Counselor

Today’s Gospel Text:  But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convince the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. John 16:5-11

Reflection: The limitation of human communication is evident, especially to those in serious business.  We have to sometimes get into mathematical precisions and codes in order to be more objective.

In spite of all the efforts the failure to make the other understand completely, so as to be understood the way it is intended, will always be there.

One requires great effort, understanding and equal amount of patience to communicate, especially to people who are out of their mind or slow to understand or people who have been normal and have suddenly gone bonkers.

To those who understand these limitations they could seek the grace and wisdom of God to go deeper and understand things more comprehensively. Even this process of seeking a clarification can be an irritant to those who communicate.

We have a similar situation in the gospel paragraph of today, wherein the disciples fail to understand the message of Jesus.

Even the most ordinary message is difficult for the disciples and thus we could say that the same holds true for all of us. Even the most intelligent among us would not fully understand what Jesus was communicating in the passage.

The dedicated disciples not only failed to ask Jesus where he is going but also how he is going; the process, which included the manner of death that he would have to undergo in order to go.

If they were sad, it was because Jesus talked about his going but they never really understood the manner of his going, what kind of death he would have to endure.

One thing is clearly evident, that in order that we may become better in understanding the mysteries of life more perfectly and objectively, he would send us the counselor, the Spirit of truth.

Anyone that does not need this counselor can be termed as self-conceited and having a false opinion about themselves.

Prayer: Open our eyes Lord to the wonders of your word and by your Holy Spirit working in us lead us to the truth of You. 

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

Fishers of Men

Today’s Gospel Text: While the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennes'aret. 2 And he saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 And when he had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." 5 And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets." 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking, 7 they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." 9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zeb'edee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men." 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. Luke 5:1-11

Reflection: To those who love it, fishes makes a great meal, whether fried or stewed, with spices or without it.

Fish is a healthy diet recommended by many and helps supply much of our body’s need for healthy protein, fat and vitamins.

Fishing is one of the oldest trades known to man and the process is tedious and interesting.  There are times when even the best fishermen comes away disappointed with their labour.

You are up against an invisible food, hidden in the deep waters and a variety that leaves you with very little choice.

To catch a large shoal of fish one needs to be equipped with a net and go into the deep in a boat, even looking at tell tale signs to lower the net in the right place.

Patience and perseverance, trusting in divine providence along with the human experience can play a big role in fishing.

When Jesus invites them to follow him with a mandate to make them fishers of men he proves it to them that he is a better fisherman than these traditional and experienced  fishermen, who confess that they have not succeeded in gathering anything in this venture that day.

With the mandate to be fishers of men, they will be trained in the school of Jesus, how to trust in divine providence and to learn from his word.

What is required of them is to be equipped with the net of the word of God and trust in his providence; an active listening to the word from the mouth of the Lord, so as to cast the net in the right place and at the right time.

Prayer: Lord, prepare my heart and mind for the great task of being your fisher of men and for which you have called me to.

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

Jesus’ Patience

Today’s Gospel: And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennes'aret, and moored to the shore. 54 And when they got out of the boat, immediately the people recognized him, 55 and ran about the whole neighborhood and began to bring sick people on their pallets to any place where they heard he was. 56 And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or country, they laid the sick in the market places, and besought him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment; and as many as touched it were made well. Mark 6:53-56

Reflection:  God’s patience verses human patience.  We are often impatient with others; the actions of our brothers and sisters.  At a macro level we are fed up with corruption and evil that besets us in society. At our ordinary level we are impatient with our brothers and sisters or children or parents and want them to change.  

Not that we are perfect but we expect that perfection from others.  The father of the household may want his children not to speak a lie or be false while he himself may be corrupt in his ways. There may be some in the hierarchy too who may want to fight corruption in government while it may be loose in its morals and corrupt in its action, unfaithful to the specific callings of the master.

In the Gospel reading I am fascinated by the patience of Jesus who is capable of reaching the far corners of the earth in a jiffy and yet restrictive in all patience with our time and place and people who bring the sick to him from every corner and places.

 Patience is an action of love and is not the same as tolerance. One may tolerate an evil because the opposition is formidable and it maybe blindly looked upon as virtue but a Christian cannot be patient with evil, fake and false prophets. (Rev. 2:2)   

But “to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.”  Rom 2:7

Prayer: Lord in your mercy grant me the wisdom and grace to be patient, especially with my brothers and sisters who love you and seek to earnestly follow you.

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