Follow Christ

Today’s Gospel Text: And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 "Blessed are you that hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. "Blessed are you that weep now, for you shall laugh. 22 "Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, on account of the Son of man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. 24 "But woe to you that are rich, for you have received your consolation. 25 "Woe to you that are full now, for you shall hunger. "Woe to you that laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. 26 "Woe to you, when all men speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets. Luke 6:20-26

Reflection: The beatitudes are an interesting piece of instructions to believe in. There are many who love these words of Jesus and have found great solace by believing in it.

Many have written reflections, including some great men of history, and interpreted these beatitudes and found great wisdom in the saying of Jesus.

One shouldn’t forget that the beatitudes are no magical formulations but contain great wisdom and truth, reaching even transcendental levels of assurances.

But the best aspect of the beatitudes which can be easily forgotten is that the beatitudes are proclamations of Christ and they cannot be separated from him nor put into practice apart from him.

Since they come from the mouth of Christ, they finds its complete meaning through him, with him and in him. It is proclaimed by the Lord who says: “Apart from me you can do nothing.” Jn. 15:5

Hence anyone seeking to elaborate on it or practice it apart from his assistance and grace are self-conceited fools, who don’t need a God to save them because they are heading towards destruction.

Some of these instructions are impossible to put into practice by the many, but not without the Lord’s help, who assures us; “…but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." John 16:33

They are also not open to free interpretation and human judgments; for God the knower of all hearts is the one who is going to judge the world, on the basis of what he has proclaimed to us through his Son.

As with God's choice, who begins with the poor, so too the beatitude starts well with an invitation to those who acknowledge their poverty and weakness, those who manifest this poverty in the light of the only riches they in faith see and which is real and lasting; viz. the richness of God.

Prayer:  Lord, in you are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. May I never depart from you and what.you have to teach me. (cfr. Col 2:3)

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

Faulty Formation

Today’s Gospel Text: At that time Jesus declared, "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; 26 yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will. 27 All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Matt 11:25-27

Reflection: Our schools and our formation houses train us to be mature men and women. Some teach to have a balanced approach to life and equip us to survive and even reach out to others.  Our formation houses even train us to be balanced and give a holistic formation, though a big question mark.

When it comes to our formation houses; we are trained to be wise and understanding; hence they exercise leadership in the community of God’s people.  

Some in order to be further wise and grow in understanding amass secular certificates and degrees for progressive growth in the organization of the church and are looked up to for such qualifications.

This is nothing but a deviant behavior pattern, benefitting the self more than the people whom we serve.  Hence the sermons are those that are based on such worldly knowledge and wisdom.

Similarly, those formed in our institutions, rise in the corporate work place to accommodate positions of power and authority.  They are able to express with confidence that which need not be sound wisdom, and at the same time their listeners lap up whatever is given to them, due also to their lack of training in discernment.

I often hear the adage; “there is no right or wrong answers”.  If there is no a right or wrong answers then what are they? A partly right answer, and we have every right to use that term when necessary, but it is still a wrong answer. Only a right answer is a right answer.

Now to understand even these small nuances, we require a different kind of wisdom and understanding.  The Church needs to return to such wisdom and understanding to survive in these deceptive times.

"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.”

Prayer:  Lord, apart from you we can do nothing; help us to realize the limitations of our mind to comprehend the deeper truths of life and return to know from you like little children.

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

Jesus: seed of wisdom

Today’s Scripture:  Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, 2 "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him." Matt 2:1-12

Reflection:  When a seed is sown in the soil we see a new sprout, a plant in the making. When salt is added to food it adds to the taste and little sugar sweetens the taste. Every action has a reaction and this is irrespective of Newton’s third law.

Similarly, when Christ was born in Bethlehem in Judea, there arose wise men from the east and they only wanted to go ahead and worship him. 

How much if we only allow Christ to be born in our hearts, will not divine wisdom surge in our hearts and lead us to the most wonderful thing that can ever happen; the worship of the living God in divine wisdom. Those who have tasted the fruit of it, long for it and seek it with a child like faith.

Along with the many saints, St. Anthony the Abbot, whose novena begins today, was one such saint who was filled with such divine wisdom.

Prayer: Lord, may my heart be ever ready to receive your word of wisdom.

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

The Lamb of Sacrifice

Today’s Scripture: The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples; 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!". John 1:35-42

Reflection: A little child has always to be told in many different ways and with the use of many words. Similarly, you share a little difficult joke in public and it is immediately understood by a few and the many would need a little bit of elaboration, some may even need to be re-told the whole joke again.

From yesterdays passage we see a graduation from an elaborate explanation of Jesus Christ, by John the Baptist, to a precise statement; "Behold, the Lamb of God!"

To the ones initiated in the knowledge of the truth and God’s eternal purpose, a little hint is enough but to the un initiated even a degree in theology could be a failure to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God and what it implies.

Prayer:  Open my eyes Lord that I may fully know the meaning, understand its depth and recognize your sacrificial action and its implications for and me for all generations.

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

To be Great: Is it an evil desire?

Scripture: And an argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. 47 But when Jesus perceived the thought of their hearts, he took a child and put him by his side, 48 and said to them, "Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me; for he who is least among you all is the one who is great." Luke 9:46-48

Reflection:  To be great is the desire of every human being. Each one at least desires or dreams to be great in the sphere of activity or talent one is involved in.  It is human to desire to be great. Unlike other spiritual guru’s, Jesus never rebukes this desire of the human heart.  For it an inherent desire, not to be suppressed but to be corrected, so that we may not seek it the wrong way.

Jesus the wisest man ever born does exactly that: Want to be great, good, I encourage it, but don’t seek short cuts methods, don’t seek to play politics, don’t crush someone’s else’s aspiration through betrayals, by creating distrust through cut-throat unhealthy competition. Instead, in all humility, like an innocent unarming child become humble, trusting in God and seek the good of the other.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, May I grow in that necessary trust, in all humility, in order to become great in the field in which you have called me.  

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