Be Least

Today’s Gospel Text: And an argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. 47 But when Jesus perceived the thought of their hearts, he took a child and put him by his side, 48 and said to them, "Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me; for he who is least among you all is the one who is great." 49 John answered, "Master, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he does not follow with us." 50 But Jesus said to him, "Do not forbid him; for he that is not against you is for you." Luke 9:46-50

Reflection: In today’s world can we think about the greatness of a person minus the privileges they enjoy.

Though they opt to be servants of all, yet privileges makes them delegate much of their labour on to others. Thus these great in reality make servants of others rather than becoming servant of all.

Who is the greatest or who among them is the greatest? Yes, in the gospel, the argument was among themselves.

It seemed like kids at fight. We did that in childhood to find out who was strong, not knowing at times that the eldest had the greater strength by age among us boys.

We learnt to respect the great among us on the basis of strength and the only way to beat that strength was to take up matters with the higher ups. If anyone of the parent did intervene then all other greatness took a beating, even if it meant injustice.

Jesus was no doubt the greatest and this argument among them only existed in relationship with Jesus. At the same time it revealed a mind set among the disciples which revealed their hidden motives for following Jesus.

They were expecting Jesus to become great in the worldly sense of the term and what is more these simpletons, many of them fisher folks were now beginning to see themselves as identifying with a person whose popularity was growing by the hour.

The simple when they taste power and popularity forget the greatness that they have received as pure gratis or as a gift from God who out of his great mercy chooses us from among the people of the world in order to manifest his humility.

Hence, to opt for greatness is a legitimate human desire which is not to be condemned, for even God does not condemn it, but to seek it at the cost of true humility is what is condemned.

'Be least of all and not the Lord of all', can be said to be the message of Jesus in order to be great in the Kingdom of heaven.

I would desire that all seek that greatness by opting for the path of humility and it would glorify God much.  

Prayer: Lord, teach me constantly the path of humility, the path of being nothing in the midst of your dedicated disciples.

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

The Name of Jesus

Today’s Gospel Text: John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he was not following us." 39 But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me. 40 For he that is not against us is for us. 41 For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward. 42 "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48 where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

Reflection: A good tree not only gives fruit, but could have many uses too, no part of the tree goes wasted. Even if the main purpose of planting the tree could be its fruit but besides giving shade to a passerby, the fruit can be used for a variety of purposes, the seeds to too can be used as edible oil, the bark and leaves could be used as fodder or as a medicinal herb or for other useful purposes.

Similarly, one of the main purpose of Jesus’ coming was to make disciples of all nations, yet his reach is far and wide to all sorts of people who are open to his action and power.

Even the wicked and the evil may make use of his name for personal glory and power, if they do not repent then it is only to face the judgment on the last day; “On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.” Matt 7:22-23

Hence of the many who  would be using his name, there will be some who maybe for Christ or against him or maybe seeing his power change and turn to him, repenting of whatever wrong they may have done.

The wheat and the weed has to exist and grow together:  “...lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest.” Matt 13:29-30

It is a lesson for each one of us not to take the generosity of God for granted, in fact, “..to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” Matt 25:29

Prayer: Lord, as I seek to be your instrument, following you as a disciple, may I be found worthy of your calling and not be found lacking on that day.

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

Let him Speak

Today’s Gospel Text: Nathan'a-el said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." 47 Jesus saw Nathan'a-el coming to him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" 48 Nathan'a-el said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." 49 Nathan'a-el answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" 50 Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these." 51 And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." John 1:46-51

Reflection: “Come and see.”

We know seeing does not really help us because of our limitations in seeing what we really need to see, of comprehending reality.

I may be traveling in a speeding car and keep my eyes open to see the dangers ahead as if me keeping my eyes open will help me avoid the dangers of life or take preventive measures to escape an accident.

When it comes to seeing ourselves, many people may be able to see us and point many things about ourselves, we too may be able to see ourselves perfectly in many areas of ourselves and yet may never be able to see ourselves as perfectly as we are.

How can we take perfect decisions in life when we do not know ourselves? We may be able to see some of the mistakes we make in life, some immediately, some after some time, some after years have passed and some because someone or something has pointed it out to us. But there may be many which we may never see and never realize. 

How do we know for sure that we have never made many mistakes in life? What is success, if that is the criteria by which go?

One of the most intriguing thing that I have observed in people, is that you point a mistake to people and they are proved wrong and yet they still continue to proclaim or do what is wrong and evil. That’s because they have gained their power and position in society on account of this false thoughts, which society has legitimized and approved as true on account of its own folly or because it is a compulsive disorder, they suffer from.  

If such is the sad distressing situation of human life, then we are living dangerously in a society which approves of evil and untruth and yet life goes on, many a time without a major calamity to shock us and we are comfortable with piecemeal solutions to our problems.

Unless we allow God to speak to us as did Nathanael, who in his zeal to come and see would definitely have failed if not for the revelation of Christ about him, we will fail too.

Allow Jesus to speak to your heart, he is alive and still speaks. Ask him to reveal to you yourself, your true worth and you will be saved from all your troubles.

Prayer: In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. Ps 18:6

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

Cross of Christ

Today’s Gospel Text: Now it happened that as he was praying alone the disciples were with him; and he asked them, "Who do the people say that I am?" 19 And they answered, "John the Baptist; but others say, Eli'jah; and others, that one of the old prophets has risen." 20 And he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" And Peter answered, "The Christ of God." 21 But he charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 saying, "The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised." Luke 9:18-22

Reflection: “But he charged and commanded them to tell this to no one.” (vs.21) Jesus asks them after  they have answered then instructs them strictly to tell no one about him.

What is this big idea of asking his disciples to tell no one when he himself has asked them?

I can only think about the greatest information Jesus himself may be having about himself, namely that of his impending death: "The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised." (vs.22)

If that is so then everything else can wait, every kind of knowledge about himself can wait, even if it is the best knowledge about himself. At the same time no knowledge about himself, no matter how good and fantastic it may be, is not worth its salt, unless it is salted by the fire of the cross.

Did St. Paul mean the same, when he said: “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”1 Cor 1:21-24

Whatever good we may do in life and even the most marvelous works in his name but if our work is not salted by the fire of the cross of Christ and the love of it then we are useless and our work a rubble.

The dedicated disciples of Jesus, must have picked up the value of the message of the cross much later than his resurrection, some of them as they went along proclaiming Christ Jesus.

Nevertheless they were all salted at some point or the other as they went along and this added power to their ministry which still shines forth in the Church down till this age.

Prayer: Lord, as I meditate on your cross, may I grow in loving you and your great sacrifice celebrated at every Eucharist.

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