Enjoy simply in receiving God's grace (Lk 14:12-14)

Jesus was politically incorrect when saying, "invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; because they will not have anything to repay you"? For me, being a Servant of Charity, that is  literally not true because the vulnerable persons have so many things to repay back, which we do not have; such as smiles, innocence, and simplicity.  The people can receive and learn a lot from them. 

To understand Jesus’ speech we need to understand the Palestinian context in which the poor lived. The poor of those days (differently-abled persons, blind, widows etc) were considered a curse in the society. They were considered to be born like this because their parents or generations before them committed a grave sin. In this context, Jesus asks his followers and disciples to invite such persons. 

In those days, people would not say “thank you”, but they would say "pay me back". A guest was expected to pay the host in return. This was the common rule of reciprocity when a guest is invited for a banquet, "I do you a favor, you do me a favor. I invite you, you invite me". 

There are three insights from today's gospel:

1. There are some things in the world, that we can only receive nd we cannot give back. The love of God (we cannot give in return to God), mother’s love, the sacrifices of your father, the friendship of companions. These things in our life, can not be given back in return. We cannot become an accountant to calculate God’s graces in our life. God’s love is being revealed to us through so many persons and events. We receive graces, simply we receive them like we receive the sunlight. Let us be happy and enjoy receiving the graces from God. Let us not lament, and not be pessimistic. 

2. When we invite the poor, crippled, and lame, we recognize the brokenness and weakness in the poor. St. Paul says in 2 Cor 12:10, I take delight/pleasure in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, and difficulties for Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong. How do I look at others? What is my vision for the weak people? Am I able to feel Joy in sharing experiences of brokenness and weakness? 

3. Philippi was one of the cities of Northern Greece, governed by Romans at that time. This letter was also called a letter of serene joy. Why? This is one of the letters where St. Paul rebukes way less the Christians, offers pieces of advice, and more peaceful blessings. Do you know the context in which Paul was writing this letter? When Paul writes this letter, Paul and Sila were imprisoned in Philippi, receiving Roman punishments during imprisonment. 

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but remember they cannot kill the soul” Mat 10:28. St. Paul’s soul was free; nobody can harm him when you accept your real state. That is the state they call Nirvana in Buddhism, the perfect state where your soul is still with God. Complete my joy of being the same in mind. Today God has called you for this day, do not preoccupy with more things, leave everything to God. 

WOE SAYINGS NOT TO THE PHARISEES, BUT TO ALL OF US !

Reflection on Lk 11:47-54

A pharisee invited Jesus to dine in his house (Lk 11:37). There Jesus began to preach so many things; internal cleansing versus external cleansing, woe sayings for choosing the first place in synagogues, hypocrisy, those were some typical behaviors of the teachers of the Law. 

Somehow, Jesus' preaching in Luke 11 takes a different tone. The Gospel could be considered a scandal for many of us, other people and readers. Why? Jesus preached about the love towards enemies (earlier in the Gospel of Luke), and he preached about the selfless love of disciples. While praying "our father" in Luke 11, he asked us to pray for forgiveness (forgive our trespasses, also for those who trespass against us). Why Jesus then could not forgive the pharisees? How can we understand the woe sayings towards pharisees?

1. Confrontation is a part of the proclamation of the Word of God. We need to point out the errors of others with humility. That is also a part of evangelization. For example, John the Baptist and some of the prophets. This is not only about preaching mercy and love but it is important to show the errors and help one to correct them. We should not rebuke the persons, but we should condemn the sins/errors.  

2. 'Woe sayings' are a call to conversion. By showing their errors, Jesus wanted them to take a U turn to retain their original life with God. It is a call to live an open life. 

3. Jesus used the Woe sayings directly for the Pharisees, but it is even applicable to the disciples and to us. Woe to you, if you live like this or that. Today the teachers of the law are hypocrites, but the disciples also may fall into the temptation of becoming hypocrites. That is what happened in the early Church. Jesus is warning them so that the disciple should not fall into the Pharisaic attitude of hypocrisy. 

PERSEVERANCE IN YOUR JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM

Job 3:1-3.11-17.20-23/Lk 9:51-56

Job's sufferings are intense and they were rare in this form in any community of the people of Israel. Those sufferings can never be compared to any patriarch of Israel who existed before Job. But Job is teaching the way how to approach the problem of suffering in our life. He never blamed God at any moment of his life even if he would lose his life. He blamed the day of his birth; he blamed himself, but he never blamed God. He refused to blame God while his friends were forcing him to deny God. 

Nowadays, many people lose faith easily, especially when their close friends/beloved ones disappear suddenly from their life by death. People blasphemy against God for simple discouragements in their life. Satguru says, "Do not blame others for your situation, look to your past to find what led you to where you are." Job is making this process towards self-realization. 

Job lost his family, wealth, and even his health. But he firmly decided not to curse God. The Book of Job is not speaking a lot about his strong faith in God. Today it is not our wish to lose our money,  everything. We should cultivate our hearts like Job did even in smallest losses in our life. 

Jesus also had the same heart in his journey toward Jerusalem. Samaritans did not welcome Jesus as he was journeying to Jerusalem. Usually, the Jews travelling from Galilee to Judea (north to south) would avoid entering into Samaria because it is defilement/impurity for them, so they used to walk close to the Jordan. Jesus breaks the tradition, he wanted to travel to and through Samaria which was less crossed by the people. Jesus is not hindered by the rejection, he takes a different route and continues his journey. It is written, "he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem". His focus was clear.  

When our focus is clear, we need not blame anyone. God is the supreme companion of our journey. We ask God for his perseverance on our side. 

Today also the Church commemorates St. Vincent de Paul, the French saint who became the symbol of the successful reform of the French Church. He started his life by just doing his simple pastoral ministry in Clich. While preaching, he loved to prepare well the people for the sacrament of Confession. This work became his passion. The need to evangelize and assist these souls was so great and the demands were beyond his own ability. There he founded the male and female order and another one for the lay institute of women. Today we pray for all the Vincentians for their fruitful ministry around the world. 

It is not I who live, but Christ who lives in me (Eccl 3:1-11, Lk 9:18-22)

 The author of the Book of Ecclesiastes tells not only that everything is vanity, but also through today's readings, he says "there is time for everything in our life". Everything in our life happens according to fate/time. Things will not be transformed even though you do not like them; The Sun rises every day, the birds travel and nature does its duty and so does human life also. The question arises; Is everything in life already predestined? Successful people ask this question very often. Is my destiny put here? or hard work? Satguru, an Indian sage says: when you are less conscious of your activity, life will look like an accident. When you are walking, your body registers many kinds of smells, and voices, but we are not conscious. You are only conscious of less than one percent of your activity, When we are doing something unconsciously, then they will definitely look accidental.

Saturday 30th Week Romans 11:25-29 Luke 14:7-11

Salvation is personal, not private. 

St. Paul argues with the People of Israel who thought they would be redeemed because they were the only ones called. That is not so. If so, even Paul was redeemed, was also a son of Abraham. But he wants to preach against the private faith. 

Their individual salvation has nothing to do with God's choosing to bless the gentile nations as He had chosen to bless Israel with the promised Messiah.

We need not try to choose the place of honor, I need not go alone, we should go together, and learn to be redeemed together. 

The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord! - Beautiful sufferings of Job

The first readings of this week are taken from the book of Job. The book of Job is a part of the wisdom literature in the Hebrew Scripture. And the book is under the category of proto canonical section. The book is canonized even though we do not know clearly the author and time when the book was written. Did Job really exist? Is it an epic story? We do not know. But for the Jews, Job is the metaphor/symbolic figure in whom we are all present. 

The book deals strongly with the problem of suffering and evil. One thing is certain here: the book was written at an important time when there were different concepts on suffering. 

• Suffering was a product of the fall, a consequence of human sin/disobedience against God. (cf. Book of Genesis; Adam and Eve rebelled against God and so suffering entered into the world) 
• Suffering/evil is due to our wrong /sinful choices. (cf. Deuteronomic laws) If you do good, you will be rewarded, if you do bad, you will be punished. 
• Suffering is there because there is a generational curse. He or she is born disabled because his/her generation has committed sin.

The book of Job is the turning point in the history of salvation about the true understanding of human suffering. Job did not bother about satan, he believed in the powerful God who controlled  the satan. Look at the words of Job, "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away". He was very sure that God took all the things away, not Satan. It was God who allowed the suffering to enter the human world. God permitted Satan to make suffer/test His servant for a certain time. 

A Philosophy author said, "Others are the Hell" which is true when you do not look at God, when you start comparing yourself with others. Job did not look at others while suffering. He looked at God. 

In today's Gospel, disciples are envying someone who was casting out demons in the name of Jesus. Jesus did not see them as hell but as means to enter into heaven. “Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

LIFE IS MEANINGFUL BECAUSE THERE IS GOD

1st Reading Eccl 1:2-11 and Gospel Lk 9:7-9

From today onwards, the first reading comes from the book of Ecclesiastes, for three days. Ecclesiastes, in Hebrew, is also called Qohelet, (Preacher), and is considered one of the Old Testament books of wisdom literature. The book starts with the frustrating (but important) message of the author: "Everything in this world is vain, meaningless or useless". 

The Hebrew word "Habel" was used to refer to Vanity or meaninglessness. The origin of this Hebrew word will surprise us, that is (h)Abel, which was also the name of one of the sons of Adam-Eve. The Hebrew in those times was written  without vowels. (HBL makes also the name of Abel). 

Abel was righteous to God. He offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. Even though he found favor from the Lord, he was brutally killed . Why the good Abel was killed and the evil Cain lived? Neither God, nor his sacrifice could save him from his brother. This was the background of usage of this term by the author of Ecclesiastes, "Everything is vain, meaningless and useless". 

The author says that Labor is vain. I clean my room in the morning and it is dirty again the next day. Many people work hard in their life and after their sudden death, people never remember their work in their life. The author says "Nothing is new under the sun". The initiative you have done, is done by someone in the corner of the world. Since there are no new things happening in this world, everything is vain, the author says. 

How can we understand the message of Ecclesiastes? The relationship with God is the best relationship than any other human relationship. It never fails or leaves you down. Even though it seems that God has abandoned you sometimes. But God's relationship is better than any other human relationship which is always limited. 

Today's Gospel tells us how Herod was anxious to see Jesus (cf. Lk 9:9). Such an urge to see Jesus was born out of curiosity. Because Jesus was performing great miracles. But some people seek God because there is life. For Jesus told the disciples, "why do you come to me? are you also not leaving like others". The response from one of his disciples was, "Lord, where shall we go? for you have words of Eternal life?" 

Life is meaningless without God. But God gives meaning to everything .