Mysteries of the Kingdom of God have been revealed to the poor and humble in heart.

 

Saturday September 30, 2017
Memorial of Saint Jerome
Zechariah 2:5-9,14-15a
Jeremiah 31:10-13
Luke 9:43b-45

Podcast:
ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/17_09_30.mp3

“Pay attention to what I am telling you.
The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.”
But they did not understand this saying;
its meaning was hidden from them
so that they should not understand it,

Today’s reading talk about the length and depth of the Kingdom of God. The Gospel of Christ was proclaimed to good and the evil. The gospel is transparent and open to each person of this World despite of his status of life. God is for everyone and for everybody and do not have any favourites. Why then some are anointed or enlightened with revelations of the Kingdom of God and others are not. The words of God must be understood in spirit and truth because they are not human Words and to grasp the truths or ways of God, we need to have a poor and contrite heart. The Worldly interpreters of the languages and of finest of Vocabularies will not be able to understand the values of the Gospel. In fact God has kept them away from the mysteries of the Kingdom of God because if they understand them they will use for the Worldly Ways and contaminate the values of the Gospel. The pearls cannot be thrown in front of the Swine because they will not understand the value but they trample them under their feet.

Many intelligent people have mastered the word of God in human knowledge but have not experienced the Gospel in their life or the mysteries and true meaning of the Gospel was not understood or revealed to them. These kinds of people remain Bad Critics of the Word of God throughout their life. St. Jerome translated Bible from Hebrew and Greek to Latin and gave us the true translation and Commentaries on these Word of God. St. Jerome not only a qualified Scholar but also a hermit and lived a monastic life in Antioch the First Christian Community. The true knowledge of the Word of God is the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God shines his light upon the Gospel and the true meaning and values are revealed to the faithful.

Today we see more than 500 versions of the Bible translated by different People as per their own understanding and thus the Word of God has been turned and twisted as per man’s own self opinion. We also must study the Word of God to understand it’s true meaning with various references, history, circumstances, culture, people and Society. The overall idea gives us  true light of the hidden values the meeting point of God to his people in the Gospel of Salvation.

 

 

Jesus wants to Complete his Victory of Salvation through our faith in his sacrificial blood & words of our testimony.

 

Friday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time
Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, archangels
September 29, 2017

Today’s Readings:

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
or Revelations 12:7-12ab
Ps 138:1-5
John 1:47-51
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/092917.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/17_09_29.mp3

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have salvation and power come,
and the Kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Anointed.
For the accuser of our brothers is cast out,
who accuses them before our God day and night.
They conquered him by the Blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
love for life did not deter them from death.
Therefore, rejoice, you heavens,
and you who dwell in them.”

Today readings talk about the Completion or Victory of God’s Salvation upon heaven and Earth and defeat of the Devil or Evil in Heaven and Earth. This is a Vision of John in the Book of Revelation. The book of revelation itself is the Prophesy of Coming of the Kingdom of God on Heaven and Earth. In the Gospel reading we see Nathaniel who was a teacher of the Law, awaiting to see Messiah to save them from Sin of Slavery to freedom. Nathaniel was expecting the revelation of Messiah under the Fig tree which was a symbol of God’s Wisdom and Jews believed that revelation is manifested like Jacob got a dream of Angels ascending and descending from heaven, if they study the Scriptures under a fig tree.  Jesus uses his Word of Knowledge here, a true Israelite who awaits the Messiah will descend from heaven like an angel to descend from heaven under a fig tree or through the Law. The Law was contaminated with human knowledge and interpreted in a wrong meaning. Jesus in fact descended from heaven through Gabriel Angel giving the good news to Mary that she will Conceive a Son through the power of the Holy Spirit. Mary becomes the tree of Wisdom who obeyed God’s Word and the Messiah takes birth in Manger which only Maggie’s who interpreted the Law in a right spirit encountered him.

The Angels Conquered the Devil and his Kingdom by the blood of the Lamb and by the Word of the Testimony. Jesus had won the Salvation but He allowed the Evil to roam freely so that he wanted his People may defeat him by the Weapons of Salvation, the blood of Jesus and our Witnessing to Jesus. The Satan must be defeated by you and me in our life. By wearing the armour of God and witnessing him in love and prayer make us victorious in our life. If we love our Worldly life, we cannot win the Victory but we must love the Gospel values and undervalue the Worldly life and Bodily death. The Satan tempts us to love our life in this World and takes us away from God and day and night accuses us in heavenly Court of our disobedience to God’s Word. He plays double role first he tempts us to do all Worldly things in our life which is Contrary to the Gospel and then he goes in the presence of God and accuses us of our disobedience. He is a liar, who tempted our first parents by giving a false promise that if you eat the fruits you will not die…but Adam and Eve died due to their disobedience. God created man in his image as immortal but man sinned and became mortal.

Many Saints and Holy men and Women have trusted in the Saving Blood of Jesus and have become witnesses to him . When we witness Jesus in our life , we destroy the Kingdom of Satan in this Earth as well as in heaven. When he goes to heaven to accuse the people of God , by the power of the blood of Jesus and the Word of our testimony , the Angel Michael with all his angel will bind the Satan and thrown in to the Earth so that never again he can go to the presence of God to accuse us.

Satan and all the Evil angels are Creation of God and pure spirits and but powerful than human. But they are weak before the power of God. We must use the Power of the Gospel and Jesus and the Holy Spirit to confront these spirits in our lives. If we use our human Wisdom how powerful or Scientific or technologically advanced it may be, if it is not made in God’s Wisdom and for his purpose, we cannot eradicate Evil from this World. Moreover, Evil will use these Super human powers to harm God’s People and Kingdom. If we see Nuclear Power was invented for energy and for many other good things of life but today Nuclear Power has become the biggest threat to the humanity. The Satan or Devil is using this power to blackmail and control other nations. Who are the great powers of today, most of them are nuclear powers. Once upon a time nation invented guns to hunt animals and protect themselves, but later used the same guns to control other backward nations and rule them on gun point. When the missionaries preached the Gospel of love, they put down the guns and building communities of love.

The sacrificial blood of Jesus which enlightens our mind to the true Messiah in repentance and by becoming the followers of that love by witnessing his teachings only the way to save the World from the Evil and even the threats of the super powers. One of the best Witnessing is to pray for the World to enlighten them with true values of life. They have been hypnotised or a spell has been put on these people by the Evil, When we pray to Jesus to enlighten them with the Power of his Spirit, the Evil spirit must leave and the human comes in to his senses and transformation takes place, We have seen this in the history, how the Evil has been destroyed by the power of Prayer, peace, love and patience.  We can truly call the Angels to help us if we trust Jesus and do what he is telling us to do, without Jesus even, Angels will not be able to overpower the Evil because they also have created in the Spirit form and have the same ability. The weapons they use are the Jesus Sacrificial death on the Cross and Witnessing to his Salvation, the testimony of our response to Jesus and his saving power in our life. If we do not gain the Weapons of Salvation, Devil will accuse us in the presence of God for each and every activity of our which is not as per the Word of God and claim our Soul now after our death. So friends let us not take lightly the Salvation of Jesus but let us believe, live and die with him. Also let us ask the intercessions of St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael and all the Angels and saints to intercede for us and the Whole World to save us from the snares of the Evil one.

 

 

 

 

 

God reminds us to renew the first love of our life.

 

Thursday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time
September 28, 2017

Haggai 1:1-8
Ps 149:1b-6a, 9b
Luke 9:7-9
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/092817.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/17_09_28.mp3

 

Thus says the LORD of hosts:
This people says:
“The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.”
(Then this word of the LORD came through Haggai, the prophet:)
Is it time for you to dwell in your own paneled houses,
while this house lies in ruins?

Now thus says the LORD of hosts:
Consider your ways!
You have sown much, but have brought in little;
you have eaten, but have not been satisfied;
You have drunk, but have not been exhilarated;
have clothed yourselves, but not been warmed;
And whoever earned wages
earned them for a bag with holes in it.

Today’s first reading is a call to every sleeping Christian of today to Wake up and rebuld the Church of God on this Earth. The Israelites were in Exile in Babylon under King Darius of Persia. God converts King Darius, and King Darius sends all Israelites who were in Captivity to build the Temple of God in Jerusalem. King Darius gave this decree in obedience to God who instructed him to build the  Temple but Israelites after coming back from the Exile , started to build the temple in much Zeal but over the time due to  challenges and Opposition gave up and started to build and settle themselves. At this time Prophet Haggai gives a Prophesy of the First reading. Please read the first reading with much attention.

God has chosen every individual of this earth for a special purpose and that purpose is to build the Community of love upon this Earth. God wants to dwell among his people in love , Justice and Peace. Christians are special people who have been given the Word of God and the Church to guide them in their lives. All Christians are called to build the Community in our own houses, Work place, Neighbourhood and Society and this is the first and very purpose of our life on this Earth. But if we focus on our own desires, lifestyles and priorities and forget the main purpose of building the Community of Love on this Earth, we betray God in our lives. God needs house to stay and he cannot live in our big Mansions and Bungalows or Expensive Cars or in luxury but he lives among People who love God and love each other in God’s Love. If we are not people of love and Worship, we  put God out of our House and leave him homeless in a street in the form of a Beggar. Mother Theresa saw every Beggar or people rotten with Wounds in the form of Jesus and embraced them and took care of them with love and care.

All of us are once upon a time were called to build the house of God and many of us had lots of zeal to love and serve people, Volunteer, help in different institutions, do Charity so on but over the time we have forgotten the Vocation of love , after we started building and gathering business. At this time the Worldly gifts becomes void. God disciplines the individual reminding him to come in to his original purpose of his Vocation of love and Worship.  God likes his people to come in one mind and soul and sing, dance and make merry glorifying him in festivals and Carnivals. The Lord takes delight in his people and showers his love the Holy Spirit in abundance. Where there is Holy Spirit, there peace, joy, happiness, love, prosperity , stability and protection but if we live for ourselves all these things cannot be attained or reached in life and the life becomes idol of power and money.  Whenever Israelites lived a life without love of God , they lost the protection and taken as slaves by the Pagan Kings.

A Nation cannot be Prosperous without Love of God and Neighbour and if at all any nation tries to be prosperous by commercialisation, it is like filling the riches in a holed Bag. The money and all other Worldly things make sense when there is love around and used to build the Community of love. Today let take little time to examine our life. Have we stuck somewhere with no answer? Are we still seeking happiness and feeling empty? Are we puzzled and lost in the rat race of life? Are we floating as per the flow of life without any Control? Did we Commit God when we transformed or Baptised or Married or renewed that we will build a House of God and serve him in love and Worship? The list can go on , please add the list of your own Commitments and repent for breaking them and start rebuilding those  unfulfilled Commitments which are waiting for you and me. God is waiting outside our Committed Shelter for years , knocking at our door . Let us open the door of love and welcome him and dine with him in this life and life to Come. Amen.

 

 

Christians are called to proclaim the goodnews to others by depending on them.

 

Wednesday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time
Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest
September 27, 2017

Today’s Readings:

Ezra 9:5-9
Tobit 13:2-4, 7-8 (with 1b)
Luke 9:1-6
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/092717.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/17_09_27.mp3

Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority
over all demons and to cure diseases,
and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God
and to heal the sick.
He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey,
neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money,
and let no one take a second tunic.
Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there.

Today’s readings talk about living in humility and poverty. St. Vincent the Paul was a priest with humility, compassion and generosity. He pleaded the rich for donations to help the poor in his Parish and released many slaves by paying the ransom for them. After his death, St. Vincent the Paul society was formed through his inspiration. The heart of St. Vincent the Paul is still uncurrupt after 400 years of his death. The Charity and love for the poor of St. Vincent the Paul was so great, he himself  lived in Captivity as a slave for 3-5 years of his time.

In the Gospel, Jesus is commissioning the Twelve Apostles to proclaim the Kingdom of God with signs and wonders. He says take nothing for the journey, this is very challenging and adventurous but there is God’s providence in this situation. God wants every disciple to become one like them and this can happen when we depend upon others in Resources, Protection, Shelter or future so that the Gospel is proclaimed in truth and humility. When we concentrate our needs, the focus goes on our need rather than the Gospel itself. Many Christians want to do the Work of God but the needs of their life are not met and remain needy people throughout their life. This is the reason Priests and religious and Church elders take the Vow of Poverty, Chastity, obedience and stability to restrain from the Worldly needs of our life and live a life of Sacrifice of humility and Simplicity.

We see Jesus telling the disciples to shake the dust from their feet as a testimony of their unacceptance of the Gospel. In Biblical times, when leaving Gentile cities, pious Jews often shook the dust from their feet to show their separation from Gentile practice. Jesus uses this practice against non-believing Jews. Jews wanted to live in the rules and rituals of their ancestors but Jesus wanted to set them free and accept him as a Messiah. The people who do not follow the Word of God are the people of this kind of today. People attend Mass and retreats but do not change in their life because they do not want to give up their Evil habits and accept God’s habit of love. These People reject God’s goodness and choose a path of Evil or death. Jesus washed the feet of the disciples as a sign of service and love but to the same disciples Jesus is saying   to shake the dust of their feet, to be careful from the yeast of the Hypocrites and warn them for wrong ways which lead to eternal death.  This testimony of God’s love will be a proof of God.s mercy reaching to each and every person as an invitation to the Kingdom of God. If people reject this invitation, the messengers still waiting with their testimony of love, the testimony of Love is God came in to this world as light but People chose darkness . All those put their trust in him received eternal life but People who rejected him already Condemned to eternal death.

 

The Word of God has Conquered the World, Flesh and Evil.

 

Tuesday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time
September 26, 2017

Today’s Readings:

Ezra 6:7-8, 12b, 14-20
Ps 122:1-5
Luke 8:19-21
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/092617.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/17_09_26.mp3

Blessed are those who hear the word of God
and observe it.

The readings of today describes the decorum of a   invited person to the Kingdom of God. The word of God is the invitation of God to come and dine with him in the Kingdom of God. This invitation must be accepted in faith and love of God and be transformed or disciplined or prepared to meet our Lord in the Banquet. The invitation is for everyone but if we receive the invitation as a formality or if we compare it to a Worldly invitation and try to enter the Celebration not being transformed or renewed with new clothes as per the requirement of the dress code of the Celebration, then God will not recognise us as his guests or brothers or Sisters.

The Gospel message is life giving spirit, they are the Words of eternal life. The heaven and earth may pass away but the Word of God will not pass way because they are Jesus himself.  This is the reason the Church calls every person to listen and understand and study the Word of God in the same spirit in which it was written or proclaimed. For this we need to study the Word of God in its history, context and the situations and to the people to whom it was written and what the Church and Holy People tell about it. When we do this the mysteries of the Kingdom of God are revealed through the Gospel by insights and reflections through our own past experiences in the similar kind of situation. These insights and reflections are spirit and life of today. God speaks the Gospel through these very reflections and insights and shines on the faithful for the present needs and solutions. These are very often spoken through the Church today so we must be attentive to voice of the Holy Fathers and  the Saints.

But if the word of God is not received in right spirit or for selfish reasons like self-opinion or Human Wisdom, the virtue or values of the Gospel become null and void and it will be like any Word or philosophy of the World. This is the reason many people listen to the Gospel and feel nice but do not apply the values in their life. For these kind of people, the Bible becomes a mere Story Book and homilies are a good well-spoken human motivational talk with lots of fun and Worldly strategies. Some people study and listen the Word of God only to preach and write.  These kinds of people will not gain any values of the Gospel unless they apply in their life and live with that Word of God in trials and challenges with a transformed life and then Witness the Gospel as a self-testimony. Jesus want us to be these kinds of Disciples.

Mother Mary pondered the Word of God in heart and obeyed the Word of God in Faith and love of God despite of all trials and tribulations of life and became not only a Biological Mother of Jesus but also a Spiritual Mother of Jesus by keeping the Word of God in action.  Let us take the model of Mother Mary and follow the Word of God in our lives. Jesus the Super model was not spared by the Father but tested and tempted in every way in his life, even to the point on death on the Cross but Jesus remained faithful to same Will of God and became Victorious and has been given title of “God of Gods and Lord of Lords”. Every Knee and every tongue must bow before the authority of Jesus in this World and the World to come. Every Word of God understood and applied in life has power over Evil , World and Flesh so when we apply this Word in faith and love , the sick are healed, the evil spirits run away and Worldly situations are transformed as per the Will of God.

 

The word of God Conquers the World, flesh and Evil.

 

Tuesday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time
September 26, 2017

Today’s Readings:

Ezra 6:7-8, 12b, 14-20
Ps 122:1-5
Luke 8:19-21
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/092617.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/17_09_26.mp3

Blessed are those who hear the word of God
and observe it.

The readings of today describes the decorum of a   invited person to the Kingdom of God. The word of God is the invitation of God to come and dine with him in the Kingdom of God. This invitation must be accepted in faith and love of God and be transformed or disciplined or prepared to meet our Lord in the Banquet. The invitation is for everyone but if we receive the invitation as a formality or if we compare it to a Worldly invitation and try to enter the Celebration not being transformed or renewed with new clothes as per the requirement of the dress code of the Celebration, then God will not recognise us as his guests or brothers or Sisters.

The Gospel message is life giving spirit, they are the Words of eternal life. The heaven and earth may pass away but the Word of God will not pass way because they are Jesus himself.  This is the reason the Church calls every person to listen and understand and study the Word of God in the same spirit in which it was written or proclaimed. For this we need to study the Word of God in its history, context and the situations and to the people to whom it was written and what the Church and Holy People tell about it. When we do this the mysteries of the Kingdom of God are revealed through the Gospel by insights and reflections through our own past experiences in the similar kind of situation. These insights and reflections are spirit and life of today. God speaks the Gospel through these very reflections and insights and shines on the faithful for the present needs and solutions. These are very often spoken through the Church today so we must be attentive to voice of the Holy Fathers and  the Saints.

But if the word of God is not received in right spirit or for selfish reasons like self-opinion or Human Wisdom, the virtue or values of the Gospel become null and void and it will be like any Word or philosophy of the World. This is the reason many people listen to the Gospel and feel nice but do not apply the values in their life. For these kind of people, the Bible becomes a mere Story Book and homilies are a good well-spoken human motivational talk with lots of fun and Worldly strategies. Some people study and listen the Word of God only to preach and write.  These kinds of people will not gain any values of the Gospel unless they apply in their life and live with that Word of God in trials and challenges with a transformed life and then Witness the Gospel as a self-testimony. Jesus want us to be these kinds of Disciples.

Mother Mary pondered the Word of God in heart and obeyed the Word of God in Faith and love of God despite of all trials and tribulations of life and became not only a Biological Mother of Jesus but also a Spiritual Mother of Jesus by keeping the Word of God in action.  Let us take the model of Mother Mary and follow the Word of God in our lives. Jesus the Super model was not spared by the Father but tested and tempted in every way in his life, even to the point on death on the Cross but Jesus remained faithful to same Will of God and became Victorious and has been given title of “God of Gods and Lord of Lords”. Every Knee and every tongue must bow before the authority of Jesus in this World and the World to come. Every Word of God understood and applied in life has power over Evil , World and Flesh so when we apply this Word in faith and love , the sick are healed, the evil spirits run away and Worldly situations are transformed as per the Will of God.

 

Jesus shines through us to the dark World

 

Monday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time
September 25, 2017

Today’s Readings:

Ezra 1:1-6
Ps 126:1b-6
Luke 8:16-18
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/092517.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/17_09_25.mp3

For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible,
and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.
Take care, then, how you hear.
To anyone who has, more will be given,
and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have will be taken away.”

Today’s readings encourage us to be the doers of the Word of God. In the first reading the Pagan King Cyrus gives decree to every Jew who is in exile to build the Temple of God. God speaks to Cyrus through the fulfilment of a Prophesy of Prophet Jeremiah. The Prophets and people of God can make big difference by becoming the bacons of Love, Joy. Peace and Justice. This Witness enlighten the Pagans around us and our Witness of truth and the light of the Gospel reach the hearts of the Unfaithful and remove the darkness from their hearts. This is what true witnessing is all about in the Gospel.

Prophet Jeremiah spent entire of his life in the Prison and torture for speaking the Gospel truth. This truth may not have yielded its fruits in his lifetime but every Word of God came out of his mouth was fulfilled and converted and challenged great Kings of other faith like Cyrus. Jesus in the Gospel reading calling us to be light of the World in actions. The wisdom of God is like Skills or talents given to men and this enlightenment or knowledge of truth must be represented and witnessed in our life. If we do not Witness and keep it safe for our individual Salvation, the dim light will under the Bushel will be put off due to lack of faith. A person Witnessing the Gospel fearlessly and full of faith for the love of God receive abundance of grace and great mysteries of the Kingdom of God will be revealed to him. The entire heaven will be opened to these kinds of People.

These People make difference among the other faith by evangelising or by witnessing the Gospel to others. Most of the Saints and early Christians became great witnesses without fear of death and were martyred in mass. The Knowledge of the Kingdom of God has revealed to us to become Witnesses to others. The Gospel message challenges oneself to be renewed in love and service and if this message is neglected or taken for granted to hide our evil desires and unforgiving nature then one day we will be exposed to the whole World of our Hypocrisy. The spirit of God can dispel darkness but cannot be part or companion of darkness.

We see many Luke warm Christians of this Category. They are neither hot nor Cold and change their colours as per their comforts and conveniences. To be very frank these people are not Christians by faith at all but good actors of Christian faith. They want to call themselves Christians and all outwardly formalities and obligations but inside live in complete darkness. Let us be people of light and shine our light whichever way as per our calling to the immediate neighbours and our own family and friends and of other faith.

 

 

God’s ways resurrect us to eternal life but human ways decay us to death.

 

September 24, 2017

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 133

First Reading : IS 55:6-9
Psalms : PS 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18
First Reading : PHIL 1:20C-24, 27A
Second Reading :ACTS 16:14B
Gospel :MT 20:1-16A

Readings : http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/092417.cfm

Audio : http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/17_09_24.mp3

Let the scoundrel forsake his way,
and the wicked his thoughts;
let him turn to the LORD for mercy;
to our God, who is generous in forgiving.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.
As high as the heavens are above the earth,
so high are my ways above your ways
and my thoughts above your thoughts.

Today’s readings talk about God’s goodness and love towards his people. Human has invented and researched many ways of life like Technology, Psychology. Management, Education. Science so on but I do not see people have researched the Ways of God or mind of God. Human thoughts and researches are Earthly and limited and temporary. We see no research or invention is of full truth. One researcher gives his idea and immediately the second researcher comes up with a better idea and proves the first one wrong or of half-truth and this business of in search of the truth going on from the Creation till today and will go on till the end of this earthly age. The real truth comes only from God and in his Word and Knowledge. This is called God’s ways. This is the reason Why people must believe that there is a God who takes care of us and loves us every day of our life.  God was so merciful and revealed this truth through his Son Jesus Christ. This is being the message of Salvation the eternal life.  This message of Salvation is the very ways of God which human cannot understand in his human knowledge but only through the divine intervention of the Holy Spirit. The people who have received or experience the Holy Spirit, the ways of God are revealed plainly and clearly.

St. Paul was a transformed person who was full of the Holy Spirit and who was fully in Christ in body, mind and spirit. His very purpose of living was Christ and he had already died in his whole life for Christ to live a new life for Christ. For a spirit filled Christian resurrected life with Jesus already starts in this World so the carnal or fleshly death does not make any meaning because for a person who is in Jesus, the life and death is Christ himself. Therefore, we see all people who lived and worked for the God’s ways or his Vineyard died in flesh for the Gospel truth.  The World and it’s so called Scientists, philosophers, educated pundits all died with their Worldly inventions and researches without any hope of their evidence of life after death. Jesus Christ gave us a new teaching to overcome death and live forever by his Cross and resurrection. Those who imitate or put their faith in him, he gave the life-giving spirit to live forever.  Jesus in today’s Gospel gives the message of God’s love, generosity, opportunity and invitation till last moment to every human to believe in his ways and walk in his ways and die in his ways. His ways lead to eternal life because Jesus himself is the Way, truth and life. These God’s ways are high above the Earth and not human ways and human minds cannot understand unless they possess the spirit of God. All Christians receive the Holy Spirit at the Baptism and at transformation but how many live in the spirit of truth.  The people who work till the end of their life in the Gospel values by good conduct will be awarded with the wages of eternal life.

The equal wages to everyone gives a message of God’s love to each and every individual despite of his commitment, sacrifice, holiness, gifts and charisms, positions in Church of God. Jesus is the head and Salvation for all including Apostles, Saints, Christian families, Popes, Priests and religious, preachers and miracle makers, and the good thief at the Jesus Crucifixion.  There is no reason to be of proud of our Spiritual positions but let us be proud and be privileged for the opportunity given by the Lord to work with him in his Vineyard the Church upon  this earth and await our death in him alone to receive the Crown of glory the eternal life.

 

Our God is not Genie who provides riches of this World but of Heaven

 

Friday of the 24th Week in Ordinary Time
September 22, 2017

1 Timothy 6:2c-12
Ps 49:6-10, 17-20
Luke 8:1-3
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/092217.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/17_09_22.mp3

Indeed, religion with contentment is a great gain.
For we brought nothing into the world,
just as we shall not be able to take anything out of it.
If we have food and clothing, we shall be content with that.
Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap
and into many foolish and harmful desires,
which plunge them into ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is the root of all evils,
and some people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith
and have pierced themselves with many pains.

But you, man of God, avoid all this.
Instead, pursue righteousness, devotion,
faith, love, patience, and gentleness.
Compete well for the faith.
Lay hold of eternal life,
to which you were called when you made the noble confession
in the presence of many witnesses.

We see in today’s reading not to seek God and religion for self-gain. If we see in today’s World most of the People follow God, not because to change the World in truth and love but to Make God a Genie to fulfil their hearts desires. Where these desires come from, they come from love of money. If they do not get these desires all kind of Quarrels, fights, envy, jealousy and even murder takes place. The love of money is the root cause of all evil. The people who are poor in Spirit or people who truly love God because of his love for us do not care the riches of this World and ready to sacrifice their entire life for the Gospel values and live in poverty, Chastity and Prayer are the people of God what St. Paul says in his reading. They spend their entire life in service of others.

In the second reading Jesus was helped with necessary things by the Women who were his Disciples.  If We can understand and imitate Jesus, who is the Son of God, from all things were created cared damn for the Worldly riches but gave great values for the love and Sacrifice in whole life and  lived with those values and died in it. If we are Christians we must imitate him in his life. The Gospel values must be lived with self-contentment by giving thanks to God for what we have and if we seek the Gospel or word of God to claim the Blessings for our selfish desires to run a rat race to compete with the pagan World then the Gospel values do not remain Gospel but the values are corrupted or misinterpreted for selfish use. This is happening among many of the Gospel preachers and listeners of today. Our God has become a  Evil Genie who satisfies their Evil desires.Let us not be deceived with these kind of preachers or people who seek a false values .

 

Jesus is calling us to build his Kingdom in our families, Workplaces & Native.

 

Thursday of the 24th Week in Ordinary Time
Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist
September 21, 2017

Today’s Readings:

Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13
Ps 19:2-5
Matthew 9:9-13
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/092117.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/17_09_21.mp3

I desire mercy, not sacrifice.

Today’s readings call every faithful to come out of the immature nature of human and be a super human in Christ.  As we see in the first reading St, Paul calls to live a life in our boundaries of life. The Kingdom of God or the spirit of God is not hidden in the third heaven or somewhere in the Cosmos but it is there right among us. The Word of God says where two or three gathered in my name, I will reveal myself among them. This is a very simple way to invoke the Holy Spirit among us. The Spirit of God is Working everywhere, We may think if we go to Church or read the Word of God, we can experience the Spirit of God, yes we can experience him there but we cannot sit in the Church or read Bible all the time, because God has called us to achieve a ministry on this Earth. It can be to build our own family or Society or institution or a nation and the Spirit of God is present in gifts and fruits in these ministries to empower us and empower others through us.

Among the teachers of the Law and even in our time, there was a thinking that the holiness can be achieved by following the Commandments as an obligation. These commandments were not followed in love which was the ultimate purpose of these commandments but followed them outwardly to show the completion. The fulfilment of Law happens in the act of love or through the fruits of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus and St. Paul is calling us in today’s Gospel to be love driven than scripture driven. Scriptures are the ways shown to us to love and serve. If we love the Scriptures we apply them in our life by loving others and God.

There is no love or mercy without sacrifice but the sacrifice of giving we are talking about is not outwardly sacrifice of self-righteousness or spiritual pride but God and neighbour centred Sacrifice of self-emptying for the sake of others and God. When we empty ourselves fully for the families, friends, Neighbours, Society, Workplace, we build the Church of God in that very place.

There are challenges in our own ministries like differences of opinions,  lack of Cooperation , disunity , selfishness , hatred ,Sin so on but we are not like them but we are called by the Lord to build the Church on that particular place so we need to seek the gifts of the Holy Spirit which has been poured out on our Baptism and anointed us with gentleness, patience, humility, love, unity, peace and one hope to build the Church of God in our assigned places and make one God the Father of all,
who is over all and through all and in all. This is our call as mature Christians of today.  This is called fullness of Spirit or Christ, a Complete Man Woman in Christ on this Earth. When we grow in this stature, Christ bestows his grace through the Holy Spirit in the form of gifts of counselling, preaching, healing, administration, management, finances so on to build and extend the Community to the Whole Wide World. St. Benedict practiced this Vow of stability, to live where we are with all the challenges and difficulties and overcome them by the love of God and make that place a better place a place of God than run from one place to the other to avoid challenges and opportunities set before us to make our own house, office, neighbourhood, society, native a better place.

The recent trend among people to run from their native places to a better place. There is no better place on this earth my friend than the place and the Work given to us by the Lord in our own boundaries of life. If we run from these places, there will not be any another better person to change this place in to a better place than you. Thomas Kempis in imitation of Christ says: if we run from one cross , we will meet another Cross on the way which heavier than the before. Also he says: if we carry the Cross in unwillingness , it becomes heavier but if we embrace the Cross in love as our Calling or Vocation , God will resurrect these Crosses  in to Heaven itself.