Educate

Today’s Gospel Text:"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' 7 Then all those maidens rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise replied, 'Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.' 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other maidens came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' 12 But he replied, 'Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.' 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. Matt 25:1-13

Reflection: Modern Education has done great wonders; it has brought in development and given ordinary people access to knowledge.

A nation’s wealth is often counted by way of its educated class; for wealth is not just a produce from or of natural resources but also includes human resources of which intellectual property and contribution thereof is an important factor.

Having seen the wonders thereof, every nation makes it point to invest in education and so too society and communities lay great emphasis on education.

Parent will go through great lengths to educate their children in every possible way, making great sacrifice by way of time, wealth and sleep.

Like every good invention and investments which has a flip side so too education; the state of the world with its many problems and irreversible damage done also suggests the evil contribution of education.

No one complains because we rarely see the negative side and see only the positive side and the great contribution of education in terms of wealth generation and rarely human development, with no sound criteria to adjudge it. 

Does modern education really develop character and if yes, is it developed in freedom or is it developed in fear and societal conditioning?

What do we compare modern education? Is it not like an artificial hormonal growth: visibly appeals to the eye and growth is sure but is it real quality?

Such an emphasis on education could even be practiced in the religious places and seminaries of today.

The parable reveals to us that that five of the virgins were foolish because they carried no oil in their lamps; the oil of the Holy Spirit that comes through learning at the feet of the master and receiving from his Holy Spirit.

How many of our modern day parents and those among Christians, who have a role in education, teach the children on the importance of keeping their lamps always filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer:  Give me the oil O Lord that my lamp may ever be burning brightly unto eternity and thus prove myself wise in your eyes. 

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

Education

Today’s Gospel Text: Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. 36 As they were saying this, Jesus himself stood among them. 37 But they were startled and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit. 38 And he said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do questionings rise in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have." 41 And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate before them. 44 Then he said to them, "These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled." 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46 and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high." Luke 24:35-49

Reflection: Education enables and empowers us much, to handle the daily aspects of life and survival?

But does it always do so? Does Education really empowers us or enables an individual?

It is very difficult to find the truth, because one thing we know is that education has followed a certain pattern and it has brought about a certain element of a popular acclaimed change and very few have experimented with other forms of education.

Or maybe the other forms of experimentation too have shown its own weaknesses and drawbacks.

One thing which all will agree on is that education has at least managed to bring in some change, if not an ultimate change but it brings about some change in society.

It provides us with a work force and a certain discipline and uniformity in society which other wise would be impossible to work with.

It brings about progress, if not a moral one then at least a material progress and the growing experimentations and innovations in society which makes society an enterprising one.

We have in scripture an insight into the human mind which could change the way we look at education and learning, especially the spiritual dimension which often relies on the ways of the world in the formation of men and women to serve in the vineyard of Christ.

Yet what is going to be said is no new philosophy or idea but which some individuals have in a way having realized this have changed their approach to life.

In this approach, one does not rely on oneself totally in order to educate oneself. one would constantly feel the need for God to work out his ways in them.

They learn and keep learning even the ways of the world but ultimately know that they require his help in leading them on or to be his instrument.

The fact that Jesus had to “open their minds “ (vs.45) to understand the scriptures, even though they were constantly with him and availed constantly of his wise teachings, yet it is only when he opened their minds that they may have started on a new beginning.

Our darkened minds through the mercy of God needs healing and needs to be opened in order to understand the things of God and this is often left to the will of an individual to avail of this grace and healing. 

Prayer:  Make me understand the way of thy precepts, and I will meditate on thy wondrous works. Ps 119:27

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

Teach Me Too

Today’s Gospel Text:  As he entered Caper'na-um, a centurion came forward to him, beseeching him 6 and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress." 7 And he said to him, "I will come and heal him." 8 But the centurion answered him, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." 10 When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith. 11 I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. Matt 8:5-11

Reflection: A school is a great place to be, a great invention of man. Parents admit their children to school in the hope of building their future on a solid foundation.

In school these children could learn either the good things of life or bad.  But it is always a joy for the parents to hear their children or see them having learnt the good values of life and doing well.

It is as if these things which they learn become a pleasing offering to the parents in return for their investment on their children.

Similarly God has sent us to earth for a purpose and in this body, a perfect creation of God, to learn of the good things of life.

The human body is like the school and the various stimuli of life are the many things one learn's in school.  

In the story of the centurion we have one such example of right learning and offering in the school of life:

He has learnt that authority has a special power to delegate things and to make things work and as he adds this to his faith in Jesus, it produces a wonderful miracle with eternal ramifications.

The servant of the centurion is not only healed but he becomes an example of how we can carry our daily interactions of life to God in prayer and ultimately leave it to God to work a wonderful miracle in our lives and those of the others too; for the centurions testimony of faith has become an example for all ages.

We need to ask ourselves; how have we learnt about the marvels of God either through our education or work situation or as parents or friends or brothers and sisters to one another?

Do we, each day, make our experiences an opportunity to know more about God and then in and through them offer them to God? 

Prayer:  Teach me thy way, O Lord, that I may walk in thy truth; unite my heart to fear thy name.  I give thanks to thee, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify thy name for ever. Ps 86:11-12

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

Noble Profession

Today’s Gospel Text: Now as they went on their way, he entered a village; and a woman named Martha received him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." 41 But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; 42 one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her." Luke 10:38-42

Reflection: For the world the noblest profession could be to be a doctor or a lawyer or that which earns big money.

In the the kingdom of God the noblest work is to preach and teach and for the many, to hear and listen to God’s word. 

What makes the preacher or teacher, well versed with the things of the kingdom, different from the noblest of professions in the world?

A person who is well versed in the kingdom teaches eternal values, which are lasting and whose glory, power and shine never fades away. They are there to last forever and likewise lead the listener to the eternity of God’s presence, beginning with a sound relationship, here on earth, with the creator of all things.

A teacher in the world may train his or her student the survival techniques of life and educates a person towards self sustenance and sound character, which in turn is often subject to values that the world sees as truth.

In the absence of the grace and wisdom which Christ offers these values become redundant in many cases of formation.

It is also a work which involves the great risk of rejection, persecution and trials, if done diligently with sincerity and faithfulness.

Whereas the job of a servant of the kingdom, is necessitated by the fact that we are surrounded by a darkness which makes it impossible for us to access the truth of God, unless God opens it out to us through these preachers and teachers, assisted by the Holy Spirit. 

Thus they are called to be light of the world and salt of the earth (Mt. 5: 13-160)

Prayer: Lord, help me see your wisdom in the appointing of preachers and teachers, so that I may hold these true servants of the faith in high honor for my own salvation.

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