Trust in providence

Today’s Gospel Text:  And preach as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying, give without pay. 9 Take no gold, nor silver, nor copper in your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff; for the laborer deserves his food. 11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it, and stay with him until you depart. 12 As you enter the house, salute it. 13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And if any one will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. 15 Truly, I say to you, it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomor'rah than for that town. Matt 10:7-15

Reflection: One of the criteria's to discern the work of God is the attitude towards money and wealth by those who are laboring in the vineyard of God.

Jesus’ clear instruction on giving is this: “You received without paying, give without pay.”

Hence, it is enjoined on the ministers of God's gifts that they labor without expectations from people and individuals.

God is the provider on whom the dedicated disciple is supposed to be dependent on and hence Jesus even asks him to; “take no gold, nor silver, nor copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff; for the laborer deserves his food. (vs. 9-10)

It requires faith to take a step in total trust; for such is the demand placed on the dedicated disciple of Christ when sent on a mission to proclaim the word.

This is no excuse for those who have been given by the Lord so as not to support this great task.  

The crux of the issue is this: Total dependency on the part of the dedicated disciples, in the Lord and in his providence, when they are ministering the gifts of grace in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Could the lack of faith in the Lord and his words be one of the reason why the gospel has suffered in our time?

Our modern education makes us doubt everything and anything and all that seems good, except oneself. Likewise the formation on the word of God. 

How much can we trust ourselves and in the process trust the deceptive knowledge that comes our way and believe in what cannot be easily trusted?

God is the surest person to trust and so too his word is true, no matter how foolish it may appear to the rational mind.

Prayer:  God our Father, prepare my heart to trust in your providence and care.

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

His will Done

Today’s Gospel Text: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 24 "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; 25 and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; 27 and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it." Matt 7:21, 24-27

Reflection: To create and build gives humans a great sense of satisfaction.

As years role by they begin to look back and see their works and start to feel satisfied about what they have wonderfully achieved or they could feel guilty or disgusted and if given another chance may even want to correct a few things.

It is never an option for an individual when it comes to building. If a person stops building or doing things or exercise his creative ability then he or she begins to loose out on ones intrinsic quality to create, produce and build.

But as humans we could either build as individuals without anyone’s help and thus be restrictive in the way we build and yet could build a marvel for all to behold or we could build with the help of others.

Others can play a valuable role in the things that we set to create or build. Some could work beautifully as a team to achieve great things and accomplish great targets. 

But the limiting factor is that our creativity and work, whether as individuals or in a team, is as good as a contribution towards nothingness if we are not working by uniting our will with the will of God.

We may accomplish the best of things and do a great job and receive accolades from many people and it may be a holy job for the world, yet in all this if the creative hand of the savior is missing then it is as good as nothing. 

We are called to work with God for God and not for God apart from God. 

“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. Ps. 127:1

The creative hand of the Lord knows best what is good or bad for humanity, he judges well; “Who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?" Rom 11:34

So then if you want to do great things for the Lord or even in life then seek the face of the Lord in all things and his wisdom to guide you. 

Prayer: Lord, may I seek your face in all things and in everything I do, knowing that apart from you I can do nothing. (cfr. Jn. 15:5)

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

The Offer of Rest

Today’s Gospel Text:  Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matt 11:28-30

Reflection: Whom is this massage addressed to? To all who labor and are heavy laden.

Who then are the laborers? Are they the ones who do the 9 to 5 job or perhaps much more or work in civic work or labor in their farmyard, vineyard or kitchen?  

We forget that every human being from the moment of conception until death is a laborer. We labor in the midst of the many forces that seek to vanquish us, so that we are able to survive and hence every labor is an effort for survival. 

The child in the womb has to face the moods and stimuli the parents and surrounding atmosphere communicates to it.  Add to this is the genetic factor which brings with it its own bit of struggles.  The forces of darkness, prominently at work in those who are assailed by virtue of their exposure even to generational sins, are also factors that lead to such a struggle and labor.

The child as it grows up has to face the many misunderstandings, lack of parental attention coupled with their  indifference due to misplaced priorities. The child also has to face their circumstances and surrounding hostile atmosphere, which are all stimulus to additional labor.

The scars of the hostility of life, some of which keep festering over a period of time, become an additional burden for the laborer who struggles to live an upright life of sound virtues.

Thus the academic education is only a minor part of the whole process of labor.

If such is the menacing nature of our labor and the detrimental effect it can create in us with eternal ramifications, then Jesus' offer comes as a welcome solace to a world that labors every moment in pain, hurt, guilt, shame, rejection, unwanted-ness and trauma.

The Marxist agenda has compelled the Church to celebrate labors day but the time is come to restore the true meaning of labor to humanity and present anew the offer of Jesus to a suffering humanity urgently in need of such a solace. 

Thus the church will do justice to God actions in Christ Jesus. Otherwise all its acts and work of justice is an eyewash to please humanity, if at its core it does not proclaim this gospel of justice which Jesus offers.

Only such a message can be called the Gospel, the Good News of hope and salvation from our fruitless  sinful labor, progressing through the summit of the Eucharist (liturgy), ending ultimately into a reward of eternal rest.  

Prayer:  I look for your salvation O God, which you offer through your beloved Son Jesus, and celebrate this freedom from sinful labor. that I too may enter into your rest.

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

Faith in Jesus

Scripture/Bible: 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, 12 while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth." 13 And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; be it done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed at that very moment.  Matt 8:5-13

Reflection:  We all hold some job or the other, if not then we may have our own businesses. Even if we are sick or handicapped we still are able to do some work or the other.  The least we can do by way of labor, is pray.

Work either helps us grow or can make us stagnant, some shrivel up or even become worse in the labor they undertake.  

The human being creatively expresses through his daily work and may learn from it things that are good for his progress. They, more so, learn to relate with one another and their superiors and friends through their various interactions in the work place.

No matter how talented one may be, one of the chief qualities one carries and learns is the ethics of life; sound character, the aspect of charity and endurance, bearing up with those colleagues who are difficult to interact with, etc.   

All these action are made beautiful, if it begins with the creator and ends with seeking the glory of him who makes it possible for us to be perfected in our surroundings.  If only we knew how to draw from his presence the life, which is only him and give it to others according to the capacity of the vessel we are.

In the Gospel we have a beautiful example of learning from one’s work, which is then made beautiful in the holy presence of God:

The centurion has through his daily work learnt at least one thing and that is the power of human words to command and bring to fruition what it means.  At the same time we see in his interaction with Jesus, the limitation he must have seen in his own words to accomplish or help a person in distress.

How often we may have heard that we need to reach out to people who are suffering and in pain, just as Jesus did and went home carrying a guilt, because we have realized that somewhere deep down it is not possible in our hands, no matter how powerful we may be.

The faith of the centurion is also the absence of faith in himself and in  his own authority and might. It is a faith in Jesus who is able to accomplish all things beautifully and in his time.

Prayer:  Lord, help me not to be wise in my own eyes and teach me to fear you and turn away from evil.  So that It may be healing to my flesh and refreshment to my bones. (Cfr.Prov 3:7-8)

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