It is Enough

Today’s Gospel Text: "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master; 25 it is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Be-el'zebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. 26 "So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, utter in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim upon the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's will. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. Matt 10:24-33

Reflection: Most parents desire that their children achieve in life, whether in academics or in  other extra-curricular activities.

They will even motivate them, back them up and support them in order to achieve their maximum potential.

They don’t need a lecture on 'maximizing potential' in order to motivate their children to achieve their peak performance.

In the bargain, many children have been sacrificed at the altar of parental ambitions and greed.

What is more unfortunate is that many of Christian parents too jump on to the bandwagon in this competitive world, pushing their children to the limits because they find that their child should be doing better than the other children.

Thus some of these children have turned out to be rebels, not managed by the ambitions of their parents; an ambition that stands exposed.

What is more, since the Christian goal of life has not been their mindset, some of these children have grown up confused in this world and think that to follow the majority or leaders of repute with poor morality or false ideologies are a way of life to live with.

Some have even become vegetables in the rat race of achievements, unable to take the pressures and some have committed suicide.

Which of these parents would want their children to be equal to them? Very few; they would always want their children to be better then themselves.

When Jesus sets a standard for us, he does not expect his followers to be better than him and take more burden than himself.

“It is enough”, he says, “for the disciple to be  like his teacher”.           

Prayer:  Lord, I thank you for you patient love and the grace that you afford us in your expectation of us. 

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

Betrayal

Today’s Gospel Text:  Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, "What will you give me if I deliver him to you?" And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. 17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the passover?" 18 He said, "Go into the city to a certain one, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at your house with my disciples.'" 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the passover.  20 When it was evening, he sat at table with the twelve disciples; 21 and as they were eating, he said, "Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me." 22 And they were very sorrowful, and began to say to him one after another, "Is it I, Lord?" 23 He answered, "He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me, will betray me. 24 The Son of man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born." 25 Judas, who betrayed him, said, "Is it I, Master?" He said to him, "You have said so." Matt 26:14-25

Reflection: What is the difference between these two actions: trading in slaves and what Judas did to Jesus?

A slave is one whose right is forcibly taken away by another and hence is sold in order that he may become the property of the one who has legally owned them. They can do with them what they want. 

The scripture gives us enough evidence of Judases greed, which primarily may not have been a greed for power or domination but rather a greed for wealth, which led him to trade with his very own Lord and master, whose humble ways are within the powers of men to manipulate in this life.   

Could it be that he opted to be in charge of the money box and the financial management of the little institution on account of his greedy habit of pilfering? 

But he did achieve, in his greed, to sell-off as a slave one of the most innocent and yet the most unassuming powerful man in the history of mankind:

"What will you give me if I deliver him to you?" (vs. 15)

What right did he have to deliver him to him? Was he the owner of Jesus or was he his father or was it the other way around?

Where do human's get such strength to trade with their God; the Lord and master of the universe? 

How greed, ambition,  craving for power and the things of the world; whether it be worldly glory, honor or positions, leads one to such depraved mindset wherein which they begin to assert their rights over the other. Worse is when they do it with even God. 

Some do it under the acceptable democratic institutions and some even by using their power and positions in the church:

Was Judas not holding similar position of power and authority in the church? How then did he become an instrument of Satan?

Did he not eat of the same table, what some may obstinately claim as to be the meal of unity, and yet betray, thus separating himself from the unity of the body of Christ?

He had the best teacher in Christ, whom he followed and yet followed himself more than Jesus.

A thing to ponder upon, this holy week, as we labor in the vineyard of Christ.

Prayer:  Lord God, as I reflect on the betrayal of Judas, I dread to think of the frail human possibilities laboring without your great mercy and help.

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

Greed

Today’s Gospel Text:  When Jesus had thus spoken, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, "Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me." 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was lying close to the breast of Jesus; 24 so Simon Peter beckoned to him and said, "Tell us who it is of whom he speaks." 25 So lying thus, close to the breast of Jesus, he said to him, "Lord, who is it?" 26 Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I shall give this morsel when I have dipped it." So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly." 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the money box, Jesus was telling him, "Buy what we need for the feast"; or, that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the morsel, he immediately went out; and it was night.  31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of man glorified, and in him God is glorified; 32 if God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, 'Where I am going you cannot come.' 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."  36 Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered, "Where I am going you cannot follow me now; but you shall follow afterward." 37 Peter said to him, "Lord, why cannot I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you." 38 Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the cock will not crow, till you have denied me three times. JN 13:21-33, 36-38

Reflection: The first commandment is a very serious issue and any breaking of the first commandment makes that sin a serious one too.

Many of the curses, poverty, divisions in families, untoward deaths and evil running in families are on account of the curse of breaking God’s first commandment and not living up to the call of God to be faithful to him alone and to all that he has given us in Christ Jesus.

This issue becomes all the more serious for the New Testament Christians, who have the complete revelation of God in Christ Jesus.

How could Christians be breaking the first commandment of God in the New Testament faith that we have received from Jesus?

We should have learnt this from the example of Judas and his betrayal of Jesus and the consequence thereof. 

By betraying Jesus Judas was completely rejecting God in Christ Jesus who came to save us and without him and apart from him we cannot save ourselves. (cfr. Jn. 15:5)

Hence all other sins are secondary in comparison to the sin of denial or betrayal which ultimately leads us into a greater stalemate in our life. It is so because we are rejecting the very source that can help us overcome or save us from our sinfulness.

Though, in reality, the other sins can lead us to this low level of denying or betraying Jesus. And the sin that leads us to that state becomes another example of breaking the first commandment of God.

Greed or wanting more than what we need; a lust for worldly gain whether it be for wealth or power or positions also amounts to breaking of God’s first commandment: “Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry).”  Col 3:5

Prayer: Lord, reveal to me the areas of greed that I may purge it from me with your help.

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

Seek Him and Him Only

Today’s Gospel Text:  So when the people saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Caper'na-um, seeking Jesus. 25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?" 26 Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God the Father set his seal." 28 Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" 29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." 30 So they said to him, "Then what sign do you do, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 32 Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world." 34 They said to him, "Lord, give us this bread always." 35Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst. John 6:24-35

Reflection: Could it be possible that we humans tend to value our stomachs more than anything in the world?

I would have my doubts; in our day to day life, are we really dealing with people who have this in mind?

In the light of this question, what Jesus says in the gospel text above, is shocking: “"Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God the Father set his seal." (vs. 26-27)

I can’t imagine a crowd following Jesus, just because they ate the bread and more so after seeing the mighty signs.  One reason why they must have not valued the person Jesus and the sign he performed was on account of the type of sign; that of feeding the multitudes with a satisfying portion of loaves.

Yet it is no excuse for anyone to seek the food more than the message or the person.

If anyone thinks that it happened then and does not happen now, then we are being foolish. And if anyone reasons out that since there are no miracles of the multiplication of the bread (not that there are no such miracles) and hence such a thing food centered behavior is not repeatable, then one is again walking in foolishness.

Anyone of us could fall in this category and not necessarily the ones who join the various denominations. They have heard the prosperity Gospel and have remained there with only this miracle to their credit or waiting for the miracle to take place in their lives, some even after a heavy dose of tithing.

There are also among these the many Catholic who think godliness is a means for worldly gains (1Tim. 6:5).  So they pray and turn to God or the saints only when there is a need or pray for prosperity, health and wealth with no sense of Dedication to Jesus or his gospel.

                                                                                                                                                                            

Prayer: In all my blessings and daily miracles of life, let me give you praise with a joyful heart, for you are a God who provides.

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

Idolaters

Scripture/Bible:  Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, "What will you give me if I deliver him to you?" And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.  Matt 26:14-16

Reflection:   "What will you give me if I deliver him to you?” this communicates the character Judas, in the great drama that unfolds before us. 

This sort of avariciousness could manifest in many forms.

What will I get out of this? How will I benefit from this? Will I become that which I aspire to be? What will I gain in return for my investment? How is my interest going to be served?

The above questions are not so harmful in themselves if practiced in an ethical way but they become vicious and terribly evil when such things are achieved at the cost of someone else’s life or at the cost of truth. “If I deliver him to you”; is a betrayal of the other and for self gain.

This betrayal may not always be through 30 pieces of silver but could be through slander, gossip, backbiting and maligning. It may not necessarily be for wealth but could be for power and positions, fame and fan following, health and not just wealth. 

There are many who prefer to betray their Lord and master, who shed his blood for them, in order to seek health, wealth and favor, some do it through occult new age practices or through compromise of the faith of Christ. These will compromise the doctrine of Christ for cheap gain and popularity, for security and recognition. Some think that to please people is a form of godliness but ultimately it is a form of greed to want to be called nice and good.

No wonder scripture affirms such greed as a form of idolatry. (Col. 3:5)

The modern day Judases are many but with the Lord there is mercy. It is necessary that one repents and turn to him opting for the narrow road which he invites his followers to walk on, order to receive his mercy; “He who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.” Matt 10:38-39

Prayer: Lord, may I humbly seek you and your ways and not in the ways of idolaters.

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