Sunday, June 20, 2021
Bible Reflections I 21.06.2021 - Monday I Indraya Manna I
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)
Saturday, June 19, 2021
Bible Reflections I 20.06.2021- Sunday I Indraya Manna
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)
Friday, June 18, 2021
Bible Reflections I 19.06.2021 - SATURDAY I Indraya Manna I
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”
Thursday, June 17, 2021
Bible Reflections I 18.06.2021 - Friday I Indraya Manna I
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.
Wednesday, June 16, 2021
Bible Reflections I 17.06.2021 - Thursday I Indraya Manna I
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.
Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Bible Reflections I 16.06.2021 - Wednesday I Indraya Manna I
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.
Monday, June 14, 2021
Bible Reflections I 15.06.2021- Tuesday I Indraya Manna
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”.
Sunday, June 13, 2021
Bible Reflections I 14.06.2021 - Monday I Indraya Manna
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.
Saturday, June 12, 2021
Bible Reflections I 13.06.2021 - Sunday I Indraya Manna I
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.
Friday, June 11, 2021
Bible Reflections I 12.06.2021 - Saturday I IMMACULATE HEART OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY I Indraya Manna I
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.
Thursday, June 10, 2021
Bible Reflections I MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS I 11.06.2021 - Friday I Indraya Manna I
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.
Wednesday, June 9, 2021
Bible Reflections I 10.06.2021 - Thursday I Indraya Manna I
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.
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