Love for his Beloved

Today’s Gospel Text:  He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?" 23 Jesus answered him, "If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me. 25 "These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:21-26

Reflection: Something’s in life are precious and is not easily shared with anyone; be it the secrets of our hearts or the material wealth we posses or a special seat or a plate or a cup.

But these very things we may share with someone whom we may love and care for:

Thus you have parents sharing their belongings with children and a couple sharing their things with each other or siblings too following the same regiment.

We could have teachers who could be sharing their knowledge either freely or with the select students over whom they are employed to deliver, but to his chosen select he delivers extra. 

Just like the parent towards their beloved children or a teacher towards their chosen pupil likewise Jesus makes a choice to manifest himself towards his chosen ones.

Who are his chosen ones? Are they the ones who have experienced his manifestation or are they the ones who make a choice to follow him, by loving him, which they will do by following his commandments:

“He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." (vs. 21)

The process is clear: First, know the Lord and his commandments; not just the Ten Commandments but the commandment of listening to Jesus and his teaching, the living voice and what is written in Scripture as passed on to us through the great tradition of the church.

Then as one follows the Lord and his commandment, one will thus prove that they love the Lord and are willing to walk in the footsteps of the Lord.

Then will the Lord love them and manifest himself.

It is not a process that follows the liner movement but a process that follows a cyclic movement, in ever greater and increasing measure as one constantly chooses to live the commandments of Jesus out of love for him.  Thus Jesus will manifest himself to them till they achieve the growth that God wants them to have.

Prayer: Teach me thy way, O Lord, that I may walk in thy truth; unite my heart to fear thy name. Ps 86:11

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

You are no Dogs

Today’s Gospel Text: And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon." 23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away, for she is crying after us." 24 He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me." 26 And he answered, "It is not fair to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." 27 She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." 28 Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly. Matt 15:21-28

Reflection:  This passage of scripture should make us Christians reflect about our own faith and how we avail of the many graces available to us as Christians or as Catholics.

Seeing the many conversions of the neo-Christians and their strong faith and testimonies. it can make us wonder whether it is a similar situation of the Canaanite woman, who receives from the Lord on account of her special faith.

It is as if the Lord is pleading with us Christians; I have come for you, the lost sheep of the house of God. To you belong the special graces, offered through the sacraments of the Church, through its institutions and the various processes.

As in here in the gospel, it is the outsiders who recognize this Jesus and pay him a greater obeisance and receive from him the many graces and healings.

When the Lord says: "It is not fair to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs,” He is telling us his chosen ones, who are full of ingratitude, that he considers us, as his own. We are his children from among the people of the world (cfr.! Pt. 2: 9-11).

He is also telling us that these special graces of healing, peace and joy belongs to us first and we need not equate ourselves with anybody but rather carry on generously to reach out to others with the Gospel.

It is the best gift that we can give others and the Lord has chosen to give it to others through us, as his instruments. 

Hence, witnessing to this power means to witness to what we keep experiencing, as beloved children in our daily life, through his intervention in us. This intervention can only happen if we allow the Lord to work in us or if we allow ourselves to be dependent on him.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for making us your own, help me to never forget this great action of yours achieved through the shedding of your most precious blood on the cross.Make me your instrument.

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

Who will Persecute Whom?

Scripture:  But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. 13 This will be a time for you to bear testimony. Luke 21:12-13

Reflection: “…..they will lay their hands on you and persecute you.” The word ‘they’ communicates the other.   We have the privilege of the Word given to us and hence they would mean and always means the other. 

But it is good to check prayerfully whether we who have this privilege are instruments of persecution and thus belong to the category of the ‘they’.   If we do belong to ‘they’ then we do not belong to the privileged class but rather to the evil class that seeks to persecute God’s chosen.

In your zeal to persecute you either are convinced that you are doing the right thing or that someone is wrong and that you are doing a service to God.  

The mind cluttered with evil and rebellious towards God is the seat of many of our wrong judgments.  We persecute those whom God favors and approve those whom men favor.

The silence of the many that refuses to speak in favor of God’s chosen ones is in itself a form of persecution.  

Prayer:  Father, grant me wisdom so that I may seek to belong to you and not persecute your chosen ones.

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