Choose Life

Today’s Gospel Text: Now when Jesus saw great crowds around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. 19 And a scribe came up and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." 20 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head." 21 Another of the disciples said to him, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." 22 But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead." Matt 8:18-22

Reflection: Just a surface glance at the passage and it seems to suggest that Jesus was in no mood to entertain any one:

In the first place we see that Jesus, having seen the great crowds around him, giving orders to go over to the other side.

And to add to his woes, we see a scribe then coming up to him and announcing that he will follow Jesus wherever he goes.

Then follows one of his disciples, which means, one who is already following him and seeks permission from the Lord to go and bury his father.

On a day like this; was Jesus in no mood to entertain anyone?

We have in Jesus, the one who has come to save us and reach out to us but also a one who knows his priority at a given situation and time.

The fact the he answers them in a reasoned and logical way, with all wisdom is clear indication that he cares.

In his answers to them he reveals the motives that people could have while following him.

The crowds may have wanted to be around a man who seems to also have star status; popular and widely discussed. Who doesn’t feel the urge to see such stars and even go home and boast about their sighting and proximity to such people.

The scribe may have had his own reason; was it a new story line for each day or was it the material gain and the windfall that one may get?

This particular disciple too, like most Christians, has a dual allegiance and Jesus, like the new Moses, challenges the Dedicated Disciple to choose life rather than death by asking him to follow him.

This Challenge rings through in all ages and generation to come; are we willing to listen? 

Prayer: I pray that I may be faith to you Lord and to your calling.

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

God’s Children

Today’s Gospel Text:  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."

35 And James and John, the sons of Zeb'edee, came forward to him, and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." 36 And he said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?" 37 And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." 38 But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" 39 And they said to him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared." 41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. 42 And Jesus called them to him and said to them, "You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:32-45

Reflection: The human ambition to achieve and to attain greatness and power can be never ceasing.

God knows this human desire, which when first manifested led the first parent to sin against God.

They sought equality with God without God and thus rebelled against his creator; the sinful nature still evident in the many actions of humans, not just when relating with one another but also in one's relationship with God.

In other words, humans adopt the ways of Satan and his qualities in order to achieve the higher goals of life.  No matter how good our actions may seem to us and how noble our thoughts but our actions if it doesn’t flow from God and in the end doesn’t lead to God then it will only lead to one's mortal self.

Hence the desire of the sons of Zebedee to sit on the right and left of Jesus in his kingdom was a desire to attain the one of the greatest position one could ever dream of. 

Jesus does not disappoint us in our desire, even if it is a wrong one but he does disappoint us by not granting us according to our worldly ambitions and ways.

Therefore he had to correct the Sons of Zebedee and remind them of a responsibility that they will have to undertake in order to reach somewhere close to their goal.

What if God doesn’t grant us the higher goals and ambitions of life as seen from our human perspective but he definitely grants us the power and authority to be his sons and daughters in Christ Jesus.(cfr. Jn. 1:12)

What goal can be greater than this; that each one who believes and accepts Jesus as their Lord and master and follow in his commands and ways will be authorized to be sons of God or children of God?

    

But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13

Prayer: God our Father, we thank you for giving us the privilege to be your children and to address you as our Father. (Cfr. 1 Jn. 3: 1-2)

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

To Follow

Today’s Gospel Text: 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: Peter in the gospel claims that he has left everything while following Jesus: "Lo, we have left everything and followed you." (vs. 28)

There are something’s in life in which we can make a choice and some in which we can make no choice.

Can a child make a choice for an ideal parent or to go to an ideal school or can anyone make a choice aas to which country they have to belong and who should be their neighbor?

A cruel parent can make a child desire for the ideal or for a better way of life and so too an adult could opt or desire for something better if a marriage begins to get rocking or a job becomes a burden.

The search for the ideal or a better way of life is what keeps the adult going, either searching or learning or migrating or divorcing or breaking, etc..

With Jesus as the one to follow, Can anyone ever make a statement of wanting more or desire the immeasurable?

Is not Christ the fullness, the abundance, the provider and the creator and much more? Then what could be lacking a man who follows Jesus and what more can a person want if one follows Christ?

How unfortunate it seems that Peter who has made a choice to follow Christ was wanting more than what he had done. 

Yet there are very few in the history of humanity who has followed Christ with complete trust and abandonment.  It is so very much difficult to abandon oneself to the Lord’s providence, assuring presence and comfort with us.

I marvel at the heroic abandonment and trust of some of the saints beginning with the Apostles to give up everything in order to follow the pearl of great price.

Peter had to first learn from the master that to leave everything and follow Christ was to really leave everything and make Christ Jesus the only goal of one’s abandonment to God.

Prayer:  Lord, help me to follow you closely and trust in your providence, even willing to give up everything. 

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

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

Self Denial

Today’s Gospel Text:  "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."

23 And he said to all, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? Luke 9:22-25

Reflection: What do we accept about ourselves that we are at the same time called by Jesus to deny in ourselves?

A profound reflection about ourselves could send shivers down our spine in the light of what is demanded of us: “let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (vs. 23c)

We accept that we are called to survive and all the activities that help our survival become our right by virtue of our birth in this world.

This could include the right to food, water, job, wealth, education, acquiring means for survival, leisure, family, get married and have children, have friends, express ourselves in truth, etc. etc.

So we have these human rights and obligations which no one can deny us, especially those in authority need to dispense these rights to their subjects over whom they rule. 

In this there is no exception to the rule and no one has the right, even in the name of religion to deny anyone the legitimate human rights.

But in the light of the gospel exhortation, we are called to, on our own, to deny ourselves and take up our cross daily and follow him. 

In the light of the above rights and needs, denying ourselves can be even termed in human terms a suicidal mission and that is exactly what the Gospel ultimately demands of the true and Dedicated Disciple through its commitment of service to the truth of the Gospel. 

It is ultimately not a mission to commit suicide but a mission to seek the higher and real life by denying ourselves daily the pleasures we think that help in survival but in reality destroy us and our humanity. 

As if denying ourselves is not a cross enough, Jesus further invites us to carry our cross daily and what is more even invites us to add to our burden by following him.  It is not a following as meant in mere walking behind but following as in every step of the master, unto the cross.

May the special grace of lent strengthen each one of us to diligently carry on with dedication and zeal to deny ourselves in the school of mortification and self-abandonment.

Prayer:  Help me Lord to deny myself the many pleasures of life and to seek you with all my strength, might, heart and mind.

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

Saving Grace

Today’s Gospel Text:  Now when the Pharisees gathered together to him, with some of the scribes, who had come from Jerusalem, 2 they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash their hands, observing the tradition of the elders; 4 and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they purify themselves; and there are many other traditions which they observe, the washing of cups and pots and vessels of bronze.) 5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with hands defiled?" 6 And he said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 7 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.'  8 You leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men." 9 And he said to them, "You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God, in order to keep your tradition! 10 For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him surely die'; 11 but you say, 'If a man tells his father or his mother, What you would have gained from me is Corban' (that is, given to God) -  12 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, 13 thus making void the word of God through your tradition which you hand on. And many such things you do." Mark 7:1-13

Reflection: At the time of Jesus religion was no science nor was there any talk of science and yet the Pharisees and all the Jews would not eat unless they first washed their hands. (vs. 3)

The Pharisees and Scribes even considered it an offence to not to eat with clean hands. In this they purely went  by the demands of the law. 

There was definitely no science in their minds when they were insistent on the need for clean hands but there was definitely a religious reason for it.

If they had known the modern scientific reason, what would happen? Perhaps it would have made them more fanatics at admonishing Jesus and boasting about their religion being scientific too. 

How about seriously looking at the situation from a pure scientific point of view?

Jesus would have again stood condemned; for the evidence of science too, which is our modern religion in which everyone is well schooled in, would condemn Jesus.

Who in our age, educated in our modern scientific culture, doesn't know that if we do not eat with clean hand we are ingesting all kinds of bacteria's and germs?

Yet the dog on the street who knows no science and the animal in the stable survive the onslaughts of all kind of bacteria’s, whereas we as human’s tend to fall sick at the slightest hint of it.

What is more, the disciples of Jesus too seem to fit in with the category of the animals, when it came to bacteria's and germs. They had their meal without the washing of their hands in sharp contrast to the normal Jewish way of life.

To follow Jesus means to go contrary to the laws of science in many matters. It means to rise above the gravitational or earthly pulls of life. It shows us the power of his message to save and lift us up from the earthly things that bind us and hold us to bondage and slavery, into the freedom that comes through his saving action.

The greatest freedom that Jesus gives us is not freedom from disease but the freedom to face the onslaught of it without fear or trepidation because he is above the earthly laws, that hold us in bondage, and he will lead us to eternity.

Prayer: Lord, help me to trust in your salvation; your saving grace!

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

Attachments of Life

Today’s Gospel Text: The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples; 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, "What do you seek?" And they said to him, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" 39 He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying; and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, "So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas" (which means Peter). John 1:35-42

Reflection: Just a little while ago I received a phone call from a friend who shared of how their two year old pet died and the family is in tears of missing the dear one and every look at the empty cage leads to more pain and agony.

As we grow through life we often grow in attachment to things, to peoples, to pet ideas and the many activities of life. 

The secret of attachment is familiarity and comfort, security and momentary peace, the filling up of a deep inner void and emptiness.

The important or the precious things of life gain greater meaning and affection than the lesser things of life.  Here the greater and the lesser is each ones subjective interpretation of things.

How difficult it is to let go of someone so close and dear to us, at times it fills us with such a big void and vacuum that we begin to wonder how we will every live without the other.  It is painful and often the pain sets the lachrymal glands to over work.

It could be much easier to give what is not yours and to be detached from it.

In the Gospel text we have John the Baptist with two of his disciples and yet he lets go of them so easily; an act of perfect detachment for a cause which is noble and true.

Nothing is more important for a perfect disciple than to see how his master is pleased and at the same time carrying the genuine concern for their own.  We could have Masters who could sacrifice someone else’s life and can be perfectly detached from others for their self gain.

If only, each one knew why they are on this earth, to please whom; whether self, others or God, then they would not be holding on to things material or abstract, neither to individuals nor to pets.

What is more they will lead those, who are with them, with godly wisdom and help and encourage them to seek God’s glory rather than their own glory.

Prayer: "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." Lam 3:24 

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

Cost of Following

Today’s Gospel Text:  Now when Jesus saw great crowds around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. 19 And a scribe came up and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." 20 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head." 21 Another of the disciples said to him, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." 22 But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead." Matt 8:18-22

Reflection: We have our priorities and we think we are right. We have our plans and we work towards  our immediate gain or gratification.  

Likewise in the gospel of today each of those who wanted to follow Jesus had their own priorities and plans but God had other plans for them, expressed through rejection of their prayers.

Therefore, one sure plan of God, in all his rejections or unanswered prayers is a call to trust and a deeper purification of our motives. 

The Scribe, who wanted to follow Jesus, seems to have been attracted by the crowd, and the quick overnight popularity may have been his prime motive in wanting to follow Jesus. The crowd around Jesus was a very attractive reason to popularize one’s writing. How often we would like to play to the galleries.  It’s the hard reality of following Jesus is what discourages him.  It is like putting one’s hand to the plough without counting the cost of following Jesus.

The second one too had his priorities wrong, you cannot hold on to mortal relationships in order to follow Christ. You can never be happy, because your attachment to a loving relationship holds you in a bondage that is detrimental to live and communicate the gospel of life or to be his instrument.

Following Jesus is an insecure proposition. The normal human tendency is to be comfortable and secure in the midst of crowd support, positions of power and exercising authority, possessing great wealth and the security of a close friend.  But to a disciple, the master is more demanding, because a man in the service of life cannot serve the dead at the same time.

Prayer:  “Answer me, O Lord, for thy steadfast love is good; 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.” Ps 69:16-17

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

Entrapped by Evil

Scripture/Bible:   And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Hero'di-ans, to entrap him in his talk. 14 And they came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are true, and care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? 15 Should we pay them, or should we not?" But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why put me to the test? Bring me a coin, and let me look at it." 16 And they brought one. And he said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said to him, "Caesar's." 17 Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were amazed at him. Mark 12:13-17

Reflection: What if someone came to you with deception writ large on the face and you knew for sure the motive behind the talk sweet approach? 

I am sure many of you would be angry and fume over the whole thing. If you had the strength to fight it out and there were no legal obstacles, then you would use all in your capacity to beat the person black and blue or expose the person to public disgrace and shame. 

We find a similar situation in the Gospel, when these Pharisees and the Herodians come to Jesus to entrap him. Jesus knows their motives, even as they sweet talk in order to tell Jesus his true qualities.

How can entrapped creatures seek to trap a person who is free?

Jesus is quite calm about the storm that these men want to brew. He listens to their query and sees that they know the truth of life and the truth about him and instead of seeking to follow him, which should have been their first priority; they still seek to entrap him. 

Here is clear case of humans knowing the truth and yet not adhering to it; if Jesus was a teacher, who according them: “was true, and cared for no man; did not regard the position of men, but truly taught the way of God.” then they should have wholeheartedly followed him.  

Why do human inspite of knowing the truth, even in their inner conscience still follow a lie? But the fact remains and it is true in all our history, that there are quite many who knowing the truth walk not in it.

The many among the Christians, who are supposed to be the light to the world, could be the first who are in this category and they are instruments of leading others also astray either by not knowing their faith or by knowing their faith, like these men in the Gospel. These do not want to stand for the truth lest they displease their superiors. .  

Prayer: “I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep thy word. I do not turn aside from thy ordinances, for thou hast taught me. Through thy precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.”  Ps 119:101-102,104

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