Saturday, November 14, 2015 - Believe BEFORE you pray that your prayer will be answered and it will

To read the texts click on the texts: Wis 18:14-16;19:6-9; Lk 18:1-8

This is a parable found only in the Gospel of Luke. While some focus on the judge and term it as the Parable of the Unjust Judge, others focus on the widow and so call it the Parable of the Persistent Widow. 

Luke introduces this parable as a parable on prayer. The judge is described as a man “who neither feared God nor had any respect for people” (18:2). It is difficult to imagine how such a man can be worthy of being a judge. The widow is introduced as someone who is going repeatedly to the judge for justice. The text does not state the nature of her complaint, nor does it tell us why the judge refused to listen to her for a while (18:3-4). The judge finally relents and decides to grant her justice, because the woman is constantly bothering her and because he does not want to be worn out by her constant petitions.

If one focuses on the judge, then the point of the parable is that if the judge who was unjust could grant the woman justice, then God who is just and judge over all will surely heed the cries of those who call on him.

If on the other hand the focus is on the widow, then the parable calls for persistence in asking and not giving up or giving in.

The final verse of this section ends with a question from the Lucan Jesus about whether he will find faith on earth when he comes. Since Luke introduces the parable as one, which speaks about persistence and constant asking, he may have felt the need to end with the question of faith.

Prayer can and does “change” the mind of God.

Friday, November 13, 2015 - How would you fare if the Son of Man were to judge you at this moment?

To read the texts click on the the texts: Wis 13:1-9;Lk 17:26-37

This section starts with the examples of the days of Noah and Lot (17:26-29). Just as in the days of Noah and Lot the life of the people at that time proceeded normally and people were going about their daily business until all of a sudden the flood and brimstone and fire respectively destroyed the people, so it will be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. This means that decisive action is absolutely necessary. There will be no turning back. 

Lot’s wife who turned into a pillar of salt when she looked back (Gen19:26) is given as an example of the dangers of looking back. When the Son of Man does indeed come, then the choice of those who will be taken and those who will be left will be made. 

In answer to the disciples’ question, “Where, Lord?” (17:37), Jesus answers with an enigmatic proverb, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather” (17:37). The point of this proverb here seems to be that just as it is sure that vultures will gather where a corpse is found, as surely will the judgement of the Son of Man fall upon on the wicked.

Decisive action does not mean desperate action. It means steady and regular action. If one is at any given moment in time doing what one is supposed to do, it may be regarded as decisive action. A person engaged in such an activity is always ready.

Thursday, November 12, 2015 - Instead of focussing too much on the afterlife, will you focus on life here and now.

To read the texts click on the texts: Wis 7:22-8:1; Lk 17:20-25

The first two verses of this section (17:20-21) are exclusive to Luke though Matthew 24:23 and Mark 13:21 contain part of Luke 17:21. In Luke the Pharisees pose the question about the future coming of the kingdom. In his response, Jesus speaks not of the time when the kingdom will come, but about the very nature of the kingdom. Since the pronoun “you” is plural, Jesus’ saying that the kingdom is “among you” is unlikely to mean that the kingdom is within a group of individuals. Rather it seems to mean that the kingdom is in Jesus who is among them at that time.

The next verse (17:22) begins the discourse of the coming of the Son of Man. There will be a long period when the disciples long to see even a glimpse of their deliverance (one of the days of the Son of Man). Though some will point here and others there, the disciples must not be taken in. When the Son of Man does appear he will be visible to all everywhere. However, before he comes, he will have to endure suffering. The Son of Man who comes will be the Son of Man who has suffered and been rejected.

Obsession with the afterlife does not help us to live fully the life we have here and now. Too many questions about death and what will happen after death result in life passing us by. While as Christians we do believe in the life to come, we are also instructed in many places in the Gospels that the life to come will not be a totally different kind of life, but a life which will continue in a fuller way the present one we have. Our focus therefore ought to be on living this life fully at every moment of every day.

Wednesday, Novmber 11, 2015- How often have you thanked God for the wonder of your life? Will you do that today? How?

To read the texts click on the texts: Wis 6:1-11; Lk 17:11-19

The miracle of the healing of ten lepers is found only in the Gospel of Luke. The mention of Samaria at the beginning of this miracle story prepares us for the Samaritan who gave thanks at the end. 

Lepers were not allowed to live within the city limits and had to live outside (Numbers 5:2-3). They also had to cry out that they were unclean when anyone approached them (Leviticus 13:45-46). This is why Luke has the lepers in this story stand at a distance (17:12) and call out in unison addressing Jesus as Master, which only disciples do in the Gospel of Luke. Their cry for mercy would ordinarily have been a cry for alms, but in this case, it seems to be for much more. When Jesus sees them, he issues a command that they go and show themselves to the priests and as they obeyed this command, they were made clean. 

It is interesting to note that the healing here takes place after they obey Jesus’ command. One of the ten on realising that he was healed began to praise God and his action of falling prostrate at Jesus’ feet is an indication that he recognised God as acting in and through Jesus. 

Though ten were made clean, only one of them and that too a Samaritan who was despised by the Jews and regarded as an outcast and foreigner has returned to thank God. The faith of the man here is shown not before but after his healing. This results in the man receiving not just healing, but salvation.

Gratitude does not come naturally to many of us. Before the favour can be done for us, we are willing to do anything for the person who can do us that favour. However, often once the favour has been done, we forget to thank. While the person concerned might not expect any thanks from us, it is our responsibility to acknowledge our gratitude by our thanks.

Tuesday, November 10, 2015 - Do you constantly expect thanks and praise for all the good that you do? Will you perform one act today without any expectation whatever?

To read the texts click on the texts: Wis 2:23 - 3:9; Lk 17:7-10

These verses are exclusive to Luke and contain a parable. In the first part of the parable the disciples are cast in the role of the master through Jesus’ question, “Will any of you who has a servant…” (17:7). No one would expect a master to ask a servant to sit at table and serve him, rather the servant would be expected even after he has come from the field, to get the master’s supper ready and serve the master. Moreover, the servant will not be thanked simply because he has done what was required of him.

At the end of the parable and in the relationship with God, the disciples are cast in the roles of servants. They must realise that like the servant of the parable they will also have to do all that is required of them and not expect any thanks because they have only done what was expected of them.

Very few of us regard that we have been given the thanks due to us already in the service that we have been allowed to provide. We wait for further thanks and commendations. It is not only spiritual but also prudent and practical to do what we are doing and expect no thanks at all. If it does come we accept it in all humility, whereas if it does not come we are not disappointed.

MORNING OFFERING

PRAYERS

Monday, November 9, 2015 - DEDICATION OF LATERAN BASILICA - If the Lord were to visit the Temple of your life what would his response be?

To read the texts click on the texts: Ez 47:1-2,8-9; Jn 2:13-22

The Basilica of St. John Lateran is the cathedral of the Church of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Pope who is Bishop of Rome. It is the oldest and ranks first among the four major basilicas of Rome. As the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, it contains the papal throne and ranks above all churches in the Roman Catholic Church, even above St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.

It was built by Lateranus Palutius, whom Nero put to death to seize his goods. It was given in the year 313 by Constantine the Great to Saint Miltiades, Pope, and was inhabited by his successors until 1308, when they moved to Avignon. The Lateran Basilica built by Constantine near the palace of the same name, is the first Basilica of the West. Twelve councils, four of which were ecumenical, have assembled there, the first in 649, the last in 1512.

When the Lateran Church was partially ruined by fires, enemy invasions, and earthquakes, it was always rebuilt with great zeal by the Sovereign Pontiffs. In 1726, after one such restoration, Pope Benedict XIII consecrated it anew and assigned the commemoration of that event to the present day. The church was afterwards enlarged and beautified by Popes Pius IX and Leo XIII.

The texts chosen today speak of both the external temple and the temple that is Jesus’ body. Ezekiel is given a vision of a temple from which water flows. In the Gospel text of today, Jesus cleanses the external temple which had become a place of degradation and a market place and replaces it with the Temple that is his body. In other words, true worship now is no longer merely external and in an external place but has to be in spirit and truth.