Dedicated

Scripture/Bible: It was the feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem; 23 it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered round him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." 25 Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness to me; 26 but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; 28 and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one." John 10:22-30

Reflection:  Around 165 BC during the reign of the Seleucid king Antiochus Epiphanes IV a severe persecution arose against the Jews.

The king forced the Jewish people to abandon their worship of God, by desecrating and defiling their temple by sacrificing pigs on the altar and spilling their blood on the altar now dedicated to Zeus.  With the help of the Hellenized Jews he made them give up on their holy customs and reading of the Torah, and also made them bow down to the Greek gods placed in this temple.

Judas known as Maccabees (hammer) and his brothers gathered the Jews in revolt against king Antiochus and restored the worship at the second temple in Jerusalem.  

This day of restoration and dedication is celebrated as the feast of the Dedication or also a feast of light for 8 days, famously called the feast of Hanukkah (Chanukah). The Jews light the Menorah consisting of 9 lamps, each lighted in increasing measure for 8 days.   

Christ Jesus is the true temple dedicated to God and all who follow him also in various degrees dedicate themselves to him in order to become that temple carrying the eternal flame in themselves. He is the candle head (shammus) that gives light to the other candles and also sanctifies the 8 days of life by rising on the 8th day. 

The eternal flame which Jesus, the light of the world has given us is the promised Holy Spirit who is in us and works in us as a never dying flame.  

This flame can be quenched by our explicit rejection of him or through our constant rebellion and obstinacy against the will of God in our lives.  

The Cross of Christ and the daily sufferings of life make the oil to flow into the lamp stead in a never ending measure. 

Prayer:  Lord I dedicate myself to you, sanctify me by your word so that my light may shine forth among men. 

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

The Door

Scripture/Bible:    Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way,that man is a thief and a robber; 2 but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." 6 This figure Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.  7 So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed them. 9 I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. John 10:1-10

Reflection: We see a change of roles in this passage. Jesus, the good shepherd presents himself also as the door through which the Shepherd and sheep must go in and out. 

A shepherd may not live for long and hence never permanent. When one shepherd goes another may take his place and that is what the Catholic Church is all about. Beginning with Peter the Apostle and the other apostles, the chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ, keeps appointing shepherds over his flock.

Though Shepherds may pass on the baton of responsibility to the next generation, the door is always constant and is a permanent fixture.

Christ Jesus is that door through which both the sheep and shepherd must enter in and out. Only those who enter through this door and come out are safe and hence the responsible shepherd makes every attempt to lead people in and out through this door.

The irresponsible shepherd or wolf will lead people through their door to be slaughtered and killed by the many enemies.

Hence, no matter what kind of shepherds we may have, even the types whom St. John Chrysostom claims that their skulls pave the paths of hell, we should never lose sight of the Chief Shepherd and the door.  

Our primary focus should be to listen to the voice of the chief shepherd, Jesus Christ, and the only door by which we must enter; Jesus Christ.

A good shepherd will always lead the flock to look to the Chief Shepherd and listen to his voice and see that his flock is familiar with the door, lest they lose their salvation.

Prayer:  Lord, I believe that in learning to listen to your voice and in being familiar with you, I will be saved from the imposter.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Be-aware!

Scripture/Bible:   I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, 15 as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this charge I have received from my Father." John 10:11-18

Reflection: Jesus is the good Shepherd who has laid down his life for the sheep. 

When we think about laying down one’s life for the sheep, we may think about the bravery of Jesus to do so.  Bravery is only one reason why one would lay down one’s life. Yet not every form of bravery is worth talking about.

There are some forms of bravery, whereby individuals have laid down their life for a cause and not many, especially those outside of their class, think that their brave action is brave enough to deserve accolades. Some have been brave enough to vanquish the good from their midst. 

Jesus lays down his life in order to protect us from the ravenous wolf; eat me before you touch them. His brave action of laying down his life is a permanent deterrent for the wolf; it helps identify the wolf who comes in deceptive ways, sometimes even as shepherd and sheep.


The enemy, the wolf is totally exposed and only a fool can follow him and take him to be the shepherd or a sound sheep. 

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. Matt 7:15

    

Ho, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep?  You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the crippled you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered, they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill; my sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them. Ezek 34:2-6

We could have shepherds and sheep’s in our midst, either alone or in partnership, working to destroy the sheepfold of God, by working in contravention of the sound doctrine of Jesus. They eat up Jesus and his teaching and instead teach their ways and thus are easily identified as WOLVES.

But to escape the enemies clutches we require the help of the living Jesus. 

Prayer:  Save me Lord in your great wisdom from the ravenous wolves that seek to slaughter us.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Eat and Live

Scripture/Bible: Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" 61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, "Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you that do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who those were that did not believe, and who it was that would betray him. 65 And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father." 66 After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him. 67 Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God."  John 6:60-70

Reflection:  Indeed, they have heard his many hard sayings before, but none was as hard to believe as this; eating his body and drinking his blood.  

The hard saying arose because of a dour situation. Humanity was in need of a savior to escape the viciousness of the powers and pulls of death on account of the reign of sin.(Rm. 7:14ff)

The fear of death brings with it its own moral decadence. Life is short and needs to be enjoyed at whatever cost. One has to create a name and thus seek power and glory and create a name so as to live in the hearts of people or family for eternity. Lies and deception are options for self protection and survival, therefore loot steel, rob, murder, etc etc.

To love means to please where convenient and kill either by words or action when the other is a threat to our aspirations and existence. 

The hard saying of Jesus, flowing from his hard decision to save mankind, is the perfect statement he has made. Thus he gives life to mortal bodies and makes them immortal.

He does this by offering his body and blood as a ransom for the life of the world and this cannot be compromised.

How is this actualized in our midst? Just as the incarnate and eternal word became man and dwelt amongst us, likewise he has given the Church the authority to speak the word that is able to actualize the Holy presence as Body and Blood, soul and divinity of our dearly beloved Lord.


As alter Christus (another Christ), the priest speaks to the bread and wine. 

Prayer: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God."

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Life

Scripture/Bible:  The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" 53 So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; 54 he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live for ever." 59 This he said in the synagogue, as he taught at Caper'na-um. John 6:52-59

Reflection:  Who among you would want to drink human blood and eat human flesh? The very thought of having it can send us into a tizzy.

Surely, the focus of the discussion is on the eating of the flesh and drinking of the blood of Jesus and the proposal seems impossible.

But on the other hand, who would daringly assert that people should eat his flesh and drink his blood, with such boldness and confidence as Jesus.  Surely, it is a mission that he had come to accomplish, the mission to give his very own life to us who were dead in our sins.

What does that death mean? It means a sure hope for our constant but losing battle against sickness, calamities, diseases, sinful weaknesses, the daily stress of life, the bitterness and pain of life.

He came also to take the away the fear, the unrest, the anxiety that surrounds us due to the absence of life in us.

His flesh is the sure healing and his blood brings life into our mortal bodies. You need to see it to believe it and believe it to experience it and experience it in order to proclaim it.  

Prayer:  Lord, as I receive your Body and blood, may I be filled with every grace and blessings to face the challenges of life, with your life reigning in me.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Respond to Grace

Scripture/Bible:  No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Every one who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. 46 Not that any one has seen the Father except him who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh." John 6:44-51

Reflection:  Jesus says; “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.”

We know that there are many in this world that are not drawn to Jesus or are no followers of him. Is God partial when he draws them to Jesus?  Is he selective in who should be drawn to Jesus and who not?

It would have been better to leave this question to God to handle and it should not matter to us. It is like this: There are some things in life about other people which we shouldn’t be worried about. It is better to mind one’s business than to be worried about trivial matters which doesn’t concern us.  Similarly, it would have been better for us not to worry about whom the Father draws and why and thus not trust in his Justice.

Yet, for the sake of those who would still judge God and create a doubt in one’s heart and others concerning the righteous action of God, I will dwell in a glimpse, concerning his action while drawing people to himself.  

In the world of advertisement it would be foolish for a company to be over greedy and seek to draw everyone to their brand.  This is so because each one will have their own tastes, needs and capacities. Though all may see the advertisement, yet not all may go for that brand.  Some may even know that it is the only brand that is the best yet they may not all chose that brand depending on various factors. Forget the brand; some may not even want to look at the advertisement even though it may be in full view for them.

Similarly, God’s grace is constantly at work seeking to save them in his Son Jesus as Savior of the world, yet not all men may have opened themselves to receive this grace.  Hence in some instances it may never reach the hearts of men, even though God may want to draw them. Then there are some where Grace may enter the heart but since it does not meet with the will it is not effective. In other situations it enters the heart, works with the will but the fears, worries and anxieties of this world prevents them from committing their hearts to God.

Finally, we have those who respond whole heartedly to his grace, with a honest and sincere heart. 

These are the 4 broad categories, with various sub variations of this action of grace, which Jesus to some extent brings out in the parable of the sower and the seed. (Mt. 13:3-12, Mk. 4:3-20, Lk. 8:5-15)

Prayer: Lord, help me to have a honest and good heart that is open to receive your grace, so that with all patience and endurance I may produce fruit for you with your grace. (cfr. 8: 15)

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Know the Good News

Scripture/Bible:  And he said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover." 19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen. Mark 16:15-20

Reflection:  If we ask any Christians what is the Gospel, many of them think of the four books in the Bible which talk about the life of Jesus.

Pause for a while and ask yourself; what according to you is the Gospel which Jesus invites his disciples to preach to the entire creation and then read further.  (PAUSE & Reflect)

The Word Gospel means the good news. The good news in one word is none other than Jesus, Jesus as revealed to us not just in the four books, but in the entire Bible and passed on to us through the tradition of the Apostles and further interpreted and passed on to us by the Church, as the incarnate Son of God, who came to us in order to save us.

The good news is no sad news but the glorious news that should bring joy to the entire creation because Christ Jesus as Savior was revealed to a humanity that was walking the path of Darkness, death and destruction; a humanity without hope no matter what it did. Jesus brings us into the glorious light of God and hence is the hope of entire humanity.

Hence the good news though meant for the whole of creation, in actual reality will only be assimilated by a people who will acknowledge their sinfulness and darkness of life and feel the need for a Saviour.  


The only one who can save us is Jesus by his sacrificial death on the cross, by becoming the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world; the sin that separates us from a God in whom alone there is life.  

The saving action is a process that begins through belief and continues in our life through constant belief in him who is able to save us from all darkness of sin.

How then can we become an instrument of the good news? It is by experiencing this saving action in our life through daily encounter with Jesus, and by sharing this experience with others that we can be instrument of the good news. We cannot be an instrument through mere studying the four or many books of the gospel as many think.

Prayer:  Like cold water to a thirsty soul, I seek thy good news to refresh my heart to walk in your ways.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Pathway to Salvation

Scripture/Bible: I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, 15 as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd. John 10:11-16

Reflection:  If you were the King or the boss or a master what would you compare yourself, in order to get across to your subjects or subordinates, in your work place or in office.  I am sure you would rather speak about yourself without comparison or if there be need, if any, then to some historical figure.

Which boss would compare himself to the goodness that his least ordinary servant exudes or any such servants? You would rather compare yourself to a historical figure or a prominent personality.  Some would even not mind putting up a popular personalities photograph as their profile picture on social networking sites.

In the Gospel the Lord of the universe, the Lord of heaven and earth compares himself to the Shepherd just so that even the least and more so the least and humble may recognize him.

It is a choice that God has made and keeps making in order to reach to the humble and contrite in spirit.  

St. Paul talking about this humility of Jesus even asserts that the coming of Jesus as Man and as least among us was for our sake and for our salvation: “Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Phil 2:5-8

The options before us are vast and unending to grow and seek that humility which is in Christ Jesus our Lord and even grow in it. The humble will find him easily accessible like Mary; “He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble.”  Luke 1:52 Douay-Rheims

Prayer:  Lord I believe in your word, that in humbling myself you will exalt me, help to walk this treacherous and difficult path of salvation.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

What do you Seek?

Scripture/Bible:  On the next day the people who remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23 However, boats from Tiber'i-as came near the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the people saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Caper'na-um, seeking Jesus. 25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?" 26 Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God the Father set his seal." 28 Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" 29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." John 6:22-30

Reflection: We often think we are smart and may score better than the others in a given assignment. Sometimes a group or team working together could end up better than the others. But when a competitor comes and outsmarts us we are all shattered, frustrated and hurt. Instead it could be a good learning experience. 

In the gospel we find the smartness of these people in interpreting the absence of Jesus as something unusual. They knew that the disciples had left him behind in order to reach the other side of the shore, to Capernaum. This is detective work; a single boat on the shore and Jesus not there means that he needs to be sought.

Should there be any doubt about the mystery, of Jesus not being there, as the only reason why they may have sought Jesus? Yet Jesus reveals to them that it is not because of his mysterious absence that they are seeking him but rather on account of the stomach; the loaves multiplied, the food that perishes.  

Many a times the root of most of our seeking is the appetite and the same lust we apply to God; good job, good business, good memory, good spouse, good clothes, pseudo-spirituality.  Even when we seek for others, whether it be a kingdom of justice, peace and brotherhood or human emancipation, we seek that which satisfies the same appetite.

Therefore St. Paul says; “Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.” Phil 3:19

Yes, we tend to seek God too for this same reason while God seeks us in order to save us from destruction and lead us to eternal happiness.   

Prayer: “Thou hast said, "Seek ye my face." My heart says to thee, "Thy face, Lord, do I seek." Ps 27:8

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He is there

Scripture/Bible: Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. 36 As they were saying this, Jesus himself stood among them. 37 But they were startled and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit. 38 And he said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do questionings rise in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have." 41 And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate before them. 44 Then he said to them, "These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled." 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46 and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high." Luke 24:35-48     

Reflection:  There are something’s in life you cannot keep to yourself, you will voice it out irrespective whether the other likes it or not. 

You are satisfied with ordinary or extraordinary food at restaurants and then one fine day you are in a restaurant way above the rest and you will definitely tell the whole world; “ hey, look this is what food is meant to be, it is too good man, superb!” and on and on.

If, having heard of such things from others you would want to get into that experience yourself and will leave no stone unturned in order to get into the experience yourself. 

Because there are some experiences in life which are safe, good, pleasant and pleasing and they are worth getting into.

So we have it in the Gospel reading that the encounter which the disciple had on the road to Emmaus was something that was so very intriguing and out of the world.   I am sure if given an opportunity they would want that experience but at the same time it was satisfying enough for them to go around and tell their Brethren of what had happened on the road to Emmaus.

Speak Jesus, talk Jesus and walk with Jesus and he will always be with you in a special way till you come to a point where what you speak and talk will be what you have seen, heard, touched and believed.


In other words having heard about him, we need to keep at it again and again till we begin to encounter him always, everywhere and in all the things we are at in our lives. Then it would not be difficult to talk about him to others.

Prayer:  “Where can I go from your Spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me and your right hand shall hold me fast. Ps. 139:7-10 NRSV

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us