நற்கனி தரும் மரங்களாய் மாறுவோம் I 23.06.2021 - புதன் I Rev. Fr. Arokia D...

Bible Reflections I 23.06.2021 - Wednesday I Indraya Manna

Ordinary Time - Week 12

Readings: I - Gen. 15: 1-12; 17-18

         II - Mt. 7: 15-20                 

A TREE AND ITS FRUIT

In today’s Gospel Jesus cautions us not to be deceived by impressing gestures and appealing words of the hypocritical people around us. He also gives us a clue to discover their hypocrisy with the simple metaphor, “a good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree good fruit”. Integrity of the people testify their quality and credibility while disintegrity cause incredibility and bad reputation.  

St. Francis of Assisi would say, “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words”. Preaching Gospel at all times is nothing but to walk the talk, make it a way of living and that is spirituality. Mere preachers of a religion are not more than a ‘salesperson’; for a salesperson promote a product while the preacher promote a religion.

As Christians with an obligation to preach the gospel, it is easy to speak about God’s love, mercy, forgiveness and benevolence. It is not in preaching alone should people discover us that we are Christians but in our actions as well. Jesus says, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn. 13:35). 

If we are Christians and God’s people then we have it prove it in our love, mercy and forgiveness to one another as St. John in his epistle exhorts, “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God” (1Jh. 4:7). Let us go beyond our likes and dislikes, hate none, love all, forget discords and forgive one another and prove to the world that we are Christians and God’s people fostering hope and joy. We are good trees and cannot but yield only good fruits. May place all our trust in the Lord for His grace to bear only good fruits. 

எது உங்கள் வழி? இடுக்கமான வழியா? அகலமான வழியா? I 22.06.2021 - செவ்வாய் I...

Bible Reflections I 22.06.2021 - Tuesday I Indraya Manna I

Ordinary Time - Week 12

Readings: 

         I - Gen. 13: 2, 5-18

      II - Mt. 7: 6 , 12-14            

THE GOLDEN RULE AND THE NARROW GATE

To the spinning world of competition and success that aspire for short cuts, instants, ready-mades, cozy corners and comfort zones to achieve their goals, Jesus gives a jerk by proposing a ‘narrow path’ that would definitely lead to eternal life and happiness. With the golden rule, “in everything do to others as you would have them do to you”. Jesus intends a win-win strategy for a blissful living against the existing win-lose strategy.  

To treat the other like as we treat ourselves is a challenging narrow path. It is difficult but not impossible. We care for our name, fame, reputation, respect and honour but do we wish the same for the other? The ‘I’ in us is so predominant that we promulgate and pamper it at the cost of negative criticism, cutting remarks, false accusation, rash judgment and ridiculous rumors towards others making their precious life a difficult and impossible one to live. This is what Jesus calls as ‘broad path’, easy but leads to destruction. Jesus through the Gospel passage invites us to travel through the ‘road less travelled’ by overcoming our jealousy, selfishness, pride and arrogance.

 Encouraging words, wishing the good of the other, a bit of appreciation and praise, prioritizing others needs to our own, positive outlook on others and generous forgiveness especially to those whom we don’t love enough or don’t love at all is difficult. This is narrow path that requires courage and a large heart. Dare to tread it with grace, prayer and above all with a bit of love for a bit of love can set all things right. In the silence of our hearts let us pray: “Lord Jesus fill my heart with your love”.

தீர்ப்பிடாத மனம் வேண்டும் இயேசுவே I21.06.2021 - திங்கள் IRev. Fr. Arokia...

Bible Reflections I 21.06.2021 - Monday I Indraya Manna I

Ordinary Time - Week 12

Readings: I - Gen. 12: 1-9

                II - Mt. 7: 1-5

JUDGING OTHERS

According to the teachings of the Jewish tradition the Jewish people believed that God used two measures to judge His people viz. measure of justice and measure of mercy. Whichever measure they used on the others would be measure that God will use upon them. This is what Jesus says in today’s Gospel passage: “For the judgment you make you will be judged”. 

All of us are imperfect with wrongdoings and shortcomings and are unworthy to pass any judgment. As the Psalmist would say, “If you O Lord should mark our guilt, who will survive?” (Ps. 130:3). In the letter of St. James we read, “There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when He judges you" (Jas: 2:13). The One who is all perfect and has the right to judge, restrains as the scripture says, ”The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in mercy”. (Ps. 145:8)

When we are prone to pass judgment on anybody, let us hold on, reverse it upon ourselves and examine, if the judgment befit us we have no right to make judgment on others. This is the teaching par excellence of Jesus. Jesus said to the ravaging crowd that brought the woman caught in the very act of committing adultery, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” (Jh. 8:7). While Jesus was hanging on the cross amidst the murderers said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Lk. 23:34). When we are pushed to pass judgment upon others we have two options: Either to examine ourselves in the light of the accusation we make on others or to forgive, modelled after the example of Jesus our Lord. As Jesus exhorts let us “be merciful even as the Heavenly Father is merciful”. (Lk.6:36)

Bible Reflections I 20.06.2021- Sunday I Indraya Manna

Ordinary Time - Week 12

Readings:  

         I - Job 38: 1-4, 8-11

     II - 2Cor 5: 14-17

    III - Mk. 4: 35-41

               

JESUS STILLS A STORM

The Poet Tennyson would thus say about God, “Closer is He than breathing, and nearer than hands and feet”.  God and man coexist and are inseparable. God is the author of our lives, our Father, our Redeemer and our sustainer.  All we need is to stand firm and steadfast in this faith is the mainstream of all three readings today. Our God is all knowing and all powerful as revealed to Job in the first reading, He is all loving that He did not spare His only Son in restoring our identity as children of God as St. Paul says in the second reading and He is Immanuel - God with us as he was with His disciples in the Gospel reading today. Because we are precious to Him (Is. 43:4), the apple of His eye (Zec. 2:8) and He has carved us in the palm of His hands (Is. 49:16) so that we are never forgotten by Him.

Our life too like a boat is tossed by the turbulence of various trials. Now with the pandemic and its consequences viz. lay off, retrenchment, unplanned medical expenses, loos of loved ones, psychological trauma; the advent of new academic year and its consequences viz. school fees, expenditure on text books and note books; other fears, anxiety and worries can encircle like a whirlwind challenging our faith and trust in God. Let us not get panicked rather constantly keep repeating in our hearts: “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold” (Ps. 46:11)

கவலைகள் நம்மை மெல்லக் கொல்லும் நஞ்சு I19.06.2021 - சனி I Rev. Fr. Arokia...

Bible Reflections I 19.06.2021 - SATURDAY I Indraya Manna I

Ordinary Time - Week 11

Readings: I - 2Cor. 12:1-10

                II - Mt. 6: 24-34

                

DO NOT WORRY

The Gospel passage comes as an invitation to trust in the Providence of God and strive for God’s Kingdom and righteousness. God’s righteousness in His Kingdom is that everyone gets everything. The wealth of the world is not the privilege of the few but a gift to everyone. As the children of the Father, no one can deprive anyone from sharing the wealth of the world. Hence the Gospel passage is an invitation to both the rich and the poor alike.  

The rich are worried about their wealth. They accumulate wealth for various reasons viz. security, safety, status, prestige and power without giving a second thought about God and His Providence. To the rich it is an invitation to sharing, giving, empowering and caring placing all their trust in the Father who provides. The poor are marginalised and deprived even of basic necessities. They worry about basic necessities forgetting that there is a Father above and His Providence. To the poor it is an invitation to hope, have courage and trust in the Father who cares. When both accept the invitation there is fraternity, reciprocity and equality. And this is Kingdom of God where only God’s righteousness reign.  

Giving up is a challenge. Let us dare to take it up for we have saints who have walked the way. St. Thomas Becket, son of a wealthy commoner, gave away all his power, position and riches and committed himself to work for the Church especially in helping the poor. St. Katherine Drexel became a nun, gave away all her inheritance to start a congregation that would work for the poor blacks and the American Indians. St. Francis of Assisi, son of a rich cloth merchant, abandoned a life of luxury for a life devoted to Christ in helping the lepers and the poor. They were able to do so because they realised that all are children for one Father in Heaven. As Jesus exhorts, let us strive for this and as he had promised the rest will fall in line.

May we in the silence of our heart constantly keep praying as Jesus taught us, “Your Kingdom come Lord”

Bible Reflections I 18.06.2021 - Friday I Indraya Manna I

Ordinary Time - Week 11

Readings

           I - 2Cor. 11:18, 21-30

         II - Mt. 6: 19-23

                

THE SOUND EYE

‘It is better to light lamp than to curse the darkness’ is a familiar proverb. Yes, light dispels darkness. Jesus in today’s Gospel says that the eye is the lamp of the body. Eye is the most powerful input and output organ of the body system comparatively. What enters the eye, fill our body, mind and heart and we conduct ourselves accordingly. For example; David rose from his couch and was walking about on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; the woman was very beautiful…thus goes the bible verse (II Sam. 11:2). On account of seeing, David sins with Bathsheba, kills his husband Uriah, earns God’s wrath and loses his son. So if the eye if filled with whatever is base, mean and filth, we will be stumbling in darkness of despair, depression and discouragement and stumble the path of others as well. When the eye is filled with all that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable, the attributes mentioned by St. Paul in his letter to the Church at Philippi (Phil. 4:8), we will be aglow, transmitting the grace, mercy, love and compassion of God and help all around us to walk in our light leading them to the light of God. For example, When Jesus looked up (Lk. 19:5) the sycamore tree to look into the eyes of Zacchaeu, the life of Zacchaeus, the tax collector was transformed. It is better to guard our eyes than to let our whole life go a waste and disgrace.   

Constant trimming and kindling is required for a lamp to shine bright. Similarly, if we wish to be sparkling with the grace and spirit of God, we must be vigilant about what we see and perceive. What we see defines and describes our life. Therefore, be vigilant and on the guard to carry the light of God in our eyes to radiate the lives of people around us. 

Let us today intensify our prayer for the people who are addicted to pornography, online games, movies, bad literature and the like that they may be enlightened by the love and grace of God.

கடவுளுக்கு பிடித்த ஜெபம் எது? I 17.06.2021 - வியாழன் I Rev. Fr. Arokia D...

Bible Reflections I 17.06.2021 - Thursday I Indraya Manna I

Ordinary Time - Week 11

Readings: I - 2Cor. 11:1-11

                II - Mt. 6: 7-15

                

CONCERNING PRAYER - OUR FATHER

Jesus subverts the relationship between God and the people of Israel “we are your people and you are our God” to a relationship of sonship by calling God, “Our Father”. A paradigm shift from ‘God’ to ‘Father’. The father knows to care for his children even without being asked hence there is no necessity for multiplicity of words. Through His prayer “Our Father” Jesus teaches us how to be God’s responsible children in realising the Kingdom of God here on earth. “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Mt. 6:33) is the central theme of the Gospel passage today.

The deepest desire and the driving dream of Jesus was, “Kingdom of God” based on freedom, fraternity and justice. In His prayer, Jesus’ teaches us to pray to the Father to make us befitting to behold this great responsibility of restructuring the world starting from each one of us. To understand the prayer better let us reflect on the last three invocations of the prayer.  

The first of the last three is about forgiveness. Impeding God’s forgiveness on conditional basis. So we forgive so shall we also be forgiven. There is no choice but to forgive if we wish to be forgiven. Forgiveness liberates. With forgiveness we become free children of God. As free children of God we are called to choose between the good and apparently good, the worldly values and the Gospel values. The worldly values are alluring while the Gospel values are challenging. To stand by the worldly values to sustain in the world or to stand alone with the Gospel values is the constant temptation. Jesus teach us to pray to the Father not to lead us to this temptation but to stand steadfast in His values of love, peace, generosity, humility, honesty, hope, joy and foster fraternity. 

In every temptation we have three choices viz. to compromise, to yield to the world and to yield to God. In the last invocation we plead for God’s grace to resist these temptations and yield to God alone so that there reigns justice and order in the world. Our striving for freedom, fraternity and justice can actualize the dream of Jesus, the Kingdom of God, where His name is honoured and His will prioritized. This is a warfare for which we are strengthened and supported by God’s the Word of God, the daily bread that sustains in our daily journey and we plead to God for this bread to fight the battle in bringing up God’s reign here on earth.

முகமலர்ச்சியுடன் உதவுங்கள் I 16.06.2021 - புதன் I Rev. Fr. Arokia Doss S...

Bible Reflections I 16.06.2021 - Wednesday I Indraya Manna I

Ordinary Time - Week 11

Readings: 

            I - 2Cor. 9:6-11

         II - Mt. 6: 1-6, 16-18

                

CONCERNING ALMS GIVING, PRAYER AND FASTING

Through today’s Gospel passage Jesus tries to alter the human focus from earthly reward to heavenly reward while practicing the acts of piety. Since these acts of piety viz. almsgiving, prayer and fasting are attributed to God, they must be accomplished with an undivided attention and utmost concentration solely with the intention of pleasing God alone unlike the hypocrites and the Pharisees who sort for human appreciation and applause.

Once an elderly priest encountered me for a casual chat and as we were about to part he said, “even if the whole world hails you and still God says, ‘my son you have disappointed me’ you’ve failed as a child of God. Instead if the whole world despises you and God says, ‘my son. I’m pleased with you’. You have achieved all as a child of God. The choice is yours”. The praises of the world does not follow us up to heaven. It is our intention and attitude that will follow to gain merit in the sight of the Lord

When once St. John of the Cross was praying, Jesus asked him, “What would you like to have from me for all you have done and all you have suffered?” John replied, “Lord, to suffer and be despised for you”. “It is better to be the child of God than king of the whole world” says St. Aloysius Gonzaga. Like these saints, do we have the courage to forego the praises, glory and honour of this world to gain all of them from God alone? . In every one of our act let us examine ‘For whom I am doing this? Whom do I want to please?” This is the wisdom of heart and grace of God. May the Lord give us the grace to choose to please God alone in all our thoughts, words and deeds and prove ourselves to be the children of God.

இறைவனை போல நிறையுள்ளவராய் வாழுங்கள் I 15.06.2021 - செவ்வாய் I Rev. Fr. A...

Bible Reflections I 15.06.2021- Tuesday I Indraya Manna

Ordinary Time - Week 11

Readings: I - 2Cor. 8:1-9

                II - Mt. 5:43-48

                

LOVE FOR ENEMIES

Claiming to be people of God or children of God vests in being like God especially in extending our love even to our enemies is the crux of the Gospel passage today. The commandment of God to the people of Israel from the book of Leviticus was, “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself”. They inferred this command according to their convenience and said, “Hate your enemy” though there were expressed command of God to the contrary as we find in Ex. 23:4 and Deu. 23:7. The Law breakers or those who failed to abide by the commandment of God were considered as sinners and outcasts. 

Thee tax collectors were considered as sinners. They were good to the people who were good to them and never otherwise. The gentiles were regarded as outcast because they failed to live by the Law. As per the Gospel passage if we love only those who love us we are not better than the sinners and the outcast.

                        

The paradoxical yet practical preaching of Jesus proposes to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Is it possible to love and pray for those who offend, scoff, revile, falsely accuse, spread rumors, gossip and drag our name in vain to the point of making our life difficult and disastrous? Jesus is our model par excellence in this regard who forgave even His executioners. We do have exemplary people even in this era following this teaching to inspire and encourage besides being a witness to Christian living. 

Gladyss stains forgave the killers of her husband and two children burning them alive though they did no mistake than to take care of the lepers there as missionaries from Australia, Saint Pope John Paul II forgave Mehmet Ali Agca who shot him with the intention of killing him, the family of Sr. Rani Maria forgave and embraced Samadar Singh the assassin.

 A bit of love can set our life for a legendry living of forgiveness. It is in loving everyone beyond our likes and dislikes, friends and foes, whims and fancies can we imitate our Father in Heaven and claim ourselves to be children of God the Father. In the silence of our hearts let us pray: “Lord Jesus inflame my heart with you love”.

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.