What Generation

Today’s Gospel Text:  When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, "This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah became a sign to the men of Nin'eveh, so will the Son of man be to this generation. 31 The queen of the South will arise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nin'eveh will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. Luke 11:29-32

Reflection: Each generation of people are so different, wanting to do things differently and even better than the previous.

What about the arena spirituality, can we think about doing it better than the previous generations?

Yes there are many who think likewise and with God as a screensaver they deceive to do better and ultimately project themselves as if they are a manifestation of the Holy Spirit.

If that generation was an evil generation then what will the Lord say of this our generation?

Is our generation a better generation by the standards of God?

Ours is a generation that is hedonistic in its culture and self-centered in its ways and is more concerned in achieving and making a mark out there. 

There are some who may be the poor cousins of such cultures and may either envy the others or prefer to resign themselves to such a fate. 

But they will not seek God because it goes contrary to the prevailing trend.

There are those others who are worse-off, who may work as the instruments of the evil, constantly working to destroy the church of God or work contrary to the spirit of the Gospel. 

At least that generation sought signs in order to believe but we are in an age where we want to perform signs or will ignore the very thought of belief in God and his signs.

No wonder Jesus says: "When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Lk. 18:8) 

One of the expressions of faith is service and this service in its noble form is primarily expressed through prayer for one’s neighbor whose poverty of thought leads them astray to replace humanism with gospel truth. 

It is not an intellectual assertion that will save the other but a deliverance which the Lord alone can affect in the lives of people.

Prayer: Lord, may I never be lacking in zeal to seek you and you face in all my actions and thus find my deliverance from all evil. 

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

Do not follow Me

Today’s Gospel Text:  They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Ger'asenes. 2 And when he had come out of the boat, there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 who lived among the tombs; and no one could bind him any more, even with a chain; 4 for he had often been bound with fetters and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the fetters he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out, and bruising himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped him; 7 and crying out with a loud voice, he said, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me." 8 For he had said to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!" 9 And Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He replied, "My name is Legion; for we are many." 10 And he begged him eagerly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside; 12 and they begged him, "Send us to the swine, let us enter them." 13 So he gave them leave. And the unclean spirits came out, and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned in the sea.

14 The herdsmen fled, and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 And they came to Jesus, and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. 16 And those who had seen it told what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine. 17 And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their neighborhood. 18 And as he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 But he refused, and said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decap'olis how much Jesus had done for him; and all men marveled. Mark 5:1-20

Reflection: Some experiences of life make us matured and good instrument of God to reach out to others.

In this story of the demoniac we have a beautiful example of Jesus’ approach to life.

All throughout the Gospel we have this strong message that in order to find our salvation we also have to follow Christ besides believing in him. 

No doubt, the majority of us may have to do that and even be part of the church, which is a constitutive element for our salvation. 

The exception to the rule is brought about in this story; even though the demoniac wanted to follow Christ and dwell in the security of Christ’s love, Jesus forbids him from doing so.

Was he not for many years being taught in the school of the evil one, under the possession of the devil, tormented by him? 

And if we were to apply modern psychological terms then we could confidently affirm that this man was out of his mind and more so had become a terror to the many who just couldn't understand the phenomenon and the power that he exercised when chained.

Did such a one not need a period of formation, go through a rite of Christ initiation and a course in discipleship, spirituality, theology, etc.?

Why then did Christ reject him when he wanted to follow Christ? His rejection by Christ was an acceptance by Christ of the immense work he had worked in the man overnight; a man who had been also schooled through the worst ever hardship and cross of life. 

Besides God, only he knew what shame and hardship he may have gone through in order to come out of his situation, waiting for the day of his salvation. 

Did he again now had to carry the cross daily and follow him, the one who now knows that the     

“yoke of Christ is easy, and his burden is light." (cfr.Matt 11:30) - Taking them upon himself he must now proclaim Christ all throughout the Decapolis.

The desire to proclaim is clear visible sign of a good disciple and it amounts to being a witness; the one who proclaims the truth of one's encounter with Christ is a sound witness of Christ. 

Prayer:  Lord, I pray that I too may encounter you in my daily life and thus proclaim what you do to me to others. 

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