Sunday, 30 November 2014
Monday, December 1, 2014 - Do you give up when at first your prayers are not answered? Will you persevere in your asking today?
To read the texts click on the texts; Isa 2:1-5; Mt 8:5-11
Weekdays in the season of
Advent begin with the miracle of the healing of a Gentile officer’s servant. In
Matthew’s narrative of this miracle, the focus of attention is on the sayings
of both Jesus and the centurion. The centurion does not explicitly tell Jesus
his request, but simply relates the situation of his servant. The fact that he
addresses Jesus as “Lord” indicates that he is a believer (in Matthew, only
those who believe in Jesus address him as “Lord”). Though the response of Jesus
might be read as a statement (“I will come and cure him”) it seems better to
read it as a question, “I should come and cure him?” Read as a question, it
expresses hesitancy and fits in with Matthew’s portrayal of Jesus as the one
sent only to the lost sheep of Israel. The centurion, however, responds with
faith.
He regards Jesus as one who
is under no power or authority. If he, though under the authority of his
superior officers, can command and expect to be obeyed, then it is a sure fact
that Jesus, who is above all and under no one, will surely be able to heal his
servant. This is why there is no need for Jesus to even enter his house.
Jesus’ response to the
centurion’s faith is to comment on the lack of faith of those to whom he had
been sent, Israel. This lack of faith on the part of Israel, and faith on the
part of the Gentiles, will lead to the inclusion of the Gentiles in the
eschatological banquet.
Faith has often been regarded, by some, as a
verbal profession of belief. While this is necessary, what is more important is
that faith be shown in action. The centurion did this. The confidence with
which he approached Jesus is already an indication that, though he had not
recited a creed, he had faith. His response to Jesus’ hesitancy is to respond
with a positive word of confidence in Jesus’ ability to make whole. He knew in
his heart that Jesus had the power, since Jesus’ authority was God’s authority
and his word was effective because it was, in fact, God’s word.
Saturday, 29 November 2014
Sunday, November 30, 2014 - FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT - STAY AWAKE
To read the texts click on the texts: Isa 63:16-17,19; 64:2-7; 1 Cor 1:3-9; Mk 13:33-37
A
man was being chased by a lion and began to run as fast as his legs would carry
him, but he realized that the lion was gaining ground. He decided to change
course and veered to the right, but as he turned, there was a tiger coming
towards him. He was at his wits’ end and did not know what to do and so in his
desperation he turned left to escape the tiger and soon found himself nearing
the edge of the precipice. He was now perspiring not only from the strain of
his effort but also because of fear that had gripped him. Then he woke up.
Are you awake or if you have
been asleep have you woken up yet? “Stay awake!” is the rallying call of the
Gospel text of today and sets the theme for the whole season of Advent. To stay
awake – what does it mean for us today? What does it mean to stay awake when
churches and other places of worship are being burned to the ground? What does
it mean to wake up when women are being raped and dehumanized? What does it
mean to stay awake when human beings are being tortured and killed mercilessly?
What does it mean when our words and motives are being misunderstood?
It means very clearly that
disciples of Jesus need not concern themselves with apocalyptic speculation or
predictions of the future. They must remember that doing God’s will has no
relationship to the timing of divine judgement. Neither should the disciples
concern themselves with the fate of those who persecute them or who reject the
message of unconditional love. The only question the master will ask is whether
the servants have been faithful to their call as disciples, whether despite all
odds they have been instruments of that love which he showed when he hung from
the cross.
Being a disciple of Jesus does
not just happen suddenly. It is a commitment that must be made constantly and a
decision that must be renewed at every moment of every day. The root
supposition of Jesus’ message is: we can aim higher. Holiness is possible. We
are not obliged to merely accept the forces of cruelty, selfishness and
oppression, within ourselves or in the world around us. We have to keep
fighting against them and show them up for what they really are and once we
have done all that is required of us, we must turn to God and open ourselves to
his transforming grace and love.
This is also the message of the
other two readings this Sunday. The prophet Isaiah is under no illusions about
the selfishness and malice human nature is capable of. “Our sins blew us away
like the wind”, he says. And yet, he goes on, “Oh that you would rend the
heavens and come down”. If only the skies could open up and someone, something
would come from outside of our troubled world and focus our attention on
something other than ourselves and our narrow parochial interests! Something or
someone from beyond ourselves to get our attention, move our gaze from our
navels, and challenge us to work together rather than against one another.
In the Psalm, too, we hear the
anguished voice of Israel, imploring God to look down from His heavenly throne
– to save and shepherd his people. The psalmist, like Isaiah, is confident that
Israel will indeed experience the protection of God who will come as he has
always done in the past.
In this season of Advent, we
declare that Isaiah’s cry has been answered. In response to the Psalmist’s plea,
God has indeed looked down on his people and saved them in a way that they
never imagine possible. This salvation is achieved not through violence o
retaliating by throwing rock for thrown rock. The cry is not answered by
retaining anger and resentment against those who seem to us to wilfully and
wantonly destroy places of worship and the homes of the innocent. It is not
answered by taking up arms and indulging in the same vile acts that others have
engaged in. It is answered as God comes in the flesh to be among us, full of
grace and truth. It is answered as the Son of God dies and is raised for the
whole of creation.
Paul encourages the Corinthians
by reminding them about God’s answer to the cry of the whole of creation. God’s
grace has been given to them in Jesus Christ, and in every way they have been
enriched by him. God is faithful.
With real anticipation we are
called to live an ongoing life of faith, always open to what God promised to
do, always trustful because God is faithful. Anticipation means staying awake,
being alert and watchful. Thus Advent is a symbol of the Christian lifestyle,
not just a mood we experience at a certain time of year. We know that while we
despair at many happenings today, our world is not forsaken by God. Our Spirits
are turned from despair to trust.
The symbolism of Advent is the
symbolism of preparing ourselves for the imminent arrival of God: not only his
entry into human history, commemorated at Christmas, but also the impact he
would have on our lives now, if we made ready to welcome him or indeed, in the
case of many of us, reawakened our desire for God which we have managed to bury
under a pile of other preoccupations.
As Jesus says in the Gospel
text of today, when God comes he must not find us asleep!
Friday, 28 November 2014
Saturday, November 29, 2014 - How would you define prayer? Can it be said of you that your life is prayer?
to read the texts click on the texts:Rev 22:1-7; Lk 21:34-36
Some of us regard being good as a burden. This is because we
wrongly associate with seriousness and a lack of joy. On the contrary, a good
person and holy person is primarily a joyful person. Such a person enjoys every
moment of every day and lives it fully. Such a person leaves nothing undone and
therefore will be ready at all times.
These verses are the conclusion of the Eschatological Discourse,
and in them, Luke composes an exhortation that stresses constant watchfulness
and prayer as opposed to drunkenness and dissipation. The reason for alertness
is because the day can come at any time.
The final verse introduces a positive
exhortation. The opposite of sleep and dissipation is vigilance and prayer. The
final verse of the discourse calls for constant alertness and prayer, so that
one will be able to stand before the Son of Man with dignity and honour. Life
itself must be prayer.
Some of us regard being good as a burden. This is because we
wrongly associate with seriousness and a lack of joy. On the contrary, a good
person and holy person is primarily a joyful person. Such a person enjoys every
moment of every day and lives it fully. Such a person leaves nothing undone and
therefore will be ready at all times.
Thursday, 27 November 2014
Friday, November 28, 2014 - Will you live today as if it were your last day on earth?
To read the texts click on the texts: Rev 20:1-4,11 – 21:2; Lk 21:29-33
The parable of the fig tree found in these verses is the last
parable that Jesus tells in the Gospel of Luke. This parable is found also in
Mark 13:28-29 and Matthew 24:32-33, but whereas Mark and Matthew speak only of
the fig tree, Luke speaks of “the fig tree and all the trees” (21:29).
When
people can see for themselves that these trees have come out in leaf they know
for themselves that summer is near, so when they see the Son of Man coming in a
cloud (21:27) they will know that the kingdom is near.
Since Luke probably
thought that the end would come soon, he has added the last two sayings about
what will not pass away until “these things” have taken place. They are “this
generation” and the “words” of Jesus. These pronouncements must serve as a
reminder of the assurance of redemption for the believer.
Our job as Christians is not to bother about when the end will
be but to live fully in the present moment. If we do so then no matter when the
end comes we will always be ready.
Wednesday, 26 November 2014
Thursday, November 27, 2014 - If the end were to come today would you be able to hold your head high fearlessly? If No, what will you do about it today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Rev 18:1-2, 21-23; 19:1-3,9; Lk 21:20-28
The text of today, continues the Eschatological Discourse, but
speaks now of the destruction of Jerusalem and other cosmological signs which
announce the coming of the Son of Man.
Josephus the Jewish historian recorded
the horrors of the Jewish war, which lasted from April until August of the year
70 C.E. It was terrible for all the inhabitants and many were killed during
it. The Romans razed the whole city to the ground. Though these things will happen and violence will seem to have won the day, the disciples must continue to do what they are doing and without fear. The Son of Man will come with great power and glory. His coming will result in salvation for all who believe.
The disciples are challenged to hold their heads high and to stand up straight because God's representative is their Saviour.
Tuesday, 25 November 2014
Wednesday, November 26, 2014 - St. John Berchman's SJ - It is not the length of days that matter, but HOW you live each day
To read the texts click on the texts: 1 Jn 4:1-8; Lk 9:57-62
John
Berchmans SJ Born in Brabant (Netherlands/Belgium) on 13th March, 1599. He joined the Society of Jesus on
24th September 1616 when he was 17 years of age. After his first
vows he was sent to Antwerp and a little later to Rome to study Philosophy. He was
in his third year of Philosophy, when he was seized with a violent fever and
died on 13th August, 1621.
Though
he was a Jesuit for only a short period of time and was not ordained a priest,
he was known even as a young Jesuit for his piety, devotion and focus. He
learned the secret of living in the present moment. He was known to do even the
most ordinary and mundane tasks as if it was to be the last task of his life.
It was said of him that he did ordinary things extraordinarily well. Because of
his devotion to the Eucharist and his regular service at the Altar he is the
Patron of Altar Servers.
He
was declared Blessed in 1865, and was canonized in 1888. His statues represent
him with hands clasped, holding his crucifix, his book of rules, and his rosary.
The
Gospel text for the feast is from the Gospel of Luke and is about the would-be
followers of Jesus, and Jesus’ warnings about what discipleship will entail.
To
the first would-be follower who promises to follow Jesus wherever he goes,
Jesus responds by stating clearly that unlike even the foxes that at least have
holes, he does not have anywhere he can call his own. If the would-be follower
is ready for this insecurity, he may follow.
The
second person is called to follow by Jesus, but responds by asking for
permission to bury his father. This was a duty that was binding on all devout
Jews. Jesus’ response is harsh and demands that the disciple be primarily
concerned about the kingdom.
The
third would-be follower puts conditions to his following namely that he wants
to say farewell to his family. However, here too the response of Jesus is
clear. Looking back while ploughing leads to a crooked furrow.
In
total contrast to the three examples of persons mentioned in the text, John
Berchmans was one who was ready to follow his Lord in total poverty, and did
not once look back once he put his hand to the plough. He was focussed on the
kingdom and kept that focus till the very end.
While
it is not necessary to give up the state of life one has chosen in order to
follow Jesus, what is to be understood is that following will necessarily mean
changing one’s style of life. It will mean a move from selfishness to
selflessness, from acquiring material possessions to sharing them with others
and from anything negative to everything that is positive.
Wednesday, November 26, 2014 - If someone witnessed your actions all through today, would they conclude that you are a disciple of Jesus?
To read the texts click on the texts: Rev 15:1-4; Lk 21:12-19
These verses
are part of Luke’s Eschatological Discourse. The Greek word “Eschaton” is
translated as “the last things”, “the things of the next life”. The main point
of these verses is to prepare the disciples for the coming trial by exhorting
them to regard trials as an occasion for bearing witness. The text begins by
telling the disciples what they (the persecutors) will do namely arrest you,
persecute you etc. It then goes on to advise the disciples what they must do in
the face of this persecution, namely that they must bear witness but not be
obsessed with the anxiety of preparing their defence. The reason for this is
because of what Jesus will do, namely, give the disciples wisdom to counter any
argument of the opponents. The text ends with an assurance of God’s support and
protection on those who endure.
The
persecution of the disciples, however, does not exceed what Jesus himself will
experience. He, too, will be arrested and brought before Pilate and Herod. It
is Jesus himself therefore who will give the disciples the content of what they
are to say.
The gospel
offers not a way of predicting the end of the world but the spiritual resources
to cope with the challenges of life. In times of distress the disciples of
Jesus are called not to throw their hands up in despair, but to be unafraid. It
is a fact that following Jesus who is The Truth will have repercussions and
consequences, some of which may be disastrous. However, it is in these
circumstances that perseverance and endurance is called for. This is the test
of our faith and courage in the promises of the Lord.
Thus we can
opt for one of two ways of proceeding. One is to focus so much on prophesies of
the future, that they frighten us into idle speculation and inaction. The other
is to dare to commit ourselves and actions to make a difference here and now.
Monday, 24 November 2014
Tuesday, November 25, 2014 - Are you so concerned about the next life that you are not living fully this life?
To read the texts click on the texts: Rev 14:14-19; Lk 21:5-11
Luke follows Mark 13:1-8 quite closely in these
verses, though he also makes some changes. While in Mark 13:1 Jesus comes out
of the Temple and predicts its destruction when his disciples point to it
magnificence, in Luke, Jesus is within the Temple when he predicts its
destruction when some (not the disciples) speak of its magnificence (21:5-6).
This is why unlike in Mark 13:3 he is not on the Mount of Olives opposite the
Temple, but within its precincts when he is asked about when this will take
place (21:7). Mark 13:3 has Peter, James, John and Andrew who ask this
question; Luke has the people pose the question. Jesus responds by stating not
the hour when this will take place, but by issuing a set of three warnings.
The
first warning is not to allow oneself to be led astray and be led into
believing that the ones’ who come in his name are the Messiah. The meaning of
this warning is broad and encompasses being led to sin, being taught false
teachings, and being deceived regarding apocalyptic events.
The second warning follows the first: the
disciples of Jesus must not go after these false Messiahs.
The third warning is not to be terrified when they
hear of wars and insurrections, because they are part of God’s plan in bringing
about the kingdom and must out of necessity happen before the final coming.
In times of great danger, stress, and hardship it
is natural for persons and communities of faith to turn to God and to the
future for hope, for the promise of deliverance. However, idle preoccupation and
speculation of what will happen at the end times is not called for. It is a
distortion of the Gospel message of Jesus who asks that we concern ourselves
not with gossip and guesswork, but in how we must do what we have to do in the
present.
Sunday, 23 November 2014
Monday, November 24, 2014 - Will you forego one meal this week and give what you save to someone less fortunate than you?
To read the texts click on the texts: Rev 14:1-5; Lk 21:1-4
Jesus’ comment on the widow’s offering follows immediately after
his condemnation of the scribes, who “devour widow’s houses”. Luke omits most
of Mark’s introduction to the widow’s offering (see Mk 12:41). In the new
scene, which Luke brings about by his comment that “He (Jesus) looked up and
saw”, Luke introduces two sets of characters: the rich contributors and a poor
widow. The action of both is the same. However, the size or amount of the gifts
of the rich contributors is not mentioned, but it is explicitly stated that the
widow put in two lepta, the smallest copper coins then in use. It would have
taken 128 lepta to make one denarius, which was a day’s wage. Two lepta would
therefore have been worthless.
In a twist reminiscent of many of Jesus’
parables, Jesus states that the widow who put in what seems like a worthless
amount has put in more than any of the rich contributors. The following
statement clarifies how this could be. They contributed out of their abundance,
but she out of her poverty. They contributed gifts she contributed herself.
Saturday, 22 November 2014
Sunday, November 23, 2014 - CHRIST THE ETERNAL KING - What does our King demand?
To read the texts click on the texts: Ezek 34:11-12,15-17; 1 Cor 15:20-26, 28; Mt 25:31-46
Quas
Primas (Latin for “In the first”) was an
encyclical of Pope Pius XI promulgated on December 11, 1925. It
introduced the Feast of Christ the King. World War I (1914-1918) had ended, and
had not brought real peace, but more hatred, anger and violence. Coming as it
did after the end of the War, the encyclical sought to give the world, as a
whole, a new idea of kingship by asking it to look at Christ the Universal
King, and how he lived out his kingship. Christ is a King who totally
identifies with his subjects, particularly the marginalized – the poorest of
the poor.
This identification is made explicit
not only in the Gospel text for the feast but also in the first reading of
today.
In the first reading, Ezekiel
talks about God as the shepherd of Israel. The kings of Israel were regarded as
God’s visible representatives and were given the divine title of shepherd. But
many of them did not live up to this responsibility. Their leadership style
differed from that of God’s. God’s style was that of giving priority of
attention to the needs of the disadvantaged, especially their need for justice
and empowerment. First God raised up prophets, like Ezekiel, to warn the kings.
When they failed to listen, God decided to get rid of the ungodly kings and
their beneficiaries, and promised that he would shepherd the flock himself. The
defeat of Israel by her enemies, in which the big people, the royalty and the
nobility, were banished into exile, was seen as God’s way of getting rid of the
bad leadership.
The Gospel text which continues
the theme of the first reading is not so much about the kingship of Jesus.
Rather, it is a passage about the “kingdom” of God, about all those who kin to
God, and, therefore, who are kin to each other. We are all kin to one another.
We are all indeed one. The deepest expression of this truth, on this side of
life, is a spirituality in which there
is no split between our devotion and our deed; no split between mystery and
commandment,; no split between piety and ethics and no split between being and
doing. Like mystery and commandment, interwoven as they are, Jesus is one with
the hungry and the thirsty, is one with the stranger and the prisoner, and is
one with the naked and the sick. To care for these is to care for Jesus. To
care for them is to reach back into the very essence of life and to touch the
God who is in and with the hungry, the thirsty…” And then the king will answer
them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these, who
are members of my family, you did it to me.”
The text, thus, is not so much
God’s condemnation of some people, as it is about the universal vision of the
love of God, about the very scope of God’s love in Jesus for the whole world.
Jesus remains the model of unconditional and eternal love. This was shown in
the most powerful of ways by Jesus himself, when in total obedience to the
Father, he dared to spread his arms on the Cross in total surrender of self.
Therefore, God raised him.
This understanding is important
to avoid any kind of misinterpretation that might arise due to a person
thinking that it is his/her deeds that earn merit and reward. The righteous who
reached out to the least of their brothers and sisters, did so because they
understood it was necessity to help, love, serve, visit and feed. They dared to
listen to the promptings of the Spirit and responded to these promptings. They
did not do what they did for reward. They did not earn the kingdom but
inherited it. Inheritance is determined by the giver not the receiver. The
kingdom remains a free gift of God.
Though the unrighteous also
addresses Jesus as Lord, it is not enough. Their address remains at the
theoretical level and is not translated into action. They did not act because
they did not believe that God could hide himself in the poorest of the poor.
They did not realize that our God had been made visible in Jesus, who taught
all who were willing to listen, that God was primarily a God of the poor, and
that though he was king, he came only to serve.
The sufferings borne by the
last of our brothers and sisters continue to summon and challenge us as Church
today. They continue to ask us to dare to be credible and authentic witnesses
of the Gospel. However, what we need is not merely more action, more doing for
the sake of doing. No! What our King demands is a universal unity of love and
togetherness. It is a togetherness that transcends all of our frontiers, the
frontiers of our mind and of our heart, the frontiers of our creeds and
doctrines – all of those externals that keep us apart, that keep us apart that
keep us separated and split.
The challenge for us today is
to forget our own needs and reach out in love to make someone else, who may be
in greater need, happy. For whatever we do to the least needy children of God,
these brothers and sisters of Jesus, we do to him.
Friday, 21 November 2014
Saturday, November 22, 2014 - If you were told that your life after death would be determined by the life you live now, what changes would you make in this life?
To read the texts click on the texts: Rev 11:4-12; Lk 20:27-40
The Sadducees were a group of Jews who did not believe in the
resurrection. The question they ask Jesus assumes the practice of levirate
marriage, where according to Deut 25:5, the brother of a deceased man was to
take his brother’s widow as his wife. The Sadducees extend the situation to the
point of ridicule by speaking of seven brothers who marry the same woman. The
question is whose wife she would be in the resurrection. While in Mark, Jesus
first rebukes the Sadducees, in Luke he begins to teach them immediately.
Jesus’ response is that life in the resurrection will not simply be a
continuation of the life, as we know it now.
In the second part of his
response, Jesus calls the attention of the Sadducees to the familiar story of
the burning bush, in which the point is that God is not God of the dead but of
the living.
Jesus’ words can thus be approached from a positive side. The
God who created human life, including the institution of marriage, has also
provided for life after death for those who have cultivated the capacity to
respond to God’s love. The biblical teaching is that life comes from God.
There
is nothing in or of the human being that is naturally or inherently immortal.
If there is life beyond death, it is God’s gift to those who have accepted
God’s love and entered into relationship with God in this life: They “are
children of God, being children of the resurrection”
Thursday, 20 November 2014
Friday, November 21, 2014 - The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Is Jesus pointing to you as his brother/sister? If yes, Why? If no, why not?
To read the texts click on the texts: Zech 2:14-17; Mt 12:46-50
The feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin
Mary is associated with an event recounted not in the New Testament, but in the
apocryphal Infancy Narrative of James. According to that text, Mary's parents,
Joachim and Anne, who had been childless, received a heavenly message that they
would bear a child. In thanksgiving for the gift of their daughter, they
brought her, when still a child, to the Temple in Jerusalem to consecrate her
to God. Mary remained in the Temple until puberty, at which point she was
assigned to Joseph as guardian. Later versions of the story (such as the Gospel
of Pseudo-Matthew and the Gospel of the Nativity of Mary) tell us that Mary was
taken to the Temple at around the age of three in fulfilment of a vow.
Tradition held that she was to remain there to be educated in preparation for
her role as Mother of God.
The Gospel text chosen for the feast of today
contains a pointer as to who make up the true family of Jesus. Unlike in Mark,
where the “crowd” is pointed out to as the true family of Jesus, in Matthew, it
is the community of disciples who make up the true family. The point being made
in this text is not so much about the mother or brothers and sisters of Jesus,
but about who will be regarded as true members of Jesus’ family. The action of
stretching out his hand has been used earlier to portray Jesus as compassionate
(8:3) and also an act, which will be used later to show him as the great
deliverer who comes to the aid of his disciples (14:31). In the concluding
statement, the Matthean Jesus makes clear that discipleship and being a member
of his family is not merely a matter of verbal profession even proclamation,
but doing the will of God. This aspect makes anyone a brother or sister of
Jesus.
We may imagine that because we have been baptised
into the faith we can take for granted that we are members of Jesus’ family.
This need not be so, since we need to keep renewing our commitment to Jesus and
his cause every day. While verbal proclamation does have its place, it alone is
not enough. We must show through our deeds whom we believe in.
Wednesday, 19 November 2014
Thursday, November 20, 2014 - What keeps you from recognising the Messiah who will come to you today in varied forms and ways?
To read the texts click on the texts: Rev 5:1-10; Lk 19:41-44
The text of today dwells on the theme of Jesus’ rejection by the
religious elders. The city Jerusalem, whose name contains the word peace, does
not recognise the King of Peace, Jesus Christ.
Jesus’ tears for Jerusalem are
because Jerusalem did not recognise that if she accepted him as Messiah, true peace
would indeed reign.
The numerous attempts of Jesus to win over the people were
met with stiff resistance. They had closed their minds and hearts to anything
that he had to say because it did not fit in with what they had already set
their minds to believe.
When we are faced with a new idea or something contrary to what we are used to, we too might find it difficult yo accept it. Our responses may be of varied types.Some respond aggressively, others by ignoring and still others by rejecting the idea and also the person who brings that idea.
The text of today calls for openness and discernment.
Tuesday, 18 November 2014
Wednesday, November 19, 2014 - How will I show through my life that I have opted for Jesus the king?
To read the texts click on the texts: Rev 4:1-11; Lk 19:11-18
The parable in the text of today is from the common source of
Matthew and Luke known as “Q”. However, Matthew (Mt 25:14-30) presents it
differently.
While in Matthew there are three servants who are given five
talents (a talent was equivalent to 20 years wages for a common labourer), two
and one talent respectively, in Luke there are ten servants who are given one
mina each (a mina was about three months wages for a common labourer). The
amounts in Luke are much smaller than in Matthew. Though there are ten
servants, we are told only about three. The first of the three has earned ten
minas with the one he was given, the second has earned five and so these are
given charge of ten and five cities respectively. The third returns the mina to
the king because he was afraid of him and knew him to be a harsh man. After berating
the man for not putting the mina into the bank, which would have earned
interest, the king commands that his mina be given to the one who already has
ten.
The point, which Luke seems to make in this parable, is that
responses to Jesus the king have a decisive role in human destiny, for
responses to him determine life and death. There is no “safe” position. The
only road to success is to take risks as taken by the first two servants.
Monday, 17 November 2014
Tuesday, November 18, 2014 - What one action will you perform to show that you have repented TODAY?
To read the texts click on the texts: Rev 3:1-6,14-22 ; Lk 19:1-10
The story of Zacchaeus’ encounter with Jesus is exclusive to the
Gospel of Luke and is the last encounter of Jesus with outcasts before he
enters Jerusalem. It takes place when Jesus is passing through Jericho and on
his way to Jerusalem. Zacchaeus is the name of the tax collector who Luke
informs us is “rich” (19:2).
He desires to see Jesus, but there are obstacles
to his desire. The first is the crowd and the second is his own short stature.
These are interconnected. If there were no crowd, his short stature would not
have mattered and if he were tall the crowd would not have mattered. Zacchaeus
does not allow thses to hinder him and does what no grown man at his time would
do: he runs. Worse: he climbs a tree. Through this Luke indicates that
Zacchaeus was willing to face ridicule and being mocked by the crowd in order
to do what he had set about to do. He gives up his self-importance and dignity,
because all that matters to him is to see and encounter Jesus.
When Jesus comes
to the place where Zacchaeus he asks him to hurry and come down. Zacchaeus
obeys instantly. The reaction of the crowd is to grumble that Jesus would go to
the house of a sinner. Zacchaeus on the other hand responds with generosity and
uses the visit of Jesus to redeem himself. Jesus responds by confirming
Zacchaeus’ status as a “son of Abraham”, not because he was born one, but
because of his repentance.
In the last verse of the story, Jesus pronounces
salvation on the house of Zacchaeus and reaffirms his own mission as Son of
man: to seek and save the lost.
The desire of Zacchaeus to see Jesus is a genuine one. He shows
it is genuine by his willingness to overcome any obstacles that come in the way
of his seeing. He is willing to persevere and do all that is required of him.
His perseverance is rewarded by his meeting Jesus and being transformed by him.
Sunday, 16 November 2014
Monday, November 17, 2014 - What is it that prevents me from seeing good in others? Do I want to receive back my sight?
To read the texts click on the texts: Rev 1:1-4; 2:1-5;Lk 18:35-43
The text of today is also found in the Gospels of Matthew and
Mark, but whereas in Matthew there are two blind men and in Mark the name of
the blind man is Bartimaeus, in Luke there is one blind man who is not named.
However, what is common to all three Gospels is that the blind man/men cries
out to Jesus with a messianic title, “Son of David”, and perseveres in his plea
despite being told by the people to quiet down. Though the question that Jesus
asks the blind man seems redundant, it is necessary for Jesus to ask the
question to indicate his respect for the freedom of the man.
While on the
physical level the man is blind, on the spiritual level he has insight because
despite his physical blindness, he is able to recognise that Jesus of Nazareth
is also the Messiah, which those who have physical sight are not able to do.
Jesus attributes the recovery of his sight to his faith.
We might tend sometimes to close our eyes to the good that there
is in others, and we might also prefer to close our eyes to the injustice that
we see around us. We might close our eyes to the suffering of people around us
and we might prefer to close our eyes to the needs of others. Having eyes we
might prefer not to see.
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