bible Reflections I 04.06.2021 - Friday I

Ordinary Time – Week 9

Readings: I - Tobit 11:5-15

               II - Mk. 12:35-37

THE QUESTION ABOUT DAVID’S SON

In today’s Gospel we read Jesus quoting the Scripture to prove that He is not merely David’s Son but God’s own Son. The prophecy about the Promised One, the long await Messiah was already fulfilling in the person of Jesus. But in their stubbornness of heart, the Scribes, the Pharisees, the Chief Priests and the elders refused to accept this truth because of sheer jealousy, pride and prejudice. For in them was fulfilled the prophecy of Prophet Isaiah, “you will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving” (Isaiah 6:9).

We are not very much different from those hypocrites. We too wish to hear only what is pleasing and see what is satisfying. We even try to shun from our family and friends, dear and beloved ones because their truth hurt us. We pamper our inflated ego, enormous pride and escalated prejudice to hate people who are different from us and bypass the hurting truth that come from them. May the Lord grace us with an open mind and heart to understand what we hear and to perceive what we see accepting the uniqueness and difference in every person in our search for truth.

Bible Reflections I 03.06.2021 - Thursday I

Ordinary Time – Week 9

Readings: I - Tobit 6:10-11,7:1,9-14,8:4-9

               II - Mk. 12:28-34

THE FIRST COMMANDMENT

 

In today’s Gospel we read one last question posed by one of the Scribe followed by the chief priests, the elders, the sadducees and the other scribes to Jesus, “which commandment is the first of all?” As a faithful Jew Jesus responded saying, to love the Lord God above all else, and to it he added the second, to love the neighbours as oneself.

The whole week we had been reading about Jesus answering one question after another, about his authority, payment of tax to Caesar, resurrection of the dead and about the first commandment, with utmost wisdom and prudence. It was possible because he was aware of His identity as the Son of God the Father and he was always united with Him in prayer. 

 In the context of our world today we are faced with wickedness, plotting, fault finding, injustice, corruption, misunderstanding, hatred, rash conclusions and violence. The Gospel passages of the week invite us to become aware of our own identity as Children of God and to be always united with Him in prayer as did Jesus our Lord so as to combat the current context with prudence and wisdom. Jesus has walked the way. He has said, “Behold I’m with you until the end of time”. Let us hold fast to the hands of Jesus and tread our path courageously facing everyone and everything.