Jesus and his focus!

Matthew 20:17-28

17* Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, 18 "We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 19 and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!"

20 Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. 21 "What is it you want?" he asked. She said, "Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom." 22 "You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said to them. "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?" "We can," they answered. 23 Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father." 24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-- 28 just as the Son of Man di  d not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Food for thought!

"Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, 18 "We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 19 and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!"

These words of Jesus are very revealing of him; they show a Jesus who focused on something, his death. In light of his death, Jesus is going to Jerusalem, to die. The gospel reading says that he took his disciples aside and started to talk to them about his death. I wonder if you ever tell your family or friends about your death! Or it is a taboo?

Talking about your death will help you to be focused like Jesus. Jesus was a man whose face was set on some goal. He was a man whose mind was made up. He was a man who was determined to go somewhere and who refused to be distracted from his mission. Jesus was a focused man, whose mind was fixed on some mission and who was determined to carry it out. Jesus was ready to pay the price, come what may.

This is what Jesus is asking the two disciple: "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?" Jesus is telling John and James, what you are focusing on has a price tag; are you ready to pay the price? This is a lesson for all of us: whatever we want to achieve in life, whatever we focus on, like having good life, good family, great business, good job, good spouse, has a price tag. You can't have your dream realized without paying its cost.

James and John payed the cost too. As you know, James was the first apostle to die a martyrdom and his brother John was the last apostle to die, in exile. In other words, the two got what the wanted, be one on the left and the other on the right of Jesus. one died first, the other last! Next time you kneel down to ask Jesus for something think twice; think not only of what you ask for, but also for what you will pay to get it.

What is on your mind, what is your focus, what is your goal, what are you asking Jesus? Are you ready to pay the price?  Do you ever think of your death? Do you ever talk about it as Jesus did many times? Do you share with anybody about your death? Have you planned for it? How would you like to be buried? Where?  Do you have a will, a testament? This is the best way to plan for and think of and share death. Don't be afraid. Like Jesus, take your friends aside and talk to them about your death.

One Father and One Teacher!

Mat 23:1-12

1 Now Jesus turned to address his disciples, along with the crowd that had gathered with them. 2 "The religion scholars and Pharisees are competent teachers in God's Law. 3 You won't go wrong in following their teachings on Moses. But be careful about following them. They talk a good line, but they don't live it. They don't take it into their hearts and live it out in their behavior. It's all spit- and- polish veneer. 4" Instead of giving you God's Law as food and drink by which you can banquet on God, they package it in bundles of rules, loading you down like pack animals. They seem to take pleasure in watching you stagger under these loads, and wouldn't think of lifting a finger to help. 5 Their lives are perpetual fashion shows, embroidered prayer shawls one day and flowery prayers the next. 6 They love to sit at the head table at church dinners, basking in the most prominent positions, 7 preening in the radiance of public flattery, receiving honorary degrees, and getting called 'Doctor' and 'Reverend.' 8 "Don't let people do that to you, put you on a pedestal like that. You all have a single Teacher, and you are all classmates. 9 Don't set people up as experts over your life, letting them tell you what to do. Save that authority for God; let him tell you what to do. No one else should carry the title of 'Father'; you have only one Father, and he's in heaven. 10 And don't let people maneuver you into taking charge of them. There is only one Life- Leader for you and them-- Christ. 11" Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant. 12 If you puff yourself up, you'll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you're content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty.

Food for thought!

There's much food for thought for all of us, for me, and for you also. Jesus is not only criticizing the men of his time, he is criticizing the people of all times and places. Yes, there are no scribes and Pharisees today, but there are some who possess the same attitude that controlled these men. To them, religion was a game, a performance. They did not have a personal relationship with God, but they believed that their religious works and observance of the religious laws would be enough to save their souls. The fact is, they were dead wrong, and if you believe that, you are too!

Religion and religious activities can not, do not and will not save us,(Eph. 2:8-9). Keeping religious rules and regulations will never save us; only faith in Jesus Christ will save us as it did those men and women of the Bible.

Everything the people in the gospel did was geared toward satisfying their pride and making them look good in the eyes of others. They sought to seem to be than to really be; they appeared religious, while they were not; they looked godly, while they were not; on the outside they were pious, but not inside; they looked different but were just as anybody else. Their lives are perpetual fashion shows. Are we any better?

Jesus is saying that we are all standing on level ground; no body should pretend to stand on higher ground than others: "Don't let people do that to you, put you on a pedestal like that. You all have a single Teacher, and you are all classmates."

Jesus warns us against divinizing humans: "Don't set people up as experts over your life, letting them tell you what to do. Save that authority for God; let him tell you what to do." In other words, if any human, church member or politician, or any relative or friend, tells you anything that contradicts Jesus don't do it; only God can dictate to us.

A preacher is no better than the people in the pews! He is one of them, struggling like anybody, and given a call to proclaim the Good News to his or her brothers and sisters, but that is all! He is not to be exalted. He is not to be worshiped. He is not to be viewed as a superior, but as an equal in the eyes of God! "You all have a single Teacher, and you are all classmates."

Tit for tat!

Luke 6:36-38

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. 37 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Food for thought

What Jesus is teaching us is what we normally refer to as tit for tat tactic. If you title,expect a tat. It is about cause and effect. He is saying in other words, whatsoever happens to us, good or evil, is what we do to others. In other words, there's nobody to blame but ourselves.

This is not just a spiritual principle, it is a psychological one too. People tend to treat us in proportion to the way we treat them.

 If you are rude to people, people will be rude to you; if you shout at people, people will shout at you.

If you're good to people, most people will be good to you, because goodness begets goodness. Evil begets evil. Evil cannot eliminate evil; darkness cannot fight darkness. Evil + evil = more evil.

Be merciful; do not judge; do not condemn, forgive, and give. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. The amount of mercy you use is the amount of mercy you get; you will be judged according to the manner you have judged; you will be condemned in accordance to the manner of your judgement (if you're judgmental, others will be judgmental to you), if you deny anyone forgiveness, you'll not be forgiven too.

The last one, give and you will get, is like a summary and repetition of all the others. It means that what we get back is what we have given away in the first place. Who gives much gets back much. If we give much goodness we get much goodness back. Who plants sparingly harvests sparingly. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

It means that what we are and have is not due to others' fault, it is not due to God; it is due to us. The smart get smarter and the stupid get stupider. Have you ever noticed that the poor tend to get poorer and the rich tend to get richer? It is because of what Jesus said that those who have will get more, and those who have not, even the little they have will be taken away. It is the same principle according to which "the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Concluding, "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-- think about such things." (Phil. 4:8).

From the desert to the mountain top!

Luke 9:28-36

Eight days after saying these things, Jesus took Peter and John and James with him and went up into the mountain for prayer. 29 And while he was in prayer, his face was changed and his clothing became white and shining. 30 And two men, Moses and Elijah, were talking with him; 31 Who were seen in glory and were talking of his death which was about to take place in Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and those who were with him were overcome with sleep: but when they were fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men who were with him. 33 And when they were about to go away from him, Peter said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah: having no knowledge of what he was saying. 34 And while he said these things, the shade of a cloud came over them, and they were full of fear when they went into the cloud. 35 And there was a voice from the cloud saying, This is my Son, the man of my selection; give ear to him. 36 And after the voice was gone they saw that Jesus was by himself. And they kept quiet, and said nothing at that time to anyone of the things which they had seen.

Food for thought!

Today's gospel begins with the words, "Eight days after saying these things." Before we look at the gospel reading, let's consider these things which were said by Jesus. Immediately before today's gospel reading, we find these words of Jesus, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life."

These are the words that occasioned today's gospel reading. Jesus must have shocked his disciples beyond telling when he revealed to them his destiny and fate. This was no good news to the disciples who expected Jesus, as the Messiah, to be mighty and omnipotent. Many of them would have begun to have second thoughts: Is Jesus really the expected Messiah? Is he really the Anointed of God who is to come? Should we take him any serious at all? Why and how can such bad things happen to him?

So, eight days after saying those shocking words about to happen to him, Jesus invites the three leaders of the group of apostles, Peter, James and John, to go with him for a prayer session on the mountains. This fact is extremely important, because it shows what we must do when life gets tough, when we don't understand ourselves or others: take the matter to the Lord in prayer; this is what Jesus did and what he teaches us to do.

As Jesus was praying, and as the disciples were watching him, he began to change. The gospel says, "As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning." Prayer, as Jesus taught us a few days ago, is power; prayer puts us in touch with the mighty God. Prayer is seeing things from God's perspective. This is what happened on the mountain: the eyes of the apostles, their spiritual eyes, were opened and they caught a glimpse of the true reality of Jesus that their physical eyes never saw. Then they saw that the whole heavenly court was on the side of Jesus. And they heard the voice of the invisible God, “This is my Son, the man of my selection; give ear to him.” (Luke 9:35).

Such was all the confirmation they needed. Even though bad things were about to happen to him, Jesus was the Son of God. Yes, bad things do happen to good people.

How often do we experience the absurdities of life such that our minds are filled with doubt and we ask, “Where is God?” Think of people who have given up on life, on faith, on God, just because God let bad things happen to good people? Last Sunday Jesus was taken into wilderness of temptations. Today, he is at the mountain top, from where the Father in heaven assures us that, though tempted, though destined for suffering and agony and death, Jesus is still God's beloved Son.

Sometimes we all do feel like the whole world is collapsing on our heads? Sometimes we are like Jesus in the desert of temptations; we are like Jesus destined for much suffering, rejection and finally death. Unless we learn to go up the mountain of prayer and ask God to open our eyes to see our life as He sees it, we are bound to be frustrated. For despite our suffering, we are still his sons and daughters. Yes, many of us need the mountain experience of prayer. When and if we go to this mountain, we shall have the courage to accept the apparently meaningless suffering of this life, knowing that through it all God is on our side. All it takes is a little glimpse of heaven to empower us to take up our daily crosses and follow Jesus, knowing that the cross of Lent is followed by the crown of Easter.

And while he was in prayer, his face was changed!

Be extra ordinary!

Matt 5:43-48

43 You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy; 44 But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 To show that you are the children of your Father Who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the wicked and on the good, and makes the rain fall upon the upright and the wrongdoers [alike]. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward can you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that? 47 And if you greet only your brethren, what more than others are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles (the heathen) do that? 48 You, therefore, must be perfect [growing into complete maturity of godliness in mind and character, having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity], as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Food for thought!

What more than others are you doing? This is the question that Jesus made then and makes now to all those, like you and me, who claim to be his followers. What more than others are we doing? Is there any difference between other people and we Christians? Are we different in any way? Is there anything we do differently? This is real food for thought.

Why does Jesus demand that we be different? The reason is very simple and tremendous--it is that our role model is not any human but God; we must be not like humans, but like our Father in heaven. God makes his sun to rise on the good and the evil; he sends his rain on the just and the unjust. Have you ever noticed that the rain fell on the field of A, who was righteous, and not on the field of B, who was wicked? Or that the sun rose and shone on your home and not upon the neighbour's home?

Jesus says that we must have this same love as our Father in heaven. The language in which the Bible was written is not rich in adjectives; it often uses son of... with an abstract noun, where we would use an adjective. For instance a son of peace is a peaceful man; a son of consolation is a consoling man. So, then, a son of God is a godlike man. The reason why we must have this unconquerable benevolence and goodwill is that God has it; and, if we have it, we become nothing less than sons of God, godlike people.

What more than others are you doing? This same question can be applied to all other forms of life, even to our professional life, even our social life. If you run your business just like anybody else does, your business will be like other's business. If your life is like anybody's life, you will be like anybody. Ordinary actions get ordinary results. Most people are by definition, ordinary, they are just like anybody else. If you continue to be ordinary and act ordinarily, you will continue to get ordinary results. What more than others are you doing?

Feast of the Chair of St Peter

Mattew 16:13-22

13 Now when Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, Who do people say that the Son of Man is? 14 And they answered, Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. 15 He said to them, But who do you [yourselves] say that I am? 16 Simon Peter replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 Then Jesus answered him, Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) are you, Simon Bar- Jonah. For flesh and blood [men] have not revealed this to you, but My Father Who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter [Greek, Petros —a large piece of rock], and on this rock [Greek, petra —a huge rock like Gibraltar] I will build My church, and the gates of Hades (the powers of the infernal region) shall not overpower it [or be strong to its detriment or hold out against it]. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind (declare to be improper and unlawful) on earth must b  e what is already bound in heaven; and whatever you loose (declare lawful) on earth must be what is already loosed in heaven. 20 Then He sternly and strictly charged and warned the disciples to tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ. 21 From that time forth Jesus began [clearly] to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders and the high priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised from death. 22 Then Peter took Him aside to speak to Him privately and began to reprove and charge Him sharply, saying, God forbid, Lord! This must never happen to You! 23 But Jesus turned away from Peter and said to him, Get behind Me, Satan! You are in My way [an offense and a hindrance and a snare to Me]; for you are minding what partakes not of the nature and quality of God, but of men.

Food for thought!

Jesus is the key that opens each one of us. We are all mysterious, and without Jesus we never come to know ourselves, we never come to know life, death, suffering, loving. We are sealed people, we are closed books, and only Jesus has the key to unseal and open us.

Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the One sitting on the throne. The scroll had writing on both sides. It was sealed with seven seals. 2 I saw a mighty angel calling out in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll. No one could even look inside it. 4 I cried and cried because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, «Do not cry! The Lion of the tribe of Judah has won the battle. He is the Root of David. He is able to break the seven seals and open the scroll.» (Rev. 5:1-4)

When the people identified Jesus with Elijah and with Jeremiah and with John the Baptist they were paying him a great compliment and setting him in a high place, for Jeremiah and Elijah and John the Baptist were none other than the expected forerunners of the Anointed One of God. In other words, Jesus was good but not good enough, was great but not great enough.

When Jesus had heard the verdicts of the crowd, he asked the all-important question: "But who do you say I am?" At that question there may well have been a moment's silence, while into the minds of the disciples came thoughts which they were almost afraid to express in words; and then Peter made his great discovery, not only of Jesus but also of himself.

Like Jesus, we all want to know who we are. We want to know what others think of us. One thing is certain, NO ONE KNOWS WHO WE ARE, EXCEPT JESUS. All the others call us many things, many names; I am many things for many people, you're many things to many people. If you asked your friends who you are, like Jesus did, you would hear all kinds of answers, good and not so good; it is all guesswork because no one can tell you who you are except the Lord. 

But to know who you are, you have to know who Jesus is. This is what happened. When Peter came to know who Jesus is, when Peter told Jesus, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," Jesus told Peter who he is: "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth must be what is already bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth must be what is already loosed in heaven."

This means that the road to ourselves goes through Jesus; he is the key that opens us. Peter never knew himself nor his career until Jesus told him in all details. And Jesus never told Peter who he is until Peter knew who Jesus is. So, you too, to know yourself, you will have to know who Jesus is. The more you know Jesus the better you know yourself, the less you know Jesus the less you know yourself.

This passage teaches that our discovery of Jesus Christ must be a personal discovery. Jesus' question is: "You, what do you think of me?" When Pilate asked him if he was the king of the Jews, his answer was: "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?" (Jn.18:33-34).

Our knowledge of Jesus must never be at second hand. A man might know every verdict ever passed on Jesus; he might know every Christology that the mind of man had ever thought out; he might be able to give a competent summary of the teaching about Jesus of every great thinker and theologian, and still not be a Christian. Christianity never consists in knowing ABOUT Jesus; it always consists in knowing Jesus. Jesus Christ demands a personal verdict. He did not ask only Peter, he asks every body: "You, what do you think of me?

Power of Prayer and Prayer of Power!

Matthew 7:7-12

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him. Is there a man among you who would hand his son a stone when he asked for bread? Or would hand him a snake when he asked for a fish? If you, then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! ‘So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.’

Food for thought

Jesus taught us many things; but he especially taught us to pray because he knows the power of prayer. The strongest action that you can take in any action is to go on your knees and ask God for help. Again, if we can beat the devil on prayer (if we can maintain prayer in our life) we can beat him on anything else. But if the devil can beat us on prayer (if he can make us drop prayer in our life), he can beat us in everything else. The devil smiles when we make plans; he laughs when we get too busy; but he trembles when we pray.

Pray for rain and carry an umbrella!

During a morning worship service, Ellen noticed a nice looking man sitting by himself on the back pew. As a single woman she had a vested interest in meeting him. She approached him with an extended hand and said, "Hi. I'm Ellen." He took one look at her and bolted out the door without saying a word. The following Sunday he returned to church and made this apology: "My name is Bob Price, and I owe you an apology for my rude behavior last Sunday. You see, my deceased wife's name was Ellen, and I had been praying, 'Dear God, please send me another Ellen.' When you approached me and said, 'Hi. I'm Ellen,' I lost it." Bob and Ellen have now been married twelve years and are both very thankful for the way God answered Bob's prayer.

So when you pray for a woman or man, be on the lookout; God will make her or him pass by; prepare yourself for one; dress well, talk well, behave well. When you pray for anything, believe and behave that you have it. Mar 11:24-25 That's why I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. Include everything as you embrace this God- life, and you'll get God's everything. And when you assume the posture of prayer, remember that it's not all asking. If you have anything against someone, forgive-- only then will your heavenly Father be inclined to also wipe your slate clean of sins. "

Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple once said: “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.”

I’ve got it down to four words: “Do what you love.” Seek out an occupation that gives you a sense of meaning, direction and satisfaction in life. Having a sense of purpose and striving towards goals gives life meaning, direction and satisfaction. It not only contributes to health and longevity, but also makes you feel better in difficult times. Do you jump out of bed on Monday mornings and look forward to the work week? If the answer is ‘no’ keep looking, you’ll know when you find it.

Is this not what Jesus is saying in today's gospel? Ask and you'll get; Seek and you'll find; Knock and the door will open?

God in the ordinary!

Luke 11:29-32

29Now as the crowds were [increasingly] thronging Him, He began to say, This present generation is a wicked one; it seeks and demands a sign (miracle), but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah [the prophet]. 30For [just] as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will also the Son of Man be [a sign] to this age and generation. 31The queen of the South will arise in the judgment with the people of this age and generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the [inhabited] earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and notice, here is more than Solomon. 32The men of Nineveh will appear as witnesses at the judgment with this generation and will condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, here is more than Jonah.

Food for thought!

Great number of people kept coming to Jesus, not to get Jesus but his miracles. Sounds familiar? Many people today go to Jesus not because of Jesus himself but in search of miracles of Jesus; many go to church not because of Jesus but because of someone. This is what Jesus is condemning in the Gospel reading.

People want what is sensational; what is emotional; what is entertaining. This is what Jesus is condemning. "This present generation is a wicked one; it seeks and demands a sign (miracle), but no sign shall be given to it." God comes in the ordinary, just as He did in Jesus of Nazareth. The best way to serve the Lord is to do our ordinary and daily duties extraordinarily well. If we had the eyes of the queen of Sheba or of the people of Nineveh, we would see God all in all the ordinary. Yes, God is not only in the churches but everywhere, including in our offices, homes, streets and neighbourhood.

Long ago, the queen of the South came from the far away just to listen to Solomon; and later the prophet Jonah preached to the people of Nineveh, and because of his sermons, the people repented. In other words, the people were able to go beyond Jonah to whom Jonah represented. The people knew how to go beyond the man of God to the God of the man.

Jesus is saying that he is more than Solomon and Jonah. Jesus is more than kings and prophets. Jesus is God made visible. Jesus "is the image of the unseen God coming into existence before all living things; 16 For by him all things were made, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, authorities, lords, rulers, and powers; all things were made by him and for him; 17 He is before all things, and in him all things have being." (Col. 1:15-17).

Forgive us as we forgive!

Matthew 6:7-15

7And in your prayer do not make use of the same words again and again, as the Gentiles do: for they have the idea that God will give attention to them because of the number of their words. 8So be not like them; because your Father has knowledge of your needs even before you make your requests to him. 9Let this then be your prayer: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. 10Let your kingdom come. Let your pleasure be done, as in heaven, so on earth. 11Give us this day bread for our needs. 12And make us free of our debts, as we have made those free who are in debt to us. 13And let us not be put to the test, but keep us safe from the Evil One. 14For if you let men have forgiveness for their sins, you will have forgiveness from your Father in heaven. 15But if you do not let men have forgiveness for their sins, you will not have forgiveness from your Father for your sins.

Food for thought!

Jesus teaches us something very important: "And make us free of our debts, as we have made those free who are in debt to us. ... For if you let men have forgiveness for their sins, you will have forgiveness from your Father in heaven. But if you do not let men have forgiveness for their sins, you will not have forgiveness from your Father for your sins."

Why did Jesus teach us this? Because he knows us all; Jesus knows that deep in man is Sin. Many of us resent being treated as sinners. The trouble is that most people have a wrong conception of sin. They would readily agree that the burglar, the drunkard, the murderer, the adulterer, the suicide bomber is a sinner. And since many people are not guilty of none of these sins, since many people live decent, ordinary, respectable lives, and have never even been in danger of appearing in court, or going to prison, or getting some notoriety in the newspapers, they therefore feel that sin has nothing to do with them. Many Christians don't know their sins. It is always the others who sin, not ourselves. So we think.

So, we do well to consider sin. What is sin, according to the Bible? The Bible uses different words for sin.

It uses the word sin to mean a missing of the target. To fail to hit the target is sin. Therefore sin is the failure to be what we might have been and could have been; when we fail to be what God made us to be, we sin. Are we as good husbands or wives as we could be? Are we as good sons or daughters as we could be? Are we as good workmen or employers as we could be? Is there anyone who will dare to claim that he is all he might have been, and has done all he could have done? When we realize that sin means the failure to hit the target, the failure to be all that we might have been and could have been, then it is clear that every one of us is a sinner.

The Bible uses sin to mean a debt. It means a failure to pay that which is due, a failure in duty. There can be no man or woman who will ever dare to claim that he has perfectly fulfilled his duty to man and to God. So, then, when we come to see what sin really is, we come to see that it is a universal disease in which everybody is involved. Outward respectability in the sight of man, and inward sinfulness in the sight of God may well go hand in hand. This, in fact, is a petition of the Lord's Prayer which every one of us needs to pray.

The Bible uses the word sin to mean a stepping across. Sin is the stepping across the line which is drawn between right and wrong. Do we always stay on the right side of the line which divides honesty and dishonesty? Is there never any such thing as a petty dishonesty in our lives? Do we always stay on the right side of the line which divides truth and falsehood? Do we never, by word or by silence, twist or evade or distort the truth? Do we always stay on the right side of the line which divides kindness and courtesy from selfishness and harshness? Is there never an unkind action or a discourteous word in our lives? When we think of it in this way, there can be none who can claim always to have remained on the right side of the dividing line. For this reason, Jesus taught the Our Father, not to some people but to all of us; to you and me.

Final Judgement!

Matt. 25:31-46

"When the Son of Man shall come in his glory, and an the angels with him, then he will take his seat upon the throne of his glory, and all nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate them from each other, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right hand, `Come, you who are blessed by my Father, enter into possession of the Kingdom which has been prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you gathered me in; naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you came to visit me; in prison, and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we gee you hungry, and nourish you? Or thirsty, and gave you to drink? When did we see you a stranger, and gather you to us? Or naked, and clothed you? When did we see you sick, o  r in prison, and come to you?' And the King will answer them, `This is the truth I tell you--insomuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' then he will say to those on the left, `Go from me, you cursed ones, to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you did not give me to eat; I was thirsty, and you did not give me to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not gather me to you; naked, and you did not clothe me; sick and in prison, and you did not come to visit me.' Then these too will answer, `Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not render service to you?' Then he will answer them, `This is the truth I tell you--in so far as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' And these will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous will go away to eternal life."

Food for thought

This is one of the most vivid parables Jesus ever spoke, and the lesson is crystal clear--that God will judge us in accordance with our reaction to human need. Yes, God's judgment does not depend on the knowledge we have amassed, or the fame that we have acquired, or the fortune that we have gained, on the number of prayers we have made, but on the help that we have given.

There are some things that this parable teaches us about the help which we must give.

(i) It must be help in simple things. The things which Jesus picks out--giving a hungry man a meal, or a thirsty man a drink, welcoming a stranger, cheering the sick, visiting the prisoner--are things which anyone can do. It is not a question of giving away thousands of dollars or of writing our names in the annals of history; it is a case of giving simple help to the people we meet every day. There never was a parable which so opened the way to glory to the simplest people.

(ii) It must be help which is uncalculating. Those who helped did not think that they were helping Christ and thus piling up eternal merit; they helped because they could not stop themselves. It was the natural, instinctive, quite uncalculating reaction of the loving heart. Whereas, on the other hand, the attitude of those who failed to help was; "If we had known it was you we would gladly have helped; but we thought it was only some common man who was not worth helping." It is still true that there are those who will help if they are given praise and thanks and publicity; but to help like that is not to help, it is to pander to self-esteem. Such help is not generosity; it is disguised selfishness. The help which wins the approval of God is that which is given for nothing but the sake of helping.

(iii) Jesus confronts us with the wonderful truth that all such help given is given to himself, and all such help withheld is withheld from himself. How can that be? If we really wish to delight a parent's heart, if we really wish to move him to gratitude the best way to do it is to help his child. God is the great Father; and the way to delight the heart of God is to help his children, our fellow-men

Temptation and Tempter!

Luke 4:1-13

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit through the wilderness, being tempted there by the devil for forty days. During that time he ate nothing and at the end he was hungry. Then the devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to turn into a loaf.’ But Jesus replied, ‘Scripture says: Man does not live on bread alone.’

 

Then leading him to a height, the devil showed him in a moment of time all the kingdoms of the world and said to him, ‘I will give you all this power and the glory of these kingdoms, for it has been committed to me and I give it to anyone I choose. Worship me, then, and it shall all be yours.’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Scripture says: You must worship the Lord your God, and serve him alone.’

Then he led him to Jerusalem and made him stand on the parapet of the Temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said to him ‘throw yourself down from here, for scripture says: He will put his angels in charge of you to guard you, and again: They will hold you up on their hands in case you hurt your foot against a stone.’ But Jesus answered him, ‘It has been said: You must not put the Lord your God to the test.’

Having exhausted all these ways of tempting him, the devil left him, to return at the appointed time.

Food for thought!

I am sure you have heard of the phrase: "Use what you have to get what you want." It is a philosophy of life for many people. In our Gospel reading today, however, Jesus shows us that the principle of using whatever you have to get whatever you want is not always right. In fact, when that principle is applied without putting God first, it becomes a philosophy of the world, the devil's own philosophy, a philosophy that should be rejected even as Jesus did.

Our Gospel today is on the Temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. Three temptations are recounted: to change stone into bread, to fall down and worship the devil, and to jump down from the pinnacle of the Temple. In each of these three temptations what the devil is saying to Jesus is, "Come on, use what you have or are  to get what you want." And in each case Jesus overcomes the temptation by replying, "No, we can only use godly means to satisfy our God-given needs or to pursue our goals in life."

In the first temptation, Jesus had fasted for forty days in the wilderness and at the end of it he was very hungry. The devil puts an idea into his head:

"If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread" (Luke 4:3). Notice that the first thing the devil does is sow a doubt in his mind: "if you are the Son of God." "Are you really sure God is with you?" The same thing happened in the garden of Eden. The first thing the Tempter said to Eve was, "Did God really say you should not eat of any fruit of the garden" (Genesis 3:1). Temptation always begins with a doubting thought. Did God really say this or is it one of those Sunday school fairy tales? Jesus overcame the temptations by refusing to entertain such doubts and by standing on the word of God.

Please note that we are tempted only with what we need, want or are able to do; the devil cannot tempt us on things we are not able to perform. After his fasting Jesus needed to eat. So the devil tempted him with food. Someone that works with money will always be tempted about money; men will always be tempted about things only men can do; women's temptation have to do with women issues. The devil tempts us about that which we are and are able to do.

It is not a sin for Jesus to eat after fasting. The sin may lie in how the food is obtained. Should he follow the normal way of obtaining bread or should he take the shortcut suggested by the devil to obtain instant bread? Jesus refuses to take the devil's shortcut. The means we employ to satisfy our needs must be in accordance with the word of God. Feeding on God's word is ultimately more important than feeding on bread. "It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone'"

Jesus needs you!

Luke 5:27-32

Jesus noticed a tax collector, Levi by name, sitting by the customs house, and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And leaving everything he got up and followed him. In his honour Levi held a great reception in his house, and with them at table was a large gathering of tax collectors and others. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples and said, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?’ Jesus said to them in reply, ‘It is not those who are well who need the doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the virtuous, but sinners to repentance.’

Food for thought!

Who need the doctor? Of course the sick people. And who are the sick people? Do you think you need the doctor? Are you sick? Of what? Do you need Jesus? And does Jesus need someone like you? Let us look at the Gospel of today for answers to these questions.

As Jesus walked along the shores of Galilee, He passed a man named Levi who was working at the booth where taxes were collected. Levi was a tax collector. He worked for the Roman government, collecting taxes for the empire. The Romans came up with a tax quota for each province in the empire. They allowed their private people to bid on the contracts for collecting the taxes in each area. As long as these tax collectors met their quota, Rome didn’t care how much more they collected. As a result, the tax collectors became very rich, (you remember Zacchaeus, in Luke 19:2) as they overcharged the people, paid Rome and kept the difference for themselves. Tax collectors were known as public sinners. Levi or Matthew was one of them.

Because Levi was a tax collector for Rome, he was among the most despised people around. He was viewed as a traitor to his people and to his nation. He must have been also a disappointment to his parents. He was from the tribe of Levi (and you remember that in the Old Testament all priests came from the tribe of Levi).  Instead of serving as a priest, Levi was working in the tax collection business. I am sure that Levi’s parents had great expectations for their son. They hoped he would serve in the Temple as a priest. Instead, Levi became something else, turning his back against everybody's expectations.

As Jesus passed by, He saw Levi, sitting by the tax office. Why would Jesus have any use for a man like this? In spite of his occupation; his lifestyle; his failures; and his sin; Jesus loved Levi and He called him to a new life. No one is beyond hope. I am sure that most people in Capernaum had given up on Levi. The good religious people of the city snubbed him as they passed by and wrote him off as a lost cause. Jesus, however, knew that his life could still be used. He loved him in spite of his past and his problems and He delivered Levi from the bondage of his sins and gave him a new life. No one is beyond the reach of our redeeming Lord.

Jesus sees the hidden potential in our lives – Jesus saw something in Levi that nobody else could see! This man would be given a new name. He would become known as Matthew, (Matt. 9:9). He would be a faithful follower of Jesus; he would one day write a Gospel, The Gospel of Jesus Christ according to St. Matthew. Never give up! Keep praying, keep walking and working. Keep believing! One day you too will write a Gospel of your own; God works in ways that you can’t even imagine! To him be praise and honour and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Because of Jesus!

Matthew 9:14-15 

John’s disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?’ Jesus replied, ‘Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of mourning as long as the bridegroom is still with them? But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then they will fast.’

Food for thought!

John's disciple came to Jesus after they had observed his disciples behaving differently; they wanted to know why their behaviour was not like theirs. Their behaviour had changed; THEY WERE DIFFERENT. ‘Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?’ They wanted to know.

Jesus' disciples were different because they had taken a stand. After knowing Jesus, they just could not be like they didn't know him. They were different because of Jesus. No one can take Jesus seriously and be the same; something in us has to change because of Jesus; there has to be something we are or we do because of Jesus. If people don't see any difference in us, if we are like anybody else, then we are not yet Christians.

So the question is, what is it that you do different? Are you like anybody else? What do you do just because of Jesus? Do you dare to be different, or you follow everybody else? Can you say like Paul said: "Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ" (Phil 3:8).

What Paul is saying is that, after knowing Jesus, he is different; he now counts everything as loss because of and after knowing Jesus. And this is what the disciples of Jesus did: because of Jesus they were no longer observing some traditions, so much so that onlookers came to Jesus for an answer: ‘Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?’

I like the fact that Jesus replied; he explained his disciples' behaviour: ‘Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of mourning as long as the bridegroom is still with them? But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then they will fast.’ Some times we do well to let Jesus do the explanation about us. There are many mysteries about us, about others that we just can't explain. The only one who can answer for us is the Lord. To him be glory and honour and praise both now and for ever.

The way to glory!

Luke 9:22-25

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘The Son of Man is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death, and to be raised up on the third day.’ Then to all he said, ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake, that man will save it. What gain, then, is it for a man to have won the whole world and to have lost or ruined his very self?’

Food for thought!

Jesus said (and says) to his disciples that things will get worse before they get better. He knows that he is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death, and to be raised up on the third day. Jesus is talking of himself, yes, but also he is talking of every human. Suffering comes before victory; indeed, there cannot be victory without a fight; no crown without a cross; no Easter Sunday without Good Friday; no day without a night.

This is why Jesus exhorts us to take our cross, our struggle, our fight every day and follow him, because this is the way we can ever make a difference in the world. Here Jesus lays down the conditions of service for those who would follow him.

He says that we must deny ourselves. What does that mean? A great scholar comes at the meaning in this way. Peter once denied his Lord. That is to say, he said of Jesus, "I do not know the man." To deny ourselves is to say, "I do not know myself." It is to ignore the very existence of oneself. It is to treat the self as if it did not exist. Usually we treat ourselves as if our self was far and away the most important thing in the world. If we are to follow Jesus, we must forget that self exists.

He says that we must take up our cross. What does that mean? To take up our cross means to be prepared to face things; it means to be ready to endure the worst that man can do to us for the sake of being true. As we said yesterday, whenever we do the right thing, we are bound to be criticized and "crucified" by others.

He says that we must spend our life, not hoard it. The whole gamut of the world's standards must be changed. As yesterday's message put it, the questions are not, "How much can I get?" but, "How much can I give?" Not, "What is the safe thing to do?" but, "What is the right thing to do?" Not, "What is the minimum permissible in the way of work?" but, "What is the maximum possible?" The Christian must realize that he is given life, not to keep for himself but to spend for others; not to husband its flame but to burn it out for Christ and for men. This is the way to glory, according to Jesus.

It is Lenten time!

Matthew 6:1-6,16-18

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘Be careful not to parade your good deeds before men to attract their notice; by doing this you will lose all reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give alms, do not have it trumpeted before you; this is what the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win men’s admiration. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you give alms, your left hand must not know what your right is doing; your almsgiving must be secret, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.

‘And when you pray, do not imitate the hypocrites: they love to say their prayers standing up in the synagogues and at the street corners for people to see them; I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you pray, go to your private room and, when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in that secret place, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.

‘When you fast do not put on a gloomy look as the hypocrites do: they pull long faces to let men know they are fasting. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that no one will know you are fasting except your Father who sees all that is done in secret; and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.’

Food for thought!

As we enter into Lenten period, Jesus gives us some dos and don'ts. The dos are intended for getting benefit from Lent; the don'ts are meant to minimize the losses. He groups them into three areas: giving to others (charity); giving to God (prayer); and giving to ourselves (fast).

Jesus says, "when you give alms, do not have it trumpeted before you." What does he mean by this? Firstly, Jesus says, WHEN YOU GIVE, not, IF YOU GIVE. It means that in this time of Lent we are expected to give, to share with others. Giving is not optional (it is not "If you give" but mandatory: "when you give"). Giving is vital, because it is by giving that we get. In order to get we must give. That is the rule. And it works in every sphere of life, business, social, relationships, spiritual. You get in as much you give, as St. Francis so well taught us:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

And then Jesus says, "when you pray," not, "if you pray." It means that in this time of Lent prayer is a must. We pray every day, but in this time, it must doubled. Why? Because Lent is like going into a warfare. It is a matter of life and death. If we don't pray enough, we can lose the battle. As St Paul urges us: "Pray without ceasing." (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Christ himself admonishes us: "Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." (Mark 14:38). St Theresa of Avila, a Doctor of the Church, makes it potently clear: "He who neglects mental prayer needs not a devil to carry him to hell, but he brings himself there with his own hands."

And again Jesus says, "When you fast"; he does not say, "if you fast." So fasting too is a must in this time of the year. When you fast, "put oil on your head and wash your face, so that no one will know you are fasting except your Father who sees all that is done in secret; and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.’" This is the time to fight all evil in ourselves; this is the time to starve evil to death. Fast is not necessarily of food; it is anything that, by abstaining from it, gives both our bodies and spirit more life. This is the time to cease doing evil and to learn doing good (Isaiah 1:16-17).

HAVE A NICE A BLESSED LENTEN SEASON!

Doing the right thing x doing things right

Mark 7:1-13

The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus, and they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. For the Pharisees, and the Jews in general, follow the tradition of the elders and never eat without washing their arms as far as the elbow; and on returning from the market place they never eat without first sprinkling themselves. There are also many other observances which have been handed down to them concerning the washing of cups and pots and bronze dishes. So these Pharisees and scribes asked him, ‘Why do your disciples not respect the tradition of the elders but eat their food with unclean hands?’ He answered, ‘It was of you hypocrites that Isaiah so rightly prophesied in this passage of scripture: This people honours me only with lip-service, while their hearts are far from me. The worship they offer me is worthless, the doctrines they teach are only human regulations. Y  ou put aside the commandment of God to cling to human traditions.’ And he said to them, ‘How ingeniously you get round the commandment of God in order to preserve your own tradition! For Moses said: Do your duty to your father and your mother, and, Anyone who curses father or mother must be put to death. But you say, “If a man says to his father or mother: Anything I have that I might have used to help you is Corban (that is, dedicated to God), then he is forbidden from that moment to do anything for his father or mother.” In this way you make God’s word null and void for the sake of your tradition which you have handed down. And you do many other things like this.’

Food for thought!

You must have heard the expression: Doing the right thing and doing things right! This expression is about two attitudes that characterize all of us; we're either on the side doing the right thing or on the side of doing things right. Today's Gospel is also about these two attitudes. Indeed, Jesus is on the side of doing the right thing, while the so called religious people of his time are after doing things right, that is, practicing religion according to the laws and traditions of the elders.

To the religious scholars (scribes and Pharisees) the religious rules and regulations were the essence of religion. To observe them was to please God; to break them was to sin. This was their idea of goodness and of the service of God. In the religious sense Jesus and these people spoke different languages. It was precisely because Jesus had no use for all these regulations that they considered him a bad man, just as we consider bad those who don't keep the laws, rules and discipline of our Catholic church. There is a fundamental cleavage here--the cleavage between the man who sees religion as ritual, ceremonial, rules and regulations, and the man who sees in religion loving God and loving his fellow-men.

There is no greater religious peril than that of identifying religion with outward observance. There is no commoner religious mistake than to identify goodness with certain so-called religious acts. Church-going, bible-reading, careful financial giving, even time-tabled prayers do not make a man a good man. The fundamental question is, how is a man's heart towards God and towards his fellow-men? And if in his heart there are enmity, bitterness, grudges, pride, not all the outward religious observances in the world will make him anything other than a hypocrite.

Doing "the right thing" in religion is loving God and neighbour (as Jesus taught) and not doing "things right" (doing the right church ceremonies and keeping the right church rules).

BTW. The Catholic world has just been shocked by the upcoming resignation of Pope Benedict, on February 28. Some people are already criticizing his decision as improper, while others are praising him for courage to do the right thing. Doing the right thing always leads to unpopular decisions. 

The healing power of touch!

Mark 6:53-56

Having made the crossing, Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret and tied up. No sooner had they stepped out of the boat than people recognised him, and started hurrying all through the countryside and brought the sick on stretchers to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, to village, or town, or farm, they laid down the sick in the open spaces, begging him to let them touch even the fringe of his cloak. And all those who touched him were cured.

Food for thought!

All who touched him were cured!

This is more than a summary statement; it is a statement of fact: all who touch Jesus are cured. Do you notice that this time it is not Jesus touching the people, but the people touching Jesus? In other words, when Jesus touches us he heals; but also when we touch him we get healed. What is the difference?

Normally we see Jesus touching the sick in order to heal them. This is what we usually see. But the contrary is also true: we can and should touch Jesus. And this is what the people did:  "wherever he went, to village, or town, or farm, they (the people) laid down the sick in the open spaces, begging him to let them touch even the fringe of his cloak." It is interesting to note that the people were not begging Jesus to touch their sick, but to let the sick touch him!

And all those who touched him were cured. This statement means that those, and only those, who went to Jesus and literary touched him, were cured. What was in this touch? Well, all of us do need either to be touched or to touch someone we love. Touch is a language that speaks more eloquently than words; when we touch we say much more than we would with words. Those sick people said much more to Jesus by their touch than they would with their mouths.

Did you ever realize that the first thing a new baby gets from its mother is a hug, an embrace, a touch? The Book of Genesis says that God formed us by touch: "Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath or spirit of life, and man became a living being." (Gen. 2:7).

Whom do you touch regularly? Who touches you regularly? When do you want or like to be touched? Do you ever get and give a healing touch? Because positive touch has a healing power, all those who touched Jesus were healed.

Put out into the deep waters!

Luke 5:1-11

Jesus was standing one day by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the crowd pressing round him listening to the word of God, when he caught sight of two boats close to the bank. The fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats – it was Simon’s – and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch.’ ‘Master,’ Simon replied, ‘we worked hard all night long and caught nothing, but if you say so, I will pay out the nets.’ And when they had done this they netted such a huge number of fish that their nets began to tear, so they signalled to their companions in the other boat to come and help them; when these came, they filled the two boats to sinking point. When Simon Peter saw this he fell at the knees of Jesus saying, ‘Leave me, Lord; I am a sinful man.’ For he a  nd all his companions were completely overcome by the catch they had made; so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were Simon’s partners. But Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on it is men you will catch.’ Then, bringing their boats back to land, they left everything and followed him.

Food for thought!

Put out into deep water!

Jesus knows how to challenge us; to pull our legs. He challenged Peter and his companions. Night is the time for fishing and the proper place to cast the net is near the shore. This is what Peter knew; but if Jesus wished to fish by day light in the middle of the Lake, Simon was not too weary to try. Jesus sometimes tells us to do the contrary, to do what's against the common practice, to go against expectations, to do business not as usual.

When we follow the guidance of the Lord in our lives, we achieve results that will blow our minds. This is what we see in Peter's miraculous catch of fish. He and his men toiled all night long and caught nothing; they were following traditional and time worn methods. They were following their tradition, their common practice, their own minds as to where and how to throw the net. The result, in one word, was failure. But when they followed the Lord's guidance which, humanly speaking, did not make much sense (fishermen do not set the net in broad daylight), the result was a resounding success.

Simon was overwhelmed by the results; someone had just taught him to fish differently. "Put out into the deep waters." All along Peter was fishing in swallow waters, just like many of us do. We are afraid to go further into deep waters; we want to stay where we have always been, doing what we always did. It is to people like these that Jesus challenges to risk going further, to go deeper. Whatever your profession, whatever your job, if you go deeper enough into it, you'll catch.

  

The same principle applies in spiritual life; the nearer we come to God the more we see Him as He is and the more we see ourselves as we truly are. The closer we are to the source of light the more we notice the dirt we carry. If you don't see any wrong in yourself it is probably because you're too far away from the Lord; you're in the dark. In today's First Reading, Isaiah said: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips!” (Isaiah 6:5).

In today's Second Reading, Paul felt himself unfit to be called an apostle, because he persecuted the church of God. (1 Corinthians 15:9). And in the Gospel, Peter fell down at Jesus' feet and said, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8).

The feeling of personal unworthiness is a sign that a soul has been touched by God. That is why humility is said to be the first and primary virtue in authentic spirituality. The feeling of personal worthiness and competence, not to talk of the feeling of self-righteousness and spiritual superiority, could be a sign that the soul has neither seen nor known God.

When the soul confesses its sinfulness and inadequacy before God, God reaches out and absolves the sinner and renders him or her competent to serve Him. In the case of Isaiah, one of the seraphs touched his lips with a burning coal taken from the altar of the temple and said to him, “Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out” (Isaiah 6:7). In the case of Simon Peter, Jesus said to him, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people” (Luke 5:10).

Beyond the feeling of personal unworthiness, there is another quality that the three people who are called to do God's work in today's readings have in common, and that is the availability to do God's will and the readiness to follow His directives. As soon as Isaiah hears the voice of the Lord asking, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” his immediate response was: “Here am I; send me!” (Isaiah 6:8). In the case of Peter and his partners, we are told that “they left everything and followed him” (Luke 15:11) without looking back. And Paul threw himself with so much zeal into God's work that he worked harder than all those who were called before him, though as he is quick to point out, “it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10). Merely feeling unworthy and incompetent does not make us into people that God can work with. We must add to that the availability and willingness to go out there and do as Jesus tells us to do.

There but for the grace of God go I

Mark 6:14-29

King Herod had heard about Jesus, since by now his name was well-known. Some were saying, ‘John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.’ Others said, ‘He is Elijah’; others again, ‘He is a prophet, like the prophets we used to have.’ But when Herod heard this he said, ‘It is John whose head I cut off; he has risen from the dead.’

  Now it was this same Herod who had sent to have John arrested, and had him chained up in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife whom he had married. For John had told Herod, ‘It is against the law for you to have your brother’s wife.’ As for Herodias, she was furious with him and wanted to kill him; but she was not able to, because Herod was afraid of John, knowing him to be a good and holy man, and gave him his protection. When he had heard him speak he was greatly perplexed, and yet he liked to listen to him.

  An opportunity came on Herod’s birthday when he gave a banquet for the nobles of his court, for his army officers and for the leading figures in Galilee. When the daughter of this same Herodias came in and danced, she delighted Herod and his guests; so the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me anything you like and I will give it you.’ And he swore her an oath, ‘I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom.’ She went out and said to her mother, ‘What shall I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the Baptist’ The girl hurried straight back to the king and made her request, ‘I want you to give me John the Baptist’s head, here and now, on a dish.’ The king was deeply distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he was reluctant to break his word to her. So the king at once sent one of the bodyguard with orders to bring John’s head. The man went off and beheaded him in prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave

  it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

Food for thought!

"An opportunity came!" This statement summarizes it all. As long as the opportunity had not come, things were like normal. But then the opportunity came. It came this way: It was Herod’s birthday, during a banquet of the nobles of his court, for his army officers and for the leading figures in Galilee. And there came the daughter of Herodias, danced, she delighted Herod and his guests; so the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me anything you like and I will give it you.’ And he swore her an oath, ‘I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom.’ She went out and said to her mother, ‘What shall I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the Baptist’"

Once the opportunity was there, the rest was just follow up one after another. The end result was the beheading of John the Baptist. What does this mean to you and me? It means that it is but by the grace of God that we have not committed similar atrocities; if and when the opportunity comes, when the circumstances are there, when all the conditions are fulfilled, sin is inevitable. It means that the opportunity has not come for you and me, and this is by the grace of God.

The gospel says that Herodias "was furious with him (John the Baptist) and wanted to kill him; but she was not able to," because the opportunity had not come. When it came, she seized it and did what she always wanted to do but could not, "because Herod was afraid of John, knowing him to be a good and holy man, and gave him his protection."

The trouble with Herodias was that she wished to eliminate the one man who had the courage to confront her with her sin. She wished to do as she liked with no one to remind her of the moral law. She murdered John that she might sin in peace. She forgot that while she need no longer meet John, she still had to meet God.

Whenever you see someone with a misfortune or even a criminal, say: "There but for the grace of God go I!" It means that I would likely have been or done the same bad thing as that person or criminal if God had not been watching over me. You can say this to refer to someone who has had bad luck; implies that the person is no less virtuous than you are but is now miserable purely because of bad opportunity, which might happen to you as well. If and when the opportunity comes, many of us would do just as Herodias and many criminals do. If the Lord had not been on our side...! (Psalm 124:2); Unless the LORD had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death (Psalm 94:14).

BTW, this is why Jesus taught us to pray always: "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." Temptation means any testing situation. It includes far more than the mere seduction to sin; it covers every situation which is a challenge to and a test of a person's manhood and integrity and fidelity. Temptations are opportunities for sin. 

All out on a mission!

Mark 6:7-13

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out in pairs giving them authority over the unclean spirits. And he instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff – no bread, no haversack, no coppers for their purses. They were to wear sandals but, he added, ‘Do not take a spare tunic.’ And he said to them, ‘If you enter a house anywhere, stay there until you leave the district. And if any place does not welcome you and people refuse to listen to you, as you walk away shake off the dust from under your feet as a sign to them.’ So they set off to preach repentance; and they cast out many devils, and anointed many sick people with oil and cured them.

Food for thought!

This is the first time that Jesus sends out his disciples. It is like sending them for an internship after training them. Jesus is here acting many things: he is acting like a teacher, a manager, a leader, a trainer or coach. Everything Jesus does in this reading is worth noting: he sends the Twelve in pairs, he gives them authority, he instructs them on dos and don'ts, and finally he prepares them for both success and failure. Let us look at each one of these.

Sends them in pairs. The lesson is clear. We never realize great things alone; we may dream alone, but we cannot realize our dreams alone; we need others. We need a friend, a good friend, who walks not in front of us (for us to follow), who walks not behind us (for us to lead), but who walks beside us, as a friend. Do you have someone like this?

Gives them authority. Jesus never sends us to do anything without equipping us for it. He always equips us for whatever he sends us to do; he gives authority. What is authority? The word authority comes from Latin "augere" to augment, to increase, to multiply. The first time we were given authority was in Old Testament: "God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply (increase), and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” (Gen. 1:28). Jesus came to recreate us; to make us increase; to make us do more and be more.

Instructed them: take nothing but the staff. What does this mean? Well, remember Moses' staff in the OT. He carried a stick (staff) by his side throughout the desert and used it in all the important milestones in the desert, like to divide and close the Red Sea, to produce water from a rock, to invoke plagues on the Egyptians, and on several occasion was transformed into a snake and back. The staff stands therefore for the power of God. Jesus empowers his own. That is why he told them never to trust in anything, except a staff – no bread, no haversack, no coppers for their purses. What we all need is the power of God, the staff; the rest is rest.

Success & Failure. Jesus warns us to expect both success and failure in our endeavours. Whatever comes, and whenever it comes take it. If success comes your way, take it; if it is failure take it and move on; don't hold on your past successes or failures; keep going forward. Jesus is teaching us that problems and failures are inevitable in the life of anyone who seeks to make a difference in life. Even with all instructions from Jesus, even with all academic degrees, even with all experience, we are bound to fail sometimes. And Jesus knows it. That's why he teaches his disciples not only how to win but also how to loose. 

Jesus is saying to us, when we loose, not to dwell too long on the loss and allow it to rob our lives of enthusiasm and joy.

 So we must learn to shake off the dust of yesterday’s failure from our feet, otherwise it will cling to us and accumulate and weigh us down. The result is depression and despair. We give up. We quit instead of going on to a new village, to a new project, to new opportunities. But Jesus does not want us to be quitters. He wants us to be women and men who move on, despite losses and disappointments. Move on!

Do you amaze Jesus?

Mark 6:1-6

Jesus went to his home town and his disciples accompanied him. With the coming of the sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue and most of them were astonished when they heard him. They said, ‘Where did the man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been granted him, and these miracles that are worked through him? This is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joset and Jude and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here with us?’ And they would not accept him. And Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is only despised in his own country, among his own relations and in his own house’; and he could work no miracle there, though he cured a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Food for thought!

Our meditation will focus on the last verse: "He was amazed at their lack of faith." As you may know, in his entire earthly life, there are only two recorded instances of Jesus being amazed! And both these two instances were in relation to FAITH. It means that, the only thing about us that amazes Jesus, is our (lack of) faith.

The first time Jesus was amazed was / is in today's gospel (Mark 6:5-6). The gospel says that because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any mighty miracles among them except to place His hands on a few sick people and heal them. And He was amazed at their unbelief.

The second Jesus was amazed is found in Luke 7:2-3, 6-10.  There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.”

As you can see, in the first place, Jesus was amazed because of a gross demonstration of unbelief. In the second place Jesus was amazed because of a great demonstration of faith! What amazes Jesus is our faith, or lack of it. Do you think you amaze Jesus?

Double tragedy!

Mark 5:21-43

21 After Jesus crossed over by boat, a large crowd met him at the seaside. 22 One of the meeting- place leaders named Jairus came. When he saw Jesus, he fell to his knees, 23 beside himself as he begged, "My dear daughter is at death's door. Come and lay hands on her so she will get well and live." 24 Jesus went with him, the whole crowd tagging along, pushing and jostling him.25 A woman who had suffered a condition of hemorrhaging for twelve years-- 26 a long succession of physicians had treated her, and treated her badly, taking all her money and leaving her worse off than before-- 27 had heard about Jesus. She slipped in from behind and touched his robe. 28 She was thinking to herself, "If I can put a finger on his robe, I can get well." 29 The moment she did it, the flow of blood dried up. She could feel the change and knew her plague was over and done with. 30 At the same moment, Jesus felt energy discharging from him. He turned around to the crowd and asked, "Who touch  ed my robe?" 31 His disciples said, "What are you talking about? With this crowd pushing and jostling you, you're asking, 'Who touched me?' Dozens have touched you!" 32 But he went on asking, looking around to see who had done it. 33 The woman, knowing what had happened, knowing she was the one, stepped up in fear and trembling, knelt before him, and gave him the whole story.

34 Jesus said to her, "Daughter, you took a risk of faith, and now you're healed and whole. Live well, live blessed! Be healed of your plague." 35 While he was still talking, some people came from the leader's house and told him, "Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher any more?" 36 Jesus overheard what they were talking about and said to the leader, "Don't listen to them; ONLY have faith." 37 He permitted no one to go in with him except Peter, James, and John. 38 They entered the leader's house and pushed their way through the gossips looking for a story and neighbors bringing in casseroles. 39 Jesus was abrupt: "Why all this busybody grief and gossip? This child isn't dead; she's sleeping." 40

Provoked to sarcasm, they told him he didn't know what he was talking about. But when he had sent them all out, he took the child's father and mother, along with his companions, and entered the child's room. 41 He clasped the girl's hand and said, "Talitha koum," which means, "Little girl, get up." 42 At that, she was up and walking around! This girl was twelve years of age. They, of course, were all beside themselves with joy. 43 He gave them strict orders that no one was to know what had taken place in that room. Then he said, "Give her something to eat."

Food for thought!

Yesterday, Jesus showed us what he can do with our hopelessness and helplessness. Today, he continues. If yesterday's situation was spiritual (mad man), today's is physical. Someone is dead. Another one is dying. Today, Jesus shows us that he is the solution to both to our spiritual and physical problems.

A desperate father, named Jairus came to Jesus and fell to his knees, beside himself as he begged, "My dear daughter is at death's door. Come and lay hands on her so she will get well and live." This man was helpless and he came to Jesus for help. And got it. Jesus agreed to go with him. But even as he was going with Jesus, tragedy struck; his daughter died. Lesson: tragedy hits everybody including those walking and working with Jesus. So don't ever think that because you pray every day, because you go to Mass every Sunday or even everyday, that tragedies will not come your way. Even followers of Jesus get tragedies.

Jesus told this man what he tells all those people in hopeless situations: DO NOT BE AFRAID. ONLY HAVE FAITH! This is the only thing Jesus asks of us, only one, just this one: only have faith. The rest is his.

Another hopeless situation was of a woman who came to Jesus, as Jesus was on his way to a hopeless situation. She came to Jesus in a helpless situation; everything else had failed. Please note that when she came to Jesus she told him everything about herself, not just something. The gospel says, "she knelt before him, and gave him the whole story."

Have you ever told Jesus your WHOLE story? Does Jesus know all about you? What don't you tell Jesus?

Psalm 34:4

I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 18:6

In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.

From mad man to made man!

Mar 5:1-20

1 Jesus and his disciples arrived on the other side of the sea in the country of the Gerasenes. 2 As Jesus got out of the boat, a madman from the cemetery came up to him. 3 He lived there among the tombs and graves. No one could restrain him-- he couldn't be chained, couldn't be tied down. 4 He had been tied up many times with chains and ropes, but he broke the chains, snapped the ropes. No one was strong enough to tame him. 5 Night and day he roamed through the graves and the hills, screaming out and slashing himself with sharp stones.

6 When he saw Jesus a long way off, he ran and bowed in worship before him-- 7 then bellowed in protest, "What business do you have, Jesus, Son of the High God, messing with me? I swear to God, don't give me a hard time!" 8 (Jesus had just commanded the tormenting evil spirit, "Out! Get out of the man!") 9 Jesus asked him, "Tell me your name."

He replied, "My name is Mob. I'm a rioting mob." 10 Then he desperately begged Jesus not to banish them from the country.

11 A large herd of pigs was browsing and rooting on a nearby hill. 12 The demons begged him, "Send us to the pigs so we can live in them." 13 Jesus gave the order. But it was even worse for the pigs than for the man. Crazed, they stampeded over a cliff into the sea and drowned.

14 Those tending the pigs, scared to death, bolted and told their story in town and country. Everyone wanted to see what had happened. 15 They came up to Jesus and saw the madman sitting there wearing decent clothes and making sense, no longer a walking madhouse of a man.

16 Those who had seen it told the others what had happened to the demon- possessed man and the pigs. 17 At first they were in awe-- and then they were upset, upset over the drowned pigs. They demanded that Jesus leave and not come back.

18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the demon- delivered man begged to go along, 19 but he wouldn't let him. Jesus said, "Go home to your own people. Tell them your story-- what the Master did, how he had mercy on you." 20 The man went back and began to preach in the Ten Towns area about what Jesus had done for him. He was the talk of the town.

Food for thought!

Do you know of someone in a helpless or hopeless situation, or even yourself: are you in a hopeless or helpless situation, struggling with someone or something too much for you? Well, today and tomorrow Jesus will prove to you and me that for him there's no hopeless or helpless people or human situation. 

We begin with today's situation. It is about a man who had turned into a mad house. The gospel describes his situation this way: "No one could restrain him-- he couldn't be chained, couldn't be tied down. 4 He had been tied up many times with chains and ropes, but he broke the chains, snapped the ropes. No one was strong enough to tame him. 5 Night and day he roamed through the graves and the hills, screaming out and slashing himself with sharp stones." This man was helpless but also were his people; they had given up on him. This is why he lived in the tombs, a living dead man!

I don't know if you are in a similar situation; have you given up on yourself, on your spouse, your child, your love, your business, your hope, your dream? Please, don't, because Jesus performed that miracle for that man in order to prove to you and me, that he is mighty. If you believe in Jesus, as I believe you do, why give in to despair? Take your situation to Jesus. Be like this man, throw yourself at the feet of Jesus; he will not run away from you. He will transform your hopelessness and helplessness into hopefulness and helpfulness, just as he turned the mad man into made man.

This once hopeless and helpless man, became all of a sudden a hopeful and helpful man; he started going around ten towns restoring hope in others; the man became a helpful man. The gospel says, "The man went back and began to preach in the Ten Towns area about what Jesus had done for him. He was the talk of the town."

When the men who had been in charge of the pigs went to the town and to the farms with news of this astounding happening, the curious people arrived on the spot and found the man who had once been so mad sitting fully clothed and in full possession of his faculties. The wild and naked madman had become a sane and sensible citizen. And then comes the surprise, the paradox, the thing that no one would really expect. One would have thought that they would have regarded the whole matter with joy; but they regarded it with terror. And one would have thought that they would have urged Jesus to stay with them and exercise still further his amazing power; but they urged him to get out of their district as quickly as possible. Why? A man had been healed but their pigs had been destroyed, and therefore they wanted no more of this. The routine of life had been unsettled, and they wanted the disturbing element removed as quickly as possible.

The Gerasenes banished the disturbing Christ--and still today men and women seek to do the same.