Monday, October 11, 2021
Bible Reflections I 12.10.2021 - Tuesday I Indraya Manna I
Readings
I - Rom. 1: 16-25
II - Lk. 11: 37-41
LORD CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART
Today’s Gospel passage is all about an action, a reaction and a lesson. An action - Jesus purposely took his place at the table without washing his hands; a reaction - the Pharisee who had invited Jesus to dine with him was amazed at the action of Jesus because a Jew cannot do this and all the more Jesus was considered to be a great Rabbi and; a lesson - Jesus took this opportunity to enlighten that the Pharisee worried so much about the cleanliness of the exterior while he was full of greed and wickedness inside. The rituals diluted the rubrics of the religion that gave so much of importance to the purity of heart and mind.
Even today people stress so much about the rituals that they forget to retain the love charity behind all rituals. It’s true that we too worry too much about exterior cleanliness but fail to care for our mind and heart. Some do get psychologically affected by constantly worrying about the exterior cleanliness while they are full of greed, wickedness, anger, jealousy, hatred, rancor and rivalry. It is this that actually makes a person unclean making the lives of other too miserable. Let us be concerned about conducting our interior life with the fear of the lord, love for him and the humanity with purity of mind and heart, then can we claim ourselves to be people of God. May our mind and heart resonate with the prayer: “Lord Jesus, create in me a clean heart”.
Sunday, October 10, 2021
Bible Reflections I 11.10.2021 - Monday I Indraya Manna I
Readings
I - Rom. 1: 1-7
II - Lk. 11: 29-32
St. Jonh XXIII, Pope (Memorial)
BEHOLD THE TRUTH WITH THE OPENNESS OF HEART
When Jonah, the prophet proclaimed God’s warning to the people of Nineveh, they accepted, repented and were saved. The Queen of Sheeba came all the way from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. The Ninevites and the Queen of Sheeba were gentiles, non-Jews. Still, the former accepted and repented; and the later took up a tedious journey. Jesus was not merely a prophet but the Son of God, long awaited Messiah, the Promised One. Jesus’ Words and actions testified to his identity as Messiah but then, as Scripture says, “he came to his own and his own received him not” (Jh. 1:11). It is not that the Jewish religious leaders needed a sign, it is the stubbornness of their hearts that refused to accept Jesus as the Messiah because Jesus did not fit into the frame they had set in their minds for the Messiah. The humble origin, simple lifestyle, the multitude of sinners, outcasts, women, children and tax collectors around him and his way of making religion easy for people made the religious fanatics to get away with Jesus in their willful neglect.
In the light of the Gospel passage today, let us examine our own lives. We are prone to accept and adhere to people who are similar to us in our though patterns, life style, view point and wave length. Even if the other is going to slightly differ we are not able to accept. If we continue conducting our life this way, we too like the Israelites, God’s own people, may miss the messengers of God and the wisdom of truth in our stubbornness, pride, self-righteousness and arrogance. Let us pray that the Lord may give us the simplicity of heart, openness of mind and humility in life to accept God’s people and God’s Word to yield thirty, sixty and hundredfold (Mt. 13:8) as Jesus says in the parable of the sower.
Today the Church fondly and gratefully remembers St. John XXIII, a simple yet a revolutionary pope in the history of the Catholic Church. It was his openness to the reality that brought great reformation in the Church. In his first public address he expressed his concern for the reunion of the separated Christians and for world peace. Less than three months after his election as a pope, he announced for a diocesan synod for Rome, the first one in the history of Rome, to convoke an ecumenical council for the Universal Church and the pontifical commission to revise the Code of Canon Law. He daringly convoked the Vatican Council II in 1962 that brought a drastic change in the Catholic Church making it more relevant responding rightly to the signs of the times. Through the intercession of such a simple yet a great saint let us implore for an openness of heart to behold the truth in the reality as we keep praying: “Lord Jesus, give me the openness of heart and mind to accept the truth”
Saturday, October 9, 2021
Bible Reflections I 10.10.2021 - Sunday I Indraya Manna I
Readings
I - Wis. 7: 7-11
II - Heb. 4: 12-13
III - Mk. 10: 17-30
WISDOM IS THE WORD OF GOD
The spirit of wisdom worth more than a priceless pearl, gold, health and beauty. The radiance of the light of wisdom never wanes. The Word of God is alive and active. It has the power to pervade the entire being to judge the intentions of heart. The Word of God is light to the minds and warmth to the hearts. It is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Ps. 119:105). Wisdom comes with the willingness to adhere to the Word of God. In the Gospel passage today, Jesus exhorts the man who asked Jesus for the way to eternal life, to sell away his riches and give to the poor so as to inherit eternal life. The Word of God came as wisdom to sell all so as to receive all, give up all so as to get back all, lose all so as to gain all and to part with all so as to part take in the eternal glory of the Lord forever. But the man in his richness rejected the wisdom that came with the words of Jesus and went away in shock and sadness.
To live by the Word of God is wisdom. It is the way to life eternal. It contains the pattern for a blissful life that challenges our trending life style. Some start the day with the Word of God and end the day also with the Word God, print and circulate the Word of God, take pride in memorizing the Word of God, carry the Word of God with them in their pocked, read, listen and view the reflections based on the Word of God and some of them fill their homes with posters, pictures and hangings containing the Word of God; but let us examine: Do we allow the Word of God to touch and transform our lives? Mere reading will not make any difference; make it a life style. Let us in all wisdom yield ourselves unto the Word of God in order to inherit life eternal. May our mind and heart resonate with the prayer: “Lord Jesus, help us to adhere to you words”
Friday, October 8, 2021
Bible Reflections I 09.10.2021 - Saturday I Indraya Manna I
Readings
I - Joel 3: 12-21
II - Lk. 11: 27-28
WANNA TO BE CALLED THE BLESSED?
Listening to the words of Jesus and witnessing the miracles performed by him, a woman in the crowd blessed the mother of Jesus, on his accord. Jesus lifted up the spirit of the crowd around him saying, “Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and obey it”. Mary besides being the mother of Jesus, was a humble handmaid of God, who submitted herself to the will of God at all times. It was her obedience to the Word of God through the angel Gabriel that brought the Saviour to the World and salvation to the mankind. And so she became the “Blessed of all women” (Lk. 1:42) as said by the angel Gabriel.
Normally people tend to befriend especially those who are propelling in popularity and glowing in glory among people and take pride in calling them their friends. It is quite natural and normal. How much pride should we have if we are to be recognised as friends of God? It is challenging and demanding. Challenging because we should dare to go against the principles of the existing world order and demanding because in the bargain to live up to the standards set by God we may have to give up ego and will. If we are ready to take up the challenge and dare to live by the demands of the Word of God, then we too shall become the friends and the ‘blessed’ of God. May our mind and heart resonate with the prayer: “Lord Jesus, teach us to live by your Word”.
Thursday, October 7, 2021
Bible Reflections I 08.10.2021 - Friday I Indraya Manna I
Readings
I - Joel 1: 13-15, 2: 1-2
II - Lk. 11: 15-26
RESPOND RIGHTLY TO REACTIONS
A possessed and dumb man was brought to Jesus. Jesus casted out the demon and the man began to speak. This action of Jesus created two different reactions among the people who witnessed. One group was amazed, astounded and astonished and the other group argued, accused and unapproved Jesus. Jesus, the Son of God was misrepresented and was unjustly associated with Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons. Some even asked for sign from heaven to testify to his credibility even though Jesus was performing miracles after miracles among them. Jesus neither justified himself nor argued with them. He only enlightened and inspired them to think; and left them to conclude for themselves.
Sir Newton’s third laws says, “For every action in nature there is an equal opposite reaction”. The Son of God was associated with Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons but still he was never perturbed or disturbed. He never got struck up anywhere at the cutting comments of the people. He just moved on minding his work like a river causing newness, happiness, life, hope, love and joy wherever he went. There serenity came from the self-awareness and the conviction that he is the Son of God; and the clarity of his purpose and mission drove him to forge ahead in his mission and ministry responding rightly and tackling tactfully all reactions of all types of people. Let us too forge ahead focusing on God with constant reference to our conscience. May the Holy Spirit help us to respond rightly to the reactions of people around us as did Jesus our Master.
Wednesday, October 6, 2021
Bible Reflections I 07.10.2021 - Thursday I Indraya Manna I
Readings
I - Mal. 3: 13 - 4:2
II - Lk. 11: 5-13
Our Lady of the Rosary (Memorial)
PRAYER IS A-S-K ACCOMPANIED BY CHARITY, FAITH AND HOPE
Prayer is all about A.S.K. (Ask-search-knock) incorporated with the theological virtues and in persistence. Ask with charity, search with faith and knock with hope and it shall be done. Ask God in love: love for God, self and neighbour so that we be selfless and right in addressing our petitions, invocations and intercessions to the Lord. Search for God with utmost faith even when all around is dark for the Bible says, “Even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you” (Ps. 139:12) so that we find him so closer to us than our very breath (Ps. 46: 1). Knock at the door of the paradise with a hope of a child towards his father and will be opened. Never cease to ASK with Charity, Faith and Hope and it will be done all for the good of the person and for the glory of God.
Today we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Rosary, a feast promulgated by Pope Pius V as a gratitude to God for the victory of the Christians that was wrought by praying the Rosary during the battle against the Turks at Lepanto. Mother Mary in almost all her apparitions have insisted and exhorted the humanity to pray and pray. May our Blessed Mother, our model and our guide teach us to turn to God in prayer with charity, faith and hope in our ASK. Let us today pray the rosary, calling out her name tenderly and lovingly to assist us, her children to persevere in prayer and in loving relationship with the Lord.
Tuesday, October 5, 2021
Bible Reflections I 06.10.2021- Wednesday I Indraya Manna I
Readings
I - Jonah 4: 1-11
II - Lk. 11: 1-4
MAKE PRAYER MERGE WITH LIFE
From the Gospel passage today we infer that every rabbi taught his disciples to pray. Inspired by the prayer life of Jesus, the disciples insisted Jesus to teach them too to pray. May be because they realised that the power of his words and the passion for his mission was the fruit of his prayer life. The life was Jesus was a life of integrity. The credibility of the life of Jesus made the disciples to desire for learning how to pray.
Prayer is the well spring and life stream of a happy, contented, joyful, peaceful and fruitful living. The happiness and contentment come from humble acceptance submission to the will of God in prayer. Prayer paves a hotline connect with God helping us courageously face all things is life with the serenity and tranquility. Having learnt the pattern of prayer from Jesus himself, let us in line with the prayer ‘Our Father’ take delight in seeking and accomplishing the will of the Father as did Jesus instead of making our prayer a repetition of ‘give me this and give me that’. Merge the life of prayer with the life of action and make living an integrated and a credible one like Jesus our Lord and Master. May our mind and heart resonate with the prayer: “Lord Jesus, bless me with a life of integrity”.
Monday, October 4, 2021
Bible Reflections I 05.10.2021 - Tuesday I Indraya Manna I
Readings
I - Jonah 3: 1-10
II - Lk. 10: 38-42
St. Faustina Kowlaska, Virgin (Optional Memorial)
LOVE THE LORD WITH AN UNDIVIDED HEART
Martha welcomed Jesus into her home. The two sisters chose their own roles in expressing their hospitality and love to their beloved guest, Jesus: Martha, to serve the Lord and her sister Mary, to sit at the feet of the Lord and to listen to him. Mary was considered to have chosen the better part because she was totally present to the Lord in listening to him that she was neither distracted nor disturbed by anything or anyone. On the other hand, Martha was working for the Lord but she was worried about many things that she began to blame Mary and accuse Jesus for not caring about her when she was alone doing all works. Which is better? To choose and to be committed or to choose and to be distracted? Mary was committed in listening to the Lord, the lot that she chose therefore Mary had chosen the better part.
In our expression of love and devotion to the Lord we do often compare and contrast ourselves with others. The expression and devotion to the Lord could be in our prayer life, in our listening to the Word of God, in helping the poor, in serving the needy, in rescuing the suffering, in relieving the oppressed and in loving the least in the society. In this process one need not compare and get distracted but to accomplish with utmost devotion, love, care and reverence. Otherwise all our works and efforts would go a waste in vain. Let us choose the better part like Mary in loving and serving the Lord with love. Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Faustina Kowlaska to whom Jesus appeared as the King of Divine Mercy and insisted that ,”Humanity will not find peace until it turns trustfully to divine mercy”. Let us turn trustfully towards the Lord imploring for His grace in choosing the right part and be committed it till the end like Mary as we keep repeating in the silence of our heart: “Christ Jesus, I trust in you”.
Sunday, October 3, 2021
Bible Reflections I 04.10.2021 - Monday I Indraya Manna I
Readings
I - Jonah 1: 1-2 - 2: 1, 10
II - Lk. 10: 25-37
St. Francis of Assisi, Religious (Memorial)
LOVE OF GOD VESTS IN LOVE OF NEIGHBOUR
The image and likeness of God dwells in every person and in the entire humanity. Therefore no one can love God and hate the other and vice versa. Whenever we read the parable of the Good Samaritan, our reason would definitely accuse the Priest and the Levite for their duplicity and debauchery. We are prone to praise, hail, exalt and appreciate the kindness of the Samaritan, an outcast to the Jews. Instead of pointing in accusation at the Priest and the Levite, put yourself in their place and examine your reaction and response in a similar situation.
People tend to walk away from the weeping person, slip away cautiously from the suffering, deliberately detest needy and remain adamantly deaf to the truth and silent to the atrocities done to others. Having done all these, sit in silence before the Lord in praise, prayer and worship. Isn’t this pharisaic? Moved by a loving heart and in all kindness when we render a helping hand to the needy, then can we claim that we love God.
Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. Francis of Assisi was from a Nobel wealthy family. He was the son of a cloth merchant. Enamored by the love of God, he emptied everything and embraced poverty to the extent of stripping himself off his clothes. From love of God to love of neighbour, St. Francis of Assisi went a step ahead to embrace the entire creation of God in love and friendship to the extent of calling God’s creation as brothers and sisters viz. Mother earth, brother sun, sister moon, brother fire and sister water in his ‘Canticle of creature’.
Let us invoke the intercession of St. Francis of Assisi, to help us love God in every person so that we may be right in our loving relationship with the Lord.
Saturday, October 2, 2021
Bible Reflections I 03.10.2021 - Sunday I Indraya Manna I
Readings
I - Gen. 2: 18-24
II - Heb. 2: 9-11
III - Mk. 10: 2-16
MARRIAGE IS A COVENANT AND NOT A CONTRACT
In the first reading today, when God brought the woman He had made from the rib of Adam, he said, “This is at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh”. In the Gospel passage Jesus says, “…and the two shall become one flesh”. These verses get consummated in the Sacrament of Marriage. The sacrament of marriage binds a man and a woman into a covenantal relationship making them but one soul, one flesh and one spirit. Marriage is not a contract but a covenant. Contract is an agreement for the accomplishment of a specific task within the specified time and it ends with the completion of the task. On the other hand marriage is a covenant and therefore it is a lifelong commitment to one another in love, fidelity and faithfulness. Marriage is the replica of the covenant established between God and His people Israel; and between Jesus and His Church. According to the Canon Law, unity and indissolubility are the essential properties of marriage.
In the current scenario, relationships are based on the value of utility diluting to the level of the things that are used. In almost all things we look for updates, new version, revised editions and new models paving way to the ‘use and throw’ culture. This is reflected in the marital life too, failing to keep the promise that constitute the covenant of marriage, “…I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, I will love you and honour you all the days of my life”. Mutual Love, forgiveness, caring, sharing, forbearing, sacrifice but above all daily prayers together can preserve marriage from breach and break up thereby preserving and persevering in the promise made at marriage. Let us every day set aside some time for family prayer because ‘the family that prays together, stays together'.
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’”.
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