Friday, 29 May 2026
Saturday, May 30, 2026 - For those who believe no proof is necessary, for those who do not no proof is sufficient. Which kind of person are you?
To read the texts click on the texts: Jude 1:17,20-25; Mk 11:27-33
Mark links the incident
of the Challenge to the authority of Jesus (11,27-33) with the incident of the
Cleansing of the Temple (11,15-19). When asked by the Pharisees where his
authority comes from, Jesus points back to the baptism of John and so to his
own baptism (1,9-11) where he received the invitation to be both slave and son.
Since they are not able to answer because whatever answer they give will result
in their condemnation, Jesus too refuses to answer their question. The point
that Mark seems to be making is that the authorities had closed themselves to
the revelation of God in Jesus and so would not be willing to accept Jesus as
God’s chosen one. There would not be much use in trying to explain to those who
were not open to listen.
We sometimes make up our
minds about something and take so rigid a stand about it that we are then
unwilling to change our stance or see someone else’s point of view. The danger
of this attitude is that we might miss out on learning something new and the
revelation that the situation or person makes to us.
Thursday, 28 May 2026
Friday, May 29, 2026 - If the Lord were to come to the tree of your life, would he find fruit or only leaves?
To read the texts click on the texts: 1 Peter 4:7-13; Mk 11:11-26
In the first part of
today’s text Mark uses what is know as a “sandwich construction”. This means
that he begins narrating an incident, interrupts it by another incident, which
is completed, and then the first incident, which was begun and left incomplete,
is completed. There are various reasons for the use of this technique.
Here, Mark begins by
narrating what is known as the cursing of the fig tree (11:12-14). Only Mark
tells us that ht was not the season for figs and yet, when Jesus did not find
any fruit on the tree he cursed the tree. It is the only miracle that occurs
within the Jerusalem section of the Gospel and the fact that it destroys nature
does not fit the pattern of the other miracles of Jesus, which make people
whole. Mark wants his readers; therefore to see the symbolic character of the
miracle of the cursing of the fig tree and associate its fate with the fate of
the Temple, which is also not producing the fruit, at is meant to produce.
Mark keeps in suspense
what happens to the fig tree till much later (11:20-21), after he has narrated
the incident that he places in the middle of the sandwich. This is what is
known as the Cleansing of the Temple (11:15-19). It is an incident that is
narrated by all the four Gospels though John narrates it quite differently from
the manner in which the Synoptics do and even within the Synoptics there are
slight differences. Mark is the only one of the evangelists who tells us that
Jesus would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple which indicates
that for Mark Jesus has the power to determine what activity is proper to the
Temple. The teaching of Jesus is a combination of two Old Testament texts
Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11. The chief priests and scribes take affront when
they hear about this incident and look for a way to kill Jesus.
Mark then continues the
first incident (the cursing of the fig tree) and completes it (11:20-21). The
fig tree has indeed withered. This is what will happen to the Temple if it
continues in the way of the fig tree, namely if it does not produce the fruit
required of it.
Peter is amazed that the
fig tree has withered and comments on it (11:22). This gives an opportunity for
the Marcan Jesus to teach has disciples about prayer (11:23-25). The first
saying about the mountain being thrown into the sea (11:23) brings out
forcefully through a dramatic metaphor what is possible for one whose faith
does not waver. The second saying (11:24) applies to the community the general
principle of the previous verse, namely that there must be absolute confidence
in prayer.
The final saying (11:25)
speaks about forgiveness as a condition to receive the forgiveness of God. This
is because if there is unforgiveness in one’s heart it is not possible to
receive the forgiveness of God. The unforgiveness acts a block to receiving
God’s forgiveness.
Most doctors today are
convinced that the larger majority of the illnesses we suffer are
psychosomatic. This means that because our mind/heart/internal (psyche) is
affected, our body/external (soma) will also be affected. Keeping grudges,
harbouring feelings of revenge, nurturing anger and not forgiving are sure ways
to spoil one’s health. Illnesses like acidity, hyper tension, fistula, piles,
stress diabetes, high blood pressure and many others can be controlled and even
avoided if one removes all the negative from one’s heart and mind.
Wednesday, 27 May 2026
Thursday, May 28, 2026 - Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Eternal High Priest - We can be united even in our diversity
To read the texts click on the texts: Isa 6:1-4,8; Heb2:10-18; Jn 17:1-2,9-14-20
The feast of Our Lord
Jesus Christ, The Eternal High Priest was instituted in 2013, to remind us of
the High priesthood of Jesus Christ and the effect of that priesthood on the
whole world. John tells us succinctly of the purpose of God’s sending his Son
into our world “‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that
everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. ‘Indeed,
God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that
the world might be saved through him” (Jn 3:16-17). This is why God chose the
name Jesus for his name because the name means “God saves” (Mt 1:21). God in
Jesus is Saviour.
Besides being Saviour, he
is also high priest., When he spread his arms on the cross, he did it to
embrace the whole word. Paul explains this well when he says to the
Corinthians, “in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting
their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to
us” (2 Cor 5:19).
The Gospel reading chosen
for the feast is from the latter part of the Priestly prayer of Jesus in Jn 17.
In these last verses, Jesus prays for his disciples and for us who will believe
because of the disciples’ word. If the content of this party of the prayer can
be summarized in one word, it would be Oneness, Harmony, Unity, Union. Just as
the Father, Son and Spirit are distinct yet united, so are we called to that
Unity even in diversity. We do not need to eb uniform to be united., We can be
separate and distinct and yet we can be united. We can be of different colours
and creeds, we can be of different nationalities and backgrounds and yet we can
be one united humanity.
In our world which is
torn because of division and strife, we pray that the feast of Our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Eternal High Priest will be an occasion to come together as one
family of humans and be united even in our diversity.
Tuesday, 26 May 2026
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 - How would you define honour? What does your definition say about you?
To read the texts click on the texts: 1 Peter 1:18-25; Mk 10:32-45
In this pericope Jesus
predicts for the third and final time that he is to suffer and die and be
raised (10,32-34). It is the most detailed of all the three. Here too, like in
the case of the two previous Passion and resurrection predictions there is a
misunderstanding. This time it is on the part of James and John who want places
of honour in the kingdom. In response to Jesus’ question of whether they are
able to drink the cup that he must drink and be baptised in the baptism with
which he must be baptised, they say that they are able. Jesus promises that
they will indeed drink the cup and undergo the baptism, but cannot he cannot
determine the position of places in the kingdom. That role is left only to the
Father.
The other disciples who
become agitated with the request of the brothers are in the same boat as they
are, and once again Jesus has to teach them the way of the kingdom. Only those
willing to serve others can hope to have a place of honour in the kingdom. The
last verse of this section points to the Son of man who has come to show the
way to the kingdom through his service.
The attitude of the ten
towards James and John may be termed as confrontation. This often happens when
one desires what the other person is striving for and so feels jealous and
envious of the other. It also leads to backbiting and thinking ill of the other
like the ten did in the case of James and John. An alternative to confrontation
is the attitude of “care-frontation” which would involve challenging the other
person to rise above trifles and that, which is not necessary. It arises out of
a genuine concern for the good of the person.
Monday, 25 May 2026
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 - What is the thing, which is the person, what is that event which is preventing you from working for the kingdom? Will you give it up today?
In response to the statement of Jesus that it is impossible for the rich to enter the kingdom of God, Peter states that they as disciples have left everything to follow Jesus. The response of Jesus is a reassurance that what they have given up will be replaced by the new bond that they will share with each other both in this life and in the life to come. It must also be noted that the Marcan Jesus also mentions persecutions as being part of the lot of the disciples. These are to be expected by anyone who is a true witness of the Gospel. The last verse of this pericope speaks about the reversal of status that will be part of the kingdom indicating that that the values of the world do not apply in the kingdom.
When we sacrifice something for a cause we
must realise that our reward must be the sacrifice itself. The reason why we
sacrifice is because we believe in the cause, whether it is helping the poor,
reaching out to the needy or any other and we must gain our satisfaction from
the understanding that someone has lived more fully because of the sacrifice
that we have made.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)