Beastly Men

Today’s Gospel Text:  "Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under foot and turn to attack you. 7 "Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! 12 So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets. 13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Matt 7:6, 12-14

Reflection: This again brings us back to the debate on Christian love, mercy and compassion.

It is meant especially for those who think that to be a Christian means to love and only love and nothing but love- a love without doctrine and based on ignorance. 

If above teaching had not come from the mouth of Jesus but instead even if it would have come from a good saintly Christian, of our present time, then we would have cast stones in return for these pearls which are holy.

Indeed we as Christians are called to love and love every human being irrespective of cast, creed and colour.

But the question remain; what do we do with the beasts or more plainly put; what do we do with those who think only like beasts, i.e,  like dogs and swine’s?

And what do we do with those who refuse to accept the love of God which comes to us as wonderful pearls of sound teachings? 

To what extent can we love them who deliberately opt to be beasts and prefer to be treated like one.

But there may be beasts among human beings who may acknowledge their situation and feel the need for a savior and may be looking for help. That would be a altogether different situation. 

In fact, we all could be one in some measure or the other but some may either through ignorance or hardness may want to continue in their folly or they could be some who acknowledging may want to change. 

A true Christian in his heart desires that all humans act and behaves like a human and receives the respect of a human being and are fed with the sacred things which God has revealed through his beloved son Jesus Christ.

Dog hood and swine hood may not be a permanent situation and Christ Jesus as savior can save anyone who comes to him and transform them from an unclean beast into the image of man; into his own image and likeness.

This very reason he came and this reason he endured all things like a true human being in order to show us the demands of being human and what is more he affords us the grace to be so, if we ask for it.

Prayer:  Jesus my savior, I pray that I may be like you in all things and it is only you who can transform me in totality.

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

What Forgiveness

Today’s Gospel Text:  Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.

23 "Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; 25 and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' 27 And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, 'Pay what you owe.' 29 So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' 30 He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. 32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; 33 and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' 34 And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart." Matt 18:21-35

Reflection: Living in a community is not an easy task, we often have to rub shoulders with those who are less sensitive or over sensitive about smaller matters and are hurt about many things that relate to day to day living.

The smaller matters of injustices and wrong that take place daily may be easily handled with the grace of the Lord and a generous heart.

But what happens to a repetitive hurting process which many a times seems deliberately intended? 

This is where arises the difficulty, because our patience is tested and so too our faith in God.

There is always room made for justification for holding on to the many hurts and bitter moments of life. We could lose out on the greater work that the Lord could be doing or wanting to do in and through us as his instrument.

By holding on to hurt, bitterness and unforgiveness we could miss out on the Lord’s plan to use us as his instrument of salvation and to bring glory to his name.

The onus to seek forgiveness from the ones whom we have harmed, within the community, is to act brotherly and to forgive is to act like a brother who cares.

How can we not forgive a fellow Christian, more so when they have asked for forgiveness or is already repentant of what they have done?

In the parable Jesus brings out the truth of the fellow servant who begs and pleads for mercy and despite all his pleadings for mercy and forgiveness he is not forgiven. 

Petty attitude, self-centered behavior, short sightedness are all fruit of a sin that doesn’t allow the divine grace to work in ourselves but rather allows our own passions to play the dominant role.

Prayer:  Strengthen and teach us to forgive Lord as you forgave your enemy.

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

The All Powerful Name

Today’s Gospel Text:  The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!" 18 And he said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." 21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will. 22 All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." 23 Then turning to the disciples he said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see what you see! 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it." Luke 10:17-24

Reflection: The all powerful name of Jesus vanquishes every evil and even brings them to submission to us who have that name and value it:

The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8

Yet this truth could hold very little value to the many who do not understand the full significance of such an action of God by sending his Son Jesus into the world.

In the sin of our first parents we were subjected to the power of evil, sin and decay. Death was an inevitable consequence of that first sin and hence we all are under the power of death.

These evil to which are subjected to are further taken advantage of by the devil by either tempting us or oppressing us by various means into various kinds of bondages of life; of lethargy and sin pleasures.

Thus we are made slaves to the evil one in long as we are slaves to these sinful tendencies at work: ‘”… but I am carnal, sold under sin. I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” Rom 7:14b-15

  

The extreme form such evil takes makes us slaves to him in such a way that we are unable to relate with others in peace and joy and or even if we do relate then it is only in constant conflict.  The worst is when we led on by such oppresses forces to drastic measures of either seeking the destruction of the other or self either through immediate suicide or over indulgence.

We are often bewildered by these destructive tendencies, especially manifested in the prime of youth and wonder where as parents they have faltered.

They have faltered in not keeping the flame of faith alive in their own hearts and subsequently in the hearts of these children entrusted to them as stewards by God.

Prayer: Lord, help me not to depart from thy holy presence and ever to lose hope in your all powerful name to set us free from every evil.

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

Merciful Father

Scripture/Bible: Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.37 "Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back." Luke 6:36-38

Reflection:  Why does Jesus have to compare and call us to be merciful as our Father? Was it necessary?  Can’t we be just merciful as we are supposed to be? 

On the other hand we all should be having the experience of God’s mercy in order to be merciful like our Father or else such comparison don’t make sense at all. 

But the crux of the problem is this; we are all beneficiaries of the mercy of God and yet may never recognize this mercy showered on us constantly in his great benevolence. 

Then there are the many that have experienced the Father’s mercy, recognize some bit of it; for it is difficult to fully comprehend what love and tender mercy which the Father always shows us.  Having recognized a bit of it, there are some who may never reflect and thank the heavenly Father with a grateful heart. 

It is such gratitude that in a great measure completes the whole cycle of human comprehension of the tender mercy of God.  Once we have comprehended this mercy, we can then be instrument of this mercy towards others.

Only after having been schooled in the school of God’s mercy can we be instrument of God’s mercy towards others.  If not we will be showing mercy to the wrong person, in the wrong circumstances and situations, and bring about a corrupt fruit; for it is possible to be merciful like the humans are and not like our heavenly Father. 

Prayer:  Lord, help me to be an imitator of your mercy. 

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