Please the Lord

Today’s Gospel Text: Then the mother of the sons of Zeb'edee came up to him, with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Command that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom." 22 But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" They said to him, "We are able." 23 He said to them, "You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." 24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave; 28 even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matt 20:20-28

Reflection: To be content and satisfied with what we have is a noble quality.

Our over ambitiousness can kill many an innocent men and women at the stake.

In history, and even now, we have quite a few examples of such people who in their ambition to achieve great things, and what apparently appeared to be noble, have destroyed a whole generation of people.

The worst form of it is manifested for the sake of power; either to gain it or to maintain oneself in power.

For some it could even be a situation of identifying their selves with the powerful or gaining their approval.

Knowing that these qualities can be big barriers to enter into the life of God and to walk according to his plans St. Paul had this to say:  

“Not that I complain of want; for I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound; in any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want.”  Phil 4:11-12

Jesus seems to reveal to us that power and authority in God’s kingdom belongs to his Father and it is his prerogative to appoint the ones in office and what position one should hold in his kingdom.

Hence there is no room for jealousy, envy, accompanied by all kinds of politicking in order to climb the seat of power or affiliate oneself to it, whether in our work place or in public service.

Nor is there a place to be pleasing to men in general or to people in authority, so as to compromise on the gospel of Christ. 

What will it profit a man if he gains earthly power, positions, wealth, money, approval and even the whole world and forfeits his soul? (cfr. Mt. 16:26; Lk. 9:25)

Prayer: To you, O Lord, belongs all authority and power, may I live my life pleasing you alone.

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He Called

Today’s Gospel Text:  And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal. 3 And he said to them, "Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. 4 And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5 And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them." 6 And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. Luke 9:1-6

Reflection: “And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal.” (vs. 1&2)

The church asserts that Bishops and priests as carrying that authority and power and are the ones delegated with the authority of the Apostles.

If such is the case then among these, especially the bishops, who the church claims to have the fullness of the Holy Spirit, should be seen to exercise such power and authority, not over those who exercise this ministry, but over these unclean spirits and conduct the ministry of healing and.deliverance.

 

Why do we not see this happening? Is it because they don’t carry that power and authority by virtue of their ordination?

Though they carry this power and authority, it is rather out of convenience and an absence of that faith in God's power, sometimes on account of depraved indulgence, that it is not exercised.

It is like any layman who has experienced God’s healing and yet may not acknowledge God’s power and healing nor testify to it.

This in no way justifies this contribution to social sin by the failure of the hierarchy to exercise their office as delegates of the Apostles, with power and authority.

Similarly, the aberration has reached such a level that the teaching office is given precedence over the preaching office which the Apostles were mandated with. Likewise, local sentiments and interpretations are used as pressure tactic to subvert the message of the Gospel. 

The whole church needs to pray for a correction, as the Synod of Bishops, meet in Rome from the 2-7 of October, 2012 and not be casual enough to attribute every omission to the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Lord, show you mercy to your people and raise in every corner of the world Apostles who will cater to people waiting to hear the saving message of the Gospel and find healing for their soul.

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

Judge not

Scripture/Bible:  "Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. Matt 7:1-5

Reflection:  Why is human nature so notorious that it refuses to see the log in its own eyes instead of making every effort to see the speck in other people’s eyes?

Why? 

Where did this problem originate? Is it not at the time of our first parents, their fallen nature sought to blame each the other as if there was a log in the others eye when it is only a speck there and log here in one’s own eye.

We need not go down to history to see the many wrongs people have been subjected to, by those sitting in judgment with logs in the eyes, over those with a mere speck. 

If one reflects, the situation appears grim as men with their craftiness hide their misdeeds with creative intelligence and usurped power. 

Thus we arrive at a new class of poor; not just the material but those who are victims of such atrocities unleashed by the wicked or the rich.

Here the rich here are those who wield power and authority or have the power of seduction, either on account of wealth, money, influence, beauty, gift of the gab, and bully about by taking advantage of their apparent poor and weak position in society towards a devious end.

What a depressing world it would be if not for the hope of an eternal life and the intervention of God in the life of those who trust in him.

    

“For what is the hope of the godless when God cuts him off, when God takes away his life? Will God hear his cry, when trouble comes upon him?” Job 27:8-9

Prayer: “Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me. O let the evil of the wicked come to an end but establish thou the righteous.” Ps 7:8-9

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

Obedience to Authority

Scripture/Bible:  Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples,2 Saying: The scribes and the Pharisees have sitten on the chair of Moses. 3 All things therefore whatsoever they shall say to you, observe and do: but according to their works do ye not; for they say, and do not. 4 For they bind heavy and insupportable burdens, and lay them on men's shoulders; but with a finger of their own they will not move them. 5 And all their works they do for to be seen of men. For they make their phylacteries broad, and enlarge their fringes. 6 And they love the first places at feasts, and the first chairs in the synagogues, 7 And salutations in the market place, and to be called by men, Rabbi. 8 But be not you called Rabbi. For one is your master; and all you are brethren. 9 And call none your father upon earth; for one is your father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be ye called masters; for one is you master, Christ. 11 He that is the greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled: and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. Matt 23:1-12 Douay-Rheims

Reflection: Obedience, submission and authority has often dogged people and individuals in the faith. Scripture no doubt calls us to submission and obedience as in today’s Gospel reading.  Jesus is fully conscious of the authority of the chair of Moses and calls all his disciples and the Multitude too to respect and obey the chair of Moses and to observe and do accordingly.   

But what is fascinating is the action of these very apostles when they are dragged before the authorities of their time. Compare this gospel text with the action of Peter and John in Acts 4: 5-22

We find a great contradiction if we look at it plainly.  Instead of obeying the chair of Moses they question the chair and call them to answer and tell them what is true.

Why were the Apostles disobedient to Jesus and his teachings?  There were not because Christ Jesus by rising from the dead had established a new Chair (Mt. 28:18), Peter and John in a way were exercising their new authority.  They had the Lord in the power of the Holy Spirit on their side and they were willing to face the consequence for the exercise of such authority.

This authority still governs the church in the Catholic Church and only those can stand and correct who are within it.  They maybe those who sit on the chair of Peter who may as humans abuse their powers like the scribes and Pharisees, but those outside have no right to seek to correct this abuse as they are street dogs barking at rightful owners.  (Rev. 22: 15). Those within can and should exercise their prophetic voices to correct. 

Prayer:  Lord, in you we have come to fullness of life, who is the head of all rule and authority.  Col 2:10

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