EIGHTH SUNDAY OF YEAR "C"

      8th Sunday in Ordinary Time     Lk 6:39–45
          The Discipline of the Disciple

“A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit” (Lk 6:43–44). We all want to see fruit in our lives. We all want to live healthier, to be better husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, and to do the right thing, even when it’s hard. What does it take to produce good fruit? If we want to see this good fruit in our lives, we have to choose to choose; we have to start to live intentionally as disciples of Jesus.

Good fruit requires the cultivation of a good tree. The cultivation of a good tree includes good water, good soil, proper pruning, appropriate sunlight, and the rest. The good fruit of a good human being is virtue (both acquired and infused). And, like a good tree, a good human must be cultivated. He must be cultivated by the proper disciplines of mortification and of prayer.

In the disciplines of mortification and prayer, the human person is trained in discipleship. “No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher” (Lk 6:40). This point is of critical importance. The fruit to be borne by man is not his own fruit, per se. It is the fruit of a disciple who has become like his Teacher, through intimate communion with his Teacher. He must not think that the fruit is his own, nor that the power to bear it comes from himself. The Christian is not Pelagian. At the same time, he must put in the work of training. He must go, so to speak, to the spiritual gym of mortification and of prayer. As the Christian is not Pelagian, he is also not Quietist.

Nonetheless, the training of a disciple is something like the growing of plants. Our discipline includes (1) the cultivation of good soil, so to speak, in mortification and (2) extending our roots to receive the living water of the Holy Spirit available to us in prayer.

Jesus is clear in another place about the importance of good soil. “A sower went out to sow his seed. . . . And some fell into good soil and grew, and yielded a hundredfold. . . . The seed is the word of God. . . . And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience” (Lk 8:5, 8, 11–12, 15; emphasis added). Thus the mortifications required for a disciple include (1) hearing the word, (2) holding it fast, and (3) bring forth fruit in patience.

Therefore, we must ensure that we hear the word. When we come to Mass, are we sufficiently recollected so that we can truly hear? Or, if we are in a state in life where we are easily distracted (such as if we have small children who sometimes require our attention during Mass), do we read the readings ahead of time so that we are as prepared as we can be to receive the word of God?

Next, we must hold fast to the word. Could we re-read the readings on Monday? Could we jot down what stands out to us from the readings, the liturgical texts, or the homily, and revisit it throughout the week (maybe even by taping a sticky note to the back of our cell phones)? If we allow the roots of the Word to sink deeply into us, they can break even through our stony hearts. Think of any plant — even the small ones — given time and nutrition they break through even bricks and stone in their growth.

Finally, we must bring forth fruit in patience or, to translate the Greek hypomonē in another way, in fortitude. Can we make a small resolution each week to do better — e.g., an extra act of kindness for your spouse one week, a bit of fasting another week, or extra time with your kids another week?

Cultivating the soil of our souls in these ways will put us on our way to being the good, fruit-bearing tree — the good fruit-bearing disciple — whom Jesus calls us to be. However, no matter how rich our soil is, we will be sterile if not nourished by the living water of prayer. To truly bear fruit we must, as Pope Benedict writes, maintain living contact with the word of God and thereby spending our lives in dialogue with Him. The Holy Father points us to the example of St. Joseph who, by this meditation on the word of God — simply reading and pondering and praying — “lives the law as Gospel. He seeks the path that brings law and love into unity. And so he is inwardly prepared for the new, unexpected and humanly speaking incredible news that comes to him from God.”¹

May we too, as true disciples — prepared by mortification and nourished by prayer — live the law in such a way that the fruit of authentic love is borne in our lives. May we heed the words of St. Paul and, due to God’s grace flowing through our prayer and mortification, never labour in vain.

“Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labour is not in vain” (1 Cor 15:58).

      8th Sunday in Ordinary Time     Lk 6:39–45   Year "C"
          The Discipline of the Disciple

“A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit” (Lk 6:43–44). We all want to see fruit in our lives. We all want to live healthier, to be better husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, and to do the right thing, even when it’s hard. What does it take to produce good fruit? If we want to see this good fruit in our lives, we have to choose to choose; we have to start to live intentionally as disciples of Jesus.

Good fruit requires the cultivation of a good tree. The cultivation of a good tree includes good water, good soil, proper pruning, appropriate sunlight, and the rest. The good fruit of a good human being is virtue (both acquired and infused). And, like a good tree, a good human must be cultivated. He must be cultivated by the proper disciplines of mortification and of prayer.

In the disciplines of mortification and prayer, the human person is trained in discipleship. “No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher” (Lk 6:40). This point is of critical importance. The fruit to be borne by man is not his own fruit, per se. It is the fruit of a disciple who has become like his Teacher, through intimate communion with his Teacher. He must not think that the fruit is his own, nor that the power to bear it comes from himself. The Christian is not Pelagian. At the same time, he must put in the work of training. He must go, so to speak, to the spiritual gym of mortification and of prayer. As the Christian is not Pelagian, he is also not Quietist.

Nonetheless, the training of a disciple is something like the growing of plants. Our discipline includes (1) the cultivation of good soil, so to speak, in mortification and (2) extending our roots to receive the living water of the Holy Spirit available to us in prayer.

Jesus is clear in another place about the importance of good soil. “A sower went out to sow his seed. . . . And some fell into good soil and grew, and yielded a hundredfold. . . . The seed is the word of God. . . . And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience” (Lk 8:5, 8, 11–12, 15; emphasis added). Thus the mortifications required for a disciple include (1) hearing the word, (2) holding it fast, and (3) bring forth fruit in patience.

Therefore, we must ensure that we hear the word. When we come to Mass, are we sufficiently recollected so that we can truly hear? Or, if we are in a state in life where we are easily distracted (such as if we have small children who sometimes require our attention during Mass), do we read the readings ahead of time so that we are as prepared as we can be to receive the word of God?

Next, we must hold fast to the word. Could we re-read the readings on Monday? Could we jot down what stands out to us from the readings, the liturgical texts, or the homily, and revisit it throughout the week (maybe even by taping a sticky note to the back of our cell phones)? If we allow the roots of the Word to sink deeply into us, they can break even through our stony hearts. Think of any plant — even the small ones — given time and nutrition they break through even bricks and stone in their growth.

Finally, we must bring forth fruit in patience or, to translate the Greek hypomonē in another way, in fortitude. Can we make a small resolution each week to do better — e.g., an extra act of kindness for your spouse one week, a bit of fasting another week, or extra time with your kids another week?

Cultivating the soil of our souls in these ways will put us on our way to being the good, fruit-bearing tree — the good fruit-bearing disciple — whom Jesus calls us to be. However, no matter how rich our soil is, we will be sterile if not nourished by the living water of prayer. To truly bear fruit we must, as Pope Benedict writes, maintain living contact with the word of God and thereby spending our lives in dialogue with Him. The Holy Father points us to the example of St. Joseph who, by this meditation on the word of God — simply reading and pondering and praying — “lives the law as Gospel. He seeks the path that brings law and love into unity. And so he is inwardly prepared for the new, unexpected and humanly speaking incredible news that comes to him from God.”¹

May we too, as true disciples — prepared by mortification and nourished by prayer — live the law in such a way that the fruit of authentic love is borne in our lives. May we heed the words of St. Paul and, due to God’s grace flowing through our prayer and mortification, never labour in vain.

“Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labour is not in vain” (1 Cor 15:58).

CALLED TO REPENT

CALLED TO REPENT Mark 6:12-13 They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed with oil many people who were ill and healed them. (NIVUK) Read the verses around this Bible passage from the Internet Bible: in English, and many other languages The ethos of every religion, operating outside the gospel, is to add many good deeds to outweigh the bad record of our lives.  Religious piety and rituals, praying, personal discipline and asceticism, charitable actions to help the poor, pilgrimages to sacred places, and giving money … all these are universal characteristics of religion, whatever the belief system.  The principle is to do enough to be accepted by God, and the belief that if we try hard enough we can achieve it.  It is, however, a fool's errand.  Nothing we can do will ever make us acceptable before the true God, whose majesty we have so greatly offended (Ephesians 2:8-9). Jesus sent six pairs of men to preach in different towns and villages, without Him (Mark 6:6-7).  It was their first experience of mission; the prelude to a lifetime of proclaiming Jesus.  Unlike the moralistic preaching of religious sects, Jesus set His disciples a tougher challenge: to preach repentance.  Jesus taught that it is utterly foolish to try to build a good structure on bad foundations (Matthew 7:26-27) .  First of all, sin must be repudiated.  Sin, and not just sins.  It is easy to find a few faults which we know that we should confess - but to admit that sin has taken a hold of my nature and that I am incapable of shaking it off without repenting and welcoming Jesus as Saviour and Lord - that is another matter (Romans 7:18-20).  But to preach repentance is the task of the church (Luke 24:45-47).   To preach the love of God without repentance is sentimentality; the cross without repentance is mysticism; healing without repentance is narcissism; and exorcism without repentance is dangerous (Luke 11:24-26).  John the Baptist preached repentance (Mark 1:4), Jesus preached repentance (Matthew 4:17), the disciples preached repentance (Mark 6:12) , the apostles preached repentance (Acts 26:20) … and the church grew strong and true despite much suffering (2 Timothy 2:9).  But when today's church affirms what God detests, or prioritises health and wealth over suffering and sacrifice, there is no appetite to hear any call to repent, and no reason to stand for Christ when all is stripped away. Jesus is the Saviour from the punishment of sins and the slavery to sin.  But without admitting that I am a slave to sin and need to be ransomed from its power by Jesus - I cannot be forgiven or enter the Kingdom of heaven.  That is why we must explain the desperate future for sinful humanity if they refuse to repent and then receive forgiveness through the grace of Christ (Acts 3:19) .  Advertising good news where there is no bad news... is a recipe for indifference.  Perhaps that is why our friends see no urgency to consider the gospel - they are fine as they are.  If we were fine, there would have been no need for the Creator to enter the squalor of His spoiled creation, be abused by those He loved and to suffer on that blooded cross.  No: the gospel (good news) is no news at all unless we first explain that in God's sight we are far from fine - and under His wrath (Ephesians 2:3). That is why repentance is essential if we are to be forgiven.  It is as radical a message, and as radical a change, as driving out demons. Father God. Thank You for bringing me to repentance and granting undeserved forgiveness. Forgive me for every time I allow my sinful nature to insult You, hurt others and spoil Your image in me. Help me not to be naïve about spiritual lostness among my friends and colleagues; and help me to call them to repent. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

CALLED TO REPENT Mark 6:12-13 They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed with oil many people who were ill and healed them. (NIVUK) Read the verses around this Bible passage from the Internet Bible: in English, and many other languages The ethos of every religion, operating outside the gospel, is to add many good deeds to outweigh the bad record of our lives.  Religious piety and rituals, praying, personal discipline and asceticism, charitable actions to help the poor, pilgrimages to sacred places, and giving money … all these are universal characteristics of religion, whatever the belief system.  The principle is to do enough to be accepted by God, and the belief that if we try hard enough we can achieve it.  It is, however, a fool's errand.  Nothing we can do will ever make us acceptable before the true God, whose majesty we have so greatly offended (Ephesians 2:8-9). Jesus sent six pairs of men to preach in different towns and villages, without Him (Mark 6:6-7).  It was their first experience of mission; the prelude to a lifetime of proclaiming Jesus.  Unlike the moralistic preaching of religious sects, Jesus set His disciples a tougher challenge: to preach repentance.  Jesus taught that it is utterly foolish to try to build a good structure on bad foundations (Matthew 7:26-27) .  First of all, sin must be repudiated.  Sin, and not just sins.  It is easy to find a few faults which we know that we should confess - but to admit that sin has taken a hold of my nature and that I am incapable of shaking it off without repenting and welcoming Jesus as Saviour and Lord - that is another matter (Romans 7:18-20).  But to preach repentance is the task of the church (Luke 24:45-47).   To preach the love of God without repentance is sentimentality; the cross without repentance is mysticism; healing without repentance is narcissism; and exorcism without repentance is dangerous (Luke 11:24-26).  John the Baptist preached repentance (Mark 1:4), Jesus preached repentance (Matthew 4:17), the disciples preached repentance (Mark 6:12) , the apostles preached repentance (Acts 26:20) … and the church grew strong and true despite much suffering (2 Timothy 2:9).  But when today's church affirms what God detests, or prioritises health and wealth over suffering and sacrifice, there is no appetite to hear any call to repent, and no reason to stand for Christ when all is stripped away. Jesus is the Saviour from the punishment of sins and the slavery to sin.  But without admitting that I am a slave to sin and need to be ransomed from its power by Jesus - I cannot be forgiven or enter the Kingdom of heaven.  That is why we must explain the desperate future for sinful humanity if they refuse to repent and then receive forgiveness through the grace of Christ (Acts 3:19) .  Advertising good news where there is no bad news... is a recipe for indifference.  Perhaps that is why our friends see no urgency to consider the gospel - they are fine as they are.  If we were fine, there would have been no need for the Creator to enter the squalor of His spoiled creation, be abused by those He loved and to suffer on that blooded cross.  No: the gospel (good news) is no news at all unless we first explain that in God's sight we are far from fine - and under His wrath (Ephesians 2:3). That is why repentance is essential if we are to be forgiven.  It is as radical a message, and as radical a change, as driving out demons. Father God. Thank You for bringing me to repentance and granting undeserved forgiveness. Forgive me for every time I allow my sinful nature to insult You, hurt others and spoil Your image in me. Help me not to be naïve about spiritual lostness among my friends and colleagues; and help me to call them to repent. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

CALLED TO REPENT

CALLED TO REPENT Mark 6:12-13 They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed with oil many people who were ill and healed them. (NIVUK) Read the verses around this Bible passage from the Internet Bible: in English, and many other languages The ethos of every religion, operating outside the gospel, is to add many good deeds to outweigh the bad record of our lives.  Religious piety and rituals, praying, personal discipline and asceticism, charitable actions to help the poor, pilgrimages to sacred places, and giving money … all these are universal characteristics of religion, whatever the belief system.  The principle is to do enough to be accepted by God, and the belief that if we try hard enough we can achieve it.  It is, however, a fool's errand.  Nothing we can do will ever make us acceptable before the true God, whose majesty we have so greatly offended (Ephesians 2:8-9). Jesus sent six pairs of men to preach in different towns and villages, without Him (Mark 6:6-7).  It was their first experience of mission; the prelude to a lifetime of proclaiming Jesus.  Unlike the moralistic preaching of religious sects, Jesus set His disciples a tougher challenge: to preach repentance.  Jesus taught that it is utterly foolish to try to build a good structure on bad foundations (Matthew 7:26-27) .  First of all, sin must be repudiated.  Sin, and not just sins.  It is easy to find a few faults which we know that we should confess - but to admit that sin has taken a hold of my nature and that I am incapable of shaking it off without repenting and welcoming Jesus as Saviour and Lord - that is another matter (Romans 7:18-20).  But to preach repentance is the task of the church (Luke 24:45-47).   To preach the love of God without repentance is sentimentality; the cross without repentance is mysticism; healing without repentance is narcissism; and exorcism without repentance is dangerous (Luke 11:24-26).  John the Baptist preached repentance (Mark 1:4), Jesus preached repentance (Matthew 4:17), the disciples preached repentance (Mark 6:12) , the apostles preached repentance (Acts 26:20) … and the church grew strong and true despite much suffering (2 Timothy 2:9).  But when today's church affirms what God detests, or prioritises health and wealth over suffering and sacrifice, there is no appetite to hear any call to repent, and no reason to stand for Christ when all is stripped away. Jesus is the Saviour from the punishment of sins and the slavery to sin.  But without admitting that I am a slave to sin and need to be ransomed from its power by Jesus - I cannot be forgiven or enter the Kingdom of heaven.  That is why we must explain the desperate future for sinful humanity if they refuse to repent and then receive forgiveness through the grace of Christ (Acts 3:19) .  Advertising good news where there is no bad news... is a recipe for indifference.  Perhaps that is why our friends see no urgency to consider the gospel - they are fine as they are.  If we were fine, there would have been no need for the Creator to enter the squalor of His spoiled creation, be abused by those He loved and to suffer on that blooded cross.  No: the gospel (good news) is no news at all unless we first explain that in God's sight we are far from fine - and under His wrath (Ephesians 2:3). That is why repentance is essential if we are to be forgiven.  It is as radical a message, and as radical a change, as driving out demons. Father God. Thank You for bringing me to repentance and granting undeserved forgiveness. Forgive me for every time I allow my sinful nature to insult You, hurt others and spoil Your image in me. Help me not to be naïve about spiritual lostness among my friends and colleagues; and help me to call them to repent. In Jesus' Name. Amen. Your next Word@Work will be sent on Monday, February 25 2019

 

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PRACTISE FORGIVENESS

Five Ways to Practise Forgiveness

The renowned English poet Alexander Pope stated: “To err is human; to forgive is divine.” How true this statement, but how difficult it can be! Holding on to resentment indeed is interior slavery. Whereas, to forgive is truly imitating God Himself, but also setting the captive free and that captive is me.

Frequently and in unequivocal terms Jesus has reaffirmed the indispensable obligation of all to forgive those who hurt us, to pray for our enemies, and to do good to those who hurt us! Once again, easier said than done! Actually without God’s grace to forgive those who have wounded us and to love and pray for our enemies far transcends and supersedes our natural powers. In sum, we need Gods’ grace to forgive our enemies.

Jesus is our example in all,  in absolutely  all we say, do and even think in our daily lives!  Indeed He said it clearly:  “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” Jesus first begun by doing and then by His preaching. First actions, then words.

His very demanding teaching on forgiveness, He lived to perfection at every stage and moment of His earthly existence.

What are some of the teachings of Jesus on mercy and forgiveness? Let’s meditate on a few of them. “Be merciful as your Heavenly Father is merciful.” In response to Peter’s generous willingness to forgive seven times, Jesus upped it a notch or two: “No, I say to you to forgive seventy times seven.” This is hyperbole for the imperious obligation to forgive always, without limits or reservations.

Then Jesus made a Liturgical/Mass allusion. He said that if you have come to Church to present your offering and you know that your brother has something against you, to simply leave the offering at the foot of the altar, reconcile with your brother and then return to offer the gift. In other words, to celebrate worthily the Liturgy we should strive to be at peace with our brothers and sisters, and not be angry and resentful towards anybody.

Then the most famous prayer in the world, the Our Father, Jesus inserted this very important command: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”  In other words, forgiveness from God on our part is a two way street. If we want to be a recipient of God’s forgiveness, then necessarily we must forgive those who have hurt us.

Finally, the most eloquent witness of Gods’ forgiveness for all of humanity and for us individually was when Jesus hung upon the cross after having been scourged, crowned with thorns, spat upon and mocked, forgotten and abandoned by His loved ones, derided and mocked incessantly. What was His response as He hung on the cross ready to breathe forth His spirit?  These words: “Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing.”

Following are five short and concrete suggestions to help us on the pathway to forgiveness and mercy!

1. Beg for the Grace

To forgive our enemies, to pray for them and to love them goes far beyond our fallen human nature. We desperately need God’s overflowing and abundant graces. Saint Augustine says that we are all beggars before God. Therefore, we should beg for the grace to forgive when we are put to the test. God will not deny us this petition and important grace!

2. Forgive Immediately

When we are offended, often the devil works on us right away fostering in our minds thoughts of revenge. Such ugly and vindictive thoughts can easily surface:  “Get even!”  “Teach him a lesson.”  “Give him his own medicine.”  “Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.” Finally, “Do not let him get away with it this time.” In a certain sense we might feel, as a Protestant preacher once put it succinctly: “We desire to forgive but only after we see him squirm like a worm in hot ashes, at least for a while.” All of these thoughts and feelings are diametrically opposed to the teaching of Our  merciful Savior and we must resist them and reject them as soon as we become aware of them. Therefore, if we respond to God’s grace of mercy and forgive immediately there is a very good chance that the victory is ours. In sum, be quick to reject vindictive thoughts and even more rapid to forgive!

3. Humility

Another efficacious spiritual weapon that we have in our armory is that of humility.  How?  In this way! If forgiveness proves laborious and near impossible, then call to mind your worse sin or your most embarrassing sin and the fact that God forgave you of this as soon as you begged for His mercy and forgiveness. Most likely the offense that was leveled against you is minimal in comparison with your most grave or embarrassing sin. This can prove  a very powerful tool to open up your heart in mercy and forgiveness!

4. Mercy is a Two-Way Street

Next, remember that receiving God’s mercy is not a dead-end street, but rather a two-way street!  Meaning? Jesus said: “Be merciful as your Heavenly Father is merciful… and forgive…” Therefore, if we want to experience God’s infinite mercy in our lives, we must extend our hand in forgiveness towards those who have offended us.  The Our Father teaches us the same lesson:  “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”   Saint Faustina Kowalska in the “Diary of Divine Mercy in my soul” asserts unequivocally that the greatest attribute or virtue in God is His infinite Mercy. Followers of Jesus the merciful Savior must practice this sublime but very demanding virtue. Mercy is God’s love forgiving the sinner. We deciding to forgive our enemies  is a clear sign of the victory of God’s grace and mercy in our lives.

5. Jesus Bleeding on the Cross for You

Possibly the most convincing motivational force to compel us to forgive those who offend us is the serene but serious contemplation of Jesus hanging on the cross, shedding every drop of His most Precious Blood to save all of humanity, but in particular my own immortal soul.  After being hurt and maybe not willing to forgive, lift up your eyes to contemplate Jesus as He hangs from the cross. Remember what He has already gone through: sweating Blood, scourged at the Pillar, crowned with thorns, denied by Peter, betrayed by Judas, condemned being totally innocent, nailed to the cross, and shedding every drop of His Precious Blood.

What was the first thing that issued forth from His most Sacred Heart? Look, listen, contemplate and pray!  “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing!” Meditating upon these words, coupled with the contemplation of His bitter Passion, hanging from the cross and shedding of His most Precious Blood, should be the most efficacious tool/hammer to crush the hardened heart that is apparently unwilling to forgive!

Finally, beg Our Lady of Sorrows, Our Lady of mercy, for the grace to forgive. Nobody ever suffered more than Mary—aside from Jesus Himself! Still, as she heard and witnessed her only Son suffer and die on the cross, brutally mistreated, she forgave from the depths of her Immaculate Heart. May Our Lady attain for us the grace to forgive, be merciful and merit the title to be truly the son of God the Father,  brother to Jesus Christ, and friend of the Holy Spirit in time and for all eternity! Amen.

SEVENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR "C"

SEVENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR  -  1

Cycle “C” Luke 6, 27 – 38

The test of discipleship is love of enemies, which makes sense by no earthly standards and must be based on faith. To be like the Father is to be compassionate, which mean not to judge or condemn. The Golden Rule is to treat others, as you would like to be treated by them. But George Bernard Shaw, that Irish satirist, once said, “Don’t do to others what you would like done to you. Their tastes may be different.” There may be some truth in that, since what you might think an act of charity may be construed suspiciously. One example. Immediately after the earthquake in Latur, a whole village of stricken survivors ran in terror from the approaching Christian relief workers who they thought would make them Christians. But personal feelings and prejudice aside, there is a basic need in all of us to be treated with considerateness and understanding. Cruelty in thought, word and action is what we must avoid in all circumstances. That is the absolute minimum. But we Christians are called to do much more than that. We should all consider very seriously the advice of Ralph Waldo Emerson: “You can never do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.” After all, as another Christian writer has pointed out, love is the only thing we Christians are supposed to be good at; good at in all situations.

Thing of the rose. Irrespective of whether or not people stop to breathe in its fragrance, it continues to spread it. Or think of a large shady tree. It offers its cooling shade to all who stand in its shadow or ignore it, even to the woodcutter who cuts it down. You know what a difference parking your car in the shade of a tree makes. Kind and forgiving people spread the fragrance and comfort of Jesus around them. Their conduct is inspired by Christ.

A spiritual author suggests two ways we can resemble those people in our conduct. See which one may work for you. Get on your knees and pray for the person who has wronged you. It is difficult to be unforgiving to another if you are genuinely praying for him or her. Consider establishing some contact with your antagonist. Perhaps a note, a phone call, a smile, a verbal greeting, or even a flower may turn the situation around. Otherwise, the person who is unforgiving is allowing a slow viscous stream of acid to burn through the brain, eating him away from within. To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it. What is done is done. Holding on to grievances is a decision to suffer. Only a foolish person makes such a decision. It has been proved that forgiving is the first step to physical healing. Jesus says in today’s Gospel, “Be as compassionate as your Father.”  Ask yourself, “What is God for?” The answer is: “God is for giving.”

Perhaps in the liturgy we should say once more with feeling, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Jesus Christ never meant those words to be spoken as glibly or lightly as we usually do speak them. The Jesus command rests on the ideal of the extra mile. And there is always plenty of room on that road.

Let me end with a story. During the Revolutionary War in America, a gentleman named Peter Miller was pastor of a small church in Pennsylvania. Living near his church was a fellow who seemed to get his kicks out of abusing the Rev. Miller and his congregation. Eventually the nasty fellow was arrested for treason by George Washington’s forces. He was tried, found guilty and condemned to death on the gallows. On hearing the verdict, Pastor Miller immediately journeyed to General Washington to plead for pardon for the condemned man. Washington was not impressed. “Merely because he is your friend,” said Washington, “I can’t let him off.” Miller replied, “Quite the contrary! If anything, he is my enemy.” Washington was deeply moved. “Since you have walked sixty miles to plead for the life of an enemy, then I must indeed pardon the prisoner. Here are the papers.” Without delay, Rev. Miller raced to the place of execution. As he arrived the spy was being brought to the scaffold. Seeing the pastor, he shouted derisively, “Here comes the pastor to gloat over my hanging,” Miller replied, “Nothing of the sort! I bring you your pardon.” Wasn’t Abraham Lincoln right when he said, “Don’t we destroy our enemies by making them our friends?”

SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

LUKE 6:27-38

Friends, our Gospel today is taken from Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain in Luke. It is one of more the puzzling texts in the New Testament. It speaks of loving our enemies—not tolerating them, or vaguely accepting them, but loving them. When you hate your enemy, you confirm him as your enemy. But when you love him in response to his hatred, you confuse and confound him, taking away the very energy that feeds his hatred. There is a form of oriental martial arts called aikido. The idea of aikido is to absorb the aggressive energy of your opponent, moving with it, continually frustrating him until he comes to the point of realizing that fighting is useless. Some have pointed out that there is a great deal of this in Jesus’ strategy of nonviolence and love of the enemy. You creatively absorb the aggression of your opponent, really using it against him, to show him the futility of violence. So when someone insults you, send back a compliment instead of an insult.

PRAYER: By John Baillie (1886-1960. + 74 years)

My failure to be true even to my own accepted standards:

My self-deception in face of temptation;

My choosing of the worse when I know the better;

O Lord, forgive.

My failure to apply myself the standards of conduct I demand of others;

My blindness to the suffering of others and my slowness to be taught by my own;

My complacence towards wrongs that do not touch my own case

And my ever-sensitiveness to those that do;

My slowness to see the good in my fellows and to see the evil in myself;

My hardness of heart towards my neighbours’ faults

 And my readiness to make allowance for my own.

O Lord, forgive.

St. Thomas’ Church,

Calcutta, Sunday 18^th. February 200/2019

SEVENTH SUNDAY YEAR "C" - 2

7^th. SUNDAY OF YEAR 3 (Luke 27, 27 – 38)

Let me begin by telling you a little detail in the life of Socrates, the Greek philosopher. Being a philosopher, he took life philosophically; which meant, among other things, playing it cool. His wife was just the opposite. She was an untamed nagging shrew. What was worse, Socrates’ cool made her hot, raving, running mad. One afternoon, the philosopher was sitting with his friends and pupils, when Mrs. Got into a tantrum and gave him the works, hot and spicy that the Greek language could provide. Socrates kept his cool, saying nothing. His wife ran out, filled a pale with water, ran back and gave him a shower from his bald head downwards. Now Socrates had to say something, and his friends were waiting to hear it. So Socrates, drenched to the bone, looked around and coolly remarked: “After the thunder there’s got to be some rain.”

The late Fr. Anthony D’Mello wrote somewhere about a gentleman who would go down the road to buy his daily newspaper from a very cantankerous vendor who gave him a dose of rude words every day. A friend of that gentleman advised him, “You should stop buying your paper from that rude fellow.” And the gentleman answered, “I don’t see why I should stop. After all, my happiness does not depend on other people’s moods.”

That’s a sort of carryover from what Jesus tells us in today’s Gospel. We can’t expect to be loved and accepted by one and all. Jesus wasn’t accepted by all and He made no secret of it. Take the beautiful red rose. It continues to give its fragrance whether passers-by interested or not. Someone may even pluck it and crush it. That’s precisely when it gives the most fragrance. That’s the spirt of Jesus. Slapped, cursed, sworn at, you respond with a hearty, unprovocative “God bless you.” Jesus is also telling us to have that kind of love that challenges our preferences, like and dislikes, pettiness and discrimination.

Those we gravitate towards, whose company we enjoy and relax in and whose friendship we cherish – these are God-given and we rightly rejoice in them. Jesus, however, taught that it is not hard to be kind and forgiving, generous and tolerant with these people. The cutting edge of our love is how we reach out and respond to those who irritate us, who grate on our nerves, those who provoke and annoy us, those we find difficult, slow, inferior to us in some way, or those who just don’t like us, and misunderstand us.

It is tempting to despair sometimes and say: “This teaching is too hard and demanding”. It is as we understand our inability to love our enemies, our own powerlessness in the face of our powerful passions that we humbly turn to God and ask His grace to be like Jesus, so that when we fight for justice and integrity, our struggles will always be tempered by reason and divine considerateness.

SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

LUKE 6:27-38

Friends, our Gospel today is taken from Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain in Luke. It is one of more the puzzling texts in the New Testament. It speaks of loving our enemies—not tolerating them, or vaguely accepting them, but loving them. When you hate your enemy, you confirm him as your enemy. But when you love him in response to his hatred, you confuse and confound him, taking away the very energy that feeds his hatred. There is a form of oriental martial arts called aikido. The idea of aikido is to absorb the aggressive energy of your opponent, moving with it, continually frustrating him until he comes to the point of realizing that fighting is useless. Some have pointed out that there is a great deal of this in Jesus’ strategy of nonviolence and love of the enemy. You creatively absorb the aggression of your opponent, really using it against him, to show him the futility of violence. So when someone insults you, send back a compliment instead of an insult.

PRAYER: Most merciful Father, I confess I fall short of my vocation to live in the power of the Holy Spirit. Show me where and how I must repent so that I may bear Your likeness in terms of kindness and mercy. Amen.

St. Thomas’ Church, Calcutta, 22 Feb. 1998, 24 Feb. 2019.

WHO IS JESUS?

WHO IS JESUS?

Mark 6:1-3

Jesus left there and went to his home town, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. ‘Where did this man get these things?' they asked. 'What's this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?' And they took offence at him. (NIVUK)

Familiarity does breed contempt.  But that is not normally true for the local-boy-come-good; or the town that glows in the reflected glory of one of its sporting sons.  However, in this passage it is astonishing to see how quickly the narrative moves from 'amazing teaching' to 'offence'.  Why?  Offence is certainly not a natural sequel to amazement.  Something else is going on here.

Jesus moved from the Galilee lake-side, west to Nazareth which was between 20 and 40 miles depending on the route.  It had been home to Jesus for many years since returning from Egypt (Matthew 2:19-23).  The family grew as Mary and Joseph had children who were half-brothers/sisters to Jesus, because Jesus was uniquely conceived by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20-21).  Joseph was a carpenter and so Jesus took that trade (Matthew 13:55).  It seems that Joseph had died by the time Jesus' public ministry started and so the Son of God took over responsibility for the family woodworking business and supported His mother.  So, He was a local tradesman who had become both a celebrity figure and a mystery.  But celebrities did not come from Nazareth: a regional saying mocked the town's prospects, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46)     

By the Sabbath day Jesus and His disciples were in the same synagogue where He grew up.  As He began to teach many were amazed, and many others had more questions than answers (Luke 4:13-40).  In summary, the problem was how could this local man, who had never been trained as a Rabbi, teach with such authority and do miracles (Mark 1:22)?  They did not deny the miracles or the wisdom; but to accept that such an unlearned local man had authority which exceeded the town's religious leaders was a problem (Mark 1:27).  It was not the goodness, truth or miracles that got Jesus into trouble: the problem was that He was in a different moral league, and it was all a bit too close to home (Matthew 15:12).   He had an authority that they did not.  God, at close quarters, presents a real problem to those who want Him to be no better than them.

Most non-Christians are content for believers to do worship and fellowship in private - away from public view.  Out of sight, is out of mind... nothing to trouble the disobedient conscience.  But a public demonstration of faith in Christ will always get its unfair share of derision - whether that be for admitting church attendance, reading the Bible, or going to the office Christian group.  Not everybody will be agitated, of course – many will show a sympathetically patronising reaction.  But the offence is there, if the presence of Jesus is genuinely expressed.  Don't dodge it.  The good news is that the moral disturbance is often the first stirring of conscience.  You live out your Christian life transparently, and explain why (1 Peter 3:15), and although some will not want to know, God will move some of your friends and colleagues to seek Him and receive His blessing (Matthew 11:6).

Father God. Thank You that Jesus has all authority over everything and everybody. Forgive me when I do not risk being mocked. Please help me to keep on being transparently Christian otherwise they may never see how much a person can be changed by You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.