Truth of the Gospel

Today’s Gospel Text: "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils, and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them and the Gentiles. 19 When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; 22 and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel, before the Son of man comes. Matt 10:16-23

Reflection: In a situation when there is a negative outlook to life any warrior or conqueror would advise his followers to take up weapons.

Let’s not be shocked, Jesus did not have a very high opinion of men. Yet, it doesn’t mean that he did not love them or care for them. He came for them, who were sinners. 

His was an action that was based on love, he came to save mankind from the eternal hell and he knew that men will still reject it and behave like wolves,  thinking that they are the righteous ones. 

How could he ever advise his followers to take up weapons?

Instead, even to this day, men do all that they can to suppress the truth of the gospel and prevent the spread of the gospel of truth for a cause which they think is greater than the truth of the gospel.

There are many in our times dedicated to the gospel and take vows to be faithful to the service of the gospel  and ultimately promote their own agenda and even interpret the gospel of truth to suit their agenda.

What is more they have even become instruments of persecution to those who oppose them in the light the gospel of Jesus Christ and promote those who are enemies of the gospel.

There are governments and institutions created whose sole agenda is human emancipation and development yet not knowing what they want to achieve or if they have a goal then it is purely for longevity or economic independence.

All these will look at the gospel of truth with suspicion and will use all their resources at hand to abuse their authority to suppress the freedom which humans should enjoy in their search for the eternal truths.

The many religion’s and the fanaticism adds to the confusion.

As for us Christians the message of Jesus is clear: " But he who endures to the end will be saved." (vs. 22)

Prayer: Lord our God, raise up men and women to labor in your vineyard and harvest men and women to be instruments of your gospel.

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

Mission of Jesus

Today’s Gospel Text:  He went out again beside the sea; and all the crowd gathered about him, and he taught them. 14 And as he passed on, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him.

15 And as he sat at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were sitting with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him. 16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." Mark 2:13-17

Reflection: Jesus’ action to sit with tax collectors and sinners went against the norms of the day. These were known offenders whom people of spiritual stature would love to disdain and keep away from.

Probably the custom may have been so strong that these Scribes of the Pharisees did not care for their wealth because those who carried the tag of spirituality already had the abundance on account of the strict laws on tithing and what is more they did carry a honorable place in society too.

So what was the big deal for the scribes of the Pharisees to reject these? But was it not a inhuman act to do so?

On the other hand, even though Jesus’ action was a great and noble act, we have many in our days who may score better when it comes to non-discriminatory attitude towards others.

A good and kind politician may do it better still and so too a man on the street yet the truth is that no one does it without some motive or the other. Even beneath the pure motive is a motive which is always allured with human sinfulness. 

Jesus too had his motives to reach out to these: "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." (vs. 17) His motive was the very purpose for which he came, the goal and vision, to do good, which he passes on to all those who follow him.

To judge their motives and to condemn it belongs to the ones who have a purer motive than those whose motives are not aligned to Christ as the goal of their lives.

It is the goal of Jesus which we all must strive, no matter what judgment and condemnation may be issued against his followers for seeking to proselytize but the dedicated disciple must stay at it.

Prayer:  Lord teach me to be true and faithful to your calling and never let me be parted from it.

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

Acceptance in Christ

Today’s Gospel Text:  Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them."

3 So he told them this parable: 4 "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.' 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. 8 "Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost.' 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Luke 15:1-10

Reflection: I am sure many of us may have faced rejections in life and may have gone through moments of great pain and anxiety.

Some of us for a reason that has been good and sound and others may have gone through it for the wrong reasons. If we have realized our faults then we would get over the rejections fast and accept the reasons for our misery and overcome the hurt feelings of rejection faster.

What happens when we experience rejection for a right or good cause? What happens when we face rejections for somebody else’s faults? What happens when we face rejections rightly but on account of our weaknesses and compulsions?

In all this we have hope of acceptance in Jesus who accepts us in great love, no matter how sinful we may be: "This man receives sinners and eats with them." (vs.2)

The rejections of the world no longer matters to us, for we have acceptance in Christ Jesus. It is not an acceptance to sin more and do more wrong but it is an acceptance to return to sanity, truth and true love.

It is a call to change by living in the love of Christ Jesus, who himself suffered on account of the total rejection by men and by God who rejected him for a little while on account of our sins.

Christ Jesus not only accepts us but teaches us what is right from the wrong. He further strengthens us by grace to overcome the many weaknesses of our lives.

He also makes us instrument of his love to others, so that we are able to reach out in love and service; a service in which we present Christ Jesus as the perfect aide and company for the lonely who walk in righteousness before God.

Prayer:  God our Father, we thank you for sending Christ Jesus to be with us forever and to have his help in every difficult situation of life.

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

Face Death

Today’s Gospel Text:  There were some present at that very time who told him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered thus? 3 I tell you, No; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Silo'am fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, No; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."

6 And he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 And he said to the vinedresser, 'Lo, these three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down; why should it use up the ground?' 8 And he answered him, 'Let it alone, sir, this year also, till I dig about it and put on manure. 9 And if it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'" Luke 13:1-9

Reflection: “Get yourself insured” is the new age mantra for life and its eventualities.

Some would register themselves for a health rejuvenation program or join a gym or could be on health foods and vitalizers to rebuild their immune system.

In order to protect ourselves from harm we are constantly asked to be careful and trust much in the abilities of our watchful eyes and other senses.  If not and in the case of those who can afford, they may go to the extent of having body guards or invest in security devises in order to protect themselves.

Yet with all these gadgetries and efforts to protect we could still end up as casualties along the way. Such are the frailties of life! 

Some wise man may say; “Who has come to survive, we all have to die some time or the other”

But what sort of death, a sudden one, lost to the world and with no hope of an eternity. A death you eventually meet but never facing it. 

It is such a reality that Jesus is pointing to when he says; “"Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered thus?  I tell you, No; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. (vss. 2-3)

The followers of Jesus too died snuffed out from among the people of the world: Were they sinners? Yes, they were, but not like the ones who persist in sin, without a knowledge of God.

While those killed by Pilate and those on whom the tower of Siloam fell met their death without being ready for it. The followers of Jesus faced death, fully aware of the consequences they will have to face as result of proclaiming the truth of Christ to the world. 

What is more these Dedicated Disciples carried in their hearts the assurance of eternal life, an experience constantly lived by the true followers of Jesus Christ.

Prayer:  Lord, let my life be a constant and pleasing sacrifice to your holy name.

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

Receive His Mercy

Today’s Gospel Text:  As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him. 10 And as he sat at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" 12 But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." Matt 9:9-13

Reflection: What an easy self explanatory passage, how well the story concludes with a punch line: “For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

The passage brings out the image Christ as bold and at the same time compassionate towards the rejects and sinners in society.  He cared less for the human program or priorities and sought to fulfill God’s priorities for us.

God’s priority was this: “'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.”

God, in his desire to show forth his mercy to the sinful world, allowed Christ Jesus to become the sacrifice.

Has anything changed in the Christian community down the ages? Do we mix around freely with the sinners or the rejects of society? And if we do, then is it with the intention of bringing Christ’s love and forgiveness to them.

On the other hand you have a class of people who go beyond the scripture and every form of true religion. Who assert that, in the first place, you should not identify people as sinners and thus discriminate between them or create guilt in their hearts.

Call it by another name, but the reality doesn’t change; we all are sinners and so every man is guilty of transgression before the holy God.

I abhor such sociological noble thinkers, the superior idiots of our age, whose agenda of rehabilitation is only superficial, external and divisive, achieving only a temporary harmony in the social order.  

The real harmony is the internal and eternal one, which only Christ Jesus can bring about, first by healing the internal wounds of sin and reconciling humans to the creator and his creation.

Prayer: Lord, I am a sinner, for in sin I was conceived in my mother’s womb, help me to live a life reconciled to you and one another. (cfr. Ps. 51:5)

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

Saved by Jesus

Today’s Gospel Text:  As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him. 10 And as he sat at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" 12 But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." Matt 9:9-13

Reflection: Once, when in a particular parish, I was on my regular visit, and I was asked by both my guides not to venture into a particular house.  

This made me all the more curious but I never really had the answer as I inquired with them for a reason. They only pleaded with me all the more and firmly that I should not visit such a house. This made me suspicious and I insisted that we need to visit this place, more so since they had Catholic roots.

When we entered the house, it seemed like a house waiting for the salvation and light of God to enter their home. The family welcomed us with great openness and was happy that we had come and they promised that they would be regular to church and mend their ways. Soon even the grown up children were baptized too.

There were two young girls in that house who went into hiding and finally when I did stand before them they just couldn’t even openly look in my direction. It seemed the comfort of darkness couldn’t behold the light of grace.

But the end result was a marvelous change; a great spiritual blessing and even to this day the great witnessing of the family to the faith of Christ and his power, whether in the church, or in their neighborhood, it even continues in their work place.

 Today, it is as if these have entered the kingdom of God rather than those who are in it and yet not in it. 

Tax collectors, sinners and prostitute encounter and witness more powerfully to the righteousness that comes from Jesus than those who are rich with a self-righteousness acknowledged by men.

Rule out no one, Christ Jesus came especially for the sinners; not that sinners will be saved by virtue of their sinfulness but by virtue of their repentance and trust in the Lord who is able to save anyone who comes to him in humble acknowledgment.

Prayer: “Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to thy holy name and glory in thy praise.” Ps 106:47

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

Judging

Today’s Gospel:  After this he went out, and saw a tax collector, named Levi, sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, "Follow me." 28 And he left everything, and rose and followed him. 29 And Levi made him a great feast in his house; and there was a large company of tax collectors and others sitting at table with them. 30 And the Pharisees and their scribes murmured against his disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" 31 And Jesus answered them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Luke 5:27-32

Reflection:  Once a sinner, always a sinner, this is the human norm. But God’s norm is different; “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Luke 5:32 There is scope in God’s eyes to change and to be thus looked upon as righteous.

Similarly, once a person is caught or condemned, he is always so by human standards but God’s standards are different, in his heart there is room for us to change and return. 

Can we humans be like God and change our attitude towards people and become like God? Not completely; because, unlike God we cannot know the genuineness of a person’s heart and the inner motivations with which one has repented.

But this is not an excuse to behave like humans, in the sense communicated above; for we can and have been given the ability and the assistance of God’s Holy Spirit. More so, as Christians we need to genuinely respect a person and even to seek to know with discernment the real motivation and truth.

This requires the patient attitude of letting go of our pre-conceived prejudices and even immediate judgments or pre-judgments based on mere information rather than a thorough study of the individual or subject.

More so as Christians our Judgment for wrong judgments can be severe for not learning from our master’s example; how he was crucified as a sinner, blasphemer and wrongdoer without a proper investigation by anyone, especially those in authority. Hence better still; not to judge!(cfr. Mt. 7:1)

Prayer: Lord, may I count on your wisdom before arriving at a judgment about any individuals.

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