Wednesday, 20 November 2024
Tuesday, 19 November 2024
Wednesday, November 20, 2024 - How to take decisive action NOW
To read the texts click on the texts: Revelation 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, 18 November 2024
Tuesday, November 19, 2024 - What one action will you perform to show that you have repented TODAY?
To read the texts click on the texts: Revelation 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 these 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, 17 November 2024
Monday, November 18, 2024 - 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: Revelation 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.
Saturday, 16 November 2024
Sunday, November 17, 2024 - Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday
To read the texts click on the texts: Dn 12:1-3; Heb 10:11-14,18; Mk 13:24-32
Someone
once said, tongue in cheek, “It is the very people who do not know what to do
with this life who are anxious and worried about the next life”. While at first
glance, the readings of today might seem to be referring to the next life, a
deeper reading shows that what they are really referring to is the present; the
life lived here and now.
It
is, therefore, apt that on the Sunday before we celebrate the feast of Christ
the Eternal King, the Church has chosen readings that call us to reflect on our
preparedness and readiness to receive him, not in the future, but now. This is
because he “comes, comes ever comes”. The theme of the readings today may be
summarized in one word: Watch. Watchfulness is indeed the key word and that
message is made explicitly clear in the last verse of the Gospel. In it, Jesus
states, “But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven,
nor the Son, but only the Father.” This means that no one can expect any
advance warning about the day, the date or the time. This lack of knowledge has
a number of consequences.
The
first of these cannot but strike us in the face: It is the temporariness of all
that is. Though this is so simple to understand and so true without a doubt, we
need to be constantly reminded of it. We keep forgetting that we are living in
a passing and transient world. Though we do not need any kind of special grace
or enlightenment to realize that this is true, the manner in which many of us
live our lives belies this fact. That we are of flesh and blood necessarily
means that we, who have had a beginning, will also have an end. Our time here on
earth is limited. Yet, when we look around us, we find so many who live as if
this were not true. The numerous things we accumulate, our possessiveness, and
the hurt, resentment, and bitterness we harbour, without the slightest desire
to let them go, are indications that we think that we are going to be here
forever. The truth, however, is that we are not.
Secondly,
because we are not going to be here forever, we must concern ourselves, not
with apocalyptic speculation but, with living fully here and now. We have but
one life to live and we must live it as best we can. Our one concern, at all
times, ought to be to do what God wills. This means being the kind of person
that God wants each of us to be. Each one of us is unique and special. Each of
us has a particular role to play in the world. No one else can play our role
for us. No one can take our place. If we do not do what we have to do, it will
be forever left undone. Since we do not know when our time on earth will end,
the best time to do what we are required to do is not tomorrow, or the day
after. The best time is now.
Thirdly,
the coming of the Son of man will not be to scatter but to gather. Since we
will be doing what is required of us, we will not have to worry about being
gathered. Our response to God’s grace will ensure that we are in the number
gathered. Thus, our actions will be motivated not by hope of reward or by fear
of punishment. Our actions will be motivated, instead, by a conviction that it
is good to be good. The reward of our action is in the doing of the action
itself. It invigorates, revitalises, and refreshes. It contents and satisfies
the heart. We will, thus, live fearless lives.
This
kind of selfless action and fearlessness is what the second reading of today
points to. It is the action and fearlessness exhibited by Jesus on the Cross.
When he offered himself for the whole of humanity, he did not do it because he
wanted to gain something for himself.
As
a matter of fact, he could gain nothing through his death because he already
had everything. Thus, he did it for one reason and one reason alone. He did it
to save humanity from the sin of selfishness and egocentricity. He did it
because he wanted to show us the way. He did it because he wanted us to do as
he had done. His death on the Cross, however, was only a culmination of how
Jesus had lived his life. It was a summation of all that he had been and all
that he had done. It was a perfect example of unconditional love, in action. In
his death and resurrection, he remains, for each of us, the model and
inspiration that we are challenged to imitate and to follow. He keeps coming
through his spirit.
We
concern ourselves not with a future coming but with the fact they are here and
now. We, therefore, must also be here and now.
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