Be Fruitful

Scripture/Bible:  And he entered Jerusalem, and went into the temple; and when he had looked round at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard it. …. 20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. 21 And Peter remembered and said to him, "Master, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered." 22 And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against any one; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses." Mark 11:11-14, 20-25

Reflection:  When Jesus died on the cross, he cried out aloud expressing his thirst. Many interpretations have been given to this thirst.

What then shall we say of his hunger and more so when it doesn’t spare a fig tree which doesn’t produce its fruit, more so when it is not its season.

The one hunger that God has for his chosen ones is that one bears much fruit, (Jn. 15: 8) and in all seasons.

May be it was unimaginable at one time to think of seasonal fruits being produced in all seasons. But with modern innovations in the field of biotechnology all things are possible.

Similarly, there is no reason why the disciples shouldn’t bear fruit in all seasons to satisfy the master’s hunger, which ultimately has our good in mind.

He provides the right soil of faith through prayer and word so that we bear fruit in all seasons; even if it is not the season to bear fruit. That’s the great miracle soil Christ has produced in himself and shares it with us. He is that eternal oil in us through the presence of his Holy Spirit, whose flame shouldn’t die unless we are foolish virgins.(Mt. 25:1-13)

Prayer: Lord, may I be like a tree planted by streams of water, that yields its fruit in all seasons, and its leaf does not wither. In all that I do, I prosper. Ps 1:3

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

Instrument of Holy Spirit

Scripture/Bible: In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechari'ah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord." Luke 1:39-56

Reflection:  The great feast of Pentecost is over and we are back to our old grind. I do not know what impact the feast may have made to many of us.  How did we celebrate? Did the Holy Spirit have some remembrance in our life?

But primary to that, we need to ask ourselves this; does the Holy Spirit have any place in our lives. We may have been baptized in the Holy Spirit at baptism and many of us may have welcomed the great gifts of the Holy Spirit while receiving the sacrament of confirmation.  Some of us may even have a devotion to the Holy Spirit.

A right attitude towards the Holy Spirit, and allowing him room in our lives, makes us instruments of him. We cannot be overflowing vessels, like Mary, when the Holy Spirit is quenched, grieved or stagnating, as most Catholics do. (1Thes. 5:19; Eph. 4:30).

In today’s Gospel text Mary was an ideal instrument through whom the Holy Spirit overflowed with life on to Elizabeth and the John the Baptist.

The Holy Spirit is given to us so that we may have abundant life (Jn. 10:10) and also share in the very life of God (1Jn. 1:3). It is an invitation for us creatures to live as children of God by accepting Jesus as our Lord and master. (Jn. 1:12)

Finally, the Holy Spirit is given us to bear witness to Christ Jesus who makes all this possible and this witnessing is aimed at inviting others too into this fellowship with God and with one another. (1Jn. 1)

It is not a human agenda of pure fellowship with each other or building of pure human communities.

Prayer:  Eternal and faithful God, may we who are called into the fellowship of your Son Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, never cease to grow in him as Mary did. (cfr. Col. 1:9)

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

Glory

Scripture/Bible:  And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; and they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, 33 saying, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and deliver him to the Gentiles; 34 and they will mock him, and spit upon him, and scourge him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise." Mark 10:32-34

Reflection:  The normal human tendency is to ignore the stark reality when one experiences a moment of glory. In such situations one is rarely willing to face that which is imminent.

We see a similar situation with the disciples of Jesus.  The situation of these disciples was that of denying what Jesus was communicating to them.

Looking at the situation in today’s gospel; we find that there was amazement and fear in the air about the people who were around Jesus. This was on account of the move towards Jerusalem. 

Jesus must have been to Jerusalem on many occasions but this moment was different, there was something about this Jesus. There seem to be a bent of mind, a resolve, a sense of mission and, specifically, a sense of awe about him and the people seem to have observed it. There could have been the special presence of the glory of God, like the one that went with the Israelites when they were walking towards the Promised Land.

Jesus, had to take the 12 aside and specifically instruct and admonish them that there was a greater glory in that which he was telling them; viz., “..the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and deliver him to the Gentiles;  and they will mock him, and spit upon him, and scourge him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise." (vs. 33-34)

We see as humans the reality and interpret them according to our ego and pride. We may see greater glory in power and positions, in seeking promotions and better emoluments, in degrees and qualifications and in having fans and followers rather than the drab cross of isolation, rejections, persecutions and trials, the cruel impositions of men on account of one’s faith and belief in Christ.

Remember, it is not merely enduring these trials and troubles that gives glory to God but the faith with which we carry on in such circumstances; the faith of Christ.

Prayer: Lord, I believe that you will supply every need of ours according to your riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (cfr. Phil 4:19)

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

Your Reward

Scripture/Bible:  Peter began to say to him, "Lo, we have left everything and followed you." 29 Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many that are first will be last, and the last first." Mark 10:28-31

Reflection: For a minute let me put myself in God’s place and listen to human confessions; seemingly even the most sincere fails to meet the standard of sincerity.

Here we seem to have a case of Peter the Apostle who begins to tell Jesus; we have left everything and followed you. 

Peter’s statement seems to be a sincere one, he was sincere to the core and without doubt and Jesus had to believe it.  Did Jesus know what was really in his heart and how in his sincerity Peter was insincere?

If someone else were in Jesus place then they would have told him to his face, “look Peter if you have left everything then leave aside your future prospects too and don’t ask or expect or ask anything.“

And if I had dabbled in some eastern spiritualities then I would have told him; Peter you need to go beyond yourself and beyond everything, just leave your old ways of expecting anything. 

Wait a minute before you jump to conclusions; Peter was not insincere as per the norms of the Kingdom, if you have made your judgement's then know this; to seek a reward from the Lord is a legitimate demand, if there is a legitimate reason for it.  

It is an innate need in humans to work for a goal or a reward.  Let no one defraud you into believing that you should do all things without seeking a reward.

On the other hand, it would be insincere to seek a reward which does not serve the right purpose and which does not help our eternal purposes or if we are seeking it in the wrong person or place. 

But seek the higher reward which Christ Jesus came to give to his chosen and beloved ones in exchange for their faithfulness towards him or let Christ Jesus be the reward you seek; “The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup: it is thou that wilt restore my inheritance to me. Ps 15:5 (Douay-Rheims)

Prayer: "Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth." Ps 58:11

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

Follow Him

Scripture/Bible:  And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 18 And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19 You know the commandments: 'Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.'" 20 And he said to him, "Teacher, all these I have observed from my youth." 21 And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." 22 At that saying his countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions. 23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!" 24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, "Then who can be saved?" 27 Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God." Mark 10:17-27

Reflection:  Finally, we have a man, a rich young man, who had all the self confidence of an apparent faith. Though he seemed unsure of eternal life but he seemed very sure of his rights. He seemed sure that he was the child of God and if he followed certain rules and ethics of life he would inherit God’s Kingdom.

The facts that he used the word ‘inherit’ smacks of a certain kind of arrogance based on confidence, sonship and rights.  Only a son or a close relative can seek to inherit and if it is a son then he can demand his share of inheritance, as in the above Gospel text above.

If anyone thought that following the commandments or selling everything is enough to inherit eternal life, then you are wrong.

You have to first acknowledge your true state, which is evil and steeped in sin: “No one is good but God alone.”  (vs. 18)

The rich young man failed to see this element and hence Jesus had to remind him about the commandments he needed to keep; “Yet, if it had not been for the law, I should not have known sin.” Rom 7:7 And he needed to be reminded of the commandments so that he may know his true worth.

But it made little impact on the man whose conscience failed to show him his defects in the light of God’s perfect law and its limitations. 

For though he seemed to have kept God’s law perfectly, he missed out on the most important commandment which Jesus had not pointed out to him so far; to love the Lord your God with all your heart….……more than your possessions too.

From this we know that the rich young man missed out on that truth which clearly says that we need to love the Lord our God more than our possessions of wealth and money, image and false sense righteousness based on the law. .

Prayer: “Restore us, O God of hosts; let thy face shine, that we may be saved!”  Ps 80:7

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

Receive the Holy Spirit

Scripture/Bible:  On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." John 20:19-23    

Reflection:  Never before in Biblical history has anything like this happened; a prophet or a holy man breathes on others the Holy Spirit. 

In the Old Testament we have God taking some of the Spirit from Moses to put it on the 70 elders.

In the new Testament we have Mary’s presence and words of greetings, which is not a lone presence but with the divine child in her womb, fills Elizabeth with the Holy Spirit and makes the child in her womb leap for Joy; a sign of the infilling of the Holy Spirit in John the Baptist.  

In the Gospel text of today we see Jesus breathed on the Apostles the Holy Spirit. 

The interesting fact about the narrative is that this Jesus is the post resurrection Jesus who still breathes.  It reminds one of the first breath of God mentioned in Scripture, when he breathed into Man’s nostril the breath of life and man becomes a living being. (Gen.  2:7)    

The living human being is no longer living; “For the wages of sin is death.” Rom 6:23 And “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Rom 3:23

God needs to once again breathe into that nostril of man and make him alive and this is exactly what Jesus does to his disciples.

His disciples are going to do it too and one way they will do it is through the ministry of forgiveness in every form; “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

Therefore the sacrament of reconciliation which is the pastoral grace available to the faithful is an ideal opportunity to receive the Holy Spirit and to remain in that grace.

Prayer: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.”  Ps 51:10-11

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

Love Jesus - Part II

Scripture/Bible: Peter turned and saw following them the disciple whom Jesus loved, who had lain close to his breast at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?" 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?" 22 Jesus said to him, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!" 23 The saying spread abroad among the brethren that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?" 24 This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who has written these things; and we know that his testimony is true. 25 But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. John 21:20-25

Reflection: (Read yesterday’s reflection to understand the full meaning of today’s reflection.)   "Lord, what about this man?" Why did Peter ask the Lord this question concerning John the beloved Apostle? Is it because he felt that John met the important criteria of love so as to qualify and deserve an important posting in the Lord’s work and mission?

Seems to be true; for was John not a beloved disciple whom Jesus loved and who lay close to his breast at the most crucial moment in Jesus life. What is more, was he not the one who showed much concern for his neighbor when he made it a point to ask; "Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?"

Yes, this disciple was the only one who seemed to have died a natural death at Ephesus. He is the one whom the Lord entrusted to his Mother and who took Mary home with him.  The greatest treasure that John could have was the mother of his master to care of.  This privilege he has enjoyed primarily on account of his being the beloved of Jesus, who loved the Lord much and even follows him, like Mary, to the cross.

It is to this John that one attributes the 4^th Gospel, the three epistles and the book of Revelations.  

From John’s writings about the life of Jesus we have an extraordinary insight into the life of Christ, which none of the other evangelist have produced.  From him we learn in a special way that Jesus is the eternal word of God who was always with the Father.  

John brings out the most beautiful insights into the role and life of Mary and her role in the church. I am confident that this insights have been greatly nourished by Mary's presence in his life.

Take Mary home with you as John did and you will never regret, as you will be still a great instrument of the Lord as John was. His proclamation of the Gospel still continues to make a great impact on the lives of the millions.

Prayer:  Lord that I may know you and your love for me and thus respond to you with undying fidelity.

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

Love Jesus - Part I

Scripture/Bible:  When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." 16 A second time he said to him, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." 17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go." 19 (This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after this he said to him, "Follow me." John 21:15-19

Reflection: In the scripture text of today we see Jesus getting down to preparing these disciples after a good breakfast and what better way than beginning with Simon Peter, the one who was to lead the community of faith.

When we want a change in our local community we normally want to start with the sacrifice of the poor, vulnerable and the innocents. Burn them at the stake, beat them, stretch them and bend them.

When Jesus after having himself gone through it all with victory over the cross of sin and shame, teaches Simon Peter and all generations of leaders, the secret of true leadership; “do you love me more than these?"  And if yes, then; "Feed my lambs."

This call is also in consonance with the two great commandments he taught us: Love God and love of neighbor. (Mt. 12: 28-31, 22:36-40, Mk. 12: 28-31, Lk. 10: 25-27)

In the process Jesus is clearly spelling out his agenda for the kingdom; what it means to love one’s neighbor and how to primarily do it? By feeding them with the word of God and the truth of the gospel but first love God as revealed in Jesus. 

Jesus revealed God’ love in his human body to perfection and the cross is the visible sign of that perfect love.  

The latter commandment is in no way greater than the first. Here in this action of Jesus it is clarified and made clear that the love of God as revealed in Christ Jesus is primary, necessary and of all relevance in order for one to be an instrument of love towards one’s neighbor.   

In this process one may begin with friendship love or the limited human love but it has to grow in that depth of self-sacrificing love which is made possible only in loving Jesus, because he is the perfect mirror of this love.  

Only Jesus accepts our imperfect love and sacrifice and makes it perfect with his wisdom and grace at work in us, at various stages, just the way he did it with Simon Peter at once in the three stages of questioning.

Prayer: "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." (vs.17) Help me abide in your love (cfr. Jn. 15: 9-10)

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

Be Drawn

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: That which draws an individual to a particular person could make an interesting study.

Some could be drawn to a person on account of one’s features, some could be drawn on account of intellect, some could be drawn to a person because they want to be practical and the person who they are attracted to gets work done. Some could be attracted to a person on account of common traits in the concerned person, for some it could be fatal attraction and the list could go on and on.

To know why one would be attracted to God revealed in Christ Jesus would be a subject of great interest, since it concerns our happiness in the present life and for all eternity.  

Why would one be attracted to Jesus? He is not visibly present in our midst. The best thing that we have in visible form is his teachings which are a great attraction to the many in the world. Rarely, one could be attracted to Jesus because of his looks in the images that we have around the place.

In the light of his teachings, the worst form of attraction to Jesus is the attraction which many show towards him on account of his teachings but they are attracted because they understand them the way they want and not the way Jesus wants them to understand.  Yet they may never really realize it.

Some know it and do it deliberately on account of some worldly gain: “imagining that godliness is a means of gain.”  1 Tim 6:5

Some out of an ignorance of whose guilt they can’t escape because they have chosen to remain in that ignorance: “So they are without excuse; for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools.” Rom 1:20-22

There are those few in ignorance whom God will lead in due time in keeping with his promise, as in today’s Bible text. 

Jesus says; “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” and further he says; “Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.”

He clearly, without discriminating between peoples and races, reveals to us the sound principle and reason for being drawn to him, by the Father; be open to the truth that God wants to communicate to us and he does it constantly in order to draw people to his son Jesus, the savior of mankind.

Prayer: “…according to thy abundant mercy, turn to me. Hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in distress, make haste to answer me. Draw near to me, redeem me.” Ps 69:16-18

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

Jesus Provides

Scripture/Bible:  And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name, which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in thy name, which thou hast given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them thy word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I do not pray that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; thy word is truth. 18 As thou didst send me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth. John 17:11-19

Reflection:  What will a sole bread winner do when he comes to know that he or she is no longer going to be there to take care of the children? What will the thinking be and what plan will they make to rehabilitate them? 

For at least three years they had dedicated their lives to Jesus and his mission and they had confidence that it was something special to follow Jesus, but now, thanks to Jesus, who never made them think of future worries, they were calm. 

If there was any one who needed to worry, it was none other than Jesus. Now it was really a moment of crisis; for he was indeed their only hope and they were going to see that hope visibly crushed. The life of him, whom they put their complete trust and hope in, was going to be snuffed out completely from their midst. 

What a crisis it is when the one you are dependent on totally or rather put your complete trust and hope in for everything, is now soon going to be no more. In such situations, a talk on eternity and eternal life and meeting the person in eternity doesn’t work.  

The only consolation that works is that of providence; who will substitute or provide for what we are going to lose. 

But with Jesus there was plan B always in place, may be it had not sunk in the dedicated disciples.They may have even taken sometime, even post resurrection for plan B to sink in; “Holy Father, keep them in thy name, which thou hast given me” 

If you think that the Dedicated Disciples were such fools or so slow to understand this plan B, it is still worse with many of us who face similar situations. We forget that God was introduced to us a Father by Jesus and as Father; he cares for us much more than our earthly father. Yet we keep worrying about the daily things of life as if God as our Father doesn't care about our tomorrow. 

Prayer: “O God, I believe that you are able to provide me with every blessing in abundance, so that we may always have enough of everything and that we may abound for every good work.” (Cfr. 2 Cor 9:8)

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

Lift up your Eyes

Scripture/Bible:  When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify thy Son that the Son may glorify thee, 2 since thou hast given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom thou hast given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. 4 I glorified thee on earth, having accomplished the work which thou gavest me to do; 5 and now, Father, glorify thou me in thy own presence with the glory which I had with thee before the world was made. John 17:1-5

Reflection:  Where is heaven? Who knows whether heaven is upwards questioned the seemingly wise theologian?

Our modern day experts take great pleasure in questioning everything; whether it is the hour of prayer or the hour of glory or the location of heaven.

What does it matter to us who have found the truth; Christ Jesus: “the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.” John 14:6

When the scripture tell us that Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven, then it is. The divine revealed Son, who was always in the bosom of the Father has revealed to us that which is objectively true and safe to practice.

So when Jesus looks heaven wards it could be a dwelling of God in the heavenly or higher above the heavens. 

Heaven is and was always considered a place up above, therefore the Psalmist would pray: “Thou whose glory above the heavens is chanted.”  Ps 8:1

With Jesus with us, it would be good sometimes to pray like him lifting up our eyes to the heavens. In doing so we will be acknowledging at least one thing necessary for his ongoing work of salvation in us: “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isa 55:9

Prayer: “To thee I lift up my eyes, O thou who art enthroned in the heavens!” Ps 123:1

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

Keep your Promise

Scripture/Bible:  His disciples said, "Ah, now you are speaking plainly, not in any figure! 30 Now we know that you know all things, and need none to question you; by this we believe that you came from God." 31 Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe? 32 The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, every man to his home, and will leave me alone; yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. 33 I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." John 16:29-33

Reflection:  How erratic human beings can be in their decision making and choices.

Rarely, static or firm in their promises and thinking, of course, their frailty and mortality are other factors whereby they cannot take firm decisions. Yet they even overlook these factors when they give assurances and make promises most of the time.

If there were no institutions and bonds or testament papers to safe guard these elements then we would have been even worse.

I sometimes think about the whole institution of marriage too, besides the open confession of love till death do us apart and the signing of the bond, the jealousy and hurt that could come in through betrayal and fear of rift. If these fear of conflicts were not the binding principle then even marriages would have got much easily disintegrated and things would have been even worse than it is now.      

This human trend is very disturbing, they forget their promises to each other (not always, but don’t want to fulfill it, even if it is based on right thought and reason and right action)

Should he not do something about this problem, especially concerning the highest value of life, that is, his obedience to God?

He experiences him and then divorces him, he receives the seed of the word of God and then loses it, not receiving it with open mind and heart, with a sense of dedication and commitment. 

Why is this special hostility to truth and the truth of God and all that he has to offer?  

If we know and acknowledge this problem than half the battle is won, because he will seek the salvation that he offers us in Christ as constant remedy and balm, through great sorrow and regret depending on him and his grace alone.

  

"With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God."  Mark 10:27

Prayer: Lord you said, unless you build the house the laborers labor in vain, I surrender my heart in all humility to you to be built by you (cfr. Ps. 1227:1)

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

Good News v/s Issues

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: The parting message, the final instructions are all precious moments for any individuals. Some are fond memories, some are memorable and some may be too painful and traumatic to even remember them.  But all of them they either leave a deep impression or a lasting scar on us.   

The parting message of the ascension must have been a painful and yet a memorable event in the lives of the dedicated disciples of the Lord.  To the point, the Lord gave them the exact instructions that he wanted to give. He did not beat around the bush concerning his mission to them. 

What then are the salient features of the message?

·         Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to the whole creation.

·         He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned

·         And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 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."

The important part of the whole exercise was the unquestioning adherence to the instructions which the Lord had given them; “And they went forth and preached everywhere”

Why would they? They knew that the good news was good news, really good news and nothing but a good news that was worth preaching and it was the primary thing anyone in this creation ever needed.  It was of much more worth than food, clothing, human emancipation programmes, justice issues, equality issues, women’s issues, the race issues, environment issues, corruption issues, political agendas or any other burning issues.

Humans have to be first reconciled to God, who is their creator and Father through faith in the Good News (gospel) of reconciliation; Jesus Christ who has reconciled us to the Father, through his cross.

Prayer: “Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world." John 11:27 “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12

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