Friday, October 1, 2021
Bible Reflections I 02.10.2021 - Saturday I Indraya Manna I
Readings
I - Bar. 4: 5-12, 27-29
II - Lk. 10: 17-24
The Holy Guardian Angels (Memorial)
WE ARE EMPOWERED TO EMPOWER
The seventy two sent on a mission by Jesus returned to him with the joy of performing and accomplishing the wondrous deeds in the name of Jesus. Jesus enkindled their flame of fervor and enthusiasm enlightening about the power granted to them to tread and trample down all evil powers; and gave them the reason to rejoice that their names were written in heaven. Jesus gave thanks and blessed the Father on their accord for choosing mere children to reveal His power.
We are weak and fragile being containing the power of God within us as St. Paul would say, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us” (2 Cor. 4:7). Hence we can do all things in Christ who strengthen us (Phil. 4:13). Our talent, glory, honour and riches come from God and therefore “let the one who boasts boast in the Lord” (1 Cor. 1:31). Allow not pride to overpower instead praise aloud in joy and thanksgiving to the Lord for we have found favour in the eyes of the Lord.
We are lit by God to light the lives of many. We are empowered by God to empower the underprivileged, the abandoned, the oppressed, the neglected, the poor and the marginalised. Today the Church celebrates the feast of the Guardian Angels, entrusted by God with the task of assisting and accompanying us constantly aligning our ways unto the ways of God till we enter into that life eternal. May the timely support and guidance of our guardian angels help us to become one like them to others in our striving to make this earth a heaven.
Thursday, September 30, 2021
Bible Reflections I 01.10.2021 - Friday I Indraya Manna I
Readings
I - Bar. 1: 15-22
II - Lk. 10: 13-16
St. Theresa of Child Jesus,
Virgin, Doctor of the Church
LISTEN AND LIVE BY THE WORD OF GOD
Jesus sent out the seventy two with great trust, on his behalf and in his name with a message and necessary tutoring. Today’s Gospel passage is about the havoc that would be brought upon the people by themselves because of their willful neglect of the Word of God. Rejection of the Word of God is rejection of Jesus and hence rejection of God Himself.
Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Theresa of Child Jesus who responded to the love of God with all her heart, mind and strength in her own little way. She did not do anything extraordinary but little deeds with great love for Jesus. Every one of her step, move, gesture and activity was an expression of her love for Jesus. She was a Cloistered Carmelite Nun confined to the convent yet she is the Patroness of missionary, Patroness of France and above all the Doctor of the Church. Mindfulness about Jesus made her to be obsessed by the love for Jesus. She has promised to help those who choose to love Jesus and adhere to live by his word. Let us invoke her intercession to help us to be mindful in listening to the Word of God and live by the same for the love of God and as an expression of our love for God. May our heart and mind resonate with the prayer: “St. Theresa of Child Jesus, teach us to love God in your ‘little way’”.
Wednesday, September 29, 2021
Bible Reflections I 30.09.2021 - Thursday I Indraya Manna I
Readings
I - Neh. 8: 1-12
II - Lk. 10: 1-12
St. Jerome (Priest, Doctor of the Church)
BE PURPOSE FILLED FOR GOD CARES
Today’s Gospel passage is about the trust and tutoring of Jesus. With great trust in the seventy two, Jesus sends them ahead of him to all the towns and places he himself was to visit. To them he entrusts the mission of preaching about the Kingdom of God; and healing and curing of the sick. He does not send them just like that. He tutors them with instructions on their focus about the mission and provision for their livelihood. He gave them a purpose to their life and cared for their provisions as well.
We have a purpose in our life as Christians, to love all and to reflect Christ in all that we do and say. We strive for life sustenance, education, health, wealth and happiness. This is quite normal and natural. Do we strive to be become one like Christ in our loving, caring, speaking, listening, associating and accompanying? We are gifted with a Christian vocation with much love and trust that we be present where Christ himself wishes to be present. The Holy Spirit and the Holy Bible tutors constantly as to how to put on Christ. Do we adhere? Let us be determined and be focused on our Christian living and the caring God will shower His blessings upon even the minute and meticulous things as the Scripture says, “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Mt. 6: 33). May we be purpose filled for God cares.
Tuesday, September 28, 2021
Bible Reflections I 29.09.2021 - Wednesday I Indraya Manna I
Readings
I - Deu. 7: 9-10, 13-14
II - Jn. 1: 47-51
St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael
(Archangels – Feast )
SIMPLICITY AND OPENNESS OF HEART BEHOLDS TRUTH
When Philip spoke about Jesus to Nathanael, in all his simplicity he asked, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (Jn. 1: 46) and still with the openness of heart he went with Philip to verify for himself if Jesus was the Messiah and he indeed beheld the truth after meeting Jesus, the Messiah. We complicate our life that is so simple, create confusion to conceal reality, and willfully reject to accept the truth. Openness of heart can overtake prejudice, simplicity can surpass stubbornness and pave way to peruse all that is true, real and lasting. Let us with simplicity and openness of heart dare to behold the truth as it comes.
Today the Church celebrates the feast of the Archangels St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael. The work of St. Michael is to defeat Satan and its rebellious activities, that of St. Raphael is to be the guardian of the wayfarers and finally that of St. Gabriel is to be the messenger of God. May St. Michael help us to conquer the constant battle between the good and the evil in us defeating all that is not of/for God; St. Gabriel make us like himself the messenger of the Good News wherever we are and St. Raphael be our constant companion in our life journey until we reach our final destination, a blissful eternal life with God. Let us in the silence of our heart keep repeating this prayer: “St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael bless us and pray for us”
Monday, September 27, 2021
Bible Reflections I 28.09.2021 - Tuesday I Indraya Manna I
Readings
I - Zech. 8: 20-23
II - Lk. 9: 51-56
OUR GOD IS GOD OF GENTLENESS
Jesus was focused about his mission and ministry; and therefore set his face to go to Jerusalem when the days drew near for him to be taken up. Jesus and his disciples were on their way to Jerusalem through Samaria, the shortcut to Jerusalem. Though Jesus was already renowned and hailed by people as teacher, preacher and healer, the Samaritans did not receive him into their city because of the constant conflict between the Jews and the Samaritans. The Jews considered the Samaritans as outcasts and never associated with them. But to go to Jerusalem they always chose the shortcut through Samaria and this caused prejudice in the minds of the Samaritans and hence they refused to receive Jesus too into their city. The disciples of Jesus, James and John wanted Jesus to command them to bring down fire from heave to destroy them. But Jesus rebuked his disciples and went through another village to Jerusalem.
We can draw two lessons from the Gospel passage of the day. First, the Samaritans in their prejudice received not Jesus, the promised one of God and the restorer (Deu. 18:15) whom they believed in and waited for. And Secondly, Jesus was so gentle and understanding enough to respect the freedom and feelings of the Samaritans that he went through another village to Jerusalem. Everyone has their own reason for their reaction. When we choose to go beyond and to respond, we will be sure to cease the chances, opportunities, prospects and possibilities ahead unlike the Samaritans. Let us also like Jesus, be gentle and respect the freedom of others than violating, coercing and trampling. May our heart and mind resonate with the prayer: “Gentle Jesus, teach me to be like you”.
Sunday, September 26, 2021
Bible Reflections I 27.09.2021 - Monday I Indraya Manna I
Readings
I - Zech. 8: 1-8
II - Lk. 9: 46-50
THE LEAST IS THE GREATEST
The life and teachings of Jesus topsy turvy the standard set by the world. The preaching of Jesus counteract and contradict the principles of the world order turning it upside down. In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus says that anyone who welcomes a little child in His name, welcomes in the name of the Father and such a person is great in the Kingdom of Heaven. In the Jewish society, children were considered insignificant, least and were unrecognized. In reaching out to such little child lies the greatness of the person.
‘Little child’ connotes, the helpless, the hopeless, the marginalised, the poor, the downtrodden, the oppressed, the weak and the vulnerable. In short, the neglected section of the society. St. Theresa of Calcutta is a concrete example of our time. She is great because she served the neglected, rejected and the abandoned section of the society in the name of Jesus. Greatness consists in becoming small by befriending and serving the least in the name and for the sake of Jesus. Let us take the model of Jesus, who emptied himself in the incarnation for our sake and who stooped down like a servant to wash the feet of his disciples and set an example for us to be followed. We become great in serving the least. May our mind and heart resonate with this prayer: “Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like yours”.
Saturday, September 25, 2021
Bible Reflections I 26.09.2021 - Sunday I Indraya Manna I
Readings
I - Num. 11: 25-29
II - Jas. 5: 1-6
III - Mk. 9: 38: 43,
45, 47-48
World Day of Migrants and Refugees
THE GIFTS WE ARE GIVEN ARE GIFTS TO BE SHARED
God’s favour is not the privilege of few. He bestows His gifts upon people for a purpose. The reading of the day invites us to acknowledge and accept the gift of God conferred on others with openness of heart than to be envious and suspicious as did Joshua, the assistant of Moses in the first reading and John, the beloved disciple of Jesus in the Gospel reading. The Spirit we have received is the spirit of unity as St. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians would say, “Be diligent to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4: 3). In the first reading the Spirit anoints Eldad and Medad for prophesying in the camp. ‘Someone’ in the Gospel passage drove out demon in the name of Jesus. One in the spirit and for the common good.
The gifts given by God is not the private possession but they are to be given away and shared for human welfare and up building; precisely for the glory of God. If we realise this we will be able to appreciate and rejoice at the gifts of others rather than feeling envy, jealousy, greedy and resentment. As children of God we are called to be grateful for our own gifts and talents and; are invited to glorify and praise God for the gifts He has bestowed on others all for his honour and for the good of the humankind.
September 26 is celebrated as the World Day of Migrants and Refugees. Let us intensify our prayers for them and try to share our gifts and blessings with them for they too are children of God like us, created in the image of God. May our heart and mind resound with the prayer: “Lord Jesus, Help us to rejoice at the gifts of others”
Friday, September 24, 2021
Bible Reflections I 25.09.2021 - Saturday I Indraya Manna I
Readings
I - Zec. 2: 1-5, 10-11
II - Lk. 9: 43 - 45
DELIGHT IN DOING GOD’S WILL
Fame, name, pomp, glory, honour, praise or popularity can never disturb or disorient a determined, convinced, focused and highly goal oriented person. In today’s Gospel passage we read that people were astounded at the greatness of God and were amazed at all that Jesus was doing. The disciples would have been definitely dwelling in the heights of happiness and peak of pride about their master. Jesus in a way distracts and disrupts them by reminding them of the reality about his mission viz. suffering, passion, death and resurrection. Confidence in God, Clarity about his mission, focus on the goal and his great passion to accomplish the will of the Father, persuaded Jesus to proceed ahead in his ministry and mission remaining neutral to all circumstances.
Almost all people in the world are mesmerized, delighted, influenced, enthralled, fascinated and captivated by praise, pride, applause, glory and honour. They are ready to do anything to attain the same. Christian living contradicts this and on the contrary calls for a commitment to God’s will. It exhorts us to change our focus from the transitory to fix our gaze on the transcendent. When we position our life centering around God, we can actualise the words of St. Paul in our own life, “…through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything” (2 Cor. 6: 8-10). Then, can we hear the voice of God calling us as “Beloved son/daughter”.
Thursday, September 23, 2021
Bible Reflections I 24.09.2021 - Friday I Indraya Manna I
Readings
I - Haggai 2: 1-9
II - Lk. 9: 18 - 22
LIVE A PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE
Everyone comes into the world with an identity and a purpose. John the Baptist came as the forerunner to prepare the way of the Lord, the Messiah. Prophet Elijah destroyed the false prophets and turned the hearts of people towards Yahweh. All prophets were chosen by God for a purpose viz. to uproot, tear down, destroy, overthrow, build and to plant (Jer. 1:10) so as to turn the hearts of people towards God. To the question Jesus asked his disciples, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “The Messiah of God”. And thereafter, Jesus explains to them about his suffering, rejection, death and resurrection - the purpose of the incarnation of the Son of God. He came to save all through his passion and death; and to restore the world to its original standard through His resurrection on the third day. He was clear about his identity and was focused about his mission.
We are the children of God and this is our identity but about our purpose, let us go back to our catechism class where we have learnt that God created us to know him, to love him, to serve him and to be happy with him forever. The knowledge of God and our love for Him will definitely drive us to serve Him. Serving God is serving the brothers and sisters around us, for the bible says, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Mt. 25: 40). All three will result in the ultimate objective of remaining with Him forever in perfect happiness, peace and joy. Let us in the silence of our heart and mind keep repeating this prayer: “Lord Jesus, help me to know you, to love you, to serve you and to be happy with you forever”.
Wednesday, September 22, 2021
Bible Reflections I 23.09.2021 - Thursday I Indraya Manna I
Readings
I - Haggai 1: 1-8
II - Lk. 9: 7 - 9
LIVE AND LET LIVE
An exemplary living has an extraordinary impact on the lives of people living around. Those influenced positively, set them as their role models and aspire for a transformed living. Instead, their life become a threat to some because of sheer jealousy, hatred and rivalry. Those who consider them as their rivals are always obsessed by their thought that they plan to get rid of them at any cost. Possible strategy to accomplish their purpose could be spreading rumours, false accusations, propagating gossips and finally extinguish them from the face of the earth when the vengeance reach to its extremity.
In today’s Gospel passage, Herod was perplexed at the thought of Jesus who accomplished great things in Galilee on account of which a large crowd was always after him. The life and teaching of John the Baptist was a stumbling block to his sinful living and therefore under the pretext of keeping his promise, he had him beheaded. The life of Jesus disturbed him so much that he wished to see him; and towards the end, he also had his part in the crucifixion of Jesus.
Right to live is the basic human right of every individual. Therefore allow everyone to live their life to the full and never trample or violate because of the stereo mindset or sheer jealousy. Accept, admit, respect, revere and allow the unique life style and life pattern of the other to make this earth a heaven and a pleasant land for all children of God to live.
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