Friday 26 July 2024
Saturday, July 27, 2024 - Are there some whom you deliberately exclude from your circle of friends? Why?
To read the texts click on the texts: Jeremiah 7:1-11; Mt 13:24-30
This is a parable found exclusively in
the Gospel of Matthew. It is not clear whether this parable existed
independently as a parable or whether it was conceived as an allegory from the
beginning. Those who think that the parable existed independently interpret the
parable to mean a statement against building of boundaries and so excluding
some. The building of boundaries and forming exclusive communities is not the
business of human beings, but is God’s task.
Like the field in the parable there is
good seed and there are weeds even in the world in which we live. There is both
good and evil. We are called to take only what is good and not focus too much
on the evil or bad. This does not mean passivity in the face of evil but a call
for a discerning mind and heart.
Thursday 25 July 2024
Friday, July 26, 2024 - What prevents you from listening to what God is calling you to do? What will you do about it today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Jeremiah 3:14-17; Mt 13:18-23
These verses contain what is known as
the allegory of the parable of 13,10-17. Unlike Mark who does not give it
a name, Matthew names it the Parable of the Sower (13,18), and in doing so
concentrates attention on the Sower. While in the Marcan interpretation there
is confusion as to whether the seed is the word (as in Mark 4,14) or the
hearers (as in Mark 4,16. 18.20), Matthew rewrites Mark to avoid this confusion
but does not succeed fully in this endeavour. Matthew also specifies that the
word that is sown is the word of the kingdom. While in Mark collective nouns
are used focussing on a group of people, Matthew emphasises individual
responsibility by changing the nouns to the singular. Despite these changes,
Matthew essentially adopts the interpretation of the Parable as in Mark 4,13-20
where it is understood as the Church’s reflection on its bearing witness to the
Gospel that Christ inaugurated.
Christianity is both an individual and
communitarian religion. Each sacrament has both the individual and
communitarian dimensions. This means that while on the one hand we are each
responsible for the other, we are also responsible for ourselves and need to
make our commitment individually. We cannot disown this responsibility or
thrust it on the community.
Wednesday 24 July 2024
Thursday, July 25, 2024 - St. James, Apostle - Will you like St. James drink your cup courageously no matter what the consequences?
To read the texts click on the texts: 2 Cor 4:7-15; Mt. 20:20-28
St. James is described as
one of the first disciples along with his brother John to join Jesus (Mk
1:19-20). He was one of the three whom Jesus took with him when he raised
Jairus daughter from the dead (Mk 5:35-43), on the mountain of transfiguration
(Mk 9:2-9) and at Gethsemane (Mk 14:32-42). The Acts of the Apostles 12:1
records that Herod had James executed by sword. He is the only apostle whose
martyrdom is recorded in the New Testament.
The Gospel text chosen
for the feast of St. James is from the Gospel of Matthew. In order to spare the disciples, whom Matthew
usually represents as understanding, Matthew replaces the disciples’ own
request with one represented by their mother and does not name the “sons of
Zebedee” here. The request for seats at the “right hand and left hand” reflects
the rule of the Son of Man from his throne. In his reply to the request the
Matthean Jesus focuses on the image of the cup which is used as a symbol for suffering,
testing, rejection, judgement and even violent death. Though they express
confidence that they are able to drink the cup, Jesus knows better. However,
even martyrdom will not gain the disciples special places. That is God’s
prerogative and grace. Jesus then takes the disciples to another level and
perspective of leadership where to be a leader is not to dominate or dictate
but to serve. Christian leadership may be defined as service
James understood this
after the death and resurrection of Jesus as was evident in his martyrdom. He
followed his Lord and Master to the end and did indeed drink the cup
courageously.
Tuesday 23 July 2024
Wednesday, July 24, 2024 0 Will you keep on keeping on even when your expectations are not fulfilled?
To read the texts click on the texts: Jer 1:1,4-10; Mt 13:1-9
W begin reading today from Chapter 13 of the Gospel of Matthew. This Chapter is known as “The Parable Discourse” of Matthew, because in it we find seven parables. Two of these parables have been allegorised {The Parable of the Sower (13,18-23) and the parable of the Weeds and the Wheat (13,36-43)}. Some are of the opinion that 13,49-50 is an allegorization of the parable of the Net (13,47-48). The first parable in the Parable Discourse is the one that is known as the parable of the Sower. Though often it is the allegory that has been interpreted instead of the parable where the different types of soil are compared to different types of persons and their reception of the word, this does not seem to be the point of the parable. In the parable, in three types of soil (the path, the rocky ground and among the thorns), the seed is lost, and it is only in one type of soil (good soil) that there is gain. Yet, the gain is enormous. The point seems to be that one must not give in to despair even if it seems that most of the good that we do seems to bear no fruit. In God’s time and in God’s own way it will bear even more fruit than we can ever imagine. We need to keep on keeping on.
In the words of St. Ignatius of Loyola, when we work, we must work as if everything depends only on us and when we pray, we must pray as if everything depends only on God.Monday 22 July 2024
Tuesday, July 23, 2024 - Is Jesus pointing to you as his brother/sister? If yes, Why? If no, why not?
To read the texts click on the texts: Micah 7:14-15,18-20; Mt 12:46-50
The text 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.
Sunday 21 July 2024
Monday, July 22, 2024 - St. Mary Magdalene - Will you like Mary Magdalene be an Apostle of the Ascension of Jesus? How?
To read the texts click on the texts: Song of Solomon 3:1-4; Jn 20:1-2,11-18
Except for Mary, the
mother of Jesus, few women are honoured in the Bible as Mary Magdalene. She is
mentioned by all four evangelists as being present at the empty tomb. In the
Gospel of John she is the first person to whom Jesus appeared after his resurrection.
After Peter and the
beloved disciple see the empty tomb with the linen cloths, they return home.
Though John does not give any reason why Mary returns to the tomb, he, also, of
all the evangelists, tells us that she stood outside the tomb weeping. This detail
sets the stage for the fulfilment of the promise of Jesus that the sorrow of
the disciples will turn to joy (16:20, 22). Mary sees the angels who make no
pronouncement of the resurrection. In John, the pronouncement of the
resurrection and ascension comes only through Jesus. The angels only draw
attention to Mary’s present state. Mary’s response to the question of the
angels is a plaintive cry for her “lost” Lord.
Immediately after she
makes this statement, Jesus himself appears to her but, because of her tears,
she cannot recognize him. While Jesus repeats the question of the angels and
thus, draws renewed attention to Mary’s present state, he asks a second and more
important question: “Whom are you looking for?” This, or a similar question, is
asked three times in the Gospel of John. The first time Jesus asks such a
question is to the two disciples who follow him (1:38). These are the first
words spoken by Jesus in the Gospel of John and so, carry added significance.
The question here is “What do you seek?” The second time, the question is asked
of those who come to arrest Jesus in the garden (18:4). The question in all
three instances, while courteous, is a deep and penetrating question. It
requires the one of whom it is asked to go deep into him/herself to search for
the response. The disciples are seeking for the residence of Jesus but
encounter the Messiah. Those who come to arrest Jesus are seeking for “Jesus of
Nazareth” and so are thrown to the ground. Mary Magdalene is seeking for the
dead Jesus, but finds the risen Lord.
Yet, this recognition of
the risen Lord is not easy for Mary to make. While in many instances in Jesus’
life, the metaphors he used were misunderstood, here it is Jesus himself. Mary
is so caught up in her own desire for the dead Jesus and for what she wants
that she cannot recognize his voice when he asks her two pertinent questions.
It is only when Jesus calls her name that she is awakened. Though some
spiritualize this scene by stating that Mary recognized Jesus since only he
called her in this manner, it is not plausible, since John does not speak of
the intonation or inflection in the voice of Jesus. Others interpret this scene
as a revelation of Jesus as the good shepherd who knows his sheep by name. The
sheep respond to his voice, when he calls to them, as Mary does here. Though
this is more plausible, it must also be noted that Mary does not recognize
Jesus’ voice before he calls her name, although he has asked two questions of
her. It thus seems that the main reason Mary was able to recognize Jesus when
her name was called was because, being so caught up in herself, only calling
her by name would have awakened her from her stupor. That this seems to be the
best explanation is also evident in the response of Mary on hearing her name.
After addressing Jesus as “Rabbouni”, which is an endearing term, she wants to
cling to Jesus. Though the text does not explicitly state that Mary held on to
Jesus, his words indicate that either she was about to do so or had already
done so. Jesus will not allow this. Mary has to go beyond her selfish interests
and get used to the presence of the Lord in a new way. She need not hold onto a
memory since Jesus is and continues to be.
Despite this self
absorption, Jesus commands Mary to be an apostle, not merely of the
resurrection but of the ascension. For the first time in the Gospel of John,
the Father becomes the Father of the disciples also. A new family is created.
This means that the disciples and Jesus are related. Jesus is the brother of
all disciples and the disciples share the same relationship with God that Jesus
shares.
Mary does what Jesus
commanded. She has indeed seen the risen Lord. This return makes new life
possible for the believing community, because Jesus’ ascent to God renders
permanent that which was revealed about God during the incarnation. The love of
God, embodied in Jesus, was not of temporary duration, lasting only as long as
the incarnation. Rather, the truth of Jesus’ revelation of God receives its
final seal in his return to God.
Self pity, uncontrollable
grief, and self absorption can all prevent us from encountering Jesus in the
challenging situations of life just as they did Mary Magdalene. These emotions
take hold of us when we misunderstand the promises of God or, when we do not
take them as seriously as we ought. They arise when we give up, even before we
begin, or when we prefer to be negative rather than positive about life. It is
at times like these that Jesus comes to us, like he came to Mary Magdalene, and
asks us to open our eyes and see that he is still with us and alive. He asks us
to get used to his presence in all things, in all persons, and in all events.
He asks us to be able to see him in the bad times and in the good, in sickness
and in health, and in all the days of our lives. We need only open our hearts
wide enough to see.
Saturday 20 July 2024
Sunday, July 21, 2024 - God never gives up on us
If you wish to read the texts click here: Jer 23:1-6; Eph 2:13-18; Mk 6:30-34
The contrast between the Shepherds spoken about in the first reading of today and Jesus who is portrayed as Good Shepherd in the Gospel text of today could not have been clearer.
The kings, who were meant
to be shepherds, have failed miserably in their responsibility. They were meant
to watch over the flock, protect them from danger, keep them united and care
for those who were hurt in any way. However, instead they have destroyed and
scattered the flock. Where there was meant to be justice and economic stability
for all, there is instead injustice and economic oppression of the poor by the
rich. The incapable and incompetent kings are responsible for this state of
affairs. Despite this, however, the Lord has not given up on the flock. They
remain his people and his flock and he will not abandon them. He will gather
them together and bring the stray sheep back to the fold. This he will do
through a descendant of David. The primary characteristic of the reign of this
king shepherd will be righteousness, and this is why he will be called: “The
Lord is our righteousness”. This righteousness will manifest itself in the
manner in which the king will deal with God and his people. Though some think
that because of the reference to righteousness King Zedekiah was meant, it is
clear that even he could not fulfill the promises made by God in the manner
that was expected of him. It was only in Jesus that these expectations were
fulfilled in the most perfect way.
While this is shown in
numerous instances in the Gospels, it is brought out strongly in the Gospel
text of today. Even as the disciples narrate the success of the mission on
which they were sent, Jesus’ response is not one of excitement and elation.
Rather it is concern for the disciples and their physical needs, much like a
good shepherd would care for his sheep. However, neither the disciples nor
Jesus could get the food and rest they require, because the crowd continued to
follow them and would not let them be. Yet, despite the fact that Jesus and the
disciples did not have time to be by themselves and even to eat, his concern
for the crowd is so great that he regards them as sheep without a shepherd and
assuming the role of the Good Shepherd, he begins to teach them many things and
so satisfies their need for spiritual nourishment. A few verses later we are
told of how Jesus also satisfies their physical hunger with more than they can
eat.
Whereas the earlier kings
who were meant to be shepherds did not attend to the flock because they were
concerned about themselves, Jesus cares not for himself but for his sheep.
Whereas the flock under the earlier Shepherds was frightened and dismayed because
of this lack of care, the flock of Jesus is confident because they know they
have a Shepherd whose primary concern is their welfare.
This concern the second
reading of today tells us was shown by Jesus in an emphatic way on the cross.
While through his death on the cross he showed on the one hand that he was the
obedient shepherd, he also succeeded on the other hand to reconcile all peoples
everywhere. Division between people has been transformed into unity, dividing
walls have been broken and war and strife have given way to peace and
reconciliation. This is what God promised and this is what God was able to
accomplish in Jesus.
The injustice, oppression
and selfishness that God accused the kings of in the first reading of today
continue even in our day and time. Two thousand years after Jesus the Good and
True Shepherd showed us the way; we have not yet learnt what selflessness and
reconciliation mean. So many even today prefer to live selfish and
self-centered lives with no concern for the needs of others. So many today
continue to have as their prime purpose in life the accumulation of wealth for
themselves and often even through dishonest and corrupt means. So many today have made “having more” as
their life’s aim rather than “being more”.
The readings of today and
especially the attitude of Jesus is a call and challenge to anyone who is
willing to listen and learn what it means to live a selfless life. It is a call
to place the needs of others above my own. It is a call to realize that giving
is more beneficial than receiving, that giving others their rightful due is the
only way to live and that a life which places the concerns and needs of others
above one’s own, is a life truly well lived.
Friday 19 July 2024
Saturday, July 20, 2024 - How do you usually react to stressful situations? Will you learn from Jesus’ response today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Micah 2:1-5; Mt 12:14-21
The reason why the Pharisees conspire
against Jesus, how to destroy him is because he healed a man with a withered
arm on the Sabbath, and though at first glance it might seem that this is an
overreaction on the part of the Pharisees, when looked at in the broader
context of the Kingdom of heaven which Jesus represents and the Kingdom of
Satan which is represented by the Jewish leaders and which continues to oppose
the Kingdom of heaven, then it is easier to understand the reaction of the
Pharisees. The response of Jesus to this conspiracy is to withdraw from that
place. However, it is to be noted that Jesus does not withdraw to run away or
from fear, but to continue the work of healing and making whole. In this
withdrawal is strength and not weakness and it explicates the response of God
(Jesus) to human violence and plotting of destruction. Even in his making
people whole, Jesus does not want to be known or acclaimed and so commands
those whom he has healed to remain silent about their healing and not to make
him known. This attitude of Jesus leads to the quotation from Isaiah 42,1-4
which is the longest scriptural quotation in the Gospel of Matthew. It is about
the suffering servant of Yahweh whose primary mission is to accept those who
have been rejected by others as is shown in his not breaking the bruised reed
or quenching the smouldering wick. Also, he does this without much fanfare, and
yet his ultimate goal is to bring justice to those who place their hope in him.
He will ultimately triumph.
Our response to challenging situations
or to situations that threaten us is sometimes to run away from fear, and
sometimes to use defence mechanisms. Neither of these ways is advocated by
Jesus whose way would be to face the challenges head on.
Thursday 18 July 2024
Friday, July 19, 2024 - How often do rules rule you? Will you try to rule rules today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Isaiah 38:1-6, 21-22, 7-8; Mt 12:1-8
The story, which forms the text of
today, may be termed as a Sabbath controversy. Matthew refers here to Sabbath
for the first time in his gospel. The point of contention is not very clear in
Matthew, because the law permitted a person passing through a neighbour’s grain
field to pluck heads of corn and eat them (Deut 23,23-25). The point here seems
to be whether such an act could be done on the Sabbath. While in Mark the
Pharisees ask a question, in Matthew, they are clearly hostile and make a
charge. In his response to the Pharisees, Jesus quotes refers to the story of
David in 1 Samuel 21,1-6, where David went beyond the rule to the need of his
men. If David could do such a thing, then Jesus who is greater than David can
do so even more. The Matthean Jesus also refers to the text from Numbers
28,9-10 where the priests in the Temple sacrifice there on the Sabbath,
indicating that sacrifice is greater than the Sabbath. Since mercy is greater
than sacrifice, it is surely greater than the Sabbath.
Reaching out in love to anyone in need
takes precedence over every rule, law and regulation. It is the human who must
always come first. The rule, law and regulation follows.
Wednesday 17 July 2024
Thursday, July 18, 2024 - We were made for God and we can find rest only in God
To read the texts click on the texts: Isaiah 26:7-9,12,16-19; Mt 11:28-30
Jesus invites all those who are burdened
to come to him for rest. The burden in this context seems to be that of the law
and its obligations. When Jesus invites the burdened to take his yoke, which is
easy, he is not inviting them to a life of ease, but to a deliverance from any
kind of artificiality or the blind following of rules and regulations. The
disciple must learn from Jesus who is in Matthew “the great teacher”. The rest
that Jesus offers is the rest of salvation.
We can get so caught up today with
wanting to have more that we might lose sight of the meaning of life itself.
The desire to acquire more and more and be regarded as successful based on what
we possess sometimes leads to missing out on so much that life has to offer.
Tuesday 16 July 2024
Wednesday, July 17, 2024 - Is your pride preventing you from encountering Jesus? What will you do about it today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Isaiah 10:5-7,13-16; Mt 11:25-27
This text is addressed to all those who accept the message of Jesus unlike those in Chorazin and Bethsaida.
Jesus begins his prayer here by giving thanks to the Father. It is openness to the revelation of God that Jesus makes which is responsible for the receipt of this enormous privilege.
Acknowledging Jesus is not a matter of one’s superior
knowledge or insight, but given as a gift to those who open themselves to this
revelation. Jesus himself is an example of such openness, which allowed him to
receive everything directly from God. It is his intimacy with the Father and
not his religious genius, which is responsible for this grace.
Monday 15 July 2024
Tuesday, July 16, 2024 - If you were a resident of Chorazin or Bethsaida how would you respond to the woes?
To read the texts click on the texts: Isaiah 7:1-9; Mt 11:20-24
The woes pronounced against Chorazin and Bethsaida are because of the refusal of the people in them to repent. The people of these towns did believe in the miracles, but this belief did not translate into a change of mind, which was the primary purpose of the miracles that Jesus worked. Also, the Gentile cities of Tyre, Sidon that were regarded as biblical symbols of evil would fare better on the day of judgement that Chorazin and Bethsaida.
The miraculous and extra-ordinary cannot
always sustain faith, which is a gift from God to anyone who wants to receive
it and is willing to open the heart and mind. More often than not a kind word
or a gentle touch can lead people to repentance.
Sunday 14 July 2024
Monday, July 15, 2024 - Does Jesus Christ have faith in you?
To read the texts click on the texts: Isaiah 1:1-10; Mt 10:34- 11:1
These verses make up the conclusion of
Matthew’s Mission Discourse. The choice is a difficult one to make and
sometimes it may be between even family and one’s conscience. Loyalty to Jesus
has priority over loyalty to anyone else or anything, indeed even over life
itself. If one is willing to share the cross of Jesus, one will also be given
the privilege of his authority. The discourse ends with the affirmation that
the disciple is always a representative or ambassador of Jesus and any good
done to the disciple will be considered as good done to Jesus himself.
We must keep in mind that the only Jesus
that people today can see and touch is the Jesus that we make known through our
words and actions. He has allowed us to share in his mission. This is also an
enormous privilege, but entails a tremendous responsibility.
Saturday 13 July 2024
Friday 12 July 2024
Saturday, July 13, 2024 - Do you give up or give in when difficulties come your way? Do you throw up your hands in despair? Will you continue to persevere and trust today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Isaiah 6:1-8; Mt 10:24-33
In the verses of today, a parallel is
drawn between the disciples who are sent by Jesus and Jesus himself. The
disciples will share the same fate as their master. His response to negative
assessment of his mission was equanimity and this must be the response of the
disciples’ as well. They must not retaliate, but continue to persevere in the
firm hope that they will eventually succeed. They are asked to be fearless in
mission. The command “not to be afraid” is repeated twice in these verses. The
reason for their fearlessness is that the Father is in control even if all
evidence is to the contrary. If they remain faithful they will show themselves
to be true disciples.
We often begin things with a bang and
then end them with a whimper. This is because sometimes our enthusiasm runs
away with us. What is required is perseverance and this is more likely if we
start slowly and steadily (as Jesus himself did) and then let things build up
gradually than if we start with much fanfare, which soon fizzles out.
Thursday 11 July 2024
Friday, July 12, 2024 When the going gets tough, the tough get going. What do you make of this statement?
To read the texts click on the texts: Hosea 14:2-10; Mt 10:16-23
The sayings found in Matthew’s Mission
Discourse here are found in the Eschatological Discourse of Mark (Mk 13,9-13).
This is an indication that for Matthew, Mission is already eschatological. The
punishment, which is referred to here is not random, but official punishment
from members of organised authority. Even in this difficult situation the
disciples are offered encouragement. They will depend not on their own
strength, but on the Holy Spirit. They are to be missionaries even in the
courtroom. Their imprisonment and trial must be regarded as an opportunity to
make mission known. Mission takes priority even over family ties and if family
ties have to be broken because of mission then so be it. The affirmation of the
coming of the Son of Man is probably meant to provide succour to the
missionaries in their distress.
Jesus is not calling us here to be
sadists and look for suffering, persecution and pain. Rather he is challenging
us to go about doing what we have to do, to be as prudent as possible about it
and if despite that persecution, suffering and pain come, to be prepared and
ready for it and not to be afraid.
Wednesday 10 July 2024
Thursday, July 11, 2024 - How often have you focussed on the result rather than on the action? Will you focus only on the action today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Hosea 11:1-4,8-9; Mt 10:7-15
The text of today, which is part of the
Mission Discourse of Matthew contains the instructions for Mission. Three
points may be noticed. The first is that mission is not only words but also
action. Jesus sends the disciples not only to preach but also to heal. The
second is that Jesus provides a strategy for mission which may be summarised in
one word namely, DETACHMENT. The call is to detachment from anything, which
will hold a person up or prevent him or her from engaging in mission. The third
is that Jesus calls the disciples from a detachment even from the outcome of
mission. They must not be concerned about the results or the fruits, but simply
do what needs to be done.
Often, too much of focus on the results
of our actions do not allow us to focus on the action itself. Consequently, our
action is neither effective nor efficacious. If we continue to keep in mind
that the Kingdom is not ours but His and we are only called to do our best in
striving to make this kingdom a reality in the lives of others, then our action
will be both effective and efficacious. Detachment even from the results of our
action is an indication that we are aware that God is always in control.
Tuesday 9 July 2024
Wednesday, July 10, 2024 - How would you define “your” mission today? Are you engaging in mission?
To read the texts click on the texts: Hosea 10:1-3,7-8.12; Mt 10:1-7
The text of today is what may be termed
as the Introduction to the Mission Discourse of Matthew (10,1- 42). It is only
here that the Twelve are called “apostles”. This may be because of the context
of the “sending” of the Twelve. Matthew has arranged the list into six pairs of
two, by using the conjunction “and” after the first of each pair. The statement
of Jesus to “go nowhere among the Gentiles” (10,5b) might seem harsh, but it
must be kept in mind that even historically, the disciples were reluctant to go
to non-Jews even after the resurrection and it took considerable time for the
Church to realise that it had a universal mission. It must also be noted that
this Universality is present at the end of the Gospel of Matthew when the risen
Jesus commands the disciples to go to “all nations” (28,18-20).
The Mission of the disciples is both to
preach and to heal, to say and do, word and action.
Our Mission as disciples of Jesus is not
merely a spiritual enterprise and not only to a select view. It is a practical
mission, which includes the material, economic and tangible areas of people’s
lives, and must include all. As disciples called to Mission we are called to
make the world we live in a better place for everyone.
Monday 8 July 2024
Tuesday, July 9, 2024 - “There is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so”. Do you agree with this statement? Why?
To read the texts click on the texts: Hosea 8:4-7,11-13; Mt 9:32-38
Our text for today includes the final
miracle in Matthew’s Miracle Cycle. The response to the same miracle is
two-fold. On the one hand, the crowd seeing the miracle are amazed, and speak
of their amazement, but on the other, the Pharisees’ the power that Jesus has
to Beelzebul. What follows is a summary statement of the words and deeds of
Jesus, which is very similar to the summary statement in 4,23 before the Sermon
on the Mount. By repeating the summary statement here after the Miracle Cycle,
Matthew shows that Jesus is Messiah not only in words (as expressed in the
Sermon on the Mount) but also in deeds (as explicated in the Miracle Cycle).
Often the external stimulus is the same
for two persons and yet each responds differently. This is an indication that
it is not the external stimulus that is causing the response, but the person
him/herself. In other words, each of us can decide how we want to respond. We
can look at the half-filled or half-empty part of a bottle. We can look at the
black spot or at the white wall. It depends on what we want to see and how we
see.
Sunday 7 July 2024
Monday, July 8, 2024 - On a scale of 1 to 10 where would you mark your faith? Why?
To read the texts click on the texts: Hosea 2:16-18,21-22; Mt 9:18-26
In the text of today, which Matthew has
taken from Mark, the sandwich construction is maintained. This means that the
first incident is interrupted by the narration of another incident complete in
itself, and after this the first incident is resumed and completed. The story
that is inserted into the story of raising the ruler’s daughter is the story of
the healing of a woman with a hemorrhage. While Mark gives us the name of the
leader of the synagogue, Jairus (Mark 5,22), Matthew omits his name. Matthew also
omits a number of Marcan details namely Jesus’ question about who touched him
and the disciples response, the fear of the woman about being found out and her
falling down before Jesus. In Matthew it is very clear that the woman is healed
not by a magic touch but by faith. While in Mark, the messengers come to inform
Jairus about his daughter’s death, this whole scene is absent in Matthew,
because in Matthew, the girl is already dead when the ruler comes to him. This
has the effect of the ruler professing resurrection faith in his entreaty.
In Matthew, the story becomes a
confessional statement of faith in the power of the resurrected Jesus.
In the first few days or even weeks of a
terminal illness, the person who is ill continues to hope that he/she will get
well. As time goes by and the healing does not occur, soon hope begins to dim.
Finally the person gives up and gives in. The woman’s attitude in the story of
today is calling each of us to perseverance, hope and faith and to develop an
attitude of never giving up. That we must cultivate such an attitude is made
clearer when we realise that Jesus could raise even those whom others gave up for
dead.
Saturday 6 July 2024
Sunday, July 7, 2024 - Be careful of saying “I know”. You may miss the Messiah.
To read the texts click on the texts: Ezek 2:2-5;2 Cor 12:7-10; Mk 6:1-6
When I go to a place
where I am not known, the first question I am often asked is “Father, where are
you from?” I reply to this question not in words, but by pointing my thumb and
looking upwards at the sky. The person who asks the question will look at my
thumb and glance upwards and then respond, “Father, we have all come from
heaven, but where are you from?” My response is to continue to point upwards
without saying a word. One important reason why I do this is because of what we
hear in the Gospel text of today.
The Jesus, who has come
to his hometown, is a Jesus who has been mighty in word and deed. He is a Jesus
who has exorcised a demon, healed numerous people including a leper, a
paralytic, and a man with a withered arm. He is a Jesus who has calmed a storm,
healed a woman with a hemorrhage and even raised Jairus’ daughter from the
dead. He is also a Jesus who has spoken mightily through his word and revealed
in simple language that even the unlettered can understand the secret of the
kingdom of God. Yet, when he comes to his hometown, instead of being welcomed
like the mighty prophet that he has shown himself to be, the people respond
with disbelief.
This is, first of all,
because they “know”. They “know” who Jesus is.
They “know” where he comes from and what he is capable of. They cannot
believe that this man, who is one of them, can be capable of all that he has
done. They refuse to believe. This is made explicit in the statement, “… and
they took offence at him”.
Their negative response
to Jesus had a tremendous impact on Jesus and on them. While, on the one hand,
they rendered Jesus incapable, on the other hand, they missed out on all the
graces they could have received if only they had remained open to the revelation
that he was making. Thus, Jesus “could do not mighty work there”. However, this
did not completely immobilize or paralyze Jesus. He continued to go to places
where he was needed and taught.
A similar situation is
addressed in the first reading of today. Ezekiel is asked to go to his own
people and address them. He is to alert them of the destruction of the
Jerusalem Temple if they continue to live as they do. He is warned, however,
that they are stubborn and impudent. He is warned that they are rude,
disrespectful, and closed. Yet, the message has to be communicated and when it
has, they will know what they have missed if they refuse to hear.
There are two dangers
that the readings of today warn us about. The first is that of our familiarity
with the Lord. Since we may be cradle Christians, we may tend to think we know
everything about the Lord and thus, set limits on what he can and cannot do.
This danger is pointed out to Paul in the second reading of today in which God
instructs him to let God be God. He is a human and must trust that God’s
weakness is stronger than his strength and that God’s foolishness is wiser than
his wisdom. Paul realizes this and therefore can boast about his weakness
because he trusts in God’s strength.
The second danger that we
are warned about today is Stereotyping. Stereotyping people is common among
many today. We stereotype on the basis of country, state, religion, and caste.
We tend to categorize people on these bases and so, prejudge them much like the
people of Jesus’ hometown did. We lump all of one kind together and look at
them with prejudiced and jaundiced eyes. We do not give them a chance to reveal
their uniqueness, because once we “know” where they are from, we think we
“know” all there is to know about them. We close our minds and eyes and ears
and refuse to see and hear. We refuse to change our opinion because of what we
already “know”. “They are always like that”, “they will never change”, and
“what else can you expect from them” are some of the responses which reflect
this closed attitude. This kind of attitude leads to a loss on both sides. We
lose out on the individuality of the person we have judged and he or she is not
allowed to be the person that he or she is because “We know”. Be careful of saying “I know”. You may miss
the Messiah.
Friday 5 July 2024
Saturday, July 6, 2024 - How often have you made rules and regulations ends in themselves? What will you do about it today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Amos 9:11-15; Mt 9:14-17
The question about fasting is raised
here by the disciples of John the Baptist. Jesus’ first response is that the
wedding guests do not fast during the wedding. In other words the time of Jesus
is considered as a time of celebration, it is the time of the presence of the
Kingdom of God. The second and third responses are about the new cloth and old
garment and about new wine in old wine skins. The point here seems to be that
both have their place in appropriate settings and must not be mixed up. Fasting
does have a place in spirituality, but must not be made an end it itself.
It is possible that even our good
actions might take a hold of us and so become ends in themselves. There is only
one end: God and all else that we do even if it is good can never be an end. We
must use them as means to reach God. This means that if something helps me, I
use it, if it hinders me I give it up.
Thursday 4 July 2024
Friday, July 5, 2024 - Is your “usual” way of looking a “negative or pessimistic” way? Will you look at persons, things and events positively today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Amos 8:4-6,9-12; Mt 9:9-13
The text of today contains the call of
Matthew, and Jesus’ fellowship with tax collectors and sinners. It is only in
the Gospel of Matthew that the tax collector is called Matthew. In Mark and
Luke he is called Levi. However, in the lists of the Twelve in both Mark and
Luke, the disciple is named Matthew and Levi does not appear. It is unlikely
that Matthew and Levi refer to the same person. It was rare for Jews to have
two different Jewish names. The reason for the author choosing the name Matthew
remains unknown. However, in the text what strikes one is that whereas most
people who passed by the tax office would see a corrupt official, Jesus was
able to see a potential disciple. It was Jesus’ way of looking that led to the
transformation and the response of Matthew to the call. In his response to the
objection of the Pharisees, Jesus responds with a common proverb about the sick
needing a doctor, and also quotes from Hoses 6,6, which here is interpreted to
mean that the mercy of God in Jesus is extended to all humanity and takes
precedence over everything else. All else must be understood in this light.
There are times when we judge people too
easily and many of these times our judgement of them is negative. This is also
how we often look at the whole of creation and because we put labels on things,
people and all else in creation, we may miss out on the uniqueness that each
possesses.
Wednesday 3 July 2024
Thursday, July 4, 2024 - Do you believe that God has forgiven you all your sins? Will you now extend the same forgiveness to at least one person whom you find it difficult to forgive?
To read the texts click on the texts: Amos 7:1-10; Mt 9:1-8
The miracle of the healing of the
paralytic who was let down from the roof which forms our text for today is
found also in Mark (2, 1-12) and Luke (5,17-26). Matthew has
omitted some details from Mark and thus shortened his narrative. Through these
omissions, Matthew allows the reader to focus exclusively on Jesus and his
words. It is unusual that Jesus does not respond to the paralytic’s immediate
need but first forgives him his sins. The healing of the man is done later and
only as demonstration of the fact that Jesus has power and authority to forgive
sin, because the scribes consider Jesus’ pronouncement of forgiveness of sins
as blasphemy. Since Jesus heals by the power of God, he can forgive sins by the
same power. In Matthew, the crowd does not praise God for the miracle like they
do in Mark and Luke, but for the authority to forgive sins attributed not only
to Jesus but to human beings (“such authority to human beings” – Mt 9,8).
Most doctors today are convinced that
there is an intimate connection between negative feelings and especially
unforgiveness and physical ailments and advice a positive attitude and
forgiving and letting go, for quicker healing. If we persist in our unforgiveness,
we will continue to have a variety of ailments and sometimes no amount of
external medicine will help at all. Forgive it is good for health.
Tuesday 2 July 2024
Wednesday, July 3, 2024 - St. Thomas, Apostle of India - Will one person be 'believing' today because you have made Jesus known to him/her?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 10:24-35; Heb 1:2-3; Jn 20:24-29
Thomas the Apostle, also
called Didymus (meaning "Twin," as does "Thomas" in
Aramaic") was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He was perhaps the only
Apostle who went outside the Roman Empire to preach the Gospel. He is also believed
to have crossed the largest area, which includes the Parthian Empire and India.
The text chosen for the
Feast of St. Thomas from the Gospel is often mistakenly referred to as that of
“Doubting Thomas”. However, that is a misnomer. Jesus does not use the word
doubt in these verses. Rather, Jesus chides Thomas for being unbelieving. The
story focuses on the grounds of faith. Thomas seeks tangible proof which the
disciples are unable to provide. Jesus provides this for Thomas and in so doing
asks him to move from unbelief to faith.
Thomas does not touch the
hands and side of Jesus as Jesus invites him to do, but responds with the
highest acclamation or title for Jesus anywhere in the New Testament. Thomas
sees God fully revealed in Jesus. This is why Jesus is for Thomas “My Lord and
my God!”
The Beatitude or blessing
pronounced by Jesus on future generations’ states that having seen Jesus is not
a prerequisite for faith. One must first believe in order to see.
Monday 1 July 2024
Tuesday, July 2, 2024 - Have the “storms” of your life sometimes overwhelmed you? Will you believe that with Jesus in the boat of your life these can be controlled?
To read the texts click on the texts: Amos 3:1-8;4:11-12; Mt 8:23-27
The miracle in our text for today known
sometimes as the Calming of The Storm is found also in Mark (4,35-41) and Luke
(8,22-25). It is only Matthew, however, who emphasises that the disciples
“followed Jesus into the boat”. The miracle is not only a nature miracle but
also a story told to indicate that Jesus has control over the storms of life
itself. In Matthew the “storm” indicates the stormy experience of the community
(represented by the disciples in the boat) who follow Jesus. While in Mark the
cry is one of distress (“Teacher do you not care if we perish?”), in Matthew,
it is a liturgical-sounding cry for help (Save, Lord; we are perishing). In
both Mark and Luke the reprimand about “little faith” is after Jesus has calmed
the storm, whereas in Matthew, the reprimand precedes the calming. This is an
indication that “faith” is primary, and if the disciples had the faith needed,
they would not be agitated.
We may sometimes get disturbed and
agitated when thigs do not happen the way we expect them to or when we are
faced with a difficult situation. At times like the disciples in the Gospel of
Mark we may accuse Jesus of not being concerned about our plight and at other
times like the disciples in the Gospel of Matthew we may plead with him to come
to our aid. No matter which approach we may use, we need to remember that he
will let nothing happen to us that is not part of his plan and will. We have to
continue to do what is required of as and confidently leave the rest to him.
Sunday 30 June 2024
Monday, July 1, 2024 - What excuses have you been giving to the call to follow Jesus? What will you do about them today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Amos 2:6-10,13-16; Mt 8:18-22
Today’s text follows immediately after
the first three miracles of Matthew’s Miracle Cycle. In the first three
miracles, the disciples are not mentioned at all and the focus is solely on the
authority of Jesus. The text of today and the miracles that follow emphasise
discipleship. The scribe who addresses Jesus in the text of today is clearly
not a disciple because of the term he uses to address Jesus, namely “Teacher”.
In Matthew, only disciples address Jesus as Lord. The scribe is informed
through Jesus’ response that firstly Jesus is the one who will take the
initiative to call and secondly that his priorities need to be changed. The
life to which Jesus calls will need a reversal of priorities. To the second
disciple, Jesus’ response seems hard and brusque. Some interpret this to mean
that the spiritually dead must be left to bury the physically dead. However,
the point is that absolutely nothing can come in the way of Jesus’ call.
Following Jesus on Mission means become
an “other-centred” person from being self-centred. It will mean giving up the
Ego and placing the other’s need before my own. It may mean giving up what one
holds dear and near. It is an unconditional following.
Saturday 29 June 2024
Sunday, June 30, 2024- Persevering Faith
To read the texts click on the texts: Wis1:13-15;2:23-24; 2 Cor 8:7,9,13-15; Mk 5:21-43
“Everyone wants to go to
heaven but no one wants to die”. This statement of a wit brings out the fear
that many have of death. However, the readings of today though they speak about
death, regard death as something that is not to be feared if one believes in a
God who is the giver and sustainer of life.
The first reading from
the Book of Wisdom makes this point emphatically when it states that death
cannot be part of God’s plan because God does not act only to see his work end
in corruption. The purpose of creation is not death but life and the natural orientation
of all created things is life. This is true especially of humans who alone are
created in the image and likeness of God. Death thus is not natural and comes
about when one stifles the life that God gives.
That God gives life and
sustains it is brought out even more powerfully in the Gospel text of today.
Mark uses here what is known as the “sandwich construction”. He introduces the
incident about Jairus’ daughter being ill and even at the point of dearth but
interrupts it with the cure of the woman with the flow of blood. He then
continues the incident of Jairus’ daughter who is now dead, but whom Jesus
raises. The reason for the sandwich construction here seems to be to heighten
the suspense for the reader. Since Jairus’ daughter is at the “point of death”,
Jesus must not tarry but hurry if she is to be saved. Yet, Jesus tarries
because he knows that the basic orientation of the human is not death but life
and that God’s power over death will prevail. Jesus tarries, confident in the
knowledge that he can indeed raise even the dead. Jesus tarries because he
knows that he is the giver of life. This gift of life is given not only to
Jairus’ daughter but also to the woman with the flow of blood, who though not
dead, had reached a stage when she was tempted to give up on life. She had
reached the end of her tether and her last hope was the Lord. She was not
disappointed. She received healing, she received life.
The Psalmist sings the
words that the woman, Jairus and his daughter would have wanted to sing. They
have indeed been rescued by the Lord. He has liberated them from all bondage.
He has saved them from death.
What is responsible for
this turn of events? Is it the power of God alone? Is it God acting of his own
accord and solely according to his will? The answer is an emphatic “NO”. It is
evident in both the first reading and Gospel that it is faith in God’s life
giving and sustaining power and the action of God that is responsible. This is
made even clearer in the Gospel when Jesus attributes the healing of the woman
to her faith and exhorts Jairus not to fear but to believe.
The force of faith and
the power of God become manifest in the life of Christians are narrated by the
second reading of today. Indeed, thanks to the power of faith they were able to
overcome ethnic and cultural barriers, and express their fraternal charity to
others by the concrete action of reaching out to their material needs in
imitation of Jesus. It is a faith that manifested itself not only in words but
also in action.
The challenge of the
readings of today may be summed up in the words “persevering faith”. This means
that there may be numerous times when we are faced with death like situations.
These are situations when like the woman in the gospel story we have done all
that is required of us and there seems to be nothing more that we can do. These
are situations when like Jairus we have nowhere to turn. It is at times like
these when we may tend to give up and give in. However, like the woman and like
Jairus we are called never to do this to ourselves because the God we believe
in is a God of everything that is positive, a God who never gives up on us and
a God of life. Since he is also a God who gives and does not hold anything
back, we who are created in his image and likeness cannot live selfish
self-centred lives, but like Paul invites the Corinthians, we too are invited
to live faith filled lives, faith which is shown in action.
Friday 28 June 2024
Saturday, June 29, 2024- Saints Peter and Paul - Will you witness to Jesus like Peter and Paul did? How?
To read the texts click on the texts: Acts12:1-11; 2Tm 4:6-8, 17-18; Mt 16:13-19
There is an old story about the death of St. Peter in Rome during the persecution of Nero. Peter heard about Nero's plan to burn the city and blame the Christians. He figured as the one who presided over the church in the city he would be arrested and put to death. So he did the sensible thing - Peter was always a sensible man - he got out of town, and at night. The Appian Way was dark for a while as Peter snuck down it. However, as the night wore on the sky was illuminated by the flames rising from the city. Peter hurried on and eventually was far enough away from the city that it was dark again. Then he saw someone coming in the opposite direction, someone who even at night seemed familiar. It was the Lord himself. What was he doing out at night and walking towards Rome? “Where are you going, Lord?” Peter asked him. “To Rome”, Jesus replied, “to be crucified again in your place”. Peter turned around and returned to Rome and according to tradition was crucified there.
Though this story does not agree with what is narrated in the first reading of today from the Acts of the Apostles, in which we are told that Peter was imprisoned, it does agree with what the Gospels narrate about Peter’s denials, and brings out an important facet of the meaning of the feast: Jesus did not choose strong, brave and courageous individuals to continue the work that he had begun. He chose weak, frail and cowardly humans. He chose individuals who would falter and fail. This is the Peter who confessed Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the Living God” and to whom the Jesus handed over the “keys” of the Church, knowing full well that there would be times when the lofty confession would turn into a base denial.
Paul’s conversion story is narrated twice in the Acts of the Apostles and Paul himself speaks of it in some of his letters. His commission as an apostle of Christ began with a divine revelation of the identity of the Lord Jesus. He reports the events surrounding his recognition of Jesus as the Lord of glory and his appointment as apostle to the gentiles. Felled to the ground by a brilliant light from heaven and hearing a reproachful voice addressing him by name his first need was to know who it was who broke into his life with such awe-inspiring power. Just as Jesus told Peter that he would assign to him the charge of leading his Church once the Peter recognized his master's true identity, so also Paul's task was given to him only after Jesus revealed himself as the glorified Lord.
The apostles' mission thus grew out of their loving knowledge of the person of Jesus, the Son of the living God. Their work, indeed their whole life, was to follow from this surpassing knowledge of Christ which became the basis of all their dealing with others. They were given to the whole Church to teach us not only what Christ revealed and taught but also how to live as he himself had put into practice the things willed by the Father.
Today we marvel at the transformation of these previously weak human leaders. Peter’s newfound passionate commitment to his Lord and to the fledgling church resulted in his imprisonment. Paul too was jailed. He did not see this as failure, but as the destiny that was his in consequence of his commitment to the Gospel. He had fought the good fight, he had run the race, and he had kept the faith. He faced death, and he knew it. That was the price they had to pay for their commitment and fidelity to the Lord.
Their personalities were very different, their approaches to spreading the Faith were very different, and their relationships with Christ were very different. Although the two were both Apostles, there were moments of disagreement and conflict between them. And yet, they are bound together on this single feast, as they were bound together by the one Faith, confessing the one Lord, shedding their blood for him and his mission of peace, justice and love.
Within the recent past, the church has been tossed to and fro in storms of controversy. Not one storm, but many storms, and not in one country, but in many countries. It has been the target of fierce persecution from without, and it has also allowed evil to corrupt it from within. Whether in circumstances of harassment or scandal, the lives of many have been diminished, their confidence undermined and their faith tested.
Without minimizing the suffering in our current situations, we should remember that dire trials are really not new to the church. From its very beginning it has faced opposition. The first reading for today’s feast describes one such situation.
Despite its trials, however, the church has survived and even flourished. This is not due to the strength and holiness of its members. Though Jesus told Peter that the church would be built upon him, the church’s real foundation was and continues to be Jesus Christ its Lord. He is the one who commissioned Peter; he is the one who assures the church of protection. He is the one who stood by Paul and gave him strength to bring the Gospel to the broader world. The church may have been built on Peter the former denier and spread by Paul the former persecutor, but it is the church of Jesus Christ, and it will endure because of his promise.
Today we celebrate the
fidelity of Peter and Paul, sinners like us all. Initially, they were both
found wanting. When they eventually repented, they were forgiven by God in
Christ. Though they were victims of persecution, their commitment to Christ and
to the church made them heroes. Their victory is evidence that the gates of
hell shall not prevail. Their victory is evidence that we shall indeed
overcome.
Thursday 27 June 2024
Friday, June 28, 2024 - In your prayer do you express the confidence that the leper in the story expresses? If no, why not?
To read the texts click on the texts: 2 Kings 25:1-12; Mt 8:1-4
We begin reading today in the liturgy
and will continue for the whole of next week from Chapters 8 and 9 of the
Gospel of Matthew. These Chapters contain what is known as the “Miracle Cycle”
of Matthew, because in them we find ten miracles in series of three miracles
each. The fact that the Miracle Cycle follows immediately after the Sermon on
the Mount and both are framed by a summary statement in 4,23 and 9, 35 is an
indication that Matthew’s intention is to show through such a placement that
Jesus is the Messiah in words (through the Sermon on the Mount) and deeds
(through the Miracle Cycle).
The healing of a leper, which is our
text for today, is also found in the Gospels of Mark and Luke, but where Mark
narrates the emotional reactions of Jesus, Matthew and Luke omit them. The term
leprosy was used for any kind of skin disease, and those with such kind of
diseases were considered as unclean and not allowed to be part of society. They
had to live on the outskirts of the city, and had to make their presence known
whenever they entered the city, so that others could avoid any kind of contact with
them and so not get contaminated.
The leper addresses Jesus as Lord, which
is a title used only by believers in the Gospel of Matthew. In this miracle,
Jesus not only heals the leper, but also reaches out and touches him. This
probably means that Jesus cannot be contaminated or made unclean by anything
from outside. It could also indicate Jesus’ wanting to reach out to the leper
in a personal manner and treat him as a full human being.
The prayer of the leper is a lesson for
each one of us on the meaning of prayer. In his prayer the leper both
acknowledges his dependence on Jesus through the words, “If you will” and also
has faith in the ability of Jesus to heal through the words, “you can make me
clean”. Prayer means to acknowledge our dependence on God and also to have
faith that God can do what to us may seem impossible.
Wednesday 26 June 2024
Thursday, June 27, 2024 - Do your actions speak louder than your words?
To read the texts click on the texts:2Kings 24:8-17; Mt 7:21-29
While the Sermon on the Mount began with
Jesus calling his disciples to him and sitting down like a Rabbi to begin to
teach them (5,1-2), it ends with Jesus addressing the crowds as a prophet
(7,29). The last part of the Sermon, which forms our text for today, is about
action rather than words. Prophesying in the Lord’s name will be of no help if
one is not willing TO DO the will of God. The examples of the one who built
his/her house on rock and the one who built his/her house on sand reiterate
this point. The Sermon calls everyone to action.
If the foundation of our lives is
strong, then what we build on it will also be strong. If we have a strong
sense of values and know what our priorities are in life, we can continue to be
focussed on what we have to do.
Tuesday 25 June 2024
Wednesday, June 26, 2024 - Is your being good? What will you do to make it better?
To read the texts click on the texts: 2 Kings 22,8-13; 23,1-3; Mt 7:15-20
The text of today is from the latter
part of the Sermon on the Mount. In it Jesus asks his listeners to focus on the
internal i.e. the heart from which everything else flows. If the heart is pure
than everything that a person does or says will also be pure. The external is
only an expression of the internal. A person's actions or words flow from what
is in his/her heart.
Our actions do not often coincide with
our words, because we do not always mean what we say. Sometimes we say one
thing and do another. There is a dichotomy between our words and actions. We
are called to synchronise the two.
Monday 24 June 2024
Tuesday, June 25, 2024 - The words that you use to complete this sentence will give you a fairly good idea of how you treat others: People are usually ……………………
To read the texts click on the texts: 2 Kings 19:9-11,14-21,31-36; Mt 7:6,12-14
The first verse of today (7,5)
introduces a new subject: holiness. The point that seems to be made here is
that holy things have their place and should not be profaned. 7,12 has often
been termed, as the Golden rule, which the Matthean Jesus states, is a summary
of the law and prophets. Here it is stated positively. One must treat others in
the same way that one expects to be treated. This also means that one must take
the initiative in doing the loving thing that does not wait to respond to the
action of another. In the final two verses of this pericope (7,13-14) the point
being made is that it is the narrow gate that leads to life and salvation and
the broad or wide gate to damnation. One must make a choice for one or another.
We wish that people would be kind and
understanding with us but we are seldom kind and understanding towards them.
Often the behaviour that we find revolting in others is the behaviour we
ourselves are guilt of. When we criticise others for being too harsh, we need
to ask whether we have not been so.