The Burning Bush

Moses, a murderer, is on the run from the law. He escapes into a new land, into Midian. There he gets married. He gets committed to his father-in-law’s shepherding business. Gets settled, but only almost. It was at this time that God hears the groan of the Israelites who were under the Egyptian slavery. Lord God hears their sigh in Egypt and remembers His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

While Moses thinks everything’s well with himself and his world, he gets his call from above. In one of his shepherding trips beyond the wilderness and into Horeb, which actually turns out to be the Mountain of God, he encounters a bush that burns without being consumed. How curious! That’s not only strange, but something impossible. Contradictory! That can never happen. Struck by awe, he takes off his shoes as he is instructed. The very earth beneath his feet becomes holy ground, because he encounters Being Itself, God Himself. He surrenders himself to God, who shepherds him away from his usual business to something unusual and unimaginable. Moses becomes the great Liberator, God’s greatest instrument in the history of Israel.

The Burning Bush stands for our spiritual journey which is a constant interplay between moments of awe followed by a general process of surrender to that moment. We all have these special moments of encounter with the divine, with the transcendent creating in us a sense of awe and wonder. But do we follow it up with a moment of surrender?

We all have these awe moments many times not just once or twice in our lifetime. These are our Burning Bushes. They show that God is real, His love is really real—everything else is relative, when we heed to God’s voice from within these burning bushes, and surrender to the Person behind it, our life will take turns… many turns, many changes. Every God-encounter invites us to transformation.

These God-encounters come to us as tears, inspirations, admonitions, suggestions, new strength, new brighter light, persons, insights, joy, peace, etc. When I was doubting my priestly vocation (whether to go ahead or not, whether to continue or not) I received not just encouragement, but concrete signs from above. I listened to a story and I was not able to stop my tears or sobbing for very long. I received a phone call from someone, and she said, “the Lord wants you to be a priest.” I met another person, a religious, and she said, “Why do you waver? Why are you not steady? Don’t doubt, go ahead.”

We need to be in touch with ourselves and with reality in order not to miss these beautiful moments. We need to be on our knees and not give up on prayer in order to catch hold of the burning-bush moments in our lives.

God is more intimate than we are intimate to ourselves. God is the only one who is absolutely real. He is more real than what I touch, and see, and feel. God is the one who is in charge of our lives and our histories.

We need only to believe!

Invitation to Conversion

3rd Sunday of Lent - Year C (24 March 2019)

Ex 3:1–8, 13–15. Ps 103. 1 Cor 10:1–6, 10–12. Lk 13:1–9.

“Unless you change your ways, you will all perish as they did.”

Whatever happens in our life, it has got a meaning. God has a message through everything that is happening right now, right here. Nothing happens by chance. There is nothing that can escape God’s concern. Our God is a God of history.

In today’s gospel reading, we see some people who tell Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. They could have thought (and we too could), “Those guys must have been done something wrong to deserve an untimely death; this is surely a punishment of God.” But Jesus answers them (and us), “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

Jesus does not give a political interpretation of the above events, but a spiritual interpretation. In effect he says, “What happened invites you to conversion!” This is the deepest meaning of history, a constant invitation calling us to turn our hearts to God and so discover the full meaning of our lives.

Jesus’ words are truly an eye-opener for us. Jesus does not look at the events of our times as a series of incidents and accidents that have little to do with us. He sees the politicial, economic, and social events of our life as signs that call for a spiritual interpretation. They need to be read spiritually.

We need to interpret reality like Jesus. In our ongoing search for meaning, we need to keep reading books and newspapers in a spiritual way. We need to keep interpreting reality in a spiritual, wholistic way.

What is happening around us in our country and in the world invites us to conversion. It is all about connecting the dots. Conversion or transformation is a constant invitation for us. “Unless you change your ways, you will all perish as they did,” says Jesus. Whenever we talk of a corrupt politician or a terrorist or a fundamentalist, we say they need to be destroyed, they need to change their ways. But what Jesus says is something upside down. Whenever I happen to meet a “bad” person, I need to change. We need to be the change that we want to see in the world. Our perception of history changes radically when we start interpreting the events of our time as invitations to conversion. Whatever happens outside-there has a definite link inside-of-ourselves! (This might be an oversimplification of what quantum physics and quantum biology are saying: The observer necessarily changes the content and results of an experiment.)

In sum, we need to be converted again and again. We need to be born again and again and again. Repentance and transformation have to go hand in hand with life. Like the Jews in the gospel, who thought they were sinless and in good standing with God because they had been spared death in a local massacre, we can fool ourselves into feeling that all is well. We also can imagine that we are in good spiritual shape and have no need for repentance precisely because no calamity has come our way. The absence of misfortune does not mean the presence of virtue.

Moreover, Jesus expects our lives to be fruitful: to perform good works and God’s works. The Lenten invitation to repentance is not only a call to turn away from evil but a plea to produce the fruits of good living. The biting question is whether our love of God is evident in our treatment of others. Charity begins at home! Are we more sensitive to our spouse, our children and other family members? Do we care for the sick and the poor? We can meet God by caring for the poor, the sick, the old and the lonely. All of us have received a tremendous amount from others. How concerned are we about giving something in exchange? Reaching out to others in need demands getting out of ourselves and putting aside our selfish ways.

The warning about the unfruitful fig tree is not given to frighten us but to remind us that the time for doing good is limited and is fast running out. We cannot keep putting off good works indefinitely, otherwise there will come a time when there is no tomorrow and we will be found wanting.

Let us accept Jesus’ invitation to repent and return to God. The Lord is full of merciful love. He crowns us with steadfast love and mercy. (Ps 103)

Merciful Father

2nd Week of Lent - Saturday (23 March 2019)

Micah 7:14–15, 18–20. Psalm 103. Luke 15:1–3, 11–32.

“While he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and embraced him and kissed him.”

Today’s gospel reading is one of the most loved stories from the Bible—arguably the best of all: the story of the prodigal son. But a better name would be: the story of the merciful father and his two sons. The focus of the story is neither the younger son, the prodigal, nor the elder son, but the compassionate father himself. Just this story is sufficient to see God’s face, to understand God’s beauty!

Lest we forget our first reading from the prophet Micah: the gospel reading is a proof of Micah’s words describing God’s loving mercy and forgiveness. “Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and taking away guilt for the remnant of your inheritance? Who is like you whose anger does not last? For you delight in merciful forgiveness. Once again you will show your loving kindness (compassion)…”

The immediate context of the parable of the Merciful Father is the controversy between Jesus and the scribes/Pharisees, and they complain about Jesus’ friendship with tax collectors and sinners. Another context, a remote context, is the rivalry of the siblings as seen in the Old Testament: younger son/brother vs the elder son/brother: as Jacob vs Esau, or as Joseph vs his brothers. But here the younger brother is a parody of that rivalry, who is not triumphant apparently but ends as a Gentile; and the elder brother after all his grumbling and complaining is invited to join the feast.

The younger son (resembling the sinners and tax collectors) considers his father dead when he demands his share of the property. His prodigal living takes him to the pigs literally (to the dogs). A Jewish person has no relationship or dealing with the pigs. If the younger son is working in a pig farm, then he has become a Gentile (or the devil). But eventually he returns to his father.

The elder son (resembling the Pharisees and the scribes) is unhappy with the feast for his younger brother. He gives in to resentment and jealousy. Notice how he adds information from rumours, imagines things, and sides with falsity. He doesn’t enter the house, doesn’t feel at home: “I have worked so hard like a slave!” The father reasons out with him, to bring him back to his senses, “All is yours, but you feel that you are a slave.” If there was humility in the younger son, here in the case of the elder son we see pride, resentment, anger. It gives us a sense of dissatisfaction for some because the story has no proper ending. It ends with the father’s words, begging the elder son to join the feast. But let us remember, the challenge of the parable is enhanced by an open ending. Thus the invitation of the father (of Jesus) is real—to join the feast.

If you ask what the turning point of the younger son’s conversion is, I would say it is hunger, not repentance, not love for his father. He returns to the father not for the right reasons, but (let’s say) for the wrong reasons, or insufficient reasons. Listen to the younger son rehearsing his confession, “Accept me as a slave, not as your son.” Yet the father accepts him, accepts him as his son.

This is real good news for us: God’s forgiveness comes to us even if we have selfish motives, or even insufficient motives: I dare say, God’s mercy is given to us even if our repentance is incomplete. The father accepts a Gentile, and restores him to sonship. “Mending the relationship is something that the boy cannot do for all his scheming; it depends on the father’s grace.” (Fallon.) This also shows that forgiveness comes from God, not from oneself. As the younger son accepts the ring, robe, feast, the penitent can only accept the gift of repentance, in humility.

“Going home is a lifelong journey. There are always parts of ourselves that wander off in dissipation or get stuck in resentment. Before we know it we are lost in lustful fantasies or angry ruminations. Our night dreams and daydreams often remind us of our lostness. Spiritual disciplines such as praying, fasting, and caring are ways to help us return home. As we walk home we often realize how long the way is. But let us not be discouraged. Jesus walks with us and speaks to us on the road. When we listen carefully we discover that we are already home while on the way.” (Nouwen)

If you feel that my reflection has been too long already, I need to apologize. I have not come to the main point yet. It is about the father, the best and most beautiful portrait of Jesus’ Father, our God. See the father who gives freedom, waits, runs, hugs, kisses, welcomes, gives the best, celebrates, even begs. He breaks the boundaries just for love, who accepts a Gentile (a wastrel) back. He welcomes the son with open arms and not a word of recrimination. Jesus uses this story to indicate God’s acceptance, tolerance, forgiveness and compassion for us whenever we stray from our values and make mistakes. This father (this God whom Jesus presents) is full of a mother’s unconditional love. (This father is full of mother! Running, embracing, kissing!) Though we may many times identify ourselves with the younger son or the elder son, it is with this character of father that we need to identify ourselves, and model ourselves. Our focus and aim is to be as compassionate and merciful as this father (our God) is.

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.” (Ps 103:8)

Making the Most of Misfortune

2nd Week of Lent - Friday

Genesis 37:3–4, 12–13, 17–28. Psalm 105. Matthew 21:33–43, 45–46.

“The very stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”

Most of us become disheartened by our misfortunes. We feel victimized and hopeless when difficulties multiply, and we lose motivation to deal with the problems at hand.

Jesus encourages us, however, to look at misfortune from a more positive perspective. What the Lord tells us is that every misfortune we endure has a redeeming value. Upsets can be used to advantage, and problems, however painful, can be made productive. Stones can be tossed at us, but we can use them as building material to make a better life for ourselves. The trick is maintaining a positive attitude. As Jesus puts it, “The very stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”

All of us face setbacks and disappointments in different ways. Some people go down in defeat with their misfortunes, while others use their setbacks as important learning experiences. All of us have problems; but the way we handle them makes us happy or unhappy. One married couple, for example, see hopelessness in their differences of opinion and end up in divorce court, while another couple see “variety” in their differences and find enrichment in their relationship.

We need to recognize that every problem we face has a purpose for us or else it wouldn’t be our problem. We are never afflicted with more than we can handle. God never lets a stone fall in our way if we don’t have the ability to pick it up and make it into a cornerstone. There are no such things in life, therefore, as unredeemable mistakes, defeats, or failures, only results that we need to work on to further our development and happiness.

The dreamer Joseph of the Old Testament, as we see in today’s first reading, was sold for twenty silver pieces. But it was Joseph who was instrumental in saving the whole family of Jacob. Jesus, our Lord, who was sold for thirty silver pieces, made the cross the tool of redemption. He made the symbol of shame into a sacrament of salvation for us. This is the merciful surprise for us: our sins, our shame and guilt can become the raw material for our salvation if only we allow God into the picture. “We know that in everything, God works for the good of those who love him.” (Rom 8:28) Nothing is wasted. Everything can be recycled by God’s power. Nothing is ever lost. Everything can be truly transformed into something very beautiful.

Therefore, consider any problem, setback, or misfortune you might be facing at present. Take a moment to look at it for some positive value it might hold for you. What lesson is your pain trying to teach you? Search for an answer rather than getting bogged in depression. Where is the silver lining in the cloud? Work for resolutions instead of lamenting on how such things could be happening to you. Turn stones into cornerstones by focusing on redemptive possibilities. Rather than complaining, “Why me?”, begin asking, “How can this serve me?”

The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom should I fear? The Lord is the rampart of my life; I will not be afraid. (Ps 27:1)

Lowering Our Defences

2nd Week of Lent - Thursday (21 March 2019)

Jeremiah 17:5–10. Psalm 1. Luke 16:19–31

“Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings and depends on a mortal for his life, while his heart is drawn away from the Lord. Blessed is the man who puts his trust in the Lord and whose confidence is in Him!”

Both readings of today offer a sad commentary on human nature. The prophet Jeremiah, in the first reading, laments that people could choose to depend on human beings, on mortal, transitory life of this world. Their heart is drawn away from God! “The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can understand it?”

In the gospel reading from Luke, Jesus tells us the tragic story of Lazarus and the rich man. There are some people who are so resistant to change that even someone coming back from the dead wouldn’t impress them. Most of us are not only comfortable with our habits and routines, we have certain ways of thinking and acting that we are obstinate about, even when those ways may be slowly killing us, driving good people out of our lives, or excluding us from a better quality life. 

All of us have our mind-sets or blind spots whose power comes from their usefulness in protecting an insecure ego. We construct walls around our vulnerable little worlds and defend them with everything we have. Rather than facing a problem we put up a barrier to hide it. Our efforts, however, create only an illusion of security; denying a problem doesn’t make it go away. What is unfortunate about all this construction work is that the defences we put up not only fail to keep danger out, they keep us confined and imprisoned.

As Christians we need to be embarrassed about the following statistics: The 2 billion followers of Jesus now control two-thirds of the earth’s resources and, on average, are three times better off than their non-Christian neighbours. Though the above situation may not be true in our country India, yet are individual Christians aware of contributing to the betterment of the poor? Are they aware of the terrible poverty that they see around them, and do something in their power to eradicate poverty? It’s not so much that the rich man in the parable denied Lazarus the food from his table. Rather, he simply failed to notice him until it was too late. That is a big problem with poverty. Poverty may be so visible, but it seems to be so terribly quiet. And wealth, on the other hand, seems so terribly deaf.

We need to listen. Jesus teaches that our wealth is given to us to fulfill God’s purpose, not our own. God may have given us plenty so that we might care for the poor people at our gates. What are we doing with our wealth? Are the poor and the needy being cared for?

As Christians, what are our blind spots? Do we have an active social life in order to help the less privileged? And in our personal lives, what issues, criticisms or suggestions are we most resistant about? Have we built any defences around us? What are we most afraid to change?

We need to take a chance and lower our defences. If we want to improve the quality of our lives, we need to be willing to take down some prison walls. Are we willing to change, and allow God’s Spirit to re-animate the dead and dark corners of our hearts? It’s all up to us! Blessed are those who put their trust in the Lord!

To Be of Service

2nd Week of Lent - Wednesday (20 March 2019)

Jeremiah 18:18–20. Psalm 31. Matthew 20:17–28.

“Whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The word “humility” comes from the same root (humus) as the word for dirt. It is also the word from which we get the word “human.” This little lesson in etymology points right to the Bible story of creation. Genesis 2:7 says, “The LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground.” NAB commentary says, “There is a play on words in Hebrew between adam (‘man’) and adama (‘ground’).” Therefore, to be humble simply means to be human, to be exactly what God created you to be. Jesus directed his comments in today’s gospel to “anyone who aspires to greatness.” (20:26). So, if you aspire to greatness, be great! But remember: being great is given to you so you can be “a servant to all.”

Ask ten people what it means to be a “good” Christian and we will likely get ten different answers. All of us have pet ideas of what constitutes an ideal follower of Christ. We may pride ourselves, for example, on keeping the Commandments, on our regular church attendance, prayer life, and generosity to the collection plate. We may attend Bible study classes, read good spiritual literature, and have religious articles prominently displayed in our homes. While all this is well and good, we may not be as attentive to a deeper dimension of the Christian way of life that is clear in the gospels. When Jesus invites us to follow him, he calls us not only to believe in him as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, but to continue his mission. And, as we can see from the reading of Matthew, that mission is one of service.

Jesus states, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve.” In this gospel passage, Jesus makes known the Christian mission, and discourages ruling over people, making demands of others, or having people at our beck and call. Jesus’ life was one of service. The gospels record many of his teachings, but give equal measure to the deeds he performed on other people’s behalf. Jesus has been defined as “a man for others.” Can anything less be expected of his disciples? Our inclination in evaluating ourselves as Christian is very often to consider our personal religious virtues rather than our orientation to be of service. While it is important that we grow in piety, it is just as important that we grow in our compassionate care of others, especially those who depend on us. Our practice of the Christian way of life should be modelled on Jesus. This means that we too are called to teach, heal, console, forgive, reconcile, and pour out our love wherever it is needed. A “mission” means that we take an active role to be of service. 

Are you willing to accept Jesus’ definition of the Christian way of life, and commit yourself to being a “good” Christian in the way you serve the needs of others? Countless opportunities surround you on all sides, every day, to follow Christ in his mission. Is there someone in your family who needs your special attention, a friend who would appreciate a call? Are there people at work who could use a word of encouragement, a compliment, or some good advice? Can your parish or community use some talent or skill you have? Your power for doing good is beyond measure, and the Lord encourages you to use that power freely.

Feast of St Joseph

Edith Stein was born into an Orthodox Jewish family, but later she would renounce her faith and become an atheist. While still an atheist, Stein wrote about having received a decisive impetus (push) towards conversion from two encounters. One of these was in a church, where Edith Stein had gone simply out of artistic interest. There she sees an elderly woman who had come in with her shopping baskets in the middle of a busy day to spend a moment of deep trust and adoration with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

Don Bosco had as his mother and first teacher Margaret Occhiena: a simple uneducated peasant woman, with no theological training, but with a wise heart and an obedience based on faith.

Saint Teresa of Lisieux used to say that as a child she understood little of what the priest was saying, but it was enough for her to look at the face of her father Louis to understand everything.

None of these lay people – Anna Reinach a friend of Edith, the unknown woman with the shopping bags, mamma Margaret or papà Louis Martin – ever thought in their lifetime of being holy, nor were they aware of the influence they were having on the people around them through their ordinary way of acting and living.

The presence of these simple and determined people, of these "next-door saints" – as Pope Francis describes them (Gaudete et Exsultate, 7) – reminds us that what is important in life is to be holy, not to be declared saints one day.

Today’s feast of St Joseph just tells us that: What is important in life is to be holy, not to be canonised saints one day. It helps to reflect on the fact that the canonised saints, first of all reached the simple holiness of the people of God: they all share the same glory in a deep and unshakable communion.

If we browse through the pages of the gospels, we can easily the miss the supreme but silent role of St Joseph whom we celebrate today. We could easily miss the simplicity and the holiness of St Joseph—but that which is at the turning point of our history of salvation. There are no recorded words of his in the gospel. But we see Joseph as a person who was faithful and fully active, prompt and obedient to God’s words.

The Bible pays St Joseph the highest compliment one could ever get: he was a just man, a righteous man. This is what we want to hear from our Lord, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with the things entrusted to you. Come and share your master’s happiness!”

Joseph had his plans, his life-plans. But God intervenes and even interrupts them by giving him a different plan, a different life-mission. Yet, mind you, God does not destroy his plans, only subordinates Joseph’s plans to His. And we see very clearly that Joseph is able to participate in the divine plan with full freedom, joy and obedience.

Joseph was thinking of divorce, he was anxious and afraid. He is embarrassed about Mary, who is with child. He has his doubts, confusion, anxiety, and problems. But, as any wise and mature person would do, he reserves his judgment, he does not condemn Mary or the situation. He does not blame God either. And, more importantly, he is open to God. The angel tells him not to be afraid; the angel tells of the divine intervention. On hearing that, he never doubts. When the revelation happens, he has no questions to God, but obediently and promptly accepts Mary. The gospel says, “When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took Mary as his wife.” Joseph’s is a silent, quiet life, but prompt in obedience and action. He accepts God’s difficult plan, obeys God, does what God commands and goes backstage quietly, unnoticed. That’s Joseph for us.

St Joseph goes into the background, not to be seen and not to be heard. Neither the Bible nor the tradition would give us sufficient material to understand his further life. But that’s the plan of God for him: humbly and joyfully received by Joseph.

Not unlike the Joseph of the Old Testament, this Joseph too is active and alert, though silent. He, like the Old Testament visionary, is also a dreamer. He is alive to the situation, aware of the problems and difficulties if he takes Mary to his home. But all his uncertainties find meaning in the annunciation. The vision of the angel does not solve any problem, but puts his heart to rest. According to the angel, the child already conceived in Mary is not because of any human person, but this has happened through God’s intervention. Joseph believes. And then there is no more indecisiveness or doubt, only action. St Joseph was a silent servant of God; a man of action.

Ite Ad Joseph. “Go to Joseph.” These were the words of Pharaoh to the people of Egypt during the years of famine (Gen 41:55). These are the words that can be fully applied to St Joseph of the New Testament too. By declaring St Joseph, the husband of Mary, the universal patron of the Catholic Church, the Catholic Church tells us to go to St Joseph in our times of need as well. We can draw much spiritual fruit from considering the first Joseph, the son of Israel, as a type of Joseph, the husband of Mary.

Psalm 105, speaking of the ancient Joseph’s life, can be truly and fully applied to Joseph of the New Testament, who we celebrate today:

When the Lord summoned famine against the land,

       and broke every staff of bread,

he had sent a man ahead of them,

       Joseph, who was sold as a slave.

His feet were hurt with fetters,

       his neck was put in a collar of iron;

until what he had said came to pass,

       the word of the Lord kept testing him.

The king sent and released him;

       the ruler of the peoples set him free.

He made him lord of his house,

       and ruler of all his possessions,

to instruct his officials at his pleasure,

       and to teach his elders wisdom. (Ps 105:16-22) 

Joseph is a role model for us to be humble servants of God in our given situation. Joseph teaches us to be righteous, and non-judgmental in times of great crisis. Joseph reminds us to leave the judgement to God and never treat others badly based on our limited understanding.

St Joseph reminds us of the simple holiness but of a holiness of great faith in our families and our communities. These people will never be canonised perhaps. In fact, the history of the Church is strongly marked by the many women and the many men, who with their faith, with their love and with their lives have been like beacons that have illuminated and continue to illuminate so many generations throughout time, especially our present time. This is the holiness of our own mother or grandmother or of others who are so close to us; it is the holiness of a marriage which is a beautiful path of growth in love; it is the holiness of fathers who develop, grow to maturity, and give themselves generously to their children, often with unexpected sacrifices. It is the simple holiness of men and women who bear their illness patiently and with a spirit of faith, in union with the suffering Jesus. It is the holiness of elderly religious, with a life given and who never lose their smile or their hope. These are the simple saints, the good people whom we meet in our lives, and who will never be canonised. They are ordinary people without any signs of heroism, but in their everyday goodness we see the truth of the faith.

St Joseph, moreover, teaches us the value of silence and of interior life. He is the master of interior life. He even teaches us how to suffer and suffer silently. The life of St Joseph was poured out in complete service and sacrifice for the Blessed Virgin and for Jesus. We need to go to him, sit at his feet and learn. St Joseph teaches us to dream, but not just dream. He shows the way to be in tune with the Father’s will, and put it into practice without delay or hesitation. Doubts and confusions may come, fear and anxiety may come, but St Joseph teaches us to encounter the Lord in all our difficulties and eventually put the plan of God into action: promptly and joyfully. That’s why we need to approach, and go to him and learn.

Let us entrust our life, our vocations and our dreams, and our works and our mission to the protection of this saint. Let us imitate the faithful love of St Joseph. Let us go to him, and learn from him. Let us ask him: O St Joseph, master of the interior life, teach us to be close to Jesus and to Mary, teach us to dream and to put into action the will of God, and above all teach us the value of silence and interiority, and to suffer and even suffer silently.

May God bless His Church through the instrumentality and prayers of St Joseph!

In Like Measure

2nd Week of Lent - Monday (18 March 2019)

Daniel 9:4–10. Psalm 79. Luke 6:36–38.

“For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

It’s a great feeling when things are going our way and we sense a measure of control over our lives. It would be wonderful if peace of mind, joy, and happiness could become permanent features of our day-to-day living. Yet, true joy is not about having all things under our control.

Spiritual joy has nothing to do with anything “going right.” It has everything to do with things going, and going on within you. It's an inherent, inner aliveness. Joy is almost entirely an inside job. Joy is not first determined by the object enjoyed as much as by the prepared eye of the enjoyer.

In today’s gospel reading from Luke, Jesus claims we can have true joy in our lives. While things will not always go our way, and while there is no complete control over every situation in our life, Jesus suggests something experience backs up: we get out of life what we put into it.

While there are certainly exceptions, we generally get from life what we deserve. Give in to laziness and we can expect poor achievement. Never try something new and we stagnate. Keep a closed mind and we remain ignorant. Hurt people and we likely get hurt back in return. Steal and cheat and we are stolen from and cheated. Lie to people we care about and they feel free to lie back to us. On the other hand, as Jesus asserts, “judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you.” What Jesus affirms is borne out every day of our lives: “For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

Very often, however, we forget the rule of “like measure.” We expect more from life than we are willing to put in, or we fail to appreciate that all good things in life cost. Many people today, for example, expect something for nothing, and demand more money for less work.

We may be hungry for love, but unconcerned about giving it. We may expect our friends to be there for us, but make excuses for not helping a friend who is in trouble. Most of us want to be understood and forgiven at the drop of a hat, and yet we rarely try to understand where other people are coming from, and may be obstinate in holding grudges. Jesus gives us both encouragement and warning: we get what we give.

Take more mastery over your life with the rule of “like measure.” Give what you hope to get. Fair treatment, peace of mind, love, joy, and happiness can be yours if this is what you yourself are about. Sow good seed, and you will likely reap a good harvest. Do favors, and favors will be returned. Be nice to people, and they will most often be nice to you. Make someone laugh, and you will laugh. Affirm others, and they will feel strength to affirm you. Make others happy, and you will be happy. Be a friend, and you will have friends. Give love, and you will receive it.

“For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

Fasting and Self-denial

1st Sunday in Lent - Year C

Deut 26:4–10. Ps 91. Rom 10:8–13. Lk 4:1–13.

“People cannot live on bread alone.”

The extraordinary thing about our world and what is now referred to as the ‘North-South divide’, is that while two-thirds of the population are dying from hunger and malnutrition, the other third is dying from over-consumption and related ailments. And the two problems are inextricably linked. An expert at a conference on world population, pointed out that the popular understanding of the problem of over-population is exactly the opposite of the reality. The world’s resources are strained to the limit, not because of over-population in the Third World, but because of increasing consumption in the richer parts of the world.

Fasting, like prayer, is one of the core notions in Christianity. It requires no justification. It is a traditional religious way, since the dawn of civilization, of acknowledging one’s God. The historical and economic arguments only serve to reinforce its validity. They would have been largely superfluous in other times. But moderns seem to want Christianity without the cross, they seem to want the carnival but not Lent. And in this we are out of sync not only with the gospel but with two-thousand years of tradition. The virtual disappearance of fasting among Catholics is of very recent origin.

So on this first Sunday of Lent, the church places before us the benefits of fasting and self-denial, and invites us to embark on a journey of spiritual growth. As we see in today’s gospel reading, like Jesus in the wilderness, we are being led by the Spirit into a forty-day period of prayer and fasting, to help us reflect on the direction our lives are taking. It’s an honest and frank attempt by the church to make us come to terms with the harsh reality of the hard work needed for salvation.

In the desert Jesus is confronted by the forces of evil on three occasions and is subjected to severe temptations in the depth of his soul. The devil meets him face to face and in an effort to turn him away from God’s plan of redemption, offers him false happiness with enticements of security, power and fame. None of these temptations got the better of him and he emerges victorious but only after a prolonged struggle. Temptation is a real test and the worst thing about it is that it is always an attraction. When tired and hungry, it would have been so easy for Jesus to turn stones into bread but he refused to use his power for his own comfort and allow his feelings to influence his actions. The temptations of Christ are those faced by Christians of all ages. They are a testing of our faith as they force us to make decisions for or against God. As followers of Christ, we must be ready to stand and be counted as we are constantly at risk from the evil one. Because Jesus experienced temptation himself, he understands us in our weaknesses. He is there by our side to give us hope and encouragement.

Lent is a time for us to get back to basics, to replenish the soil in which our Christian faith grows by curbing our selfishness and our pride. Pampered by creature comforts, we fall into the trap of thinking that material things will bring happiness and so we spend time having our wants and wishes satisfied. The truth is otherwise. Instead of helping us on the road to heaven, so often they turn out to be false escapes that lead us into unhappiness and frustration, raising us up for a great let-down. All of us experience these tendencies within ourselves, but the gospel states that there is more to life than the satisfaction of our appetites. Fasting has a real spiritual value.

In the desert our Lord turned his back on all that stood in the way of doing his Father’s will. Lent is a time of quiet and purposeful reflection which helps us to discover the will of God. Fasting and self-denial, backed up by prayer and alms-giving, keep us growing in friendship with God. Let us make this Lent a time for beginning all over again by renewing our trust in Jesus who was tempted and who triumphed over the evil one. Let us arm ourselves with the weapon of fasting and self-denial as we continue our Lenten journey: a joyful one though hard.

Good News for Sinners

Saturday After Ash Wednesday

Isaiah 58:9–14. Psalm 86. Luke 5:27–32.

“Healthy people don't need a doctor, but sick people do. I have not come to call the just, but sinners, to a change of heart.”

Many people give up on themselves and the Christian way of life because they are keenly aware of their sinfulness. Some are so sensitive to their faults and failings that they feel, “I can’t do anything right,” or, “I’m a failure.” Maybe we don’t despair that God still loves us, but we may feel that being a close follower of Christ is beyond serious consideration. Explicitly or implicitly, we may feel Jesus is too good for us. What a relief, then, to hear Jesus’ assertion in the gospel reading that his mission is to sinners rather than the righteous.

“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” In other words, it is the company of “sinners” that Jesus most avidly welcomes.

It is important that we take these words of the Lord to heart. It is precisely when we suffer and are afflicted with problems that Jesus is most ready to be at our side. It is when we become sensitive to our failings, and feel the weight of our guilt, that he is most available with support and healing. When we fall, no matter how seriously, and no matter how many times, the Lord is anxious to help us up. And the reason for this should be obvious. When we appreciate our mistakes and acknowledge our failings, we are at our most humble. This is exactly what opens for us the door to grace. It is when we are aware of illness that we become ready for treatment.

Your sensitivity to your sinfulness is an asset, not a liability, to the Christian way of life. Never let it make you feel that you are “unworthy” of Christ. Turn to the Lord, therefore, when you feel most down on yourself. Pray to him especially when you see yourself in the darkest light. The teachings of Jesus will never make more sense than when you are burdened with confusion and self-doubt. There is no better time to follow the Lord than when you find yourself taking all the wrong roads in life. He “who takes away the sins of the world” wishes to take away yours, whenever you’re ready to permit him. Jesus doesn’t do this with reluctance; it is precisely what he is all about! Jesus best reveals himself as “savior,” when he is actually saving you.

(From: Entering the Lectionary)

Healing

Saturday After Ash Wednesday

Isaiah 58:9–14. Psalm 86. Luke 5:27–32.

Luke was a doctor seeing the world from a physician’s point of view. He even looks at Jesus from a medical viewpoint. In fact, he makes Jesus into a doctor. In Luke’s gospel, when Jesus introduces himself in the synagogue of his hometown, Nazareth, he tells them: “No doubt you will quote me the saying: ‘Physician, heal yourself’” (Lk 4:23).

Jesus here called himself a doctor. It wasn’t the only time in the gospel of Luke that he did this. He also did it when he was accused of eating and drinking with sinners. He answered his accusers: “It is not the healthy that need a doctor, but the sick.”

According to Luke, Jesus came to heal a world and a humanity that was sick and needed a doctor. You don’t need to be a health expert or a doctor to note that the world around us is sick. Acid rain is killing trees; fish and waterfowl are dying in polluted rivers and lakes.

Sometimes you can hardly breath without doing damage to your lungs, and you even have to be careful when you take a shower, because the water you use might be full of chemicals. We all need a doctor; we all need to be healed, not only we, but also the plants, animals, rivers, seas, forests, and deserts.

Something has to be done; you always have to take some steps to regain your health. Jesus suggests repentance. A doctor won’t use that word when recommending a diet or discontinuing one or another habit in order to restore your health. What he or she recommends, however, often comes to the same thing: you have to change your life to make up for what went wrong in the past.

The healing we need also requires more than a personal and individual transformation. It asks for a structural revision of our society and of the world, a change we have to be interested in if we want to be touched by the healing power of that physician Jesus!

(From: Entering the Lectionary)

Social Implications

Friday After Ash Wednesday

Is 58:1-9. Ps 51 . Mt 9:14-15.

“Is not this the fast that I choose: to share your bread with the hungry, to care for others?”

Most people believe religion should be kept private, that religious practices should be personal and self-directed. This may be reflected in the way we keep Lent. Lent is traditionally a penitential season, a time for mortification, penance, and fasting. Perhaps from childhood we have used Lent to impose acts of self-discipline upon ourselves; in the spirit of the season we give up something. Our practice of Lent, therefore, also tends to be a private affair, and we may think that we are keeping Lent well because we fast from certain treats.

In today’s first reading, however, the prophet Isaiah interprets “fasting” from a different perspective. There is nothing self-directed, personal, or private about it at all. “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not hide from your own flesh?”

Hearing God speak through his mighty prophet, we are challenged to broaden our ideas about fasting and giving up something for Lent. We are not discouraged from personal penances, but God turns our eyes towards bigger issues in our lives that are in need of penance. Of what use is giving up ice-cream for Lent if our relationship with a spouse, a neighbour, or a coworker is strained under a “yoke” of neglect or abusive treatment? Are we practising Lent by abstaining from smoking when we “oppress” members of our family with biting criticism or sarcastic remarks? Will giving up chocolate help us grow spiritually when we are “yoked” to demands that we always have our way? Do our hearts go out to the hungry and homeless, and do we look upon our unfortunate brothers and sisters in this world as part of our own “flesh”? There is more to penance than giving up pleasures for Lent. God calls us to conversion, a change of heart.

Choose lenten practices in the light of God’s expectations. Give up an abusive tongue or some mannerism that offends others. Break the “yoke” of a bad habit that is harming your health. “Free” someone from your criticism or lack of forgiveness. “Loose the bonds of wickedness,” by capitalizing on your capacities for doing good. Be generous with your possessions. Is there any way you can help feed the hungry, or find shelter for the homeless? Rather than giving up a treat or a feast for Lent, consider giving more of yourself to others.

(From: Entering the Lectionary)

Choose Life

Thursday After Ash Wednesday

Deut 30:15-20. Psalm 1. Lk 9:22-25.

“I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord, listening to His voice, and being one with Him.”

The Lenten season has a beautiful set of readings, handpicked for the occasion. Today's readings are inviting us to choose life over death.

Something we easily observe about life is that it is a remarkable composite of opposites: darkness and light, cold and hot, sour and sweet, pain and pleasure, suffering and bliss, bad and good, failure and promise, stops and starts, death and birth. While there is nothing we can do to change life’s polarities, we are remarkably free to determine on which side of those polarities we wish to live. For example, we can choose good habits over bad habits, self-responsibility over self-pity, and enthusiasm over laziness, as ways of handling our life. The choice is up to us, and we make or break our life by the choices we make.

In the reading from Deuteronomy, God speaks through Moses and offers an ultimatum: death or life; death-dealing ways of living or life-enhancing ways of living. God implores us to choose life. At first glance, we may believe there is no real choice in the matter; of course we want to choose life. But do we? We need to reflect on some of our basic attitudes. Do we tend to see the dark side of people and situations rather than the bright, faults rather than assets, setbacks rather than opportunities, something to criticize rather than praise?

Has growing up soured us so that our days are full of complaint rather than gratitude? How many of us take too much too seriously and have lost the ability to laugh at our pretensions? Let there be no doubt about it, these are life and death choices. There is a life and death choice even in the gospel reading from Luke, where Jesus encourages us to take up our cross and follow him. Taking up a cross doesn’t seem very life-enhancing, but it is. It’s important to note that Jesus doesn’t say we should lay down our crosses, or sit with them, or pass them on to others, but that we carry them with our eyes glued on the Lord. What this means is that we don’t deny our problems, or resign ourselves to them, or blame other people for them, but that we deal with them courageously in the light of the teachings of Jesus. Dealing with problems as we need to is clearly an example of a life-enhancing choice.

Among all life’s opposites and polarities, choose what enhances your life. As we are instructed in the gospel reading we need to choose life by consciously choosing to die to our false self: to our inauthenticity, falsity, ego, self-centredness, etc. We discover our true self and life by continuously dying to our false self. Lenten period is a beautiful and joyful time of giving up negativity and death-enhancing attitudes within us.

See good in people rather than evil. Hunt for the good in yourself, rather than lamenting your weaknesses and failings. Focus on the light rather than the darkness, the sweet rather than the sour, successes rather than defeats, support rather than criticism, gratefulness rather than complaint. The choice of life over death is yours to make.

(From: Entering the Lectionary, slightly modified)

Rend your hearts

Ash Wednesday (6 March 2019)

Joel 2:12-18. Ps 51. 2 Cor 5:20—6:2. Mt 6:1-6, 16-18.

“Return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your garments.”

We begin the season of Lent today with the ashes. We remind ourselves that we are dust. Our Creator didn’t use gold, uranium, diamonds, or pearls when making the human body, but mere dust (earth). We were made from what is really ordinary, and we were breathed into life—something extraordinary.

We shall return to dust: in this material world we are temporary. Only what is spiritual is permanent. Though our bodies die, our spirits will continue live. In resurrection we shall continue to live, in glorified bodies.

We are dust, we are earth, we are the universe itself. We are earth that is conscious, we are universe that is conscious. This is the beauty and uniqueness of human beings. As St Paul says, “we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves.” (2 Cor 4:7) We are special, but fragile. We are unique, but that uniqueness has to be realized day by day until we achieve the fullness. We are creatures, our real glory is to allow a free hand to our Creator within our souls.

We are not only earth dust, we are also star dust—as scientists tell us. We are meant for transcendence. We are meant for the stars. Our spirits cannot be contained to that which is finite, but they open us towards that which is infinite.

So our Lenten project of fasting, praying and caring has the aim of opening us to transcendence, within ourselves and within our community. This also aims to repair and restore our relationship from all the three angles: our relationship with ourselves (fasting, penance, self-denial), our relationship with God (prayer), and our relationship with others (almsgiving, caring for others).

In the gospel reading of today Jesus instructs that the above three pillars not be pretentious and hypocritical. “Whenever you give alms, do not have it trumpeted before you; do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret.” “Whenever you pray, do not be like hypocrites; go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.” “Whenever you fast, do not look dismal; put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret.”

We need to do all these in secret. In the interiority of our hearts. And never for show.

Let this joyful season of Lent help us re-focus our attention on what is lasting, and help us give up whatever is unnecessary and harmful for us. In this way we can return to the Lord with all our heart, and accept Him fully to give meaning to our broken lives.

Treasure

Tuesday of Week 8 in Ordinary Time - Year 1 (5 March 2019)

Sir 35:1-15. Ps 50. Mk 10:28-31.

“There is no one who has left house or family for my sake and for the gospel who will not receive his reward in the present time, and in the world to come: eternal life.”

The above statement is a paraphrase (or a summary) of Jesus’ words in Mk 10:29-30. Leaving one’s family and giving up things for Jesus’ sake and for the gospel yields a hundred fold reward in this world and in the next world. The fruit of following Jesus and detaching oneself from material things and our own family gives us life—a higher quality of life that continues in the next world.

Once again the gospel passage of today is not merely for fathers, brothers and sisters. It is meant for all Christians, all followers of Christ Jesus. Being a Christian you get a big community of disciples of Christ as friends, parents, well-wishers, brothers and sisters and children. We all become one big new family where God is our Father.

True detachment from wealth and possessions, is really meant for attachment to God and His Kingdom. Detachment is not just meant for itself. Detachment is for the sake of attachment: to Jesus and to God, who is our true treasure and joy.

In the same line, the first reading from Sirach is a good exhortation for us as we worship God and follow him in his Son Jesus Christ. Here the teaching is that there should never be a division between our worship in church and the way we lead our daily lives. Each one is meant to reinforce the other. Sirach says, “Be generous when you worship the Lord, and do not be stingy with the first fruits of your harvest.” (Sir 35:6-7) We don’t have to be calculative when offering our time and talents for the Lord. He can bend time and space for us; He is the Creator, the Source and Origin of all things. The more we are generous with the Lord, the more we are able to see and perceive His generosity in our lives and in the world.

Sirach, again in keeping with today’s gospel, also says, “the Lord will repay you, he will reward you sevenfold.” Our generosity will be rewarded not only in the next life, but already here and now in this world.

Riches and Happiness

Monday of Week 8 in Ordinary Time - Year 1 (4 March 2019)

Sir 17:24-27, 29. Ps 32. Mk 10:17-27.

“How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!”

The above statement (Mk 10:23) doesn’t strike to be shocking for us perhaps. We are only too familiar with this Jesus’ statement, and usually think it is meant for those others who have plenty of riches and wealth. Interestingly, Jesus doesn’t say that if you are “filthy rich” then you cannot enter God’s kingdom. Rather he seems to be against all riches and wealth. Maybe we could translate this verse thus for ourselves: “How hard it is to enter the kingdom of God for us who rely on money, riches, wealth, comforts, and luxuries.”

In the Beatitudes, our Lord clearly says, “Happy are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” (Lk 6:20) The poor are the blessed ones. Not the rich ones. In fact, it is a curse to have riches and wealth. Jesus says, as a corollary to the above Beatitude, “Woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.” (Lk 6:24)

Happiness does not come from having enough money, luxuries and comfort. Happiness comes only from a meaningful life: when connected to God and to our brothers and sisters in the world, especially the poor. That’s why Jesus clearly tells the rich man in today’s gospel, “Go, sell what you have, and give the money to the poor; and you will have riches in heaven.” (Mk 10:21)

Many management gurus and business companies in the world say just the opposite. “You need to become rich in order to enjoy your life, and become someone important in the world and society.” We even seem to unconsciously believe that only by being rich that we can be happy. Perhaps even in the Old Testament riches were considered a blessing. Prosperity was a sign of God’s blessing. But Jesus takes a radical stand. Not only do you need to give your money to the poor, but also you need to become poor like him if you want to follow him.

This is a teaching that we cannot understand or accept. “Why should I become poor? If I can work hard and earn all the money possible, why should I not keep that money with me? It’s my money, anyway!”

This is the radicality of Jesus whom we follow. This is not an option, a command not just for sisters and brothers and fathers, but for all of us Christians. Following Jesus will make us think of others as our own brothers and sisters, and we can’t live a life of comfort and luxury, we will spontaneously start helping others. Vertical connection with God will push us towards a horizontal solidarity with our own sisters and brothers. We can never be islands after all if we start following Jesus.

If you see in this world: poor people can easily laugh and smile and even enjoy their life in spite of their many problems. They can share their money and things easily with others. They become very dependent on God and others. They are very open to reality. But rich people ordinarily go around with a heavy heart with “n” number of worries. This is not to romanticize poverty or perpetuate or justify misery in our country and in the world. I’m just putting a big accent on getting attached to God and His Kingdom, rather than material things and riches. I’m trying to pull our attention to the centrality of God in our lives—without whom nothing will be possible.

Happiness is not found in the absence of problems, but in the trust and connection that we have with Our Lord and with other Christians. He is the ONLY source of all joy and happiness. Isn’t He?

Fault-Finding

8th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C (3 March 2019)

Sir 27:4-7. Ps 92:2-3, 13-16. 1 Cor 15:54-58. Lk 6:39-45.

"It is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks."

In today’s liturgy, our attention is drawn to a number of practical points on Christian living, which are broad in scope and rich in truth. Following Jesus is a serious occupation and leaves no room for comfort-seeking and complacency. Our words and conversation, the fruit of our tongues are a true indication of our spiritual health and our Christian life. When we open our lips we should be intent on praising God and refrain from hurting our neighbour. We are asked to search as carefully for our own faults as we do for the faults of others, because concentrating on ridding ourselves of the big blemishes in our personal lives will leave precious little time for comment on the failures of others. The person who is aware of his own weaknesses and is striving to overcome them is slow to judge and swift to give benefit of the doubt.

When preaching, Jesus drew his examples from the obvious in everyday life and here we have him commenting on the people who are preoccupied with spotlighting someone else’s faults and yet are blind to their own. The appealing thing about fault finding in others is that it takes the focus off our own deficiencies and helps us to feel ever so self-righteous. How miserable it all becomes when it spills over into spiteful personal gossip. It’s no exaggeration to say that gossip is the most vicious and dangerous type of talk. All this business of tittle-tattle, passing on scandalous tales about people, does untold damage as it results in tearing reputations to shreds. All who have been the victims of wagging tongues know the pain inflicted. Socrates once said that nature has given us two ears, two eyes and only one tongue so that we should hear more than we speak. If we cannot say something good about another person then it is better to remain silent. Isn’t it lovely when occasionally we meet someone who isn’t interested in people’s failing but only in their good points.

The lesson on how dangerous it is to pass judgement on others stands at the heart of the gospel message. Jesus was never in the judgement business. He used words to heal, restore and to bring back life, joy and hope. Our striving to imitate the Lord and produce the fruits of good living is seriously hampered when we allow judgmental attitudes to take root in our lives. The honest and perceptive Christian will pay more attention to personal shortcomings, knowing that it is only with God’s help that they can be overcome.

(Source: Desmond Knowles, Entering the Lectionary, slightly edited)

Children and Reign of God

7th Week in Ordinary Time - Year 1 (Saturday, 2 March 2019)

Sir 17:1-15. Ps 103:13-14, 15-16, 17-18. Mk 10:13-16.

"Let the little children come to me."

These days many adults talk about the little child in them. Many would like that little child to be born in them. Considering what Jesus said about little children this might be a useful development. He invites us all to be like little children in their openness to the reign of God.

Parents can tell you stories about that candour. A mother told me how she was with her two children during a Eucharistic celebration when the parish priest asked whether anyone would be willing to take a child, a refugee from Africa, into their home for a month or two. He quoted Jesus saying that anyone who receives a child is receiving him. Her children looked up at her but said nothing. A week later the pastor repeated his appeal. Her daughters looked up at her again.

After Mass the first thing these children asked their mother was, “Can’t we take that child?” Their mother replied that she didn’t think it a good idea, and that seemed to end the conversation. But that night when she was putting her children to bed, her eldest daughter asked, “Don’t you think that Jesus would have done it?” At first the mother didn’t even know what her daughter was talking about. But then she understood. She said, “I think he would.”

That evening she discussed what had happened with her husband. They decided to contact their pastor and arrange things. The excitement at the breakfast table next morning was enormous!

Sarafina lived with them for about half a year. Her presence was a joy to the whole family. It was one of those cracks through which the reign of God broke through in our world.

(From: Entering the Lectionary.)

True Friendship

7th Week in Ordinary Time - Year 1 (Friday, 1 March 2019)

Sir 6:5-17. Ps 119:12, 16, 18, 27, 34-35. Mk 10:1-12.

Whoever has found a faithful friend has found a treasure.

Today’s first reading from Sirach speaks of friendship. Some of the most famous biblical words on friendship are from this passage: “The faithful friend is a secure refuge; whoever has found one has found a treasure. A faithful friend is beyond all price; hold him as priceless. A faithful friend is a life-saving remedy, and those who fear the Lord will find one.” (Sir 6:14-16)

These days, the word ‘friend’ is one we tend to use very casually and we call people friends with whom we have only a relatively superficial acquaintance. Or we term as friends people who are useful in getting things we want. A genuine friend, with whom one can open oneself completely and in whom can have total trust, is not easy to find.

Our youngsters boast of having thousands of friends—not real friends, but virtual ones: in Facebook and other social network media.

I was a reluctant latecomer to the universe of Facebook and of WhatsApp. I was very hesitant to get into any of these social network media. Still feel clumsy. At the same time, I cannot but admire the marvellous technological creativity behind the various social network services on the net and with the capacity of an almost ‘infinite’ and ‘universal’ range of contacting people.

Strange but true: mere acquaintances become friends. A danger and a blessing in one pack! Though the capacity for virtual friendship is infinite, our capacity for real and true friendship as the first reading speaks of has come down drastically.

Not just friendships but our own personalities have been affected. We can talk about fragmentation of true friendships, fragmentation of marriages (as the gospel reading is warning us about), and above all there is a real danger of fragmentation of consciousness. There seems to exist a kind of narcissism in the exploits of a FB- or WhatsApp-like technology. Is there an unhealthy or exaggerated perception of oneself in relation to others? Have our selfies and selfie-times increased?

In our dining hall, I have put out a notice not to use the cell phones during meals. And most of us (including me) fail in this regard! It’s not the technology, but our use of technology that needs a serious thought. That’s obvious, I suppose. But my point is something that we take for granted. When I have nothing important to do, I open my WhatsApp! Is this true even for us? Does this even seem normal for us?

I’m not merely reflecting on a responsible use of the networking facilities. What I am speaking of is something that goes unnoticed: our fragmentation at the root of our consciousness. For instance, we don’t even know what we are forwarding. We are ready to forward fake messages, we don’t even want to find what is true and what is not.

We subscribe to some kind of subtle (or not-so-subtle) hatred, and surely to many biases.

Yet there is a positive and progressive consciousness of an internationalism and inclusivism, that has never been so strong.

We have been able to spread the gospel ideas of love, joy and peace via the social network media. That’s a great thing that is happening. Let’s say the gospel reflections that some of us are preparing and sending to our own contacts and circles have been possible only through the instrumentality of our various technological advancements.

Our technological advancements have come to stay. The challenge, as before, is to take captive every thought and every technological advancement to make it obedient to Christ (cf. 2 Cor 10:5). We need to allow Christ at the root of all that we are and do, and all that we think and say. Let us be faithful to the person of Christ and his friendship, and not to any ideology or technology.