All men and women are brothers and sisters. Each person is precious and priceless.
We must treat each other as we would treat God.
This is the teaching of Jesus.
This is our belief.
I have just published a book, in India, of reflections on the Sunday Readings for the three year cycle. I also include the feasts that may occur on Sundays. The reflections I used for Sundays on this blog were from this book.
The price of the book is £6.50 + £3.50 for packiing and postage, total £10. Please allow ten days for delivery. You may put the money in the following bank account: Barclays, 20-80-14, FT Greenway,a/c 80431761
1. Give time every day. Sit quietly in a comfortable position, recollect yourself. Concentrate on Jesus who is present to you. Call on the Holy Spirit, your Teacher and Guide. Take your time. There is no rush and there is no fixed rule to follow. Be free in the Spirit.
2. Be aware that Jesus is with you. Use a mantra if you like, e.g. ‘Jesus, Jesus, Jesus ..’
3. Read the passage with Jesus who was there and in the Holy Spirit who inspired it. It is a dialogue. You want to get to know Jesus, to get a new insight into ‘the Son of Man’. Understand the meaning of the passage, use a commentary if necessary.
4. Try and live the passage in your imagination. Remember it is not just imagination because Jesus is present now with you. Put yourself in the scene.
2010 Mar 14 SUN: FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT. Jos 5:9-12 / 2 Cor 5:17-21/ Lk 15: 1-3, 11-32
1The tax collectors and sinners, however, were all crowding round to listen to him, 2 and the Pharisees and scribes complained saying, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.' 3 So he told them this parable:
11 Then he said, 'There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, "Father, let me have the share of the estate that will come to me." So the father divided the property between them. 13 A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and left for a distant country where he squandered his money on a life of debauchery. 14 'When he had spent it all, that country experienced a severe famine, and now he began to feel the pinch; 15 so he hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who put him on his farm to feed the pigs. 16 And he would willingly have filled himself with the husks the pigs were eating but no one would let him have them. 17 Then he came to his senses and said, "How many of my father's hired men have all the food they want and more, and here am I dying of hunger! 18 I will leave this place and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; 19 I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired men." 20 So he left the place and went back to his father. 'While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him. 21 Then his son said, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son." 22 But the father said to his servants, "Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the calf we have been fattening, and kill it; we will celebrate by having a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found." And they began to celebrate. 25 'Now the elder son was out in the fields, and on his way back, as he drew near the house, he could hear music and dancing. 26 Calling one of the servants he asked what it was all about. 27 The servant told him, "Your brother has come, and your father has killed the calf we had been fattening because he has got him back safe and sound." 28 He was angry then and refused to go in, and his father came out and began to urge him to come in; 29 but he retorted to his father, "All these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed any orders of yours, yet you never offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends. 30 But, for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property -- he and his loose women -- you kill the calf we had been fattening." 31 'The father said, "My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours. 32 But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found." '
It was a strange family. The father let the son go. He had two sons and neither of them knew him. The younger son did eventually know his father when he returned home. Did the elder son ever know him? He was close but far away. If only we knew our Father in heaven. Verse twenty gives a clue as to who he is: while he was still a long way off, his father saw him. Moved with pity he ran out, fell on his neck and kissed him. Then he gave him a royal welcome which was unimaginable considering what he had done. But his son’s value was not what he had done but who he was. Jesus is trying to tell us that is how God looks on you. We can hardly believe it. The Good News is, it is true. His love makes up for our failings.
2010 Mar 15 Mon: 4th Lenten Wk / Is 65:17-21 / Jn 4:43-54.
43 When the two days were over Jesus left for Galilee. 44 He himself had declared that a prophet is not honoured in his own home town. 45 On his arrival the Galileans received him well, having seen all that he had done at Jerusalem during the festival which they too had attended. 46 He went again to Cana in Galilee, where he had changed the water into wine. And there was a royal official whose son was ill at Capernaum; 47 hearing that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judaea, he went and asked him to come and cure his son, as he was at the point of death. 48 Jesus said to him, 'Unless you see signs and portents you will not believe!' 49 'Sir,' answered the official, 'come down before my child dies.' 50 'Go home,' said Jesus, 'your son will live.' The man believed what Jesus had said and went on his way home; 51 and while he was still on the way his servants met him with the news that his boy was alive. 52 He asked them when the boy had begun to recover. They replied, 'The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour.' 53 The father realised that this was exactly the time when Jesus had said, 'Your son will live'; and he and all his household believed. 54 This new sign, the second, Jesus performed on his return from Judaea to Galilee.
We can see this official coming up to Jesus and urgently requesting Him to go and heal his son. Jesus saw how people came to Him for miracles and the crowd came to see miracles but it went no deeper than that. He rebukes them and then refuses to work a stunning miracle. He tells the man to go home: “your son will live”. That was all He said. The official had to believe His word and go. He did believe. Do we need miracles once we know Jesus through prayer and the Gospels? His word is enough. His word is true and is the rock of our life. Jesus’ word is creative. It is a healing and saving word. It is a word that leads us. May you listen to it daily till you come to see the One who speaks it.
2010 Mar 16 Tue: 4th Lenten Wk / Ez 47: 1-9, 12/ Jn 5: 1-16
1 After this there was a Jewish festival, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now in Jerusalem next to the Sheep Pool there is a pool called Bethesda in Hebrew, which has five porticos; 3 and under these were crowds of sick people, blind, lame, paralysed. 45 One man there had an illness which had lasted thirty-eight years, 6 and when Jesus saw him lying there and knew he had been in that condition for a long time, he said, 'Do you want to be well again?' 7 'Sir,' replied the sick man, 'I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is disturbed; and while I am still on the way, someone else gets down there before me.' 8 Jesus said, 'Get up, pick up your sleeping-mat and walk around.' 9 The man was cured at once, and he picked up his mat and started to walk around. Now that day happened to be the Sabbath, 10 so the Jews said to the man who had been cured, 'It is the Sabbath; you are not allowed to carry your sleeping-mat.' 11 He replied, 'But the man who cured me told me, "Pick up your sleeping-mat and walk around." ' 12 They asked, 'Who is the man who said to you, "Pick up your sleeping-mat and walk around"? ' 13 The man had no idea who it was, since Jesus had disappeared, as the place was crowded. 14 After a while Jesus met him in the Temple and said, 'Now you are well again, do not sin any more, or something worse may happen to you.' 15 The man went back and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had cured him. 16 It was because he did things like this on the Sabbath that the Jews began to harass Jesus.
What was this man doing at the pool of Bethastha? It was a pool dedicated to a pagan god of healing. He could do nothing for himself and he received no healing. Jesus comes to the pool of unbelief and heals the man by the power of his word alone. There is no salvation apart from Jesus. However the man doesn’t know who has healed him. Jesus will not reveal himself in a place of darkness. He reveals himself in the Temple of Yahweh. He warns the man not to sin any more. He should give up his lack of faith since he has met the living God in Jesus. Jesus has restored him to physical health. He should not lose his eternal life by sin. Both the man at the pool and we too should know that sin brings eternal death and there is no great affliction than this.
2010 Mar 17 Wed: 4th Lenten Wk / Is 49: 8-15/ Jn 5: 17-30
17 His answer to them was, 'My Father still goes on working, and I am at work, too.' 18 But that only made the Jews even more intent on killing him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he spoke of God as his own Father and so made himself God's equal. 19 To this Jesus replied: In all truth I tell you, by himself the Son can do nothing; he can do only what he sees the Father doing: and whatever the Father does the Son does too. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he himself does, and he will show him even greater things than these, works that will astonish you. 21 Thus, as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son gives life to anyone he chooses; 22 for the Father judges no one; he has entrusted all judgement to the Son, 23 so that all may honour the Son as they honour the Father. Whoever refuses honour to the Son refuses honour to the Father who sent him. 24 In all truth I tell you, whoever listens to my words, and believes in the one who sent me, has eternal life; without being brought to judgement such a person has passed from death to life. 25 In all truth I tell you, the hour is coming -- indeed it is already here -- when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and all who hear it will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself; 27 and, because he is the Son of man, has granted him power to give judgement. 28 Do not be surprised at this, for the hour is coming when the dead will leave their graves at the sound of his voice: 29 those who did goodwill come forth to life; and those who did evilwill come forth to judgement. 30 By myself I can do nothing; I can judge only as I am told to judge, and my judging is just, because I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me.
Jesus has just cured the man, sick for thirty eight years, on the Sabbath. The man does not respond to the miracle with faith. He shows a conspicuous lack of understanding and goes to tell the enemies of Jesus. The Jews are shocked. This is against the Sabbath Law as they understand it. Jesus defends himself by claiming to be equal with God whom he calls his Father. His Word has the power of God’s Word. He gives life by his Word and those who hear it have eternal life and the dead who hear it will live. Even those in tombs will hear his voice and come out like Lazarus. Jesus’ Word will raise the righteous to life with God. Pray that Jesus will speak his creative word over you to give you holiness. “All holiness comes from you, through Jesus Christ” (Eucharistic Prayer III).
2010 Mar 18 Thu: 4th Lenten Wk / Ex 32: 7-14/ Jn 5: 31-47
31 Were I to testify on my own behalf, my testimony would not be true; 32 but there is another witness who speaks on my behalf, and I know that his testimony is true. 33 You sent messengers to John, and he gave his testimony to the truth- 34 not that I depend on human testimony; no, it is for your salvation that I mention it. 35 John was a lamp lit and shining and for a time you were content to enjoy the light that he gave. 36 But my testimony is greater than John's: the deeds my Father has given me to perform, these same deeds of mine testify that the Father has sent me. 37 Besides, the Father who sent me bears witness to me himself. You have never heard his voice, you have never seen his shape, 38 and his word finds no home in you because you do not believe in the one whom he has sent. 39 You pore over the scriptures, believing that in them you can find eternal life; it is these scriptures that testify to me, 40 and yet you refuse to come to me to receive life! 41 Human glory means nothing to me. 42 Besides, I know you too well: you have no love of God in you. 43 I have come in the name of my Father and you refuse to accept me; if someone else should come in his own name you would accept him. 44 How can you believe, since you look to each other for glory and are not concerned with the glory that comes from the one God? 45 Do not imagine that I am going to accuse you before the Father: you have placed your hopes on Moses, and Moseswill be the one who accuses you. 46 If you really believed him you would believe me too, since it was about me that he was writing; 47 but if you will not believe what he wrote, how can you believe what I say?
The ominous clouds of the Passion have appeared. There is constant opposition to Jesus. He is on trial. He claims to be sent by God and to be God. Yet he talks of the Father as a different Person. The Jews cannot accept that. There is only one God. How can Jesus also be God? It is blasphemy. He invokes the witness of John whom the Jews accepted f or a while. He then invokes the works that he does. The Jews cannot deny them. He calls on his Father’s witness. They do not know the Father. He calls on the Scriptures. The Scriptures speaks of him. Life does not come from a study of the Scriptures. Life comes from the Living Word, Jesus. The Jews refused to believe in him. Do you believe in Jesus? Do you know him as Lord, Saviour and Friend?
2010 Mar 19 Fri: 4th Lenten Wk / St JOSEPH, HUSBAND OF MARY
1 After this Jesus travelled round Galilee; he could not travel round Judaea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. 2 As the Jewish feast of Shelters drew near,
10 However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went up as well, not publicly but secretly.
25 Meanwhile some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, 'Isn't this the man they want to kill? 26 And here he is, speaking openly, and they have nothing to say to him! Can it be true the authorities have recognised that he is the Christ? 27 Yet we all know where he comes from, but when the Christ appears no one will know where he comes from.' 28 Then, as Jesus was teaching in the Temple, he cried out: You know me and you know where I came from. Yet I have not come of my own accord: but he who sent me is true; You do not know him, 29 but I know him because I have my being from him and it was he who sent me. 30 They wanted to arrest him then, but because his hour had not yet come no one laid a hand on him
. Jesus must have felt like an alien. He had come for mankind. He wanted to embody God’s love for them. He wanted to be so close, but they could not understand him. The Jews had their own views. They had their own agenda for God. He didn’t fit it into it. They were closed and hardened towards him. They were not going to change. Jesus couldn’t change either. What he said was the truth. He was the Truth about God. They knew he was claiming to be God separate from the Father, but God was one. Ironically they knew his home of Nazareth but not his origin. It was an impasse. To accept Jesus’ Word we must first accept him. To believe his Word we must first believe in him. Then like Peter we will know he has “the words of eternal life”. Who is Jesus in your life?
2010 Mar 20 Sat: 4th Lenten Wk / Jer 11: 18-20/ Jn 7: 40-53
40 Some of the crowd who had been listening said, 'He is indeed the prophet,' 41 and some said, 'He is the Christ,' but others said, 'Would the Christ come from Galilee? 42 Does not scripture say that the Christ must be descended from David and come from Bethlehem, the village where David was?' 43 So the people could not agree about him. 44 Some wanted to arrest him, but no one actually laid a hand on him. 45 The guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees who said to them, 'Why haven't you brought him?' 46 The guards replied, 'No one has ever spoken like this man.' 47 'So,' the Pharisees answered, 'you, too, have been led astray? 48 Have any of the authorities come to believe in him? Any of the Pharisees? 49 This rabble knows nothing about the Law -- they are damned.' 50 One of them, Nicodemus -- the same man who had come to Jesus earlier -- said to them, 51 'But surely our Law does not allow us to pass judgement on anyone without first giving him a hearing and discovering what he is doing?' 52 To this they answered, 'Are you a Galilean too? Go into the matter, and see for yourself: prophets do not arise in Galilee.' 53 They all went home,
The discussion about Jesus may have started two thousand years ago in Palestine but it goes on today. They were talking about him. Some were saying one thing and others another. “He is the Messiah’, ‘How can he be? The Messiah won’t come from Galilee’. Some wanted to arrest him. None of them knew Jesus. If we know Jesus in humble, sincere and searching prayer we will know who he is. It is not discussion whether in the classroom or the market place that is of value. We must meet Jesus himself in quiet prayer and we must search till we find him there. As Holy Week approaches and the division for and against Jesus ccrystallises, where do you really stand? Have you chosen Jesus and love him with all your heart? Are you like Nicodemus – a timid and fearful believer in the midst of opposing forces?
It was just about this time that some people arrived and told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with that of their sacrifices. At this he said to them, 2 'Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than any others, that this should have happened to them? 3 They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower at Siloam fell, killing them all? Do you suppose that they were more guilty than all the other people living in Jerusalem? 5 They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did.' 6 He told this parable, 'A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none. 7 He said to his vinedresser, "For three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be taking up the ground?" 8 "Sir," the man replied, "leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: 9 it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down." '
Seize the Opportunity
We human beings are unique in creation. We have the power to think and the power to decide. I can choose how I act. I am responsible for my life. The sad fact is that many surrender this gift. They become addicted to different substances, alcohol, drugs or tobacco etc or to harmful and evil habits of lust, hatred, and abuse etc. By doing so, they lose to some extent the greatness of being human. All of us can and do use this gift wrongly on occasions. We call this sin.
God is a God of love and compassion. He knows of what we are made and understands our weakness. He knows how easy it is for us to make the wrong choice and deceived by our feelings indulge the desires of our heart. Yet though a loving and forgiving God he is also a demanding God. The gift of free choice is not to be taken lightly. Life is not a game that we fold up when it is over and then forget. The choices we make now have consequences that last forever. Life is a one off opportunity.
Today Jesus likens it to a fig tree God has planted in the vineyard of creation. You are that tree. He comes to taste the fruit. He has come for three years but finds nothing. There comes a time when the gardener feels the tree is just occupying space. It may as well be cut down. What is the point of a fig tree that never bears fruit? He tells his man, ‘cut it down’ but Jesus pleads for us: ‘let us give it some more time. We will give it special treatment, special manure and by next year things may be different. It may bear fruit. If not, then we’ll cut it down.’ You and I have to bear fruit otherwise in the end ‘we will be cut down’.
But what is the fruit and how can we produce it? Changing the metaphor, the person who is sick needs to go to the doctor and allow the doctor to heal him. Likewise we must come to Jesus. There is only one way for us ‘to bear fruit’, to grow as a human being, and that is to meet Jesus. It is not enough to say prayers or even read the Scriptures. We must meet the Jesus we read of in the Scripture. He will cure all our sicknesses and give the nourishment to produce abundant fruit. This is none other than the Holy Spirit. We will then produce the acceptable fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, humility goodness and self-control.
Is the Holy Spirit producing these fruits in you? If so, how can he produce more? If not, what are you going to do? Lent is the day of opportunity.
Father may I be part of the Vine and bear abundant fruit.
Mar 8 Mon: 3rd Lenten Wk Jn 4: 5-42.
Jesus had to pass through Samaria. 5 On the way he came to the Samaritan town called Sychar near the land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob's well was there and Jesus, tired by the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, 'Give me something to drink.' 8 His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, 'You are a Jew. How is it that you ask me, a Samaritan, for something to drink?' -- Jews, of course, do not associate with Samaritans. 10 Jesus replied to her: If you only knew what God is offering and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me something to drink,' you would have been the one to ask, and he would have given you living water. 11 'You have no bucket, sir,' she answered, 'and the well is deep: how do you get this living water? 12 Are you a greater man than our father Jacob, who gave us this well and drank from it himself with his sons and his cattle?' 13 Jesus replied: Whoever drinks this water will be thirsty again; 14 but no one who drinks the water that I shall give will ever be thirsty again: the water that I shall give will become a spring of water within, welling up for eternal life. 15 'Sir,' said the woman, 'give me some of that water, so that I may never be thirsty or come here again to draw water.' 16 'Go and call your husband,' said Jesus to her, 'and come back here.' 17 The woman answered, 'I have no husband.' Jesus said to her, 'You are right to say, "I have no husband"; 18 for although you have had five, the one you now have is not your husband. You spoke the truth there.' 19 'I see you are a prophet, sir,' said the woman. 20 'Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, though you say that Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.' 21 Jesus said: Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know; for salvation comes from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming -- indeed is already here -- when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth: that is the kind of worshipper the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and truth. 25 The woman said to him, 'I know that Messiah -- that is, Christ -- is coming; and when he comes he will explain everything.' 26 Jesus said, 'That is who I am, I who speak to you.' 27 At this point his disciples returned and were surprised to find him speaking to a woman, though none of them asked, 'What do you want from her?' or, 'What are you talking to her about?' 28 The woman put down her water jar and hurried back to the town to tell the people, 29 'Come and see a man who has told me everything I have done; could this be the Christ?' 30 This brought people out of the town and they made their way towards him. 31 Meanwhile, the disciples were urging him, 'Rabbi, do have something to eat'; 32 but he said, 'I have food to eat that you do not know about.' 33 So the disciples said to one another, 'Has someone brought him food?' 34 But Jesus said: My food is to do the will of the one who sent me, and to complete his work. 35 Do you not have a saying: Four months and then the harvest? Well, I tell you, look around you, look at the fields; already they are white, ready for harvest! 36 Already the reaper is being paid his wages, already he is bringing in the grain for eternal life, so that sower and reaper can rejoice together. 37 For here the proverb holds true: one sows, another reaps; 38 I sent you to reap a harvest you have not laboured for. Others have laboured for it; and you have come into the rewards of their labour. 39 Many Samaritans of that town believed in him on the strength of the woman's words of testimony, 'He told me everything I have done.' 40 So, when the Samaritans came up to him, they begged him to stay with them. He stayed for two days, and 41 many more came to believe on the strength of the words he spoke to them; 42 and they said to the woman, 'Now we believe no longer because of what you told us; we have heard him ourselves and we know that he is indeed the Saviour of the world.'
Jesus sits by the well waiting for the woman. The woman’s life had not been happy. She had had five husbands and was living with someone else. She had the good fortune to meet Jesus by the well. It was a meeting that changed her life. From sadness, darkness and misery she was changed into joy, light and happiness. Notice how she runs back to the village, how she speaks to the other villagers with enthusiasm and brings them to Jesus to have the same experience she has had. Anyone who opens themselves to Jesus will receive the water of life which is the Holy Spirit. Immediately the fruits of the Holy Spirit are experienced. Furthermore they becomes springs of water for others too. The more time you spend listening to Him the greater your experience of his presence and the more others will benefit.
Mar 9 Tue: 3rd Lenten Wk Mt 18: 21-35
Peter went up to Jesus and said, 'Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?' 22 Jesus answered, 'Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times. 23 'And so the kingdom of Heaven may be compared to a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants. 24 When the reckoning began, they brought him a man who owed ten thousand talents; 25 he had no means of paying, so his master gave orders that he should be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, to meet the debt. 26 At this, the servant threw himself down at his master's feet, with the words, "Be patient with me and I will pay the whole sum." 27 And the servant's master felt so sorry for him that he let him go and cancelled the debt. 28 Now as this servant went out, he happened to meet a fellow-servant who owed him one hundred denarii; and he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him, saying, "Pay what you owe me." 29 His fellow-servant fell at his feet and appealed to him, saying, "Be patient with me and I will pay you." 30 But the other would not agree; on the contrary, he had him thrown into prison till he should pay the debt. 31 His fellow-servants were deeply distressed when they saw what had happened, and they went to their master and reported the whole affair to him. 32 Then the master sent for the man and said to him, "You wicked servant, I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me. 33 Were you not bound, then, to have pity on your fellow-servant just as I had pity on you?" 34 And in his anger the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debt. 35 And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.'
There is going to be a judgement because we are free. We have to give an account of the use of our freedom. The Father loves each one but he will judge with justice. He will put down the mighty from their seats. He will send the rich away empty. In this world the poor and the weak do not receive justice. The Father will see that they do. He has to judge according to our deeds done freely. We are all sinners and can only survive by the mercy of the Father. He will be merciful with the merciful. If you want to be treated with mercy, then be merciful yourself. The more the Holy Spirit is with you the more you can forgive others.
Mar 10 Wed: 3rd Lenten Wk Mt 5: 17-19
Jesus said to his disciples, Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them. 18 In truth I tell you, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one little stroke, is to disappear from the Law until all its purpose is achieved. 19 Therefore, anyone who infringes even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of Heaven; but the person who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of Heaven.
God revealed Himself slowly. The Old Testament understanding of God is incomplete. The way the prophets and inspired writers understood Him was incomplete. Their expression was coloured by their understanding. The Old Testament looks towards its fulfilment which is Jesus the Son of God. In him we find the completion. Without him the Old Testament has no direction. We can understand the Old Testament only in Jesus and he brings the imperfect revelation to perfection. Our relationship with Jesus takes the place of a Book. Even the words of the New Testament only come to life in our relationship with Jesus. The Word of God is not in a book on a printed page. The Word of God is a Person and we fulfil every one of his wishes and teach others to do the same. This is to be great in the Kingdom of heaven.
Mar 11 Thu: 3rd Lenten.Wk Lk 11: 14-23.
Jesus was driving out a devil and it was dumb; and it happened that when the devil had gone out the dumb man spoke, and the people were amazed. 15 But some of them said, 'It is through Beelzebul, the prince of devils, that he drives devils out.' 16 Others asked him, as a test, for a sign from heaven; 17 but, knowing what they were thinking, he said to them, 'Any kingdom which is divided against itself is heading for ruin, and house collapses against house. 18 So, too, with Satan: if he is divided against himself, how can his kingdom last? - since you claim that it is through Beelzebul that I drive devils out. 19 Now if it is through Beelzebul that I drive devils out, through whom do your own sons drive them out? They shall be your judges, then. 20 But if it is through the finger of God that I drive devils out, then the kingdom of God has indeed caught you unawares. 21 So long as a strong man fully armed guards his own home, his goods are undisturbed; 22 but when someone stronger than himself attacks and defeats him, the stronger man takes away all the weapons he relied on and shares out his spoil. 23 'Anyone who is not with me is against me; and anyone who does not gather in with me throws away.
Jesus was liberating a man who was being tormented by what the evangelist calls an unclean spirit. He was in misery and in chains. Jesus restores him to perfect composure. He is now human again and fully in possession of his mind and faculties. The people are amazed but it is not faith in Jesus. They don’t realise who Jesus is and believe. On the other hand some of them said Jesus himself had the power of Satan in him and so did this. Their hearts were hardened and their minds were closed. They deliberately refused to accept Jesus but were his enemies. But what of us? Are we like the crowds? Do we go through the ritual of religion without really believing? To believe is to want Jesus, to accept his invitation to enter into a personal relationship through prayer and his Word.
Mar 12 Fri: 3rd Lenten.Wk Mk 12: 28-34
One of the scribes who had listened to them debating appreciated that Jesus had given a good answer and put a further question to him, 'Which is the first of all the commandments?' 29 Jesus replied, 'This is the first: Listen, Israel, the Lord our God is the one, only Lord, 30 and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. 31 The second is this: You must love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.' 32 The scribe said to him, 'Well spoken, Master; what you have said is true, that he is one and there is no other. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself, this is far more important than any burnt offering or sacrifice.' 34 Jesus, seeing how wisely he had spoken, said, 'You are not far from the kingdom of God.' And after that no one dared to question him any more.
We only have one life and it passes quickly. We should not waste our time. God has given us life and everything we have. The most important thing we must do is to know him and love hm. We do this by knowing and loving Jesus, the visible likeness of the invisible God (Col :15). We must make this the task of our life. We show our love by obeying him. He expresses his will in the Scriptures and through the Church but also through the inspirations of our heart. We must always consciously listen to his commands for us. Since God cannot be seen He wants us to love our neighbour whom we can see. We must see our neighbour as someone precious in the eyes of God and so in ours. We must always strive for our neighbour’s true development. This is to love one’s neighbour.
Mar 13 Sat: 3rd Lenten Wk Lk 18: 9-14
He spoke the following parable to some people who prided themselves on being upright and despised everyone else, 10 'Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood there and said this prayer to himself, "I thank you, God, that I am not grasping, unjust, adulterous like everyone else, and particularly that I am not like this tax collector here. 12 I fast twice a week; I pay tithes on all I get." 13 The tax collector stood some distance away, not daring even to raise his eyes to heaven; but he beat his breast and said, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." 14 This man, I tell you, went home again justified; the other did not. For everyone who raises himself up will be humbled, but anyone who humbles himself will be raised up.'
The Pharisee had done so much and indeed the tax collector had done so little. Jesus shocks us by his conclusion. The Pharisee with all his good works went home unjustified. What was his mistake? His prayer was sincere and he thanked God. He judged the whole of mankind and put himself first in virtue – I am not like the rest of mankind. He judged the tax collector putting making himself superior in virtue to him. God must applaud him because he has ‘earned the reward’. But we came from nothing and everything we have is from God. We cannot earn anything. We can only be humbly grateful for everything God has given us, which is everything we have. The tax collector realises that he is dependent on God’s grace and mercy. He recognizes his abuse of God’s grace and asks for mercy. Where do you fit in?
Each week I will give the Gospel assigned for each day and a short reflection.
Icon of the Transfiguration from the Holy Land
2010 Feb 28 SUN: SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT Lk 9:28-36
Now about eight days after this had been said, he took with him Peter, John and James and went up the mountain to pray. 29 And it happened that, as he was praying, the aspect of his face was changed and his clothing became sparkling white. 30 And suddenly there were two men talking to him; they were Moses and Elijah 31 appearing in glory, and they were speaking of his passing which he was to accomplish in Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were heavy with sleep, but they woke up and saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As these were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, 'Master, it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three shelters, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.' He did not know what he was saying. 34 As he was saying this, a cloud came and covered them with shadow; and when they went into the cloud the disciples were afraid. 35 And a voice came from the cloud saying, 'This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him.' 36 And after the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. The disciples kept silence and, at that time, told no one what they had seen.
Jesus came into the world as a second Adam. Where Adam had failed Jesus would succeed. He would live as a perfect human being. He would love and reverence his Father and reveal his love for us. He would be obedient unto death even death on a cross. Surrounded on all sides by rejection and followed by uncomprehending disciples prayer was his life-line. He would commune with his Father. Today lost in prayer he is transformed by the experience of being with God. The three disciples see him as the fulfillment of the Old Testament. Now his Father speaks both to Jesus and to the apostles. To Jesus he gives the assurance that he is his beloved Son and will never abandon him even on the cross. He tells his disciples to listen to Jesus. He alone is the complete Word of the Father. Do you listen to him?
2010 Mar 1 Mon: 2nd Lenten Lk 6: 36-38
'Be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate. 37 Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and there will be giftswill be poured into your lap; because the standard you use will be the standard used for you.' for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and overflowing,
In the first weeks of Lent the Church gives us instruction through God’s Word on the Christian life. “The Lord is gracious and merciful, abounding in love and slow to anger” (Ps103). We have been chosen to be his sons and daughters, born of the Holy Spirit. Our Father wants us to be like him. “Be merciful just as your heavenly Father is merciful”. Mercy and compassion are to be our characteristics. These are very human and endearing qualities. They do not overlook failings and sins but treat the sinner with the warmth of true love. They are qualities which attract and bring people to Jesus, the personification of mercy. Jesus also tells us that we will be treated by God in the way we have treated others. Since we are all sinners we need to be merciful and compassionate.
2010 Mar 2 Tue: 2nd Lenten Wk Mt 23: 1-12
Then addressing the crowds and his disciples Jesus said, 2 'The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. 3 You must therefore do and observe what they tell you; but do not be guided by what they do, since they do not practise what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people's shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they! 5 Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader headbands and longer tassels, 6 like wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues, 7 being greeted respectfully in the market squares and having people call them Rabbi. 8 'You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one Master, and you are all brothers. 9 You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you must be your servant. 12 Anyone who raises himself up will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be raised up.
Jesus is talking equally to the Christian community as to the Jews. There have to be leaders. Jesus is very clear about their qualities. Leaders are to be examples to the others, not preaching one thing and doing something else. A Christian leader should be able to preach what he practices himself. Jesus condemns self-display and honorific titles whereby people tend to think they are different and even superior. We are all brothers and sisters and everyone is equally important as a disciple. There should be no personality cult. There are no kings in Jesus’ community. He alone is king. Leaders such as Popes, Bishops and priests are pilgrims too and walk with their flocks. They show the way to the Kingdom by their lives and humble teaching. There is no priestly caste. Leaders wash feet in the humble service of pastors. We need to constantly examine ourselves.
2010 Mar 3 Wed: 2nd Lenten Wk Mt 20: 17-28
Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, and on the road he took the Twelve aside by themselves and said to them, 18 'Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man is about to be handed over to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn him to death 19 and will hand him over to the gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified; and on the third day he will be raised up again.' 20 Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came with her sons to make a request of him, and bowed low; 21 and he said to her, 'What is it you want?' She said to him, 'Promise that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your kingdom.' 22 Jesus answered, 'You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?' They replied, 'We can.' 23 He said to them, 'Very well; you shall drink my cup, but as for seats at my right hand and my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted by my Father.' 24 When the other ten heard this they were indignant with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, 'You know that among the gentiles the rulers lord it over them, and great men make their authority felt. 26 Among you this is not to happen. No; anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave, 28 just as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
Jesus is God who empties himself and becomes a servant. As God he owns the world but as man has nowhere to lay his head. He is meek and humble and gives his life as a ransom. He goes to Jerusalem knowing that there Judas will hand him over to the priests. They will hand him over to Pilate and Pilate will hand him over to the soldiers. They will crucify him. He will die for us, but God will raise him. None of his disciples understand. They think in worldly terms and jostle for ‘important places of power’ in his kingdom. Jesus again explains that we are not Gentiles. There are no lords in his community. Greatness is to be seen in humble service. The first in the community gives his life for the others. It is a hard lesson. We have to struggle constantly to learn it.
2010 Mar 4 Thu: 2nd Lenten Wk Lk 16: 19-31
'There was a rich man who used to dress in purple and fine linen and feast magnificently every day. 20 And at his gate there used to lie a poor man called Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who longed to fill himself with what fell from the rich man's table. Even dogs came and licked his sores. 22 Now it happened that the poor man died and was carried away by the angels into Abraham's embrace. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 'In his torment in Hades he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off with Lazarus in his embrace. 24 So he cried out, "Father Abraham, pity me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames." 25 Abraham said, "My son, remember that during your life you had your fill of good things, just as Lazarus his fill of bad. Now he is being comforted here while you are in agony. 26 But that is not all: between us and you a great gulf has been fixed, to prevent those who want to cross from our side to yours or from your side to ours." 27 'So he said, "Father, I beg you then to send Lazarus to my father's house, 28 since I have five brothers, to give them warning so that they do not come to this place of torment too." 29 Abraham said, "They have Moses and the prophets, let them listen to them." 30 The rich man replied, "Ah no, father Abraham, but if someone comes to them from the dead, they will repent." 31 Then Abraham said to him, "If they will not listen either to Moses or to the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone should rise from the dead."
What was the rich man’s sin? He wasn’t bothered. He lived his own life. He never thought of Lazarus or anyone else. He was unconcerned. Because he was unconcerned, he never did anything for him. He saw that he himself was ok. He could have helped Lazarus but could he have helped all the sick and destitute in his country? Not at all. No one can. But are we concerned about people who suffer? Do you feel their pain and distress? Is their pain, their distress, anguish, our pain, distress and anguish? It is not pity that is needed but compassion. We are to go out to other fellow human beings. We must see each one as precious in God’s eyes. It is better to love one person in particular than the whole world in general. He didn’t notice Lazarus. Have you noticed him near your house?
2010 Mar 5 Fri: 2nd Lenten Wk Mt 21: 33-43, 45-46
'Listen to another parable. There was a man, a landowner, who planted a vineyard; he fenced it round, dug a winepress in it and built a tower; then he leased it to tenants and went abroad. 34 When vintage time drew near he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his produce. 35 But the tenants seized his servants, thrashed one, killed another and stoned a third. 36 Next he sent some more servants, this time a larger number, and they dealt with them in the same way. 37 Finally he sent his son to them thinking, "They will respect my son." 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, "This is the heir. Come on, let us kill him and take over his inheritance." 39 So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?' 41 They answered, 'He will bring those wretches to a wretched end and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will deliver the produce to him at the proper time.' 42 Jesus said to them, 'Have you never read in the scriptures: The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this is the Lord's doing and we marvel at it? 43 'I tell you, then, that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.' 44 45 When they heard his parables, the chief priests and the scribes realised he was speaking about them, 46 but though they would have liked to arrest him they were afraid of the crowds, who looked on him as a prophet.
Jesus spoke the parable for the scribes and Pharisees but Matthew wrote the Gospel for his community and for us. The Church, the new people of God, is the vineyard and each of us has a share in it. What is the fruit God wants to find? It is a life of love. We are to love God expressed in praise and worship and we are to incarnate this in our love for others. The whole Gospel is about loving others in our words and deeds. In fact our practical love for others is the touchstone of our faith. Jesus comes to each of us. What is your response to the Son of God? Have you welcomed him and accepted his invitation to intimate friendship? He will make his home in you and help you produce the acceptable harvest.
2010 Mar 6 Sat: 2nd Lenten Wk Lk 15: 1-3, 11-32
The tax collectors and sinners, however, were all crowding round to listen to him, 2 and the Pharisees and scribes complained saying, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.' 3 So he told them this parable: There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, "Father, let me have the share of the estate that will come to me." So the father divided the property between them. 13 A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and left for a distant country where he squandered his money on a life of debauchery. 14 'When he had spent it all, that country experienced a severe famine, and now he began to feel the pinch; 15 so he hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who put him on his farm to feed the pigs. 16 And he would willingly have filled himself with the husks the pigs were eating but no one would let him have them. 17 Then he came to his senses and said, "How many of my father's hired men have all the food they want and more, and here am I dying of hunger! 18 I will leave this place and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; 19 I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired men." 20 So he left the place and went back to his father. 'While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him. 21 Then his son said, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son." 22 But the father said to his servants, "Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the calf we have been fattening, and kill it; we will celebrate by having a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found." And they began to celebrate. 25 'Now the elder son was out in the fields, and on his way back, as he drew near the house, he could hear music and dancing. 26 Calling one of the servants he asked what it was all about. 27 The servant told him, "Your brother has come, and your father has killed the calf we had been fattening because he has got him back safe and sound." 28 He was angry then and refused to go in, and his father came out and began to urge him to come in; 29 but he retorted to his father, "All these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed any orders of yours, yet you never offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends. 30 But, for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property -- he and his loose women -- you kill the calf we had been fattening." 31 'The father said, "My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours. 32 But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found." '
This parable is about the father who is a faint image of God and can be seen in Christ Jesus. The son is not the main character. Jesus is the friend of tax-collectors and sinners. He shares table fellowship with them without any preconditions because he loves them. It is his joy to be with them. He hopes too that his love and goodness will be contagious and that they will be touched and return to their Father. God made visible in Jesus is seen in the description of the father in verse twenty. He longs for his son to return. When he sees him coming he is overjoyed and though an elder runs out to meet him, throws his arms around him and kisses him. Then he gets the best robe, ring and sandals. This is how God sees you. How do you see God?
