Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Monday, 19 November 2018
Audio Reflections of Tuesday, November 20, 2018
To hear the Audio Reflections of Tuesday, November 20, 2018 click HERE
Tuesday, November 20, 2018 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 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.
Tuesday, November 20, 2018 - Rev 3:1-6,14-22 ; Lk 19:1-10
Tuesday, November 20, 2018 - Rev 3:1-6,14-22 ; Lk 19:1-10
Sunday, 18 November 2018
Audio Reflections of Monday, November 19, 2018
To hear the Audio Reflections of Monday, November 19, 2018 click HERE
Monday, November 19, 2018 - 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.
Monday, November 19, 2018 - Rev 1:1-4; 2:1-5; Lk 18:35-43
Monday, November 19, 2018 - Rev 1:1-4; 2:1-5; Lk 18:35-43
Saturday, 17 November 2018
Sunday, November 18, 2018 - 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.
Sunday, November 18, 2018 - Dn 12:1-3; Heb 10:11-14,18; Mk 13:24-32
Sunday, November 18, 2018 - Dn 12:1-3; Heb 10:11-14,18; Mk 13:24-32
Friday, 16 November 2018
Audio Reflections of Saturday, November 17, 2018
To hear the Audio Reflections of Saturday, November 17, 2018 click HERE
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