Like fishermen!

Matthew 4:18-22

Walking along the beach of Lake Galilee, Jesus saw two brothers: Simon (later called Peter) and Andrew. They were fishing, throwing their nets into the lake. It was their regular work. Jesus said to them, “Come with me. I’ll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I’ll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass.” They didn’t ask questions, but simply dropped their nets and followed. A short distance down the beach they came upon another pair of brothers, James and John, Zebedee’s sons. These two were sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, mending their fishnets. Jesus made the same offer to them, and they were just as quick to follow, abandoning boat and father.

Food for thought!

It is interesting to note what kind of men Jesus called. They were not men of great scholarship, or influence, or wealth, or social background; the men Jesus called were not rich. They were not poor either; they were simple working people with no great background, and certainly, with no great social standing.
It was the ordinary men whom Jesus chose. What Jesus needs is ordinary folk who will give themselves to him. He can do anything with people like that. Further these men were fishermen. Why did Jesus choose fishermen?
(i) A fisherman has patience. He must learn to wait patiently until the fish will take the bait. If one is restless or quick to move he cannot catch any fish. As good fishers of men they will need to have patience. We must learn to wait; we must learn patience.
Patience is that powerful attitude of mind that is often characterized by poise, serenity, inner calmness, and quiet endurance — especially in the face of trying or upsetting conditions. The gift of patience has its foundation in faith. “Your faith will be put to the test. You know that when that happens it will produce in you the strength to continue.” (James 1:3).
(ii) A fisherman has perseverance. He must learn never to be discouraged, but always to try again; he must not be discouraged when nothing seems to happen. He must always be ready to try again, day after day. Even when he doesn't catch anything he will not desist.
(iii) A fisherman has courage. He must be ready to risk and to face the fury of the sea and of the gale. Whatever you do in life, you need courage. Whatever course you decide on, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong or that you shouldn't do it or that you couldn't. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to the end requires some of the same courage that a fisherman needs.
As we know, the world’s best work, or at least the work of many of the world’s great men, has been done in the midst of opposition, in the very teeth of criticism, in spite of discouragement.
(iv) A fisherman must have an eye for the right moment. The wise fisherman knows well when to act; he knows when to cast and when not to cast. The good fisherman chooses his moment.

(v) The wise fisherman must keep himself out of sight. If he obtrudes his own presence, even his own shadow, the fish will certainly not bite. His aim is to fix men's eyes, not on himself, but on that figure beyond. Christ!

This week, let's be fishermen, that is, patient, persevering, courageous, prudent and humble. 

Pray always because God listens always!

Luke 21:25-28.34-36

“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. 34 “Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, 35 like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. 36 Stay awake, praying at all times for the strength to survive all that is going to happen, and to stand with confidence before the Son of Man.

Food for thought!

We had already this reading this week; and now we have it again. Why? It is because last week was the end of Year B; and today we begin year C. Last week we were ending; now we are beginning.

The 1st Sunday of Advent, marks the beginning of a new liturgical year. Today we move from the year of Mark (B) to the year of Luke (C). In fact, today's gospel is Luke's version of the gospel we read two weeks ago from Mark. And since in every end there's a beginning, and in every beginning there's already an end, the same reading is being used again, but from Luke.

Comparing Mark 13:24-32 with Luke 21:25ff which we are reading this Sunday, we see that Luke has left out all the spectacular sky events which Mark associated with the Last Days: "the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven" (Mark 12:24f). Luke rewrites this with more restraint: "There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars" (Luke 21:25). Again, Luke leaves out altogether Mark's idea that the Son of Man "will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven" (Mark 13:27).

Why does Luke leave out these easily observable and verifiable forecasts in Mark? For one thing, unlike Mark, whose attention was on the ending, Luke's concern is on the beginning. The two, Mark and Luke are talking about the same reality (same as, bottle half empty and half full).

As Winston Churchill was noted: "This is not the end. This is not the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." He is saying what Jesus says in today's gospel: "when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near." Jesus is coaching us by telling us how to face adversities and problems and crises of life and living. It is by prayer.

Why prayer? Because prayer takes us beyond the present turmoil, problem, and suffering; prayer is communion between God and a person. In truth, you cannot afford not to pray! When you pray, you move away from outer human personality into the great individuality within, which is the real you. We arestrongest when we pray and we are weakest when we neglect prayer.Your times of prayer are “food for the soul” and can work wonders in your life. One important thing to remember is that prayer may not change God, but it certainly will change your attitude about God, about life and living and about our problems.

Prayer is like dialing a number on your telephone. It can be the conscious connection you make with God. You call; God answers! Did you notice that Jesus calls us to pray without ceasing? Why pray all the time? It is because our Father listens to us all the time; it is because God is always awake to our prayers and our needs So pray all the time because our Father listens all the time This what Psalm 121 says:
Shall I look to the mountain gods for help? No! My help is from Jehovah who made the mountains! And the heavens too! He will never let me stumble, slip, or fall. For he is always watching, never sleeping. Jehovah himself is caring for you! He is your defender. He protects you day and night. He keeps you from all evil and preserves your life. He keeps his eye upon you as you come and go and always guards you.

And 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, anger, 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 pulls us towards 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; we suffer as if there is no God.

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” (1 Thessalonians 5: 17). Praying without ceasing literally says what it means. That we constantly stay in touch with out God at all times, for prayer is more than a life line; it’s an intimate connection between us and the Father.

The end is heaven!

Luke 21:29-33

He told them a story. "Look at a fig tree. Any tree for that matter. When the leaves begin to show, one look tells you that summer is right around the corner. The same here-- when you see these things happen, you know God's kingdom is about here. Don't brush this off: I'm not just saying this for some future generation, but for this one, too-- these things will happen. Sky and earth will wear out; my words won't wear out.

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; there is death. The Christian conception of history is that it has a goal and at that goal Jesus Christ will be Lord of all. That is all we know, and 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  either 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 and fullness. 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. 

Stephen Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, recommends that we “begin (planning) with the end in mind.” The best planning encompasses what we want to accomplish and where we want to end up. Whether it is a special project or a simple daily routine, or our earthly journey, let us begin by the end and the steps needed to reach it. 

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

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, “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; “the end of the world” meant the place where you literally fell off the earth. 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!" Remember to stand and look up to God; if you keep looking on your problems, you will get demoralized by what you see. Look up to God in all your problems and your spirit will lift up.

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

Psalm 121

Shall I look to the mountain gods for help? No! My help is from Lord who made the mountains! And the heavens too! He will never let me stumble, slip, or fall. For he is always watching, never sleeping.

Lord himself is caring for you! He is your defender. He protects you day and night. He keeps you from all evil and preserves your life. He keeps his eye upon you as you come and go and always guards you.

Be calm and carry on - II

Luke 21:12-19

Jesus said: Men will seize you and persecute you; they will hand you over to the synagogues and to imprisonment, and bring you before kings and governors because of my name – and that will be your opportunity to bear witness. Keep this carefully in mind: you are not to prepare your defense, because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relations and friends; and some of you will be put to death. You will be hated by all men on account of my name, but not a hair of your head will be lost. Your endurance will win you your lives.’

Food for thought

Jesus said and says: "Jesus said: Men will seize you and persecute you; they will hand you over to the synagogues and to imprisonment, and bring you before kings and governors because of my name." And then he adds: "and that will be your opportunity to bear witness."
He is saying that when they seize us, when they persecute us, when they imprison us, when we are afflicted and suffering and in agony, we have an opportunity to bear a witness! It means that our odds are a blessing in disguise; our hard moments are an opportunity for something good.
Jesus adds, "Keep this carefully in mind: you are not to prepare your defense, because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict." In other words, don't ever forget, when you are hard pressed, that Jesus is with you. Be attentive to what he will tell you to do; don't panic; as Jesus told us yesterday, be calm and carry on; be attentive for the guidance because Jesus himself "shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict."
So, our hard moment are not only for bearing witness; they are also moments of experiencing Jesus' presence and guidance and comfort. As St. Paul puts it in 2 Cor 12:9-10
And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Did you notice that anyone can cause our suffering? Did you notice that even our people, even those we consider to be our friends can cause us stress and agony and suffering? "You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relations and friends." In other words, all can suffer (including Jesus's disciples and followers) and all can make us suffer (including our dear ones).

Be calm and carry on!

Luke 21:5-11


When some were talking about the Temple, remarking how it was adorned with fine stonework and votive offerings, Jesus said, ‘All these things you are staring at now – the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed.’ And they put to him this question: ‘Master,’ they said ‘when will this happen, then, and what sign will there be that this is about to take place?’

‘Take care not to be deceived,’ he said ‘because many will come using my name and saying, “I am he” and, “The time is near at hand.” Refuse to join them. And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened, for this is something that must happen but the end is not so soon.’ Then he said to them, ‘Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines here and there; there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.

Food for thought!

Jesus loves us. He is warning us not to be carried away by rumours: take care, he says, not to be deceived by those who use Jesus' name. In other words, because someone is always using Jesus' name does not mean that he or she is genuine.

*“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’"* (Mt 7:21-23)

Jesus continues to say: take care not to be deceived that the time is near at hand; refuse to join such rumours.

And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. **Be calm and carry on**:
* Right Belief (Views) — that Truth is the guide of each person.
* Right Resolve (Thought) — to be calm at all times and not to harm any living creature.
* Right Speech — never to lie, never to slander anyone, and never to use coarse or harsh language.
* Right Behavior (Action) — never to steal, never to kill, and never to do anything one may later regret or be ashamed of.
* Right Occupation (Livelihood) — never to choose an occupation that is considered bad.
* Right Effort — always to strive for that which is good and avoid that which is evil.
* Right Contemplation (Mindfulness) — of the Noble Truths, in calmness and detachment.
* Right Concentration (Meditation) — will then follow and lead to the path of perfect peace. (Cf. JM, Templeton).

Under the powerful watch of Jesus!

Luke 21:1-4

21 1 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 (again) this gospel reading. I suggest to take for our meditation the part that says that Jesus watched! He 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.

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!

According to the Book of Genesis, work is a fundamental dimension of human existence on earth. Man, created "in the image of God... male and female" (Gen 1:27) hears the words: "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it" (Gen 1:28). These words indicate indirectly, beyond any doubt, that work is an activity for man to carry out in the world. With our work, we carry out the mandate received from our Creator to subdue, to dominate, the earth. In carrying out this mandate, God watches us

I was born and entered the world so that I could witness to the truth!

John 18:33-37

Pilate went back into the palace and called for Jesus. He said, "Are you the 'King of the Jews'?" 34 Jesus answered, "Are you saying this on your own, or did others tell you this about me?" 35 Pilate said, "Do I look like a Jew? Your people and your high priests turned you over to me. What did you do?" 36 "My kingdom," said Jesus, "doesn't consist of what you see around you. If it did, my followers would fight so that I wouldn't be handed over to the Jews. But I'm not that kind of king, not the world's kind of king." 37 Then Pilate said, "So, are you a king or not?" Jesus answered, "You tell me. Because I am King, I was born and entered the world so that I could witness to the truth. Everyone who cares for truth, who has any feeling for the truth, recognizes my voice."

Food for thought!

Imagine the following. Jesus is being tied with ropes; his hands are tied together. Some soldiers drag him to the court to be accused. The judge is called Pilate. The trial begins. "Are you the 'King of the Jews'?" The judge asks Jesus. Jesus answers, "Are you saying this on your own, or did others tell you this about me?" Pilate responds, "Do I look like a Jew? Your people and your high priests turned you over to me. What did you do?" Jesus does not answer this last question, but answers the first, which was "Are you the 'King of the Jews'?"

This is a very intriguing question. The judge must have wondered; how can a king appear the way Jesus is, tied with ropes, blood all over his body and face! Pilate is saying, is it possibly true that you are someone's king? "Are you the 'King of the Jews'?" "What did you do to your people, for your people to do this to you?" Someone is really wrong here? Is it true that you are king?

"My kingdom," said Jesus, "doesn't consist of what you see around you. If it did, my followers would fight so that I wouldn't be handed over to the Jews. But I'm not that kind of king, not the world's kind of king."

Pilate continues, "So, are you a king or not?" Pilate wants to ascertain. Jesus answers, "You tell me. Because I am King, I was born and entered the world so that I could witness to the truth. Everyone who cares for truth, who has any feeling for the truth, recognizes my voice."

Did you notice how Jesus connects king to truth? "I am king; I am a King. [Certainly I am a King!] This is why I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the Truth. Everyone who is of the Truth [who is a friend of the Truth, who belongs to the Truth] hears and listens to My voice. What Jesus says is that he is king, KING OF TRUTH. It means that Jesus is the king of truth; that Jesus is the truth, even as he stands being tied, being tried, being humiliated; yes, Jesus is truth from eternity to eternity.

Jesus is like truth, and truth is like Jesus.

We can tie it/Jesus, we can try it/Jesus, we can judge it/Jesus, we can beat it/Jesus but we cannot destroy it/Jesus because he was born a king. Jesus/truth is immortal; Jesus/truth is divine. As the first reading of today puts it, "His/its rule is eternal — he/it will never end. His/its reign will never be destroyed." Jesus/Truth does not die; Jesus/it is eternal.

Jesus is like the truth, and truth is like Jesus.

As today's Second reading said, "everyone will see him— even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the world will mourn for him. Yes! Amen!" All of us will soon or later know Jesus/truth, even those of us who pierced Jesus/it, who rejected Jesus/it, denied Jesus/it, tied Jesus/it, and tried Jesus/it. WE WILL ALL SEE JESUS/TRUTH!

Good question great answer!

Luke 20:27-40 Great Answer!

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!

Around this times last year, we got this gospel reading and we took the chance to look at the questions Jesus made and makes. 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).
This said, listening to a different point of view shows openness that helps deepen our receptivity. Don't be afraid to ask; 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!
Jesus also made questions. 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)

Bitter sweet!

Luke 19:45-48 Bitter Sweet!

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 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 being.

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. He 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, or at least the work of many of the world’s great men, has been done in the midst of opposition, in the very teeth of criticism, in spite of discouragement.

As Jesus came closer, he wept!

Luke 19:41-44

As Jesus came closer to Jerusalem and he saw the city ahead, he began to cry.“Eternal peace was within your reach and you turned it down,” he wept, “and now it is too late. Your enemies will pile up earth against your walls and encircle you and close in on you, and crush you to the ground, and your children within you; your enemies will not leave one stone upon another—for you have rejected the opportunity God offered you.”

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 that he was seeing. The Jews had embarked upon a path, which could only end in the destruction of Jerusalem. This literally happened in the year A.D. 70, when Roman soldiers attacked and destroyed the city of Jerusalem. The tragedy was that if only they had abandoned their ways and taken the way of Christ it need never have happened.

This means that, just like the Jews, the choices we make make us; it means that we are where we are because of our choices. Like the Jews, we are what we are because of the choices we made in the past. This is why Jesus is lamenting: because the Jews chose not to accept him, the source of salvation. Yes, the choices we make in the end make us, and if those choices are bad, they make Jesus cry, because he sees already their future consequences.

Wherever you’re at in your spiritual life, family life, or professional life, is the result of choices you’ve made in the past. To get to a better place in the future you must begin making better choices now. Try it.

Margaret Jansen once said, "Our character today is a result of our choices yesterday. Our character tomorrow will be a result of our choices today. To change your character, change your choices. Day by day, what you think, what you choose, and what you do is who you become.”

I like John Maxwell's advice: Write down the incidents, circumstances, choices, and habits that have helped to create your character until now. Try to list everything you can think of. How many of the things on the list are beyond your control, and how many are the result of actions you took or choices you made? If many of the things you list are due to circumstances and other things beyond your control, then you need to take greater control of your life. Start by making one choice every day that will strengthen your character, your family, your finances. (Note: these kinds of choices usually involve doing things you would rather not do.)

Gave them each a sum of talents!

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, as we saw last week in Beirut and Paris.
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).

He brings us back to where we belong!

Luke 19:1-10

Then Jesus entered and walked through Jericho. 2 There was a man there, his name Zacchaeus, the head tax man and quite rich. 3 He wanted desperately to see Jesus, but the crowd was in his way--he was a short man and couldn't see over the crowd. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus when he came by. 5 When Jesus got to the tree, he looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, hurry down. Today is my day to be a guest in your home." 6 Zacchaeus scrambled out of the tree, hardly believing his good luck, delighted to take Jesus home with him. 7 Everyone who saw the incident was indignant and grumped, "What business does he have getting cozy with this crook?" 8 Zacchaeus just stood there, a little stunned. He stammered apologetically, "Master, I give away half my income to the poor--and if I'm caught cheating, I pay four times the damages." 9 Jesus said, "Today is salvation day in this home! Here he is: Zacchaeus, son of Abraham! 10 For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost."

Food for thought!

If yesterday was about a man whom Jesus helped to see again, today is about another man who wanted to see Jesus. The other one could not see Jesus because he was blind; this one could not see Jesus because he was short. The first shouted at the top of his voice in order to attract Jesus' attention; this one climbed a tree to attract the attention of Jesus. The other one was very poor, a beggar; this one was very rich. For both these two men, the major obstacle to get to Jesus were the people. One had to shout louder, the other had to climb a tree. If you too don't do something extraordinary, you won't beat the crowds.

So, have you asked yourself what you really want to do or be in life? And have you determined that you will pursue it against all odds, despite the obstacles, and regardless of the circumstances? Are you ready to pay the price?

Like yesterday's blind man, Zacchaeus determined to see Jesus, and would let nothing stop him. For Zacchaeus to mingle with the crowd at all was a courageous thing to do, for many a man would take the chance to get a nudge, or kick, or push at the little tax-collector. It was an opportunity not to be missed. Zacchaeus would be black and blue with bruises that day. He could not see, the crowd took an ill delight in making sure of that. So he ran on ahead and climbed a fig tree. Things were not easy for Zacchaeus but the little man had the courage of desperation.

Zacchaeus was a man who had reached the top of his profession; and yet he was the most hated man in the district. Zacchaeus was wealthy but he was not happy. Inevitably he was lonely, for he had chosen a way that made him an outcast. He had heard of this Jesus who welcomed tax-collectors and sinners, and he wondered if he would have any word for him. Despised and hated by men, Zacchaeus resolved to reach for Jesus.


The story ends with the great words, the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost. We must always be careful how we take the meaning of this word lost. In the New Testament it does not mean damned or doomed. It simply means in the wrong place. A thing is lost when it has got out of its own place into the wrong place; and when we find such a thing, we return it to the place it ought to occupy. We too get lost when we are in a wrong place at a wrong time. Thanks to Jesus, because his job is to restore us to where we belong, as he did yesterday with the blind man, and today with Zacchaeus. To him be praise and glory and honour, both now and forever.

What do you want Jesus to do for you?

Luke 18:35-43

Jesus was coming near the city of Jericho. There was a blind man sitting beside the road, begging for money. When he heard the people coming down the road, he asked, “What is happening?” They told him, “Jesus, the one from Nazareth, is coming here.” The blind man cried out, “Jesus, Son of David! Please help me!” The people who were in front, leading the group, told the blind man to be quiet. But the blind man shouted more and more, “Son of David, please help me!” Jesus stopped and said, “Bring the blind man to me!” When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, I want to see again.” Jesus said to him, “Then see! You are healed because you believed.” At once the man was able to see, and he followed Jesus, thanking God. All the people who saw this praised God.

Food for thought!

Let us re imagine the scene. Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem to the Passover. He is not alone; he has a big crowd around him, listening to every word he says. Any noise from anybody is an unwanted distraction. A nuisance.
Sitting on the roadside is a blind beggar. This man is many things: he is blind; he is a beggar; he is sitting along the side of the road. Because he is a blind, he is a beggar, and because he is begging he is sitting on the side of the road; he is not part of anything; he is on the roadside of life and living. He is only good in one thing, curiosity. When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by.
Immediately he cried out to Jesus for help and healing. Thereupon everyone tried to silence him. The people round Jesus were missing what he was saying because of the clamour of this blind man. "Quite!" They told the man. "You're distracting us; please shut up!" They seemed to say.
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 around you suggesting that you forget and abandon the idea. Maybe you wanted to go back to school for a degree, or you wanted to stop smoking, or wanted to start a business, or change jobs, or...!
The man would not be silenced. Neither should you. He shouted again, this time louder; he screamed so much that everybody took notice, including Jesus. The man was determined to come face to face with Jesus. Nothing would stop him. He refused to be silent and he refused to be restrained. His sense of need drove him relentlessly into the presence of Jesus. If anyone wants a miracle that is the spirit one must show. A gentle, sentimental longing never really taps the power of God; but the passionate, intense desire of the very depths of the human heart will never be disappointed.
“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. Jesus' question helped this man to prioritize his needs; to focus and not scatter himself with endless requests: "I want to see!" He said. I wonder what you would say! What is your ONE thing in life that you need, not what you want; what you need? It must be one thing because wanting everything is wanting nothing. We do well to narrow our focus; our mind doesn't realize our dreams until it has a clear object.
Luke 10:41

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed — indeed only one.

History is going somewhere!

Mark 13:24-32

Jesus told his disciples: “During the days after this trouble comes, ‘The sun will grow dark. And the moon will not give its light. The stars will fall from the sky. And everything in the sky will be changed.’ (Isaiah 13:10; 34:4)

“Then people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. The Son of Man will send his angels all around the earth. They will gather his chosen people from every part of the earth. “The fig tree teaches us a lesson: When its branches become green and soft, and new leaves begin to grow, then you know that summer is near. So also when you see all these things happening, then you will know that the time is near, ready to come. I tell you the truth. All these things will happen while the people of this time are still living. The whole world, earth and sky, will be destroyed, but the words I have said will never be destroyed. “No one knows when that day or time will be. The Son and the angels in heaven don’t know. Only the Father knows.

Food for thought!

The Gospel of Mark, chapter 13 is one of the most difficult chapters in the New Testament for a modern reader to understand. That is because it is one of the most Jewish chapters in the Bible. From beginning to end it is thinking in terms of Jewish history and Jewish ideas. All through it Jesus is using categories and pictures which were very familiar to the Jews of his day, but which are very strange, and indeed, unknown, to many of us today.

This said, it is not good to disregard this chapter because it is the source of many ideas about the second coming of Jesus. The difficulty about the doctrine of the second coming is that nowadays people are apt either completely to disregard it as irrelevant or to be so completely unbalanced about it that they get to the point of fixing dates for the end of the world.

In this passage the one thing that we must retain is the fact that Jesus did foretell that he would come again. The imagery we can disregard. What is important to note is that, as Jesus told us many times, history is going somewhere; one day we are going to leave this life; life as we know it will one day end; you and I will die some day. And our death is the end of our world; my end of the world will be my death; your death is the end of your world. For that reason, we do well to leave each day in light of death, by being our best and by doing the best we can. How? By carrying out our ordinary duties extraordinarily well.

To make the best use of your life, you must never forget two truths: First, compared with eternity, life is extremely brief. Second, earth is only a temporary residence. You won’t be here long, so don’t get too attached. Ask God to help you see life on earth as he sees it. Let us make David's prayer our prayer, “Lord, help me to realize how brief my time on earth will be. Help me to know that I am here for but a moment more.” (Ps. 39:4)

Repeatedly the Bible compares life on earth to temporarily living in a foreign country. This is not your permanent home or final destination. You’re just passing through, just visiting earth. The Bible uses terms like alien, pilgrim, foreigner, stranger, visitor, and traveler to describe our brief stay on earth. David said, “I am but a foreigner here on earth,” (Psalm 119:19) and Peter explained, “If you call God your Father, live your time as temporary residents on earth.” (1 Peter 1:17).

The Bible is clear: “Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul.” (Psalm 119:147;5:3). God warns us to not get too attached to what’s around us because it is temporary. We’re told, “Those in frequent contact with the things of the world should make good use of them without becoming attached to them, for this world and all it contains will pass away.” (Psalm 34:1)

But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven's angels, not even the Son. Only the Father.

Jesus says that he does not know the day or the hour when he will come again. There were things which even Jesus left without questioning in the hand of his Father. There can be no greater warning and rebuke to those of us that work out dates and timetables as to when Jesus will come again, or when the world will end. Surely it is nothing less than blasphemy for us to inquire into that of which our Lord consented to be ignorant

Always pray and do not give up!

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 lose heart, he is saying, in other words, 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, good or bad. 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; she kept going to the judge with a plea: Grant me justice against my adversary. 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? Fix 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 this will bring you what you want to achieve.

The law of focus is like chasing rabbits. If you chase many at once, you catch none. But if you focus on one only, you get it. If so many things clamor for your attention, bend all your energies to one, and pursue it until you get it. Something wonderful happens when we narrow our focus, says John Maxwell, because our mind doesn't reach towards achievement until it has clear objectives.

That is why Jesus said we must never be discouraged in prayer. Few things amazed Jesus, and this is one of them: whether our faith would stand the long delays and focus needed before we eventually get our prayers answered. 

When I return...!

Luke 17:26-37
*
Jesus said: “When I return the world will be as indifferent to the things of God as the people were in Noah’s day. They ate and drank and married—everything just as usual right up to the day when Noah went into the ark and the Flood came and destroyed them all.*
*“And the world will be as it was in the days of Lot: people went about their daily business—eating and drinking, buying and selling, farming and building— until the morning Lot left Sodom. Then fire and brimstone rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. Yes, it will be ‘business as usual’ right up to the hour of my return.*
*“Those away from home that day must not return to pack; those in the fields must not return to town— remember what happened to Lot’s wife! Whoever clings to his life shall lose it, and whoever loses his life shall save it. That night two men will be asleep in the same room, and one will be taken away, the other left. Two women will be working together at household tasks; one will be taken, the other left; and so it will be with men working side by side in the fields.”*
*“Lord, where will they be taken?” the disciples asked. Jesus replied, “Where the body is, the vultures gather!”*

Food for thought

Our reading speaks of the Second Coming of Jesus. Out of this difficult passage we can pick only a few things which are certain--and in truth they are all we need.

First of all, the coming of Christ is certain, but its time is uncertain; the end of the world as we know it is certain, but uncertain is when it will end; our death is certain, but when it will happen is uncertain. Our friend Jesus prepares us by saying that we be faithful, humbly and watchfully doing our daily duties. The best way to prepare for the Lord, and by extension our death, is to carry our ordinary duties extraordinarily well. Just be and do your best in everything. Whatever you do, do it for the last time. Remember what Jesus said a few days ago: “Blessed is that servant whom the master finds at work when he comes.” (Matthew 24:46)

Another lesson to note is that when that day comes the judgments of God will operate on a personal level, and of two people, who all their lives lived side by side, will be dealt with individually: "*two men will be asleep in the same room, and one will be taken away, the other left. Two women will be working together at household tasks; one will be taken, the other left; and so it will be with men working side by side in the fields.*"

There is a warning here. Intimacy with a good person does not necessarily guarantee our own salvation; being a good friend of a good wo/man is no guarantee of our own goodness. Goodness and holiness is intransmissible because it is personal; we can neither borrow nor lend goodness! Living with a righteous or holy person is no guarantee for your own salvation. As St. Paul says (Phillipians. 2:12),

*"What I’m getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you’ve done from the beginning. When **I was there with you, you were always so careful to follow my instructions. And now that I am away you must be even more careful to do the good things that result from being saved, obeying God with deep reverence, shrinking back from all that might displease him.*

The judgment of God is an individual matter. (2Corinthians 5:10), "*For we must all stand before Christ to be judged and have our lives laid bare—before him. Each of us will receive whatever he deserves for the good or bad things he has done in his earthly body.*"

God's kingdom is already within you!

Luke 17:20-25

20 Jesus, grilled by the Pharisees on when the kingdom of God would come, answered, "The kingdom of God doesn't come by counting the days on the calendar. 21 Nor when someone says, 'Look here!' or, 'There it is!' And why? Because God's kingdom is already within you." 22 He went on to say to his disciples, "The days are coming when you are going to be desperately homesick for just a glimpse of one of the days of the Son of Man, and you won't see a thing. 23 And they'll say to you, 'Look over there!' or, 'Look here!' Don't fall for any of that nonsense. 24 The arrival of the Son of Man is not something you go out to see. He simply comes. "You know how the whole sky lights up from a single flash of lightning? That's how it will be on the Day of the Son of Man. 25 But first it's necessary that he suffer many things and be turned down by the people of today.

Food for Thought!

God's kingdom is already within you!

What did Jesus mean by this statement? It is difficult to interpret If we compare it to what is said in Deuteronomy 30, we come closer to understanding it. "For this commandment which I command you this day is not too difficult for you, nor is it far off. 12 It is not [a secret laid up] in heaven, that you should say, Who shall go up for us to heaven and bring it to us, that we may hear and do it? 13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, Who shall go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear and do it? 14 But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your mind and in your heart, so that you can do it."

From this text we come to know that in us there's godliness; there's goodness and holiness in all of us. In other words, we are godly, and because of this, we humans are distinct, honourable and glorious because of what is in us. This godly thing within us, the reign of Go, is due to the image and likeness of God. Or better, the image and likeness of God in human beings is the godly capacity in them. Thanks to this godly capacity that human beings have, they are capable of doing many godly things. Indeed, it is this godly capacity in man that makes the difference between humans and animals. This means further that the more godly we are the more human we are; and the more human we are the more godly we are.

This is what Jesus taught us this week, that doing good, mastering evil, is within us. "For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]." (Eph. 2:10)

Christ also taught us this week that the faith we have is a tremendous force. He is saying the same thing today. The kingdom of God is not out there but in there; it is not to be sought from without but from within us, in our hearts. And if this is so, as it is, it means that no one should ever deceive us to look for it over there or to look over here! Don't fall prey for any of that nonsense. Just as the very Son of God was among us, as one of us, so is the power of God (the kingdom of God) within us. To God be praise and glory and honour, both now and forever.

Grateful hearts are great hearts!

Luke 17:11-19

11 On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, 13 they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. 16 He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? 18 Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”

Food for thought!

We all understand and appreciate the importance of gratitude. How it can radically change relationships. In fact, one of the first things we got taught and that we teach our children is to express their gratitude. Someone gives them some candy and the parents say: "Now what do you say?" And the child learns early in life that the answer is "Thank you." And certainly we all know as adults that we appreciate being thanked by people. Yet, when it comes to giving thanks to our heavenly father, we so often miss the mark.
When it comes to this issue of giving our thanks to God, I don't suppose there is any story in the Bible that is so endearing to us, so timelessly appropriate, as the story of Jesus healing the ten lepers. We have all heard the story many times, but like so many Bible stories, we never exhaust its richness.
As you know, whatever you give your attention and belief to becomes your experience. So, focus your attention on the way you would like to see yourself. Practice waking up each day with an inherent expectation of good and with a wonderful feeling of thanksgiving for life itself. Your days will be filled with exciting adventures.
Remember that a grateful mind is a great mind which eventually attracts to itself great things. An old adage states that “where your attention goes, your energy flows.” This means we tend to attract that to which we give our attention. So, even in situations that at first appear difficult or unpleasant, see all the good you can and bless the good you can see! Learn to give thanks even for your problems and challenges.
As you face your situations and overcome them, you grow in strength, wisdom, and compassion.
"But we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us." (Rom 5:3-5)

An ancient proverb says, “A donkey may carry a heavy load of sandalwood on its back and never know its preciousness—only its weight.” Sometimes people feel the weight of circumstances and lose sight of what such circumstances prepare us. Leprosy prepared the ten lepers to meet Jesus. Your problems and difficulties may be preparing you to meet Jesus or to grow your personality or to mature you or even to prepare you for better opportunities.

You should not consider yourselves worthy of praise!

Luke 17:7-10

When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, he doesn’t just sit down and eat, but first prepares his master’s meal and serves him his supper before he eats his own. And he is not even thanked, for he is merely doing what he is supposed to do. Just so, if you merely obey me, you should not consider yourselves worthy of praise. For you have simply done your duty!”

Food for thought!

Jesus is teaching us something we so often forget: we can never put God in our debt and can never have any claim on Him. When we have done our best, we have done only our duty; and a man who has done his duty has done only what, in any event, he is expected to do. What this means is that, God made us not only good but also capable of doing good; being and doing good is human. And whenever we do or be good, we are only doing what we were made to do and be; we only fulfill our duty. In other words, when we have done our best, we have done only our duty. God made each one of us the best he could make. We are inherently good, very good: "Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! (Gen. 1:31)

This is why God told Cain, when this man was failing in his duty to do and be good to his brother Abel: "If you do well, won't you be accepted? And if you don't do well, sin is lying in wait for you, ready to pounce; it's out to get you, you've got to master it." (Gen. 4:7). God was only reminding Cain that he can master sin, because was made to master sin and do well.

This is the reason why, a successful life is the life that ends well; a failed life is the life that fails at doing good. When we do good, we only do what God expects us to do. For this reason, when and if we say, I cannot change, or that, I cannot do better, or that, I cannot stop doing evil, we only insult God, because He made us good and not evil. And if and when we do or be good, we don't deserve a credit as such, because we have simply done our duty. Our duty is to obey the Lord, and do what he tells us to do. To him be praise and glory and honour, both now and forever.

Worship with/out reverence!

John 2:13-22

But it was almost time for the Jewish Passover Feast. So Jesus went to Jerusalem. In the Temple he found men selling cattle, sheep, and doves. He saw others sitting at tables, exchanging money. Jesus made a whip out of cords. Then he forced all these men, with the sheep and cattle, to leave the Temple. He turned over the tables and scattered the money of the men who were exchanging it. Then he said to those who were selling pigeons, “Take these things out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house a place for buying and selling!” When this happened the followers remembered what was written in the Scriptures: “My strong love for your Temple completely controls me.” The Jews said to Jesus, “Show us a miracle for a sign. Prove that you have the right to do these things.” Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and I will build it again in three days.” The Jews answered, “Men worked 46 years to build this Temple! Do you really believe you can build it again in three days?” (But the temple Jesus meant was his own body. After Jesus was raised from death, his followers remembered that Jesus had said this. Then they believed the Scripture and the words Jesus said.)

Food for thought!

Jesus' anger is a terrifying thing; the picture of Jesus with the whip is an awe-inspiring sight. Yes, we too sometimes can, and maybe must, show anger. What enraged Jesus was turning the holy place into a marketplace. He acted as he did because God's house was being desecrated. In the Temple there was worship without reverence.Reverence is an instinctive thing. Worship without reverence can be a terrible thing. It may be worship which is formalized and pushed through anyhow; the most dignified prayers on earth can be read like a newspaper. Reverence without worship is better than worship without reverence. Why? Because, worship without reverence does not realize the holiness of God; it is worship in which priest or congregation are completely unprepared; it is a worship conducted in a place where reverence and the true function of God's house are forgotten.

In that God's house at Jerusalem there would be arguments about price and bargains and all marketplace stuff. Business had hijacked worship; the secular overtook the holy; doing business had become more important than prayer.

But there is still another reason why Jesus acted as he did. The Temple traders were making praying impossible. The lowing of the oxen, the bleating of the sheep, the cooing of the doves, the shouts of the hucksters, the rattle of the coins, the voices raised in bargaining disputes—all these combined to make the Temple a place where nobody could worship. They, were not praying and were not letting others who wanted to pray.

Jesus was moved to the depths of his heart because seeking people were being shut out from the presence of God; because of the trade, it was just impossible to pray in that temple; some people had made it impossible for others to pray. The first people were in the that temple that day not for prayer but for trade. Those who wanted to pray, like Jesus and his followers, could not pray even if they so wanted.

Even today, there are people who do not pray and who don't let others pray; people who don't go to church on Sunday and who don't let others go. People who have abandoned goodness and who don't let others do and be good; people who don't help and who don't let others help anyone in need. These are the people Jesus expelled and expels from his presence.

Let us remember the wrath of Jesus against those who made it difficult and even impossible for others to make contact with God, and learn to avoid being the cause of others' falls and failures. Remember the words of Jesus:

"But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck." (Mark 9:42)

Jesus Watches!

Mark 12:41-44

41 Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42 Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. 43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. 44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”

Food for thought!


The story has many lessons, for both the rich and the poor, for both men and women, for both giving and getting. First, the gospel says "Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money." This means what, if not that Jesus cares about our giving? This is evident from the fact that Jesus was observing the people casting their money into the treasury. He was watching them as they gave. How many believe that Jesus still watches the people as they give? That he watches us as we pray? That he watches us as we give and get? The first lesson is, therefore, that JESUS WATCHES!

The second lesson is that no one is too poor to give, just as no one is too rich to get. No one should say that I am too poor to give. No, you are not. You may not have money, like the widow, but you have the time, the health and may be the wealth. Someone once said, “Those who think they have nothing to give should remember that they can always give themselves, and that they can always render some kind of service even if it be nothing more than a few words of cheer.” The gift of ourself, our time, and energy may often be one of the most important and wonderful things we can give.

The third lesson is that the best gift is not your money or your dollars; the best gift you can give is YOU! The Lord prefers you to your gift. And I am sure your spouse, your friend, your children prefer you to your other gifts. The best gift you can ever give to your spouse is not money, is not material things; it is YOU, your heart, not your wealth. Many of us want love and companionship and forgiveness and understanding, but it is a law of life that in order to be loved,  forgiven and loved, we must first be loving and friendly and forgiving and giving; if the approach is good, the response is good; if it is bad, the response is bad. If you shout at people, people will shout at you; if you're rude to others, they'll be rude to you. So the third lesson is that YOU'RE TREATED THE WAY YOU TREAT OTHERS.

The fourth lesson is that real giving must be sacrificial. The amount of the gift never matters so much as its cost to the giver; not the size of the gift, but the size of the giver; the attitude of the giver is more important than the gift itself. The manner of giving is worth more than the gift.

Real giving has a certain recklessness in it. The woman might have kept one coin. It would not have been much but it would have been something, yet she gave everything she had. There is a great symbolic truth here. It is our tragedy that there is so often some part of our lives, some part of our activities, some part of ourselves which we do not give to Christ. Somehow there is nearly always something we hold back. We rarely make the final sacrifice and the final surrender.

It is a strange and lovely thing that the person whom the New Testament and Jesus hand down to history as a pattern and example of giving was a person who gave a gift of, not a million dollars, but half a penny. We may feel that we have not much in the way of material gifts or personal gifts to give to Christ, but, if we put all that we have and are at his disposal, he can do things with it and with us that are beyond our imaginings.

The law of giving and receiving also asks us to be good receivers. As we give of ourselves, our time and resources, our positive attitudes and loving thoughts and actions, it is also important to be able to receive the gifts of others in a graceful way. Everyone truly loves to give, and there are times when we are being of service by graciously receiving what another would give us—when we find a way to say, “Thank you, I accept your thoughtful gift.”

President John F. Kennedy advised Americans, ”Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” And Viktor Frankl noted, "Ask not what you can expect from life; ask what life expects from you." Ask not what you can expect from your spouse, your children,  your boss, your neighbors; ask what these people can expect and get from you.