What I say to you I say to all!

Mark 13:33-37

Jesus told his disciples: “Since you don’t know when it will happen, stay alert. Be on the watch for my return. My coming can be compared with that of a man who went on a trip to another country. He laid out his employees’ work for them to do while he was gone and told the gatekeeper to watch for his return. Keep a sharp lookout! For you do not know when I will come, at evening, at midnight, early dawn or late daybreak. Don’t let me find you sleeping. Watch for my return! What I say to you, I say to everyone.”

Food for thought!

One day Jesus was reprimanding some Pharisees for their double standards. When he finished one of the other listeners, an expert in religious law who was standing there said, “Sir, you have insulted my profession, too, in what you just said.” Today, Jesus explains what happens when he talks. Today's gospel reading ends with these words:

What I say to you, I say to everyone.

According to these words, when Jesus speaks to you, he speaks to me. When he speaks to me, he speaks to you; when he speaks to women, he speaks to men; when he speaks to men he speaks to women; when he speaks to sinners he speaks to me and you; when he speaks to the people of yesterday and of long ago, he speaks to me and to you and to us all, living today.

In other words, when we read the Bible or the words of Jesus we must read them, not as history, not as what was said long ago; we must read them as words addressed to us; as Word of God addressed to you and me, here and now. So, let us rephrase today's gospel reading to include us:

And since I don’t know when it will happen, I shall stay alert. I will be on the watch for Christ's return [...] I shall keep a sharp lookout! For I do not know when Christ will come, at evening, at midnight, early dawn or late daybreak. I won’t let Christ find me sleeping. I will watch for his return!

Pray all the time!

Luke 21:34-36

Jesus said to the people: “Watch out! Don’t let my sudden coming catch you unawares; don’t let me find you living in careless ease, carousing and drinking, and occupied with the problems of this life, like all the rest of the world. Keep a constant watch. And pray all the time that if possible you may arrive in my presence without having to experience these horrors.”.

Food for thought!

In today's gospel reading, Jesus recommends us to pray all the times. Why is this so? Well, we know that usually in the heat of battle, our mind tends to lose its balance. When too many things confront us at the same time like unexpected setbacks, doubts and criticisms from our own friends, there’s a danger of responding emotionally, with fear, depression, or frustration.

It is vital to keep our faith, maintaining our mental powers whatever the circumstances. We must actively resist the emotional pull of the moment — staying decisive, confident, no matter what hits us. In moments of turmoil and trouble, we must force ourselves to pray because with prayer we see God in our problem; without prayer we see problem in our God.

Jesus' advice is that whenever we get into trouble and turmoil, suffering and problems, we pray. Why prayer? Because prayer takes us beyond the present turmoil, problem, and suffering; without prayer we tend to get pulled down by our present moment of turmoil, whereas prayer takes us to God. Without prayer, we get caught up in the moment. Without prayer we live as if there's no tomorrow; we buy as if there's no tomorrow; we eat as if there's no tomorrow.

Prayer isn’t a last resort— prayer is the first step! “Do not fret or have anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything , by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.” (Philippians 4: 6) “Be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly]”. (1 Thessalonians 5: 17). Praying without ceasing literally says what it means. That we constantly stay in touch with our God at all times, for prayer is more than a life line; it’s an intimate connection between us and the Father.

Our goal is heaven!

Luke 21:29-33


Jesus gave the people this illustration: “Notice the fig tree, or any other tree. When the leaves come out, you know without being told that summer is near. In the same way, when you see the events taking place that I’ve described you can be just as sure that the Kingdom of God is near.


“I solemnly declare to you that when these things happen, the end of this age has come. And though all heaven and earth shall pass away, yet my words remain forever true.”


Food for Thought:


There are two main considerations in this reading.


(i) There is the conception of the second coming of Jesus Christ. There has always been much useless argument and speculation about the second coming. When it will be and what it will be like, are not ours to know. But the one great truth it enshrines is this: that history is going somewhere; that each one of us is en route; that we are not to stay on this earth forever; that there is an end; and that at the end stands Jesus. The Christian conception of history is that it has a goal and at that that goal is Jesus Christ. That is all we know from the Bible, and it is all we need to know.


(ii) There is the need to be upon the watch; to be ready; to be on standby. The Christian must never come to think that he is living in a settled situation. A Christian must be a person who lives in a permanent state of expectation. We must live forever in the shadow of eternity, in the certainty that we are people who are fitting or unfitting ourselves to appear in the presence of God.


Because we're passing by, we must take each day as it comes. Live each day to the maximum; live each day to the best of your ability. Don't leave for tomorrow what you can do today; don't procrastinate. Live in the present and presence of God. Don't neglect prayer; it is a rehearsal of our appearance before God. At the end of our earthly journey, there is Jesus.


If our end is heaven, let us leave a life befitting heaven. "Our final end is heaven, and from it we await to meet the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ." (Philippians 3:20)

When all these things begin to happen, stand and look up!

Luke 21:20-28

Luke 21:20-28

Jesus continued to tell people: 20 “And when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the time of its destruction has arrived. 21 Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. Those in Jerusalem must get out, and those out in the country should not return to the city. 22 For those will be days of God’s vengeance, and the prophetic words of the Scriptures will be fulfilled. 23 How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. For there will be disaster in the land and great anger against this people. 24 They will be killed by the sword or sent away as captives to all the nations of the world. And Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the period of the Gentiles comes to an end. 25 “And there will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. 26 People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory. 28 So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!

Food for thought!

Don't be afraid. Jesus is not scaring us; he is caring for us. He loves us so much that he warns us of the coming danger; Jesus does not only prepare us for heaven but for earth as well; he does not only tell us what to expect then, he tells us what will happen now. "And when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the time of its destruction has arrived."

In all these seemingly terrifying events, there is good news at the end: "So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near! Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory." Jesus is saying that in all chaos, in all crisis, in all difficulty there is something good; there is good news. After the darkest night, the sun always rises. The dark of night prepares us for the rising of the sun. Or as someone once said, commented, “Crises and deadlocks, when they occur, have at least this advantage: that they force us to think.”

The Chinese character for crisis consists of two characters. The top character means danger, and the bottom character means opportunity. When you experience crisis or problem, remember that it may be only a cloud hiding the face of the sun and opportunity. That is why Jesus is advising us to stand and look up to God and for God when our life begins to fall apart; it may be just falling in place. Let the power and warmth of the sun within you burn away the cloud that may attempt to dim your inner light. Let the sun of belief in life energize you as you climb to the pinnacle of overcoming.

Many ancient people thought that the earth was flat, and, if one ventured too close to the edge, he would fall off. The phrase “the end of the world” became representative of a place where there was no solid ground for support. It was as if the earth ended at a particular point and time, and only emptiness lay beyond. Many of us are going through seemingly end of the world moments with no solid support on which we can walk, stand, or even rest. Jesus is training us how to survive and thrive in such end of the world times: "when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!"

The optimist recognizes opportunity in every crisis; the pessimist sees a crisis in every opportunity.

Even those closest to you will betray you!

Luke 21:12-19

Jesus continued to tell the people: “But before all this occurs, there will be a time of special persecution, and you will be dragged into synagogues and prisons and before kings and governors for my name’s sake. But as a result, the Messiah will be widely known and honored. Therefore, don’t be concerned about how to answer the charges against you, for I will give you the right words and such logic that none of your opponents will be able to reply! Even those closest to you—your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends will betray you and have you arrested; and some of you will be killed. And everyone will hate you because you are mine and are called by my name. But not a hair of your head will perish! For if you stand firm, you will win your souls.”

Food for thought!

Since the beginning of the week Jesus is in the Temple of Jerusalem. In there, he has expelt the sellers who had turned the place into a market place. Then he watched the worshippers as they donated, and praised a poor widow that put in more than the rich. Then he cautioned those who were admiring the beauty of the temple and its ornaments. Today, Jesus continues from yesterday.

The disciples are warned that they will be delivered up to court and jail. This is a reference to the Jewish Sanhedrin, which was their version of the Supreme Court. They would also stand before “rulers and kings”, who would interrogate them concerning their preaching and doctrine. They would be hunted, hounded, beaten, and some would even die, for standing by Jesus.

This prophecy was literally fulfilled in theearly church.

• Acts 4 – Peter and John faced the Sanhedrin and gave an account of the healing of the lame man at the Temple.

• Acts 7 – Stephen is tried by the Sanhedrin and is condemned to die.

• Acts 9:22-25 – The Jews want to kill Paul for His preaching.

• Acts 12 – James and Peter are arrested by King Herod. They are imprisoned and scheduled to be executed. James is beheaded, but Peter is delivered by a divine miracle.

• Acts 14:19 – Paul is stoned and left for dead at Lystra.

• Acts 16:19-24 – Paul and Silas are imprisoned in Philippi.

• Acts 18:12-17 – Paul is persecuted in Macedonia.

• Acts 19 – Paul is arrested and tried in Ephesus.

• Acts 21 – Paul is arrested and held for trial in Jerusalem.

• Acts 24 – Paul is tried before Felix.

• Acts 26 – Paul is tried before Festus and King Agrippa.

• Acts 27-28 – Paul is kept under arrest and sent by ship to stand trial before Caesar. Paul remains a prisoner in Rome until he is executed by the Romans.

That is but a brief sampling of the kind of persecution that rocked the early church. Here is Paul’s own testimony concerning the things he suffered for Jesus, 2 Cor. 11:23-27.

I have worked harder, been put in jail more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again and again. Five different times the Jews gave me their terrible thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I was in the open sea all night and the whole next day. I have traveled many weary miles and have been often in great danger from flooded rivers and from robbers and from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the hands of the Gentiles. I have faced grave dangers from mobs in the cities and from death in the deserts and in the stormy seas and from men who claim to be brothers in Christ but are not. I have lived with weariness and pain and sleepless nights. Often I have been hungry and thirsty and have gone without food; often I have shivered with cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.


Like the disciples of Jesus of yesterday, today's disciples, you and me, have our own suffering that we must undergo. As Helen Keller put it, “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambitions inspired, and success achieved.”

Through the eyes of Jesus!

Luke 21:5-11

One day people were standing around talking about the Temple, remarking how beautiful it was, the splendor of its stonework and memorial gifts. Jesus said, 6 "All this you're admiring so much-- the time is coming when every stone in that building will end up in a heap of rubble." 7 They asked him, "Teacher, when is this going to happen? What clue will we get that it's about to take place?" 8 He said, "Watch out for the doomsday deceivers. Many leaders are going to show up with forged identities claiming, 'I'm the One,' or, 'The end is near.' Don't fall for any of that. 9 When you hear of wars and uprisings, keep your head and don't panic. This is routine history and no sign of the end." 10 He went on, "Nation will fight nation and ruler fight ruler, over and over. 11 Huge earthquakes will occur in various places. There will be famines. You'll think at times that the very sky is falling.

Food for Thought!

In the gospel reading of today, Jesus and the people were all looking at the same temple, but seeing different things. The people were seeing beauty, Jesus was seeing destruction; the people were seeing the present moment, Jesus was seeing the future moment, when the temple would crumble down; they were as close as you can imagine, looking at the same temple, but seeing different things. Why is this possible? Because no two people can occupy the same place; no two people can see the same things; no two people can live in the same world. You may stay with someone and yet both live in completely distant and distinct worlds.

The Temple was a marvel by all standards, for it was covered all over with plates of gold of great weight, and, at the first rising of the sun, reflected back a very fiery splendour, and made those who forced themselves to look upon it to turn their eyes away, just as they would have done at the sun's own rays. From a distance, the Temple appeared like a mountain covered with snow, for, as to those parts of it that were not gilt, they were exceedingly white. To the Jews it was unthinkable that such glory could one day ever be shattered to dust.

Jesus could and can see both history and future; he can see the past, the present and the future. Others were seeing the present, Jesus the future; they were blind to the approaching disaster but Jesus was seeing the avalanche about to descend on that temple. It is only when we see things through the eyes of Jesus that we too can see them clearly; it is only when we see through the eyes of Jesus that we see life clearly and all in it; it is only when we see through the eyes of Jesus that we see people in their true colours; it is by seeing our problems through the eyes of Jesus that we understand them.

We must, therefore, endeavor to see through the eyes of Jesus, with his consciousness and his understanding, if we are to see in this world and in this life what he saw. Because he sees differently, Jesus called people like Matthew and Paul and Magdalene to be his companions. Jesus does not only see disasters, he sees our potential too. Seeing like Jesus is not a presumptuous thing; it is a necessary thing if we are to grow into his image and likeness, like Paul did when he wrote these words:

The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I'm tearing up and throwing out with the trash — along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant — dog dung. I've dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. (Phil 3:7-9)

God is watching us!

Luke 21:1-4

While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. 2 Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. 3 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. 4 For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”

Food for thought!

Under the powerful watch of Jesus!

As we begin our work week, providence has given us this gospel reading of a watching Jesus. The gospel reading says that “while in the Temple, HE watched.” In other words, Jesus watched those men and women as they carried out their Temple duty of donating. I am sure the people did not know that they were being watched by Jesus.

The idea of being watched by God is not really new. In Mark 6:46-48, after telling everyone good-bye, Jesus went up into the hills by himself to pray. Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land. HE SAW that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves.

Another time, reported in Matthew 9:9, Jesus was walking along, HE SAW a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.

Yet another time, as Phillip and Nathanael approached Jesus, he said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel-a man of complete integrity.” “How do you know about me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus replied, “I SAW YOU under the fig tree before Philip found you.” (Jn 2:47-48).

These and others instances, show that Jesus shows up at our places of work; that he sees us as we discharge our daily duties at the place of work. Matthew the evangelist and apostle was even called from his desk, at work!

When no one is watching you in your work place, work as if someone is; when no one is watching you as you drive your car around, drive as if someone is; when no one is watching you as you make your prayers, pray as if someone is watching you. That someone is Jesus, who promised to be with us ALWAYS. He asked us to remember this: "I am always with you until the end of time." (Matthew 28:20). He is always, not some of the times, not some of the places, but always watching us from a distance.

Do you remember that famous song by Bette Midler, “From a distance”?

God is watching us
God is watching us
God is watching us
From a distance.

Christ Our King!

Psalm 23

Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need!

He lets me rest in the meadow grass and leads me beside the quiet streams. He gives me new strength. He helps me do what honors him the most.

Even when walking through the dark valley of death I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me, guarding, guiding all the way.

You provide delicious food for me in the presence of my enemies. You have welcomed me as your guest; blessings overflow!

Your goodness and unfailing kindness shall be with me all of my life, and afterwards I will live with you forever in your home.

Food for thought!

“Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need!” These are the words that introduce Psalm 23 (or 22 in some Bibles). These words are translated differently by some Bible translations. For instance: The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing; The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need; The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want; The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack; The LORD is my shepherd. I am never in need; The Lord ruleth me: and I shall want nothing; Jehovah is my shepherd, I do not lack.


What all these translations are trying to tell us is what we celebrate today: Christ the King! What does it mean for you and me when Christ is our King? It means that Jesus Christ (not Joseph or Mary or John the beloved apostle or Michael the archangel or some great saint) is our leader, our Shepherd. this is what Psalm 23 reminds us. Unfortunately, most of us are used to hearing the Psalm in funerals and tribulations. This is a psalm for the living like you and me; it is a psalm principally about life and living, and not about death and dying.

The Psalm fulfils God's promise in Ezekiel 34: I will search and find my sheep. I will be like a shepherd looking for his flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places they were scattered in that dark and cloudy day... There they will lie down in peace and feed in luscious mountain pastures. I myself will be the Shepherd of my sheep and cause them to lie down in peace,” the Lord God says. “I will seek my lost ones, those who strayed away, and bring them safely home again. I will put splints and bandages upon their broken limbs and heal the sick.

If Jesus is our Shepherd, we are safe! That is why, says Psalm 23, Even when walking through the dark valley of death (or of problems or of suffering or of betrayal or name it) I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me, guarding, guiding all the way. Your goodness and unfailing kindness shall be with me all of my life, and afterwards I will live with you forever in your home.

If Jesus is our Shepherd, it means that, just as Adam and Eve walked with God in the cool of the garden, just as the disciples walked with Jesus on the roads of Galilee, we are walking and working with the Lord Jesus on a daily basis. To him be praise and honour and glory and power, for ever and ever. Amen.

John 10:27-30
My sheep recognize my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish. No one shall snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else, so no one can kidnap them from me. I and the Father are one.


Revelation 7:17
For the Lamb standing in front of the throne will feed them and be their Shepherd and lead them to the springs of the Water of Life. And God will wipe their tears away.

Our teacher is Jesus. Period!

Luke 20:27-40

27-33 Some Sadducees came up. This is the Jewish party that denies any possibility of resurrection. They asked, “Teacher, Moses wrote us that if a man dies and leaves a wife but no child, his brother is obligated to take the widow to wife and get her with child. Well, there once were seven brothers. The first took a wife. He died childless. The second married her and died, then the third, and eventually all seven had their turn, but no child. After all that, the wife died. That wife, now—in the resurrection whose wife is she? All seven married her.”

34-38 Jesus said, “Marriage is a major preoccupation here, but not there. Those who are included in the resurrection of the dead will no longer be concerned with marriage nor, of course, with death. They will have better things to think about, if you can believe it. All ecstasies and intimacies then will be with God. Even Moses exclaimed about resurrection at the burning bush, saying, ‘God: God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob!’ God isn’t the God of dead men, but of the living. To him all are alive.”

39-40 Some of the religion scholars said, “Teacher, that’s a great answer!” For a while, anyway, no one dared put questions to him.

Food for thought!

We are going to base our meditation on verses 39-40, especially the remark: "Teacher, that's a great answer!"

Some people had taken a question to Jesus, "in the resurrection whose wife is she?" They made the question, they waited for an answer. Questions are important in our life. If and when we ask questions to clarify a misunderstanding instead of summoning arguments to protect our position, we often find that what the other person is saying is after all good, that is, if and when we listen. Some of us don't give our listeners time to speak their opinion; our opinion is the right one. The husband, the wife, the boss, the subordinate, the son or daughter is simply wrong.

But whether or not another’s argument or criticism is valid, we will always be better off asking questions to Jesus and letting him answer us. In that way we learn about ourselves, and, at the same time, we honor our Saviour and only teacher: "You all have a single Teacher, and you are all classmates. 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." (Mt 23:8-9). 

Don't be afraid to ask our teacher; and don't be afraid to get a different opinion from yours; don't be afraid to tell your husband or wife, your son or daughter, your boss or your subordinate or friend: "that's a great answer! Give credit to where you should.

Not only we make questions to Jesus, he also made questions to his listeners. Here are some of them.

·         "Why were you searching for me? ... Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" (his first recorded words, Luke 2:49).

·         "What do you want?" (John 1:38).

·         "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" (John 2:4).

·         "You are Israel's teacher .... and do you not understand these things?" (John 3:10).

·         "I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?" (John 3:12).

·         "Do you not say, `Four months more and then the harvest'?" (John 4:35). "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, `Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, `Get up and walk'?" (Luke 5:22-23).

·         "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?" (Matthew 9:4).

·         "Do you want to get well?" (John 5:6).

·         "How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?" (John 5:44).

·         "But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?" (John 5:47).

·         "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need?" (Mark 2:25).

·         "Or haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent?" (Matthew 12:5).

·         "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" (Mark 3:4).

·         "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out?" (Matthew 12:11).

·         "But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?" (Matthew 5:13).

·         "If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?"(Matthew 5:46).

·         "Is not life more important than food?" (Matthew 6:25).

·         "Are you not much more valuable than they?" (Matthew 6:26).

·         "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" (Matthew 6:27).

·         "And why do you worry about clothes?" (Matthew 6:28).

·         "Will he not much more clothe you, 0 you of little faith?" (Matthew 6:30).

·         "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye?" (Matthew 7:3).

·         "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?" (Matthew 7:9).

·         "Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?" (Matthew 7:16).

·         "What did you go out into the desert to see?" (Matthew 11:7).

·         "To what can I compare this generation?" (Matthew 11:16).

·         "Now which of them will love him more?" (Luke 7:42).

·         "Do you see this woman?" (Luke 7:44).

·         "How can Satan drive out Satan?" (Mark 3:23).

·         "And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out?" (Matthew 12:27).

·         "Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man?" (Matthew 12:29).

·         "You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good?" (Matthew 12:34).

·         "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" (Matthew 12:48).

And Jesus knew how to acknowledge those who give him good answers:

“Good answer!” said Jesus. “Do it and you’ll live.” (Luke 10:28)

Jesus' words are both sweet & bitter!

Luke 19:45-48

Then Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people selling animals for sacrifices. 46 He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.” 47 After that, he taught daily in the Temple, but the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders of the people began planning how to kill him. 48 But they could think of nothing, because all the people hung on every word he said.

Revelation 10:8-10

Then the voice from heaven spoke to me [John] again: “Go and take the open scroll from the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 9 So I went to the angel and told him to give me the small scroll. “Yes, take it and eat it,” he said. “It will be sweet as honey in your mouth, but it will turn sour in your stomach!” 10 So I took the small scroll from the hand of the angel, and I ate it! It was sweet in my mouth, but when I swallowed it, it turned sour in my stomach..”

Food for thought

Did you notice how twice John is told to take the roll? It is not handed to him; even when he asks the angel to give it to him, the answer is that he must take it himself. The meaning is that God's word is never forced on any man; he must take it. It is a personal decision; God does not force himself on us. If we wish, we can take God's message into our very life and living.

In the Gospel Jesus goes into the Temple to pray, but what he finds in there is all but sweet; the Temple had turned into a den of thieves, full of business dealings. This is the irony in the Reading from Revelation: what is supposed to be sweet has turned into something else; what is supposed to be house of prayer is now house of business; what is supposed to be holy place is now profane place; what is supposed to be a peaceful family is now a warring family; what is supposed to be a lovely person is now terrible; what is supposed to be happy is now sad…!

There is something almost incredibly audacious in the action of Jesus in teaching in the Temple courts when there was a price on his head. This was sheer defiance. At the moment the authorities could not arrest him, for the people hung upon his every word. But every time he spoke he took his life in his hands and he knew well that it was only a matter of time until the end should come.

The courage of the Christian should match the courage of his Lord. Jesus left us an example that we should never be ashamed to show whose we are and whom we serve. As we know, the world’s best work, and the work of many of the world’s great people, like of Jesus, was done in the midst of opposition, in the very teeth of criticism and discouragement. While the religious authorities were busy looking for ways to silence Jesus, the people were busy listening to every word he would say. Jesus' words are both sweet and bitter.

When Jesus saw Jerusalem, he wept!

Luke 19:41-44
But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. 42 “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. 43 Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. 44 They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not accept your opportunity for salvation.”


Food for thought!


Jesus' lament!
As Jesus came to a turn in the road and got sight of Jerusalem with the whole city fully displayed ahead of him, he suddenly stopped and started to weep over Jerusalem. He knew what was going to happen to the city. The Jews had embarked upon a path, which would end in the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The tragedy was that if only they had abandoned their ways and taken the way of Christ it need never have happened.


Weeping demonstrates that Christ was indeed a true man, with real bodily functions (such as tears, sweat, blood, eating and drinking. His emotions and reactions were real; Christ was not an illusion or spirit. Christ was and is real.


The gospels tell us that on two occasions, Jesus did weep. The first time was in Bethany, immediately before he raised Lazarus from death, and the second was his weeping over Jerusalem. What was it about these times that made them different from the others? The gospel tells us that as Jesus approached Jerusalem, he wept over it. Why? God Himself had come to His people in a "visitation".


Jesus was sent by the Father to seek and save the lost sheep of Israel, to open their eyes to the fullness of God's love and mercy. But they didn't understand. This is what brought Jesus to cry. I wonder what Jesus would do as he looked at our cities, our homes, our hearts! Would he smile or weep?

Life is a trust!

Luke 19:11-28

While Jesus had the people's attention, and because they were getting close to Jerusalem by this time and expectation was building that God's kingdom would appear any minute, he told this story: 12 "There was once a man descended from a royal house who needed to make a long trip back to headquarters to get authorization for his rule and then return. 13 But first he called ten servants together, gave them each a sum of money, and instructed them, 'Operate with this until I return.' 14 "But the citizens there hated him. So they sent a commission with a signed petition to oppose his rule: 'We don't want this man to rule us.' 15 "When he came back bringing the authorization of his rule, he called those ten servants to whom he had given the money to find out how they had done.16 "The first said, 'Master, I doubled your money.' 17 "He said, 'Good servant! Great work! Because you've been trustworthy in this small job, I'm making you governor of ten towns.' 18 "The second said, 'Master, I made a fifty percent profit on your money.' 19 "He said, 'I'm putting you in charge of five towns.' 20 "The next servant said, 'Master, here's your money safe and sound. I kept it hidden in the cellar. 21 To tell you the truth, I was a little afraid. I know you have high standards and hate sloppiness, and don't suffer fools gladly.' 22 "He said, 'You're right that I don't suffer fools gladly--and you've acted the fool! 23 Why didn't you at least invest the money in securities so I would have gotten a little interest on it?'24 "Then he said to those standing there, 'Take the money from him and give it to the servant who doubled my stake.' 25 "They said, 'But Master, he already has double . . .' 26 "He said, 'That's what I mean: Risk your life and get more than you ever dreamed of. Play it safe and end up holding the bag. 27 "'As for these enemies of mine who petitioned against my rule, clear them out of here. I don't want to see their faces around here again.'" 28 After saying these things, Jesus headed straight up to Jerusalem.

Food for thought!

The parable of the king and his servants illustrates certain great facts of life.

(i) It tells of God's trust. He gave his servants the money and then went away and left them to use it as they could and as they thought best. He did not in any way interfere with them, or stand over them, like a big brother. He left them entirely to their own devices. That is the way in which God trusts us, all of us. Someone has said, "The nicest thing about God is that he trusts us to do so much by ourselves."

(ii) It tells of God's test. As always, this trust was a test, of whether or not a man was faithful and reliable in little things. Sometimes we under estimate the importance of being faithful in the ordinary things of life. God has not. It is precisely in these routine duties that God is testing us. There is no example of this like Jesus himself. Of his thirty-three years of life Jesus spent thirty in Nazareth. Had he not discharged with absolute fidelity the tasks of the carpenter's shop in Nazareth and the obligation of being the breadwinner of the family, God could never have given him the supreme task of being the Saviour of the world.

The confidence to achieve great things springs from successful achievement of smaller tasks. What this means is that we must begin with small successes before we get big ones. We must learn to swim in bigger ponds by mastering small ones first. You cannot succeed at work if at home you are a failure; normally a bad husband or wife is always a bad executive at work. Success begins at home; who is successful at home is also successful at work. 

(iii) It tells us of another very important fact. Bad knowledge of God leads to bad decisions and bad life. The third servant did nothing with the money of his master because he held wrong and bad knowledge of his master. He said, "I know you ...!" In other words, what made this man do nothing is what he knew of his master. It means what we know of God is extremely important. If we hold wrong knowledge of God, we will end doing the wrong things. A good / bad example of this is today's Islamists; because they hold wrong knowledge of God they have ended up with wrong and sometimes extreme religious beliefs and acts. 

St. Pauls warns us to be watchful of what we KNOW and guard it against "someone who comes along and preaches another Jesus than the one we preached, or should you receive a different spirit from the one you received or a different gospel from the one you accepted," (2Cor 11:4)

"With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter." (2 Thessalonians 2:15).

Jesus is worth knowing!

Luke 19:1-10

Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the town when a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance: he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He was anxious to see what kind of man Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him: ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house today.’ And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully. They all complained when they saw what was happening. ‘He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house’ they said. But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, ‘Look, sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost.’

Food for thought!

Zacchaeus was a man who had reached the top of his career, BUT was the most hated man in the district. He was wealthy BUT not spiritually healthy. He was a man of power by virtue of his position and of his profession BUT very weak spiritually. People probably walked in fear of this little man.

Because he was wealthy but unhappy, Zacchaeus was inevitably lonely, for he had chosen a way that made him an outcast; he was a man who had reached the top of his profession but spiritually was still at zero; professionally a success story but spiritually a failure.

Like yesterday's blind man, Zacchaeus too was determined to see Jesus, and would let nothing stop him, not even his height. The Bible says that he sought to see Jesus. This man had a desire to see the Lord. This said, before this little man could get to Jesus, he had to overcome two great obstacles.

1. The Crowd - The gospel tells us that Zacchaeus was a little short man, and he could not see over the crowd. The people were between him and Jesus. The crowd still keeps some people from seeing Jesus! There are those who allow their friends to keep them from seeing Jesus! Still others are kept from Christ not by the crowd but by a single person who exercises great influence over them. Jesus is more valuable than any friends or friend you will ever have in this world! That is why Jesus tells us these words: "The person who loves his father or mother more than me does not deserve to be my disciple. The person who loves a son or daughter more than me does not deserve to be my disciple.” (Matthew 10:37)

2. His Condition - Zacchaeus had a personal problem that kept him from getting close to the Lord; he was short. So it was not only the others blocking him, he also had a personal problem. The personal problem can be anything including our sins. Can be money, wealth, health, love, lack of forgiveness…! All of these things can stand between us and the Lord.

So Zacchaeus began to address and redress his two problems. He run ahead and climbed a tree to get a glimpse of the Lord as he passed by. This little man allowed nothing, not the crowd, not his condition, stand between him and his seeing the Lord Jesus. What about you? Are you like Zacchaeus, professionally successful but spiritually a failure? Be like Zacchaeus, beat the crowd and beat your personal condition. Jesus is worth seeing!

Having heard of Him, Zacchaeus wanted to know for himself who Jesus was. Perhaps you too have heard a lot about Jesus but don't know him personally and experientially. Jesus is worth knowing!

Jesus is all we need!

Luke 18:35-43

35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. 36 When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by. 38 So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 “Be quiet!” the people in front yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “I want to see!” 42 And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.” 43 Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.


Food for thought!


“What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “I want to see!”


We live in a society of almost infinite choices and opportunities, and because of that, most people find themselves pulled in dozens of directions. We are like Martha. She was too busy doing nothing; working a lot but getting so little. “Martha, Martha,” Jesus told her, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed — indeed only one.” (Luke 10:41) Martha was blind to the one thing she needed.


In today's gospel reading Jesus asked the blind man what one thing he wanted to get from Jesus. I want to see! The blind man answered. I wonder what you would say! It must be ONE thing because wanting everything is wanting nothing. Chasing many rabbits at once is chasing none; aiming at many birds at once is aiming at none. Many people are aiming at too many things, at once. We do well to narrow our focus; our mind doesn't realize our dreams until it has clear objectives.
"God said to Solomon: 'Ask! What shall I give you?'" (I Kings 3:5).


What do you want Jesus to do for you? This one thing must be the mother of all you desires. Or you are blind to the one thing you really need? When and if you come to know your one thing, pursue it day and night. Don't let people distract you from getting it. Yes, some people may not help you in your pursuit of your dream. The people in the gospel reading told the blind man to be quite. 

This was a crucial moment. What will the man do? Shut up or shout up? Have you ever been like this man? You desire something very important in your life, or you have a dream, or a vision, or a deal or a business idea. As you try to turn it into a reality, you begin to hear counter voices all over suggesting that you forget and abandon the idea. Maybe you want to go back to school for a degree, or you want to stop smoking, or want to start a business, or change jobs, or...!


The man would not be silenced. He shouted again, this time louder; he screamed so much that everybody took notice, including Jesus. At that moment, the man's ONLY desire was to get to Jesus. Nothing would stop him. He refused to be silenced and he refused to be restrained. His sense of need drove him relentlessly into the presence of Jesus. And this all he wanted. With Jesus this man, who had been sitting everyday at the side of the road watching others, FOLLOWED JESUS like anybody else.


Like this man, JESUS is all we need in order to change!

No risk no feast!

Jesus told this story: “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going into another country, who called together his servants and loaned them money to invest for him while he was gone. He gave $5,000 to one, $2,000 to another, and $1,000 to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities—and then left on his trip. The man who received the $5,000 began immediately to buy and sell with it and soon earned another $5,000. The man with $2,000 went right to work, too, and earned another $2,000. But the man who received the $1,000 dug a hole in the ground and hid the money for safekeeping. After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to him to account for his money. The man to whom he had entrusted the $5,000 brought him $10,000. His master praised him for good work. ‘You have been faithful in handling this small amount,’ he told him, ‘so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Begin the joyous tasks I have assigned to you.’ Next came the man who had received the $2,000, with the report, ‘Sir, you gave me $2,000 to use, and I have doubled it.’ ‘Good work,’ his master said. ‘You are a good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over this small amount, so now I will give you much more.’ Then the man with the $1,000 came and said, ‘Sir, I knew you were a hard man, and I was afraid you would rob me of what I earned, so I hid your money in the earth and here it is!’ But his master replied, ‘Wicked man! Lazy slave! Since you knew I would demand your profit,you should at least have put my money into the bank so I could have some interest. Take the money from this man and give it to the man with the $10,000. For the man who uses well what he is given shall be given more, and he shall have abundance. But from the man who is unfaithful, even what little responsibility he has shall be taken from him. And throw the useless servant out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Food for thought!

As you can see, in this parable the whole attention is put on the useless servant. This servant buried his talent in the ground, in order that he might hand it back to his master exactly as it was. He thought he was doing something good and comendable. But he was not, just as many times, in our churches and families and lives, we hold on to laws and rules and customs and traditions, hoping to get praise from the Lord. One day, we shall be surprised to learn the opposite.

Some of us think that any change, any development, any alteration, anything new to our laws and rules and traditions and customs is out of the question. Like the man with the talent, we tend to keep things exactly as they are – and it is for that that the man was condemned. In this parable, Jesus tells us that there can be no religion without adventure, no life without daring, and that God can find no use for the shut mind.

But there is much more in this parable than that. Jesus tells us that God gives us differing gifts. He gave $5,000 to one, $2,000 to another, and $1,000 to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. As you can see, it is not our talent which matters; what matters is how we use it. God never demands from us abilities which we have not got; but he does demand that we should use to the full the abilities which we do possess. Human beings are not equal in talent; but they can be equal in effort.

Jesus tells us still that the reward of work well done is still more work to do. The two servants who had done well are not told to lean back and rest because they have done well. They are given greater tasks and greater responsibilities in the work of the master.

Jesus is telling us that those whom life punishes are the people who will not try. The man with the one talent did not lose his talent; he simply did nothing with it. Even if he had adventured with it and lost it, it would have been better than to do nothing at all. It is always a temptation for the one talent person to say: ‘I have so small a talent, so little money that I can do so little with it. The condemnation is for anyone who, having even one talent, will not try to use it, and will not risk it for the common good.

Jesus is laying down a rule of life that is universally true, that to those who have, more will be given, and those who have not will lose even what they have. The meaning is this. If we have a talent and exercise it, we are progressively able to do more with it. But, if we have a talent and fail to exercise it, we will inevitably lose it. If we have some proficiency at a game or an art, if we have some gift for doing something, the more we exercise that proficiency and that gift, the harder the work and the bigger the task we will be able to tackle. Whereas, if we fail to use it, we lose it. It is the lesson of life that the only way to keep a gift is to use it in the service of God and in the service of our neighbours.

It is the lesson of life that the only way to keep a gift is to use the gift; the only way forward is to move forward; more breeds more; less breeds less; the rich get richer; the poor get poorer; the good get better; the bad get worse. C'est la vie!

Remember: NO RISK NO FEAST!

She kept coming to him with the plea!

Luke 18:1-8

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Food for thought!

Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. This is very revealing. Jesus tells the story in order to tell his listeners the need for constant and consistent prayer. You, just imagine: Jesus telling his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. Do we still need Jesus to convince us of the need for prayer? In other words, are you convinced, just like Jesus is, that you need constant and consistent prayer? Do you still struggle to pray? Does prayer come naturally to you?

When Jesus says pray always and do not to lose heart, he is saying, in other words, to be in touch with God always. We need to be attuned to the Lord all the time. And the best way to do this is by prayer. Remember that in John 15:5 Jesus told us why we need to stay in touch: I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Another reason why Jesus wants us to pray consistently is that whatever we focus our attention on increases. If you fix all your attention on getting something, you end up getting it. What consistent prayer does is that it fixes our attention on something we are praying for. This is what the woman in the gospel reading did: she never gave up on her desire for justice. Day and night she was always there with her request that justice be made to her. She fixed all her attention on that one thing. Eventually, she got it.

Is there anything you earnestly desire for yourself or for others? Have always your attention on it. And the best way to do that is by transforming your desire into a prayer. When we pray we focus. And focus brings tremendous power. With it, our talents and abilities gain direction and intentionality. And this will bring you what you want to achieve.