Emotions

Today’s Gospel Text:  As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day." And they were greatly distressed.

24 When they came to Caper'na-um, the collectors of the half-shekel tax went up to Peter and said, "Does not your teacher pay the tax?" 25 He said, "Yes." And when he came home, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their sons or from others?" 26 And when he said, "From others," Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free. 27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook, and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel; take that and give it to them for me and for yourself." Matt 17:22-27

Reflection: What do you think may have happened after Jesus announces his imminent death? Did the dedicated disciples understand what Jesus had to say or do?

For this we need to know the many ways in which we pick up the thought processes of others.

Primarily we could be picking up the thought processes of others either through a mere observation of the face, the body language, the emotional expressions and above all through words.

What may come across to us in written format are the mere words of the divine person, who was in complete control of his emotions.

Which means Jesus would express the right emotions at the right time and in right measure but it does not mean the absence of emotions which God has created so that we are able to express completely in every measure.

Thus the dedicated disciples may have picked up the emotions and the seriousness from the actual reality, from what they were seeing, which Jesus may have wanted to communicate to them.

Thus the scripture tell us: “And they were greatly distressed.” 

May be some of this distress was clearly evident in the voice and tone of Jesus at the way he was going to be handed over to mere men and that too sinful.

Emotions are something which God has created for men and for their good, so that they are able to express and communicate and through the proper use of these emotions and in right situations and occasions God will also work out his salvation in us.

Christian spirituality does not look at emotions in a negative way and as one to be suppressed and pushed into oblivion but rather as one to be expressed when necessary and in the right measure for the good of self and for others and above all for the greater glory of God.

Prayer:  Lord, I thank you for thy hands have made and fashioned me, give me understanding that I may ever rejoice in your ways. (cfr. Ps. 119: 73)

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

Expose to the Light

Today’s Gospel Text: And he said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under a bushel, or under a bed, and not on a stand? 22 For there is nothing hid, except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret, except to come to light. 23 If any man has ears to hear, let him hear." 24 And he said to them, "Take heed what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you. 25 For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away." Mark 4:21-25

Reflection: One of the freedoms we demand is the freedom of privacy and as per the laws of human right it is guaranteed in the constitutions of many nations, who have signed the United Nations charter on human rights.

The right to privacy usually guarantees to a certain defined extent when, where and how much of personal information could be disclosed by an individual.

It is a happy law for the many of us in the world who could go through a nightmare if the hidden things of our lives were to be made public.

Embarrassment, hurt, pain, betrayal, distress are some of the deepest feeling that we struggle with when exposed either rightly or wrongly, by the cautious or the overcautious.   

Despite all these freedoms of privacy laws, the Lord is cautioning us about the ultimate day, if not now when we will have to face the exposure of disclosure before the king and judge and then it will be public knowledge, whether we like it or not.

The exposure is sure and is inevitable; everything hidden in darkness has to be manifest by the light of Christ and what is secret will be manifest. (vs.22) 

But for us Christian we could avoid the great embarrassment by bringing things to the light of Christ through the Sacrament of reconciliation, which makes things practical and easy.

The light of Christ thus shining on the darkened area dispels everything that is not of his kingdom and clears our consciences to face him on that day without fear or anxiety.

Believe in what Christ claims about himself; as the light of the world, a light that dispels all darkness. Turn to his merciful love and forgiveness offered to us once and for all on the Cross.

Prayer: 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

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