Thursday 26 September 2013

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time : Listen

Reading 1

AM 6:1A, 4-7

Thus says the LORD the God of hosts:
Woe to the complacent in Zion!
Lying upon beds of ivory,
stretched comfortably on their couches,
they eat lambs taken from the flock,
and calves from the stall!
Improvising to the music of the harp,
like David, they devise their own accompaniment.
They drink wine from bowls
and anoint themselves with the best oils;
yet they are not made ill by the collapse of Joseph!
Therefore, now they shall be the first to go into exile,
and their wanton revelry shall be done away with.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 146:7, 8-9, 9-10

R. (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed he who keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who were bowed down;
the LORD loves the just.
The LORD protects strangers.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2

1 TM 6:11-16

But you, man of God, pursue righteousness,

devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. 

Compete well for the faith. 

Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called

when you made the noble confession in the presence of many witnesses.

I charge you before God, who gives life to all things,

and before Christ Jesus,

who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate for the noble confession,

to keep the commandment without stain or reproach

until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ

that the blessed and only ruler

will make manifest at the proper time,

the King of kings and Lord of lords,

who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light,

and whom no human being has seen or can see. 

To him be honor and eternal power. Amen.

Gospel

LK 16:19-31

Jesus said to the Pharisees:
"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps
that fell from the rich man's table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. 
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me. 
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.'
Abraham replied,
'My child, remember that you received
what was good during your lifetime 
while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;
but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established
to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go
from our side to yours or from your side to ours.’
He said, 'Then I beg you, father,
send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers,
so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.'
But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.'
He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, 
neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'"
Theme for reflection: Listen 

One of the most interesting, shocking and pertinent statement in the scripture is this:

'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'" (vs. 31)

This message of Jesus is time tested and loaded with meaning.  It reveals a great truth of the human state, which refuses to believe the truth.

Today’s readings communicates much of the warnings and truth and how many of us, who may not be reading scriptures on a regular basis but at least have heard this reading sometimes in their lifetime for a Sunday mass, are really putting the message of these readings into practice.

The truth communicated, especially through the second part of the statement is indeed shocking: neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.” (vs. 31b)

In other words one could say that we may even expect someone to rise from the dead and warn us and yet not listen to them.

Do we know how fatal and self deceiving a sickness it is that we would prefer to listen to ourselves and our logical, self righteous, sane mind (Which in reality is illogical, corrupt and insane)?

That we would prefer to listen to some false prophets and new age gurus and experts rather than the one who is risen from the dead?

Yes, all our confidence is based on false knowledge and we are our own enemies, walking towards self destruction.  It is like a situation which the proverbs describe aptly:  There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”  Prov 14:12/ 16:25

While the first readings shows us to what extent one could go to lead a hedonistic life style either in actuality or in  our imagination or thoughts the second reading invites with appropriate instructions to lead a life worthy of our call.

What is more, the second reading reminds us that the one who invites us to choose a lifestyle of simplicity and faith has himself given us an example in himself, even to the extent of sacrificing himself for this truth.

If one does not follow these instructions then the scripture even reminds us of the consequences of not following them; a life of torment.

What is this life of torment? When we are faced with trials and persecutions or misunderstandings or separations from a loved one or experience false slander or put to public shame then we all go through torment and in such a situation we prefer to run away from it. There is sense of desperation and frustration, restlessness and uneasiness.  

Many of us experience the depth of it when sick or have an attack of some form of infection; the body is as if in hell and no one wants to remain in that hell but seeks the doctor.

Likewise, and in a much greater measure, than this earthly reality, is the reality of hell.  It is only a taste of the things we can experience if we were to land there.

 Therefore, compete well for the faith.   (I Tim. 6: 12a)

If such is the reality then what sort of life should we live. Should we not lead a life of Faith in Jesus rather than faith in self?

In other words; should we not take his word seriously rather than our own words and thinking?

No matter how stupid and illogical the word of God may appear to be, but it is a proven remedy to our proven stupidity.

Proven by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and proven by the faith of the countless throughout the history of Christendom and even in our time and in our midst by the many who follow him diligently.

No longer then we need to listen to any prophets or someone of the stature of Moses, but we have someone who indeed has risen from the dead and speaks to us even to this day.

Some additional scripture verses for reflection and use:    (RSV)
    
For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse; 21 for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man or birds or animals or reptiles.
24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. Rom 1:19-25
  
And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!" 36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. Luke 9:35-36a
  
"By men of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord." 1 Cor 14:21
    
Moses said, 'The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet from your brethren as he raised me up. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. 23 And it shall be that every soul that does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.' Acts 3:22-23

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; 28 and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. John 10:27-28

Thursday 19 September 2013

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time : Real Poverty

Reading 1

Hear this, you who trample upon the needy
and destroy the poor of the land!
“When will the new moon be over,” you ask,
“that we may sell our grain,
and the sabbath, that we may display the wheat?
We will diminish the ephah,
add to the shekel,
and fix our scales for cheating!
We will buy the lowly for silver,
and the poor for a pair of sandals;
even the refuse of the wheat we will sell!”
The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob:
Never will I forget a thing they have done!

Responsorial Psalm

PS 113:1-2, 4-6, 7-8

R. (cf. 1a, 7b) Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise, you servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD
both now and forever.
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
High above all nations is the LORD;
above the heavens is his glory.
Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high
and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He raises up the lowly from the dust;
from the dunghill he lifts up the poor
to seat them with princes,
with the princes of his own people.
R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2

1 TM 2:1-8

Beloved:

First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers,

petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,

for kings and for all in authority,

that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life

in all devotion and dignity. 

This is good and pleasing to God our savior,

who wills everyone to be saved

and to come to knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God.

There is also one mediator between God and men,

the man Christ Jesus,

who gave himself as ransom for all.

This was the testimony at the proper time. 

For this I was appointed preacher and apostle

— I am speaking the truth, I am not lying —,

teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray,

lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.

Gospel

LK 16:1-13

Jesus said to his disciples,

“A rich man had a steward

who was reported to him for squandering his property. 

He summoned him and said,

‘What is this I hear about you? 

Prepare a full account of your stewardship,

because you can no longer be my steward.’

The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do,

now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? 

I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. 

I know what I shall do so that,

when I am removed from the stewardship,

they may welcome me into their homes.’

He called in his master’s debtors one by one. 

To the first he said,

‘How much do you owe my master?’

He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’

He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note. 

Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’

Then to another the steward said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’

He replied, ‘One hundred kors of wheat.’

The steward said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note;

write one for eighty.’

And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.

“For the children of this world

are more prudent in dealing with their own generation

than are the children of light. 

I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth,

so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

The person who is trustworthy in very small matters

is also trustworthy in great ones;

and the person who is dishonest in very small matters

is also dishonest in great ones. 

If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth,

who will trust you with true wealth? 

If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another,

who will give you what is yours? 

No servant can serve two masters. 

He will either hate one and love the other,

or be devoted to one and despise the other. 

You cannot serve both God and mammon.”

Theme for reflection:  Real Poverty

In the first reading of today we see the great faithfulness of God towards the poor and the downtrodden.

He warns the rich among the Israelites and those who rule over these poor, here on earth, neither to cheat or swindle them nor to treat them unjustly.

The poor and the poverty of the many are a common problem even in our times and so often we may work out plans to rob and steal the poor by sweet words of treachery.

There are some who are practitioner’s of social justice and work for the emancipation of the poor, the marginalized of society and the downtrodden.

When there are modern day governments, who seem to be extra conscious of the social status of their subject and have socialistic schemes to alleviate the suffering of these poor then why do we require non- NGO’s to strive to work towards the alleviation of the poor?  

Hence, do we  as Catholics really need to work towards these causes?

It is good for us Catholics to work for the emancipation of the poor but we should not forget to understand the right kind of poverty and work according to God’s wisdom to alleviate the sufferings of the poor rather than go by human priorities and standard.

We should, more so, serve because our God cares for his poor?

Who then are these poor whom we are called to serve in the first place and as of first priority?

Let us first understand the contradiction of the first 2 readings: While the first one is a warning and is a reminder of God faithfully watching over his poor on the other hand the second reading seems to worry about the rich and mighty and invites us to pray and intercede for them.

A deeper glance gives us a reason for such prayer and which could be summed up like this: We Christians who are poor by virtue of our following of Christ Jesus (hence not just a material condition) should pray for these rich and the powerful that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life
in all devotion and dignity.  (1 Tim. 2:2)

Similarly in the gospel we are further exposed to this truth that as Christians our poverty is realized not on account of lack of wealth or possession but that every Christian becomes poor in Christ Jesus on account of the realization of one’s status as a steward of God’s wealth and thus walking accordingly. 

Which means that we as Christians may have plenty of wealth and money and yet all that one has belongs not to them but to God and that we are mere stewards: That is poverty!

Otherwise we could be active in the service of the poor and the marginalized and yet may be rich with possessions and wealth and the greatest of them is the wealth of the many adulations and honor we accumulate and for which the world is willing to honor and reward.

Some additional scripture verses for reflection and use:    
    
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Luke 6:20

LUKE 16: 1-9 (today’s Gospel)

This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 1 Cor 4:1
   
As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who utters oracles of God; whoever renders service, as one who renders it by the strength which God supplies; in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:10-11 

So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. Gal 6:10

 

Thursday 12 September 2013

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time : Our Direction in life

Reading 1


The LORD said to Moses,
“Go down at once to your people,
whom you brought out of the land of Egypt,
for they have become depraved. 
They have soon turned aside from the way I pointed out to them,
making for themselves a molten calf and worshiping it,
sacrificing to it and crying out,
‘This is your God, O Israel,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt!’
“I see how stiff-necked this people is, ” continued the LORD to Moses.
Let me alone, then,
that my wrath may blaze up against them to consume them. 
Then I will make of you a great nation.”
But Moses implored the LORD, his God, saying,
“Why, O LORD, should your wrath blaze up against your own people,
whom you brought out of the land of Egypt
with such great power and with so strong a hand? 
Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,
and how you swore to them by your own self, saying,
‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky;
and all this land that I promised,
I will give your descendants as their perpetual heritage.’” 
So the LORD relented in the punishment
he had threatened to inflict on his people.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 51:3-4, 12-13, 17, 19

R. (Lk 15:18) I will rise and go to my father.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. I will rise and go to my father.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. I will rise and go to my father.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R. I will rise and go to my father.

Reading 2

1 TM 1:12-17

Beloved:
I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord,
because he considered me trustworthy
in appointing me to the ministry. 
I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and arrogant,
but I have been mercifully treated
because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief. 
Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant,
along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 
This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance:
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. 
Of these I am the foremost. 
But for that reason I was mercifully treated,
so that in me, as the foremost,
Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example
for those who would come to believe in him for everlasting life. 
To the king of ages, incorruptible, invisible, the only God,
honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Gospel

LK 15:1-32

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 
So to them he addressed this parable.
“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them
would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert
and go after the lost one until he finds it?
And when he does find it,
he sets it on his shoulders with great joy
and, upon his arrival home,
he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’
I tell you, in just the same way
there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous people
who have no need of repentance.

“Or what woman having ten coins and losing one
would not light a lamp and sweep the house,
searching carefully until she finds it?
And when she does find it,
she calls together her friends and neighbors
and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’
In just the same way, I tell you,
there will be rejoicing among the angels of God
over one sinner who repents.”

Then he said, 
“A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father,
‘Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’
So the father divided the property between them. 
After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings
and set off to a distant country
where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. 
When he had freely spent everything,
a severe famine struck that country,
and he found himself in dire need. 
So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens
who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. 
And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed,
but nobody gave him any.
Coming to his senses he thought,
‘How many of my father’s hired workers
have more than enough food to eat,
but here am I, dying from hunger. 
I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him,
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 
I no longer deserve to be called your son;
treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’
So he got up and went back to his father. 
While he was still a long way off,
his father caught sight of him,
and was filled with compassion. 
He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. 
His son said to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you;
I no longer deserve to be called your son.’
But his father ordered his servants,
‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him;
put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 
Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. 
Then let us celebrate with a feast,
because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again;
he was lost, and has been found.’
Then the celebration began. 
Now the older son had been out in the field
and, on his way back, as he neared the house,
he heard the sound of music and dancing. 
He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. 
The servant said to him,
‘Your brother has returned
and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf
because he has him back safe and sound.’
He became angry,
and when he refused to enter the house,
his father came out and pleaded with him. 
He said to his father in reply,
‘Look, all these years I served you
and not once did I disobey your orders;
yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns,
who swallowed up your property with prostitutes,
for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’
He said to him,
‘My son, you are here with me always;
everything I have is yours. 
But now we must celebrate and rejoice,
because your brother was d
ead and has come to life again;
he was lost and has been found.’”

Theme for reflection:    Our Direction in life


Scripture exegete's will always affirm that we need to read the scripture in context.

What they say is true; we should do exactly that and  yet may remain ever fossilized in the context, as many would normally tend to do.

There is a great need to apply the message to our situation and our context too and learn from it or else we would be waking up to a serious blunder.

We may even end up judging scriptural characters while reading the judgments mentioned against them.

Likewise, while analyzing the scripture we cannot be distancing ourselves from the behavior patterns of these people who were against the truth and against the instructions of God.

We could be even worse than them and there is an urgent need to sincerely seek God and ask him to judge us too, by asking him to search our hearts and minds for those sinful ways which we normally tend to be blind to, if left to our own.

Some of us tend to get a relapsed bout of attack and our condition of blindness becomes worse than what it was before.

We could become so blind that, if at any time we have any realization of sin then it is according to the measure of the guilt, shame or embarrassment that we suffer from and not by the measure of the holiness of God or by the measure of his revealed laws.

How blessed is the man, if he, like St. Paul arrived at a realization with God's help as he does here: He was well versed with the revealed laws, and yet could acknowledge thus: “I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief.”  (vs. 13)

On the other hand we see in the gospel a similar situation of hardening; on the one hand the tax collectors and sinners were turning to Jesus and on the other hand the Pharisees and the scribes were pushing themselves, more and more, away from Jesus.

Thus they were testing God’s patience towards them by moving more and more towards blindness.  It is like the cataract getting hardened and worse, before it is too late and one has to operate it, only to be discarded.

How else can one explain the complaint which God has concerning his own people, who have experienced his mighty power with signs and wonders and yet gone astray?

The reference is definitely his own people and in the present context, the Christian community.

“They have become depraved. They have soon turned aside from the way I pointed out to them.” (vss. 7b-8a)

God be speaking these words to each one of us today as we listen to the readings of today? (repeating)

“They have become depraved. They have soon turned aside from the way I pointed out to them.” (vss. 7b-8a)

The parable of the prodigal son is a story that points to two of the most important things about us:

      1)      Our tendency to take the things of God for granted and to be blind to the richness that is in him and even moving further and further away from him, while some even imagining themselves as being close to him.  
      2)      That there is still hope in him, if only we could acknowledge our sinful ways and thinking, and not go only by our subjective conscience but by the objective call of God and turn to him.  

Then will God, in his great mercy, rejoice over us and shower us with his abundant love, as seen in the parable of the prodigal son.

If we do not know, how to go about it then the Psalm (51) of today is a beautiful prayer and reminder, which we could often and daily recite, with meaning and help from God in order to come closer to God and to be guided by his Holy Spirit and grace.

Or else we could be participating in every sacramental grace and pious devotions and yet be far removed from our God and his ways.

Some additional scripture verses for reflection and use:

The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."
They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none that does good.
God looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there are any that are wise, that seek after God.
They have all fallen away; they are all alike depraved; there is none that does good, no, not one.
Have those who work evil no understanding, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call upon God? Ps 53:1-4
    
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!  And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! Ps 139:23-24
    
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:  concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; John 16:7-9