Wrath of God

Today’s Gospel Text: "Woe to you, Chora'zin! woe to you, Beth-sa'ida! for if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it shall be more tolerable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 15 And you, Caper'na-um, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades. 16 "He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me." Luke 10:13-16

Reflection: “God is love and he will not bring sinners to judgment, he is not as cruel as you think he is, he loves every one and hence will save everyone”

If anyone thinks of God in these terms then they have only to read this message of Jesus wherein he proclaims woes on the inhabitants of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum.

God indeed is love and his love cannot be taken for granted by one person in order to score over the other.

It is a self-centered way of looking at sin, as something personal and not affecting others.

Whatever sin we commit by breaking the divine law, as revealed in Scripture, we invite a curse on ourselves and also on our families and on the society or community in which we live in.

My individual sin affects all and may even have an effect on the generations to follow.

If we tolerate a serial killer in our midst and would not allow the law enforcing agency to act against such a one then we are inviting him to keep at it, even allowing our own lives to be in peril.

Why do whole cities and nations get destroyed by calamities? Why do sicknesses, pains and accidents thrive in certain places and situation?

Many a time it is due to the judgment of God on account of our sinfulness; for reasons best known to God. As for humans, it could be the nice people and nice neighbors who faced destruction.

In such interpretations we are not sitting in judgment, as some would accuse us  but rather it is a call to plead to God for mercy and reaching out to them in love as God would still want us to, so that the individual may not be lost for all eternity. 

Nevertheless, the call to believe in his assuring word remains: God indeed is our protector and no harm shall befall us unless he has allowed it. 

In such interpretations we are not sitting in judgment as some would accuse us of but rather a moment of pleading to God for mercy and reaching out to them in love as God would still want us to, so that the individual may not be lost for all eternity.

Prayer:  Father of mercy and love, save humanity from the impending wrath on account of their rejection of the Gospel truths.

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

Jesus Should Come

Today’s Gospel Text:  After this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to come. 2 And he said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and salute no one on the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house!' 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you. 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages; do not go from house to house. 8 Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you; 9 heal the sick in it and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.' 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, 11 'Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off against you; nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.' 12 I tell you, it shall be more tolerable on that day for Sodom than for that town. Luke 10:1-12

Reflection: Many think that the only way to serve the Lord means to take his place or represent him to them.

Hence many will behave like lords unlike our Lord, and lord it over his flocks or there could be some who behave like lords even if they are not in power and positions.

There are some who have their own way of going about life, with their mindset which believes that giving people a good rational understanding of the faith would solve their problems.

Some even take this thought a little too far and give people a sound piece of advice in the sure hope that they will be able to sort out their problems; so they would have awareness exercises and motivational techniques to help sort out their problems.

There is very little encouragement to depend on  the Lord for wisdom, knowledge, understanding and grace or in simple terms, very little motivation to trust in the Lord to overcome the challenges of life.

So we will recommend ‘better yourself books’ and agony aunties advices in  order to help people solve their problem, as if their rational motivational techniques are going to solve their problems perfectly.

They may help but will never be a help from the eternal perspective of which man is an important  element.

Hence, even though the disciples are sent out in his name to work through signs and wonders with effective preaching, yet it seemed it was not enough.

There would be all the wonders and signs of their action but it would not be enough or rather it is never enough if the Lord himself would not complete the process with his very presence.

If disciples are sent then it is not just to heal and deliver or work mighty signs and wonders or draw them closer to themselves but to prepare the place or the hearts of peoples to receive JESUS too.

Therefore the scripture text reveals to us that he sent them to places ‘where he himself was about to come.’ (vs. 1)

Prayer:  Lord, in all the healings and miracles that I have experienced, may I never forget that without your presence in me I am lost forever.

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

Major Decisions

Gospel Text: As they were going along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." 58 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head." 59 To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." 60 But he said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." 61 Another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home." 62 Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." Luke 9:57-62

Reflection: We often take decisions in life without counting the cost or without thinking what it involves. Some times we may carry a little fear or insecurity and go with the majority. 

Some of the major decisions of life are career or getting married or having children or buying a house or a car or opting for a particular company or job. 

Do we see what it entails or what would be the outcome in the years to come?

As youths there are other major areas of decision making too; what sort of a lifestyle do I want to live, a life of debauchery or a life spent in hedonistic pleasures. 

Do I spend the money that is accrued through inheritance in carefree living or do I spend it for a useful purpose in society. 

But there is one major decision which we all must make in life and which has eternal ramifications and that is; searching for the truth about ourselves and our destiny. 

It also means searching for our origins and hence the search for the living God. In the process we may have to break away from the values and religion which our parents have been following. It may even involve making enemies of close relatives and friends.  

It may mean giving up on our inheritance and seeking that eternal wealth which begins here in total trust in the providence of God and his constant presence and care. 

Ultimately it means to be a servant of the greatest treasure ever known to humanity, the treasure of life which Christ only can give and has given us through his sacrifice on the cross. 

What use is all the wealth of the earth and all its riches if we do not have the life of Christ in us nor his presence with us. 

Prayer:  Lord that I may know you and the power of your resurrection, and may share in your sufferings, becoming like you in your death, that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (Cfr. Phil 3:10-11)

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

Humbly Least

Today’s Gospel Text: At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them, 3 and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; 10 "See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.                  Matt 18:1-5, 10 

Reflection: From this gospel text we realize that there is a difference between the poor and the really poor in the Christian sense of the term.

There are those who are poor in the material sense and who have nothing and yet have everything and wouldn’t care a less when it comes to serving his neighbor or reaching out to him when in need, even though this could be a rare thing about them.

Whereas there are those who may have all the riches of the world at their disposal and they could have opted for that path of self sufficiency and yet may have chosen to be nothing.

These are the ones who have turned and become like little children, who do not have self-centered goals and ambitions in life and hence would not do evil in order to achieve their own goals or visions in life.

These children would rather prefer to be cared for by their heavenly Father and look to him for sustenance and protection.

Their food would be to do the will of their Father who is in heaven (Jn. 4:34)  and since the Father cares for all his children, they in seeking to do the will of the Father reach out to the world, even in the isolated world in which they may opt to live in.

These are the least in the Christian community who men may want to despise most willingly as ones without talent; for what is talent without a relationship with God. 

Here we do not speak about the greatness of St. Peter or St. Paul but rather about the greatness of the lesser known saints, who were without fame or positions in their lifetime.

Here we are speaking about Mary too who although was the mother of our Savior and God and yet lived a humble simple and lesser known life.

The Lord indeed has looked upon the low esteem of his servant and surely henceforth all generation shall call her blessed. (cfr. Lk. 1:48)

Prayer: Lord, you who cast away the mighty from their thrones and raises up the lowly, grant that I may serve you with a humble spirit and a contrite heart. (cfr. Lk. 1:52)

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