8th Sunday of Ordinary Time, 3 March 2019

A master was teaching lesson to four of his disciples. He stepped outside with stern instruction that no one must speak and must study in silence. While they were studying in silence, the sky turned cloudy. At this first disciple remarked, ‘it is likely to rain now.’ Listening to him second disciple responded and said, ‘you shouldn’t have said anything as master has asked us to stay silent till he come back and how you have disobeyed him.’ The third said to second one, ‘see, now even you are speaking…’ The three disciples spoke in master’s absence but the fourth disciple still didn’t say anything and he silently kept studying that lesson. As soon as master returned, the first one pointed toward second one and complained that he spoke in his absence. Second one said, ‘so what? Even you didn’t keep quiet.’ Third one said, ‘master they both disobeyed you.’ Seeing this master said, ‘it means all three have spoken in my absence. Only one who obeyed was fourth and he was the only one to follow my instructions properly. Surely he will be a good disciple and better person.

This happens with most of us. We focus so much on pointing out others mistakes that we don’t realize that we ourselves are erred. It is imperative that we address our own mistakes and correct them. This is the crucial and clear message from the Gospel today. Jesus is talking through a parable of blind man leading another blind man. He warns that we must take out the plank in our eyes before we try to take the speck from others eyes. It comes naturally for anyone of us to point out others errors and mistakes but it is hard to look or accept our own errors. Jesus was specifically warning the authorities and leaders of the community who were the watchdogs and projected righteous people. They invariably looked down on the poor and lowly by pointing out their mistakes and errors. This irked Jesus so much he warns them through the parable. It is obvious that one blind man cannot lead the other blind. It is a tangible parable where it becomes clearer that Jesus’ warning and lesson is to look and correct one’s mistakes first.

Hand gesture suggests that when we point one finger at other rest of the fingers point toward ourselves. As humans we are bound to make mistakes. If we point out others mistakes we also much remember that we are potentially also bound to make those same mistakes. No one is perfect and perfection does not come by pointing out others mistakes. Perfection is achieved through self-evaluation. Every mistake that is accepted and corrected is the stepping stone to success. It is significant that we retrospect, accept and correct our mistakes. In this way we don’t give leeway to others to point out our mistakes.

Having said the above, we must remember that constructive pointing out mistakes could be beneficial and appreciated. This could be done through fraternal correction for the benefit of a person. For instance, parents have the duty to correct mistakes of their children. In turn, children have to accept and correct their mistakes. This is done for the benefit of the person and hence personal growth is the goal of this correction.

But on the hand if someone points out mistakes in order to besmirch reputation of the person, then it is wicked. There is no fraternal correction since person points out mistakes to ruin the other. This is very rampant in our society, work place or church. Jesus is sternly warning against this kind of behavior in people. By all means this kind of people looks for any tiny opportunity to bring down the other with an evil intention. Many of us probably have witnessed these sorts of people. Jesus calls them hypocrites. We have to keep them far because they don’t have our best interest while pointing out our mistakes. This is much worse when they point out mistakes in the form gossip.

Today, as we reflect and pray let us self-evaluate how do we point out others mistakes? Do we point out to make or break the person? If we have been victimized by people who point out our mistakes, let us treat them like hypocrites and make every effort to keep them away from our lives.

Amen.

7th Sunday in Ordinary Time 24 February 2019

The story of a blind man goes as follows. Father and son were travelling in a train. Son was excited as they traveled. He was screaming like a child as he saw landscape with beautiful trees in it. He narrated to his father like a little child. Everything he saw made him excited and every time he was excited he screamed with joy. Co-passengers were terribly annoyed at this behavior since although an adult he behaved like a child. They inquired with his father as to why his son behaved in such a manner. They told him that he should discipline his son in a proper way. At this, father explained to co-passengers that his son was blind from birth and they were returning after an eye transplant. His son was seeing the world for the first time after 25 years and hence, he was excited to see the beautiful and lively world.

Have you been judged by others? Have you been victimized by someone? Have you judged someone? Have you gossiped about someone? In today’s scripture Jesus emphasizes on an important life lesson, ‘treat unto others as you want them to treat you.’ We have heard this umpteen times yet in reality we are either topic of gossip or we indulge in talking behind someone’s back. In the former, we feel let down by people who treat harshly towards, in other words, when we feel terrible when we are judged for who we are.

We are twice affected when we indulge in gossip. When we bad-talk about someone our reputation is jeopardized and also subject of the bad-talk’s reputation is also jeopardized. It has dual effect. Gossip can break both persons. If we indulge in gossip, we might be also be gossiped behind our back. Jesus’ warning is so true if we treat others badly, we will be treated badly. If we treat others well, we will be treated well. Every action has a boomerang effect. We must not allow ourselves to be sucked into the gossip clicks. We must be cautious about people who indulge in this. We must try to keep them far for we don’t need a friend who talks about others and not themselves. If you have nothing to say about someone don’t say anything. When someone gossips with you, just make sure you are not interested in someone else’s business. It would be appreciative of you if you can let them know that you don’t want to be around the person who gossips. Rest assured the person will try to avoid you for you don’t match the click.

As we read our scripture, let us internalize the message of Jesus. Let us begin treating others with respect and dignity. Everyone deserves to be respected. We learn to respect each other at home. This will help us to respect people in our work places and in the society. We must keep away from people who try to destroy and be closer to people who try to build.

Amen.

Feast of Chair of Peter, 22 February 2019

The feast of the Chair Peter and scripture draw our attention to an important lesson, namely, finding joy in what we do. These days every employers seeks for a person who is a team worker. I believe in team work and as a team leader it is my duty to treat everyone equally and humanely because we are first humans then only the job title we hold. 

Humility is the key to achieving good results in any organisation. Today's Scripture speak about treating others not merely as a duty but gladly. Treat unto other as we want them to treat us. Sometimes doing home chores can be boring and duty bound. It might make us unhappy. It important to pay attention to any chores that we do. This will give us joy and satisfaction in what we do. Sometimes routine works at home can bring unhappiness because we don't really see the results upfront. In this contemporary world, everyone seeks instant results, and this cannot happen in any household. For instance, a mother cannot see instant results while she cares for her baby child. But certainly her time and investment is going to yield fruits when child grows up. Therefore, she cannot give up just because a baby is doing same mistakes over and again.

In the Gospel, we hear Peter is testifying that Jesus is the Son of the Living God. Jesus knew who he was but he wanted to know whether Peter can testify his existence as the Son of God. Jesus in return awards Peter and Peter becomes the foundation of the Church. Jesus rewards Peter. Peter's humility was appreciated and rewarded. In his humility Peter recognizes Jesus' authority. In our lives, we have give credit where it due. In our homes we lack this humility and recognition of each others contribution. Humility helps us to recognize and appreciate each other. This also will help us to credit where it is due. 

Amen. 

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 17 Feb 2019

The theme of my homily is, ‘trusting in what matters the most.’ The liturgy allows us to reflect on the things that we trust and helps us to direct our trust towards God who is the source of all the things that we trust. It is God who created every little thing that we trust. Our trust towards God becomes tangible through trusting his creation. For example when I trust my wife, I must know that it is God who created her and brought us together. Or when I trust someone or something we must know that God is the one who created that person or that thing. God must be in the center of any trust in our lives.

I would like to narrate an anecdote to understand why only trust in God remains eternal and everything else will fade away.

Once the train ticket inspector entered a crowded compartment and there he found an old worn out purse. He searched for the identity of the person and found nothing except the picture of Jesus in it. He asked the people there and an elderly person said that it was his. The inspector asked him to prove and he replied saying that it had the picture of Jesus. The inspector said that anyone could have it but could he explain. The senior man said that it was a gift from his father and he kept his parent’s picture because they were great. Later he placed his own photo thinking he was handsome. Soon his girlfriend took that place, and later his wife, and finally his son. His parents, wife all passed away, his friends left him alone and his son went his own way. What was left for him was only Jesus.

Prophet Jeremiah encourages the people to trust in God and not in human devices. He prophesied during the troubling times when people of Israel thought that best way to survive is to make alliance with the kingdom of Egypt. This was rebuffed by the prophet by challenging the elders and people to focus on God of freedom and not the Egyptian slavery. Jeremiah has a clear message to the people of Israel that trust in God is crucial during the troubling times and while Egyptian wealth is temptingly attractive. As we know we are tempted to shift our focus on something attractive and hence trust in it. This does not mean it is safe and free. It is important to not to lose sight of what matters when we are allured by attractive benefits. The grass on the other side is not greener but we need to water our own lawn.

In the Gospel Jesus teaches the disciples that the care for the needful matters more than anything else in life. Jesus was addressing a mixed crowd of people from different walks of life. The crowd comprised of poor, hungry, sad, abused, discards, rich and so on. The beatitudes speak directly to everyone and conclude with a message to trust in what is important and what matters the most. In the first three beatitudes Jesus makes remark about the poor, hungry and sad. Poverty leads to hunger and hunger leads to sadness. Jesus encourages the poor, hungry and sad to keep trusting in the kingdom of God who is the source of satisfaction and joy. But as we know God brings happiness to these people through generous people who are ready to help the needy. Hence, God is the source of every good and every help. When we feed the hungry, when we wipe tears of people who are sad, it is God who is working through us. As St. Ignatius says, we see God in each other.

The next beatitudes speak directly to the people who have been called by names or abused by the powerful or marginalized for they will get their reward in due season. Jesus speaks about the people who have victimized because they do and speak the truth and they trust in doing the right thing. They are generally not liked by people because they are in their way. Therefore, they are chastised, bad-talked, rumored, gossiped, and sometimes even killed. Through these beatitudes Jesus is warning the people who are wicked and want to bring down the truthful people. They might seem like they are winning but as Jesus says, you will have your consolation now by being wicked but you shall go hungry and you shall mourn and weep one day. But for those who are being victimized because they stand for truth will be rewarded duly. They will be joyful for this is the way the prophets were treated.

In conclusion, Jesus expects us to focus on what matters the most. Firstly trust in God because he is the ultimate source of everything that we trust in this life. We might have temptation to give into allurements but we have to trust in what is important to us in life. Secondly, let us not lose focus in what matters the most just because someone does not like us or some does not like us to speak the truth. We might be discouraged and bad-talked but our reward will be great because truth will set us free and truth cannot be suppressed for too long.

Amen