TWENTY EIGHTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR - B

TWENTY EIGHTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR – B: (Wisdom 7:7-11; Heb 4:12-13; Mark 10:17-30) Theme: We are invited to make our passage towards the True Wisdom Reflection: Orientation of human life – walking towards betterment - Human life moves forward and upward: God is love and he has ordained humanity to live in this project of life. Man and woman share in the creation and generation of new creatures with and within the bond of marital and family love. All others forms of love, described and defined with the haman relationships, flow from this mutual love which has its origin in God. We are called to create the community of love. This is the message that the Church has given us on the last Sunday. Today, the same liturgy of the Church is inviting us, through its reaidngs and proclamation, to make our way towards the Wisdom. In fact, human life is not to be stopped. It is a continuing process. It walks towards its day by day development. It looks for betterment every day. If human life stops its walk towards its wise future it becomes ruined and contaminated with the filth of false images and damaging ideologies. Human being is given life, divine life. He has filled with the divine breath. He is created to be with the divine being. His life is always in and for God. This is his destiny. Each individual in the world has to arrive at this destiny: to participate in the divine life. In the words of today’s gospel: to inherit eternal life. Man is not destined to turn back to his worldly and material life. He moves forward with the hope and upward with the grace. - Passage is unconditional: this movement of man, this passage of man is compulsary. There is no othe way for the human life. If it misses this passage it loses its significance itself. In fact, every liturgical celebration reminds us of this passage. Every Eucharistic feast guides us into the path that Jesus himself made. Jesus has made his journey/passage from this world to the Father and from the darkness of death to the light of life. The whole mystery of Jesus is consisted in this pasqua of Jesus, passage of Jesus. When we celebrate the mystery of Christ’s life, death and resurrection in the faithful celebrations, we participate in the life of Jesus himself. This participation in Jesus makes us to continue our journey with him. The nature of the river water is to be always in running. Other wise it gets contaminated and stagnant. So also the human life. Human life is made for the passage towards its destiny. If it stops this movement it becomes filthy and useless. Therefore, the passage is necessary. - Daily battle is needed for the authentic life: Every day offers us the package of joy and package of sorrow. We meet both the moments: that of tremendous hope and that of unavoidable conflict. It is the human battle. It is everyday war. Battle between what we are and what we have. War between our internal desires and our external incapacities. We are faced with the conflict and complex situations of life. It is our daily experience. First question that arises from this constant struggle of life is this: what to do? What more can I do? We all know what happens in life. There is uncertainty: we cannot give guarantee for anything. There is limitation to our decisions: our liberty is curtailed by the various conditions, like family, friends, relations, faith and so on. There is an attachment to the material and perishing goods: we are filled with the innumerous desires, for power, for riches, for health, for beauty and so on. We are conscious of our incapacities. But we never give up. We want to move ahead. We want to fight. We want to battle with the life. We search for an answer for the question. What I can do to have a peaceful life? But the answer demands more requirements. Human formation, personal maturity, conviction of both material and spiritual values, knowledge of the reality and finally the authentic conscience are the requirements. Only when we possess these qualities we can arrive at the genuine answer for the internal happiness. This is called the prudence and wisdom. It is called the wisdom of the heart. It enables us to avoid unnecessary and unreachable wants of life and empowers us to walk towards our betterment with and within the possibilities we have. Readings: An invitation to prefer the life than the material possessions - To be wise means to be in the school of Jesus: Wisdom is the gift of the Spirit and thus it has divine origin and divine destiny. Therefore, it has also divine purpose. Man is given this gift so that he walks towards the divine destiny he has offered. As the wisdom filled beings we are called to place ourselves in the school of Jesus and in the path of Jesus. He makes us wise. His teaching gives us illumination. His presence gives us prudence. His power makes us divine. He is the answer for our life. He is the destiny of our life. Yes, indeed, man is given the material goods so that he becomes better being for God. But what happnes now is that man is controlled by them. Jesus admonishes: man may win whole world/ all the material goods possible in the world; but if he loses his soul what can he gain by them (Math 16:26). He is highest Good possible. We are called to follow him. Our wisdom consists in this: it is He whom we have to desire more, look for more and love more. In him we have abundant riches: riches of eternal life. It is for this purpose Jesus invites us to leave and sell out everything we have so that we have a space for him and place for his action. All the reaidngs and in particular the gospel stand as the ultimate example for this. - Material goods are nothing infront of the Wisdom (first reading): we have beautiful prayer of the author of the Book of Wisdom. He prays not for any worldly possessions but for the wisdom. He considers everything that of the world as vanity before the wisdom he finds and embraces. Spirit of wisdom values more than anything else for him. He prefers for it instead of choosing crowns and thrones and for him riches are nothing (v.8). Even the gold and argent cannot be compared with it because before the power of wisdom they are just like sand in the seashore (v. 9). Wisdom is loved more than the health and beauty (v. 10). When it is there, everything will come along with her (v. 11). It is the same teaching that Jesus proposes with regard to the kingdom of heaven. He calls his disciples and his people to vote for the kingdom rather than the worldly wealth. His invitation is clear: you seek first the kingdom of God and all other things will be given to you (Math 6:31-33). In fact, in the Old Testament itself we have a beautiful example for this: King Solomon has asked for the wisdom and God gives him even the riches. There are various references in the bible: “where there is the treasure, there is your heart” (Luke 12:34); the attachment to the wealth is the root of all evil (1 Tim 6:10); we have not brought nothing into the world and we will not carry with us anything (1 Tim 6:7-8); and “the end of all things is near, therefore, be moderate and alert to dedicate youself to the prayer” (1 Pet 4:7). In fact, In the Christian proclamation wisdom has the first place and the material goods come only after her. - First thing – follow the commandments (Gospel): Gospel is very inspiring. It illuminates our mode of chosing. It guides our minds and hearts to make right choice. The Letter to the Hebrews brings to our knowledge the power of the Word of God. It reaches to the depth of our hearts. It makes us kill what is bad and futile in the soul. It enables us to fill our life with the presence of the wisdom. It is for this purpose called as the “double-edged sword” (Heb 4:12 – second reading). In the gospel we find a young man coming to Jesus. The dialogue between Jesus and young man looks very usual but takes us to the extraordinary and challenging demand of life. Young man has come to Jesus with a question: what I have to do in order to gain the eternal life? Jesus starts with the common teaching and answers him to follow the commandments. “Oh! That’s all. That is very simple. That I know and I am already observing them from my childhood” is the counter of the young man. The quest of young man can be considered here. He knows that it is not enough. He is aware that what he is doing is just peripherial and external. He is also conscious that there is something else and something more to do. That’s what is expressed in his next question: what more I need to do to inherit the eternal life? - Just one more thing is needed – go, sell, give to the poor and come and follow me (Gospel continued): with the second question, the yound man is coming to the right path. He is moving towards the authentic search. He is making his passage towards the wisdom. Jesus finds this spark of desire in him. Rays of mercy overflowed in his eyes. He fixes his sight on him. He loves him so much. He wants that this young man truly enters into life that endures for ever. This time his words are little more kind: just one thing is missing. This time his invitation is radical: go home, sell all that you possess, give it to the poor, come and follow me and you will have a treasure in heaven. No more external performances. There is a need for internal conversion. There is a demand for the total change of mind and heart. With lot of joy Jesus must have expected that this young man does as he has indicated. In fact, Jesus desired for the return of this man to the possession of the eternal bliss. But the young man goes back with gloomy face and sorrowful mind. He could not accept the invitation of Jesus because it more demanding. It asks for total renouncement of his riches. It asks for total abandonment of self. He came with lot of desire to gain the eternal life but went out with lot of discouragement. He thought Jesus would ask for something else than his riches. He was also ready to give up anything except his possessions. Finally, he proved himself to be the salve of what he has. Finally, he opted for ignorance and wealth than the wisdom and heavenly treasure. Jesus continues his teaching. He asks for the total foregoing of all that one has and one possess in order to enter into His kingdom. Young man has lost forever the opportunity for eternal life because he is intimately attached to the world and its pleasures. Conclusion: A call to imbibe the attitude of prudence and wisdom - Often we resemble the young rich man: Like the rich young man in the gospel, we often satisfy ourselves with the minimum we do. We are often content with our external performances of faith. We come to the church. We participate in the mass. We offer prayers. We recite rosary. We make pilgrimages. And we think that we have fulfilled our obligations. And we feel that we have observed the commandments. Yes. With this we remain mere pious christians. We have to move ahead. Pious practices are not enough. We need to make a radical choice for the wisdom. We need to enter into the depths of Jesus’ invitation. Jesus wants our whole life. He is not satisfied with the lips with which we pray. He is not content with the hands that we extend to help others. He desires more from us. He wants little more from us. He wants our heart and our soul. He fixes his king look upon us and calls us to the profound and radical giving up everything for His sake and for the cause of his Gospel. Are we ready to do as Jesus is asking us or we just imitate the rich young man and remain unmoved. We become stagnant and tastless. Our life is full of worldy pleasures which pass away soon and we are just useless as the first reading reminds us. We are not aware of what we are losing: we are losing eternal life and heavenly treasure. Rich man went away sad. If we do not make any movement towards Jesus we also walk out of the Church unsatisfied and with the gloomy faces. - Jesus is the Precious Pearl: In the world that is changing rapdily it is hard to understand and digest the values that Jesus proposes. Man claims that God himself placed the whole creation in his hands. Modern man thinks that he can do anything with the goods around him. Fine. He is the master of the material things. It is plan of God. God from the beginning of the creation ordered and ordained man to make use the things and thus carry on the project of generation. The ordine of God is neglected. Man, who supposed to be the master, has become the slave of the world. He has fallen in the trap of worldly desire. He is controlled by pleasures and attractions of the material life. He has forgotten that the world around him is the providence of God and not his merit. God did not want this. The truth is something else: the things of the world are temporary and passing. Man may claim for the power and authority but how long he can exercise it. Certainly not for ever. Even in his life itself he becomes servant for others and other realities. Man may claim for the riches and wealth and he may work hard for accumulating them. But how long he can enjoy these possessions. Certianly not for ever. He has to leave them to somebody else and go away. Man may claim for the beauty and health and he spends hours together to gain and maintain it. But how long? He soon meets the sickness and death. Everything that man possesses, thus, has the limited time value. Not that man does not need worldly things. He needs indeed as long as he is in the world. Jesus does not condemn having the material goods. He condemns only man’s attachment to them. He condemns the man who is becoming slave to these riches. We invites us not to put our trust in these passing pleasures. Instead, he is calling us to follow him. Yes, Jesus is the heavenly treasure and eternal life. - Our immediate mission is to make the passage towards Jesus: we are never expected to be the same. If we are today as same as yesterday, what is the use. If we come to the church and return to our homes without carrying the word of God, without learning something more from the gospel, what is the spiritual growth we make. If we remain with the same gloomy face and heavy heart even after listening to the wisdom of God, what we can gain. We need to do something more. We need to better ourselves. Our present should travel towards the future, not backwards to the past. Our faith has to grow day by day by words and by deeds. We need to become better Christians. This is the passage we are asked to make. We move closer and closer to Jesus so that we move distant and distant from our earthly attachments. With this we inherit the eternal life. With this, however, we gain the tremedous peace of mind and heart in this life itself as Jesus promises to Peter in the gospel. We need to treat what we have only as the providence of God and offer it to the growth of kingdom of God. Infact, Jesus is not asking the young rich man to go to the school of philosopy and theology and he is not asking him to frequent the library to acquire the knowledge of the eternal life. He invites him to choose him: “follow me” (Mark 10:21). He is the Wisdom of God whom man has to value more than any earthly riches. He is the Word of God whom man has to listen and follow more than any earthly knowledge. He is the Treasure of Heaven and He is the Eternal Life. Therefore, today we need to move towards Him. We need to enter into his circle. We need to follow him with a radical change of heart. We need to make our passage towards our betterment by travelling towards True Wisdom: Jesus Christ.

TWENTY SEVENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR - B

TWENTY SEVENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR – B: (Gen 2:18-24; Heb 2:9-11; Mark 10:2-16) Theme: We are the visible signs of God’s love in the world Reflection: God is the Fountain of Love - Today the church asks us to continue the message of the last Sunday. Last Sunday we have reflected on the creation of the community by embracing and including all. Today, through the readings we are given a teaching radically profound. We need to be the visible signs and effective means of God’s love in the world and for the world. Love is the word often named and utilized in this contemporary world. Man thinks that he can intepret the significance of love in the fruitful manner with his sociological, philosophical and theological terminology. Love, though seems to be very easy to comprehend and to live, is very much demanding and challenging. Love is nothing but participating in the divinity of life. - No human logic can explain the true love: Human logic succeeds to solve many of the human situations and complex conditions of everyday life. However, when it comes to the authentic love, it has its short comings. It fails us to enter into the true significance of love. As a consequence, man falls into frustration and selfishness and finally form and reforms love as he wants. The final result will be that love looses its flavor of divinity. Love is not a human creation but has entered into human life. This is divine plan. Therefore, when we talk of love, our starting point should never be a man or the world but God. - God is the fountain of love: love has its origin and its content and its destiny only in God. He is the form of love and he is love. Scriptures reveal to us this truth. “God is love and he who loves God is in him and he is in God” (1 John 4:8). Even prior to the creation of man there is present the sphere of love. Therefore, we cannot start from our mind set the topic of love. We need to go to the roots. We need to sit at the fountain. We need to stand on the basement. The root, the fountain and the basement of love is none other than God. God is love and love is God. Love cannot be single. It is in the sharing. God himself is not alone and not single. He is the community: community of love. - Trinity – The Only Author of Love: Our God, Christian God is not a single God. If he is single then there is no place for love. Love cannot exist in itself. It exists for others and in others and in the reciprocal donation between the persons. If God has to be love, he has to be more than one person. Only then love can make its natural passage from one to the other. Christian God, by revealing himself as love, reveals that he is the community of three persons: the Father, the Son and the Spirit. He exists as the Trinity and thus as the community of love. He lives in love and love is the substance of his community life. Other than this, it is difficult to comprehend love. Love of the Father flows to the Son in the total self-donation because he does not retain for himself anything but gives everything to the Son. Love of the Son is revealed in his ultimate obedience and union to the Father in the act of total surrender and self-offering as Christ and as Jesus. The reciprocal flow of love between the Father and the Son happens and takes place in the Spirit. With this mysterious sharing of unconditional self-donation of each other persons of the Trinity, the true love is manifested. Triune God becomes the content and container of love. Thus, he is the author of love. No other love which does not connect it to this love can exist as true love. - Divine love in the human vessel: The Triune God has willed to share his love not only within himself but with reality outside himself. He created for himself a companion, human companion, an image and likeness of himself. With this act of creation, already the essence of divine love has flown into the human sphere. God did not keep for himself the nature of love. He wanted to extend his community of love. He extended it through the creation of the world and in particular with the creation of man and woman, the first ever human community of love. Readings: God has a project of love for humanity - God has created man and woman in the image of love (first reading): God is Trinity and thus a community of love. When such God created man, he has created him in his image and likeness, that means, he created him in love and for love. Thus, the first thought of God in the creation of man is that of giving man a concrete possibility for loving. The Book of Genesis emphasizes this truth. God is a community of three persons in love. Man cannot be single if he is created in love and for love. In this context God thought of creating already a human community. We can note it well in the account of first reading: “it is not good for man to be alone … I will create for him a helper who can be always for him” as the words expressed in the Gen 2:18. God has created for him a mate, a soul mate, a companion who can give him utmost love. Man could not find a partner in any of the creatures. But when he saw the woman, he is immediately connected to her. It is the nature of love. Man with the highest degree of joy exclaims: “she is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” and they do not exist anymore as two but become one flesh and one spirit. That is the nature of love. In love one finds his soul companion as in God himself three persons live as the soul companions. Already in the creation, by creating man and woman, God has a project of love for humanity. Man finds the woman but woman is not created by him. It is the plan and design of God who is love. God created two, man and woman, with the different features and with the different characters but they are always united in the essence of love. It is same as the Trinity: three persons are different but are united very intimately with the bond of love. It reveals that love is never man’s creation but God’s plan. In spite of the physical and mental differences, God knotted as one flesh and one spirit both man and woman. It is the work of love. - Jesus affirms that God never wants division and divorce but life of love (Gospel): God has inserted his project of love into humanity in the creation. It is God who unites both of them. They are similar but not equal. If they consider their essence and existence in their human logic they can never stay together because of the various differences. But it is God who unites them. He has already united them in the bond of His Love, not their love. His love can surpass all the logical explanation of man. Jesus explains this truth in his confrontation with the Pharisees. First of all, he understand that they have come, not in order to know God’s plan for man and woman, but to trap him with the law. Jesus answers them with the same law telling that Moses has allowed for the divorce between the married couple only because of their hardheartedness. Jesus goes little ahead, in fact, he goes to the origins and to the roots of this marital love. He recalls the project of God, not as the imposition of the law but as the commitment of love. He says that God’s plan from the beginning is not to separate man and woman and their love but to perfect them in their mutual donation of the self. They are never two after their matrimonial bond but they become one. The man and woman are inserted from the beginning into the project of love. The love between the community of Triune God has generated the humanity. So also, the love between man and woman has to generate another creature. In love and only in love, man and woman can become authentic collaborators of God and they partake in the power of creation. - Love between man and woman is the archetype and highest example: it is manifested in the creation of God and also in the proclamation of Jesus that love bond between man and woman is the primary fruit of the Trinitarian love. It is this truth that makes the matrimony and family life as the archetype of love and model for all other types of love. Love is expressed in different ways: love for the country, love for the profession, love for work, love between the friends, between the parents and children, among the children and among the relatives, love for the neighbor and love for God (Benedict XVI, Encyclical Deus Caritas est, 2). In all this multiplicity of meanings, the love between man and woman, in the matrimonial bond, emerges as the love par excellence. After the love between the persons of Godhead, the next possible true love is that of between man and woman because it is the intention and act of God himself. God is the creator and man and woman in love become the co-creators with God. This truth should never be underestimated and overlooked. - Beauty of love is present only the matrimonial bond between man and woman: love is holy and love is sacred. It passes though the human body when man and woman commit themselves for the authentic act of love. Love reveals the beauty of human relationship. It makes possible the discovery of the other in the joy of shared love. In the egoism the doors are closed for the others and walls are build to hinder the relationship. But in love, closed doors are broken, hearts are opened and mutual self-giving is made possible. Love is the only answer for the egoistic attitude. Love gives itself. Love is not possessive and obsessive but it the gift of total self. It is in this love that the other person appears as the image of God and as the fruit of God’s love. When this divine love is found and embraced the human relationships become beautiful and even human life becomes beautiful. For all this, the fountain is the love of the matrimony and family. It is from this that the holiness of love flows to the society and to the world in large. Conclusion: We are the visible and effective signs of God’s love - The church admonishes about the reality of marriage and family: the designs of God’s love is revealed to the humanity in the mystery of Jesus Christ, the Only Son of God descended into the world. In His immense love God has united himself to the humanity. Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, has assumed the human form and human flesh in the mystery of Incarnation. In other words, God has entered into the bond of love with the humanity. God has taken to himself and for himself humanity in the person and action of Christ. Jesus takes the human body from the consummation of divine-human love between Mary and the Spirit. This is the highest form of marital relationship. In the mystery of passion, death and resurrection, Jesus takes for himself the humanity/world as his bride. Eternal wedding of love has taken place between Jesus and the humanity in the pouring out of his blood for his bride on the cross. Jesus made his bride purified and sanctified so that she becomes worthy of his eternal and unconditional love. The same bond of love now takes place between the Church and the world. Church is concerned of the world and its return to its creator. The church’s mission and responsibility is to announce to the world what she has believed: the love of God for the humanity which comes down only in the bond of marriage and family. The church believes that bond of marriage and family is founded by the creator and is stablized in the divine love (Gaudium et Spes, 48; Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1603). - Our need to be attentive to the teaching of the Church: some times we consider church and her teachings as out-dated and not reaching to the levels of modern morality. But church cannot decieve herself by preaching her nature. Church is always faithful to her Master and Lord, Jesus Christ, and his teaching. She never goes against the prophetic and loving message of her Spouse, Jesus. Though the world misunderstands and insults her of her ever affirming message, she never stops her mission of spreading the truth. Her teaching on the marriage and family is also part of her mission of evangelization. Her strength and her power is always from the presence of Jesus in the form of Eucharist and in the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. Though the morality is changing and its values are deteriorting in the technological world, the church remains always faithful to her teaching. She is not afraid of proclaiming the kingdom of God with its presence and with its sacraments. We need to attentively listen to what the Church says though at times her teaching is hard for the ears. - Humanity is the capacity for mutual love: being created human means being created in love. Therefore, man is capable of loving. In fact, only in loving he can be truly human. If he neglects this truth he becomes inhuman. If he fails to understand this he becomes like any other animal which lives by instinct. Man is man only in and for love. Outside love and without love man cannot exist in his natural manner of humanness. It is love that makes man human. We have to learn this human attitude: to love and to be loved. Love is the donation of the totality of being. It is the capacity to give and receive everything in gift. It is not pretending or possessing the other for oneself, instead, it is loving the other even to the extent of giving one’s life for the other. Jesus has done the same. He has totally donated his life for his spouse, the Church (Eph 5:25ff). Each man and woman has personal vocation and as the couple has the common and special mission of sowing the seeds of love and thus creating the human family. Only in this way we can be the visible signs of God’s love in and for the world.

TWENY SIXTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR - B

TWENTY SIXTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR – B (Numbers 11:25-29; James 5:1-6; Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48) Theme: We are called to construct a human and christian community Reflection: Good News to be proclaimed – Our God is the Father of all - Today, the Church is inviting us through the force of the scriptural readings to be the builders of the human family and mutual community. It is the first step towards constructing of the Kingdom of God. Infact, in the Kingdom of God there is no division and disputed separation. It is the reign of peace and reconciliaiton. It is the unity of all. It is the community of understanding and reciprocal respect. St. Paul comprises in a phrase and describes it in this way: “Kingdom of God is not the question of food and drink; but it is the peace, joy and love in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14:17). In this sense, it supercedes all the human institutions and even all the religious structures. Kingdom of God reveals and proclaims the truth that God is One and the Father of all. - This is the good news that Jesus has preached. This is the good news that we are called to announce. God is God of all. Gospel holds that God makes the rain come down both on the just and unjust equally and He makes the sun shine on each one equally irrespective of the state of living of the person (Math 5:45). For him all are same. For him all are children. For him all live in him. Jesus manifested that God embraces all with the same content of love. This manifestation is made clear in his Incarnation and in the mystery of his Death and Resurrection. - Our christian vocation is this: participating in the same life of Jesus. This participation empowers us with the mission of being authentic carriers of the kingdom he has established with is body and blood. We have to carry within us and outside of us the virtues of the kingdom of God. With our life we have to give testimony to it. What does it mean? It means this: we have to be the makers of peace, justice and fraternity. We need to embrace every one with the sentiments of brotherhood and solidarity. We should not exclude anyone, even our enemy. We should not excommunicate anyone, even our foe. To put in a nutshell the goespel of today, we should not say ‘he is not with us’ and ‘he is not for us’. Each one, in spite of differences of religion, region and race, is an image and likeness of God and each human bieng shares in the dignity of God’s children. At this point of reference that the readings call us to the transformation of attitude. We need to walk towards transformation from that attitude of ‘he is not of us’ to the christian attitude of ‘he is one of us’. Only this transformation of our attitude and spirit-filled behavior makes the creation of the community possible. When we imbibe this attitude we call every one to our fellowship. We accept everyone as one of us. We hug each one with the mutual respect. In this way we create a new world: better human world. In fact, christian world has to be enlarged and reached to everyone so that there will be the possibility for the human society and fraternal community. - Christians are the constructors of the better human world: the truth is that christian is called and chosen for the particular and special mission in the world. His mission is to be a witness for the kingdom of God. He has to enter deeply into the roots of faith and fruits of truth. He has to live his faith in Jesus and at the same time he has to see how the same Jesus is working in the world in the various other modes. Jesus in fact works in the world with the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit has no confines and preferences for his work. He can work with anyone and in any place and in any form. Christian way is one of the ways that the Spirit works and works effectively. But in any way we cannot restrict the power of the Spirit. Therefore, Christian needs to understand that the Spirit works even outside the sphere of faith and he can enter into the sphere of humanity. Each human being is capable of receiving the Spirit. Or the otherway round, Spirit can take hold of each human bieng for his work. Christain has to comprehend this well. When he understands this we has respect for everyone and he reaches out to each individual. For he realizes the truth that each individual contains in himself the possibility of the presence of the Spirit. He starts searching for the various ways and modes of Spirits action. One primary action of the Spirit is to unite and all human beings are united with the bond of brotherhood and all have one common and ultimate Father: God. Traditional Exhortation: Seeds of truth, Seed of the Word, in other religions - As the wind which blows where it wants, so also the Spirit hovers where he wills. The evangelist John puts it most clearly in 8:12 (to be verified). Each man is created with the immesurable of goodness and thus he is the vehicle of the Spirit. Each man has the rays of knowledge and love and thus he is the bearer of the Spirit. Each man recieves naturally the power of regeneration and can become the creator and thus he is the instrument of the Spirit. If image of man is such, the spirit is present in each man. For this vision and mission of individual man there should not be any barrier. All the barriers like religion, race, nationality, status and what not, are the creation of few selfish and arrogant people who despise the power of the Spirit. - The Church, the community of believers in Jesus Christ, from its part has always expressed and manifested this truth from the beginning. It always recognized that the presence of the Spirit can be anywhere and in any sphere of life. Many a time we are tempted to think that the Spirit is and can only be with us and not anywhere else. We often conclude that the Spirit takes the side of only one part of the humanity and that too only us christians. In this way we block our minds and hearts to the efficacy of the Spirit. It is impossible to think this way and it would be very bad also to understand this way, because who are we to stop the power of the Spirit and who are we to measure his actions. But the stand of the Church is always the same: she believes in the immense and tremendous power of the Spirit. She has always this conviction that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are spread throughout the world. - Already in the beginning of the christianity itself, the Fathers of the Church have testified that various periods of history, the cultures and the religous practices contained the “seeds of the Word” even before the Christ. It is Saint Justice in the second century who speaks clearly of a “seed of the Word placed in all the men”, of “implanted word” in his Apology II, 8. It was the beginning. Now in the Second Vatican Council the Church affirms it once again, after two thousand years, inviting us to “create the rapport of esteem and of love” with the people around us, “for discovering with joy and respect those germs of the Word which are hidden in them” (Vatican Council II, Ad Gentes, 11). From the initial stage and until now the Church maintains and carries the same truth. St. Paul sees the presence of the Spirit already in the religious aspirations of the Athens (Acts 17:22ff). St. Peter also recognizes the power of the Holy Spirit in the conversion of the pagan centurion Cornelius and he proclaims that God has no preferences of the persons but takes the side of each one who acts according to the good will (Acts 10:44ff). - It is this power of the Spirit that encourages to be positive about each individual. It is this Spirit that invites us to be away from the selfish attitude and from jealosy. Our God is not the God of partiality and preference, infact, He is the God of all. Our Jesus is not the savior of one group but is the savior of all as manifested in his arms widely open to embrace all. Our Spirit is not the Spirit who supports only few but is the Spirit of all. This is the greatness and generosity of God who loves all and who gives himself to all in Christ and in Spirit. The readings of today present to us this truth of ultimate generous and open heart of God. They invite us to change our vision and our mentality so that we destroy the group of enmity and construct the community of fraternity and friendship. Readings: One who is not against us is with us - It is Spirit who makes the prophets (first reading): God comes down in the clouds and speaks to Moses and he fills the seventy elders with the Spirit. Once the spirit has rested on them they started preaching. However, there are two who do not belong to the group of seventy elders, by names Eldad and Medad, who are preaching outside the camp. Joshua wants to block them because he thought he is outside of the elected ones and thus they do not have the spirit. Finally, Moses warns Joshua not to stop them. For he knows that if the Spirit is not there they could not do preach. Spirit can empower and inspire anyone for the proclamation. The jealous attitude has to be suppressed. - Who is not against us is for us (Gospel): the similar incident appears in the Gospel. One who is not disciple of Jesus is expelling the demons and John becomes very furious and jealous and complaints to Jesus about this saying that “he does not follow us” (v.38). But Jesus’ treatment is different. He says that anyone who does good is always with him though he doesn not follow him directly. Jesus teaches two things here to his disciples: o The disciples are not to be a closed group. They should not build any walls in their relationship towards others. They have to be a group which accepts all those who accomplish good acts in the name of Christ. o The disciples have to overcome their feelings of jealousy and intolerance. Instead, they have to search for the truth in every good act and to embrace all the “seeds of truth” spread in the world. - Prophecy is the gift of the Spirit: God wants to communicate himself and his love to the humanity. He uses various modes of revealing himself: through the word, through the silence and through the deeds. In whatever way he wants to manifest himself, it is his Spirit that appears on the scene to bring the man closer to this revelation. God’s desiring instrument for his self-revelation is man himself and Christ Jesus is the unique and ultimate manifestation of God. God calls man to be his agent of love and to be a prophet of his presence. God chose many prophets in the history of the people of Israel for revealing his plans. Finally, he has shown his tremendous and unconditional love through his Own Son, Word made Flesh, Jesus Christ. Even now, through the power of the Spirit, Jesus is calling each one of his followers to be a prophet. We are all, thus invited to be the prophets of God’s presence. The Church affirms it once again it its latest teaching in the Vatican Council II: “Christ, the greatest prophet, who with the testimony of his life and with the power of his word has proclaimed the reign of the Father, accomplishes his prophetic office to its full manifestation of glory, not only through the hierarchy, which teaches in the name and with the power of him, but also through the laity, who infact construct its witnesses providing them of the sense of faith and grace of the word, because the force of the Gospel shines in the daily life, life of family and society” (Lumen Gentium, 35). To put in brief: God invites every christian, not only the consecrated persons but all those who accept the good news with the baptism, to be the preacher and the builder of his kingdom. Therefore, each one of us has received, as the consequence of this mission, a gift of the Spirit who speaks in the name of God. There is no preference of the hierarchy or laity, consecrated or common. All are equally important to God and all are offered equally the possibility of salvation. Conclusion: We are the community of the Spirit - Include all and respect for all: what we are asked by the Chruch, through the gospels, is that we have to leave aside the feelings of jealosy and intolerence. As we have already seen in the first reading, we many times return to the times of Moses and we become and act as Joshua. We do not want to accept those who preach the gospel outside of us. We fail to join and listen to them just because they do not belong to us or because of presumption that they are not worthy of the gift of the spirit. As we have already seen in the gospel, we often go back to the times of Jesus and we become and act as John. We want to stop and condemn not only the preaching but also the preacher. We fail to observe well the magnanimous power of God which can pass through anyone and anywhere. By blocking such people who are doing good, we are not just hindering the human act alone but God’s will behind it. Todays readings pull us out of this pathetic condition we are living in. They call us to hold fast to all that is good. They encourage us to accept every human bieng that accomplishes an act for the wellbeing of many. We are to return to our christian vocation and mission: to reach out and to include all into our life. - The attitude of jealosy and suspect make us the destroyers of the unity instead of constructors of the community. God is infinitely greater than man. The action of the Holy Spirit rises beyond the barriers we install. He can eliminate all that hinders His voice to be heard and all that blocks His redemptive presence to be recognized. We need not have any fear of discoving in others the tremedous power of God’s presence. We need not tremble to find out what God is continuously telling us through the various modes which come from the world. Whatever is rising against evil and to combat the powers of evil is nothing but the presence of the Spirit. It may come from the serious followers of Christ, from us Christians. It may also come from various good people outside the Christianity, from those who work for the justice and equality and who work for the construction of the better world. Every good act being done in the world can proclaim the presence of God. It is this we have to learn today and with this attitude we have to call everyone into our fellowship and brotherhood. - Our journey towards the transformation of our attitude: It is Jesus, our Master, who tells us not to block anyone. He exhorts us to see the reality as he sees it and with his eyes. For him all are equal and important. For Jesus the qualification of the man is not the matter. ‘He is not with us’, or ‘he is not one of us’, and phrases like this do not fall in the field of Jesus. He is above all of these. Everyone who does something good with the right conscience is worthy of his kingdom. Everyone who gives a glass of water for the thirsty is already in his company. Our christian vocation is not to divide the society into groups but to unite all as the community. Creating the community is not a simple thing. We need to go out of ourselves. We need to open ourselves. We need to sacrifice our wishes and our thoughts. We need to inculcate the virtues of understanding and respect. This can be only possible if there is radical change in our attitude. This can be possible only if we wear the character of Jesus. This is possible only when place ourselves in the foot steps of Jesus. As Paul time and again reminds, we need to conform ourselves to the same mind of Jesus (Phil 2:5). Here the transformation is possible: we journey towards the community of life by giving up the phrase ‘he is not with us’ and by proclaiming the phrase ‘he is with us’. Jesus wants this kind of conversion from us. We renounce blaming and accusing others. We renounce torturing and murmuring others. We renounce jealosy and intolerence which hinder us to participate fully in the joy and well being of others. Instead, we learn forbearnce and acceptance of others. We learn to gather each brick, each individual, to build the edifice of love, the community of the spirit.

TWENTY FIFTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR - B

TWENTY FIFTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR – B: (Wisdom 2:12, 17-20; James 3:16 – 4:3; Mark 9:30-37) Theme: Jesus invites us to be “the last ones” and servants of the world Reflection: The authentic power is manifested only in the service - We are in the continuation of the last Sunday’s Gospel. We have reflected last week on the meaning of “Christ”. As we have already unveiled Christ means “the anointed” of the Lord. In the Old Testament the kings, the priests and the prophets were being called and anointed by the Lord for a special mission. They are all anointed of the Lord. The question of Jesus is the starting point for this revelation: who do you say that I am? (Mark 8:27-35). And Peter immediately answers, of course with the inspiration from above (Math 16: 17), “You are Christ” (Mark 8:29). In fact, Peter and the other disciples as well, would have thought that Jesus is one of the anointed ones of God. In their proclamation what was revealed is that Jesus is the coming Messiah or the future king sent by God to liberate the people of Israel from the Roman domination. Their knowledge and hope in Jesus is only to that extent: he is the King and Messiah. They have developed their knowledge of Jesus after listening to his words of proclamation with authority. They have increased their hope in Jesus after seeing the wonders and the miracles he performed with the divine power. They could not move even an inch ahead in their understanding of Jesus. They believed and followed him only with this aspiration: that he would announce a war against Romans, he will gain the victory and finally he would establish his kingdom in which they will be with the higher ranks. More than this or other than this, they cannot digest anything else because all their hopes will be shattered and all their following him will be an utter waste. - The logic of Jesus is just opposite: In fact, Jesus is the anointed one of God sent for a special mission of establishing the kingdom of God. Until this aspect the disciples are correct in their understanding. Yes, Jesus is the Christ. But the difference and the novelty lie in something else. Christ is not just as the mere anointed one of God to be a king, a priest and a prophet as the Old Testament demonstrates. He gives totally and radically different meaning to the word “Christ”. He has come to fulfil all that the law, the prophets have told about him (Math 5:17ff). He does not abolish but accomplish it with the ultimate significance. As Christ, the Messiah and the Anointed one of God, Jesus has the power: power over everything. After all, everything is made in and through him (John 1:1-3; and Col 1:15-20). He has the power over whole creation and his power is ultimate. Still Jesus does not prefer to use his power as the world considers. He gives a new meaning. He opens a new face and phase for the exercise of power and authority. He has the power but he does not use his power to dominate the world but to love the world. He has the power but he does not use his power to be served but to serve the people. He has the power but he does not use his power to take away the life of others but to pour out his life for other. He himself utters that he has not come to be served but to serve and to give his life for many. His power is for the people. His power is at the service of salvation. His power is for the establishment of the kingdom in which peace, justice and fraternity reign (Rom 14:17). - “Christ” finds its completion only in the Paschal Event: Christ, who is powerful and authoritative anointed one of God, makes himself a servant and a victim for the salvation of the world. The word ‘Christ’ has its final say only in the passion, death and resurrection. This is what Jesus announces to his disciples: the Son of Man must undergo suffering, has to meet the death and on the third day he raises again to life (Mark 8:31 and today’s gospel Mark 9:31). This is the ultimate meaning of being Christ. The logic of Jesus is not understood well. Peter has taken him apart and rebuked him not to have such kind of suffering. The disciples did not understand what he has said and more over have the fear to ask him what it means (Mark 9:32). The way of Jesus is hard to understand and harder to follow. But his way is sure and it leads to what we are hoping for: the eternal life. In this way, Jesus never utilizes his power his self-glory but keeps it at the service of the will of God and the salvation of humanity. Readings: We do not have any personal ambition, but the will of God - The three readings of today provide to us the same teaching: we are to be available always for the service of God and other brethren. They encourage us to give up what is personal and take up what of is common good. We are invited by the word of God to leave aside the personal desires and aspirations in order to give a space for the will of God and well-being of the community. Only then we are called the just, the wise and the children of Go. - The just man is a the disposal of God’s will (first reading): A person is called “just man” not because he is perfect and no one is perfect but only strives to be on the way to perfection. A person is considered to be just only because he places his total life in the hands of the Lord (vv. 19-20). His total trust is in the Lord. He throws himself upon the providence of God. He does not fear any difficulty. He does not step back because of his suffering. Instead, he embraces the will of God and accomplishes it until the end, even losing his life. Only such a person is called ‘just’ in the consideration of God. In the various trials of life he is already prepared himself to face them. Therefore, just man is the one who is available always for the will of God. He allows and surrenders himself so that what God wants passes through him. His life thus becomes an instrument of God’s love. In a word, the just man has no personal life but his life an offering for the Lord. - The wise man works for the peace (second reading): St. James uplifts us with his radical teaching. His letter is directed to the rich and to those who want to dominate the society and thus create confusion. His each word is so precious which admonishes those who desire for the upper hand in the community. His each chapter is for proclaiming the justice, equality and peace. Today’s passage is one of such apostolic admonition. He says that each Christian is endowed with the wisdom from above: wisdom of the Spirit. Therefore, each Christian is placed in the world to be wise. Wise man is always at the working of the peace and reconciliation. On the other hand, the ignorant and selfish create division and thus lead to the fight and war. St. James is very clear in this aspect for he says that every war and every fight comes from the selfish motives and personal passions for man. The wise man is never selfish but gives and utilizes his knowledge and wisdom for the betterment of the society and for the well-being of each one. Who are we Christians? We are participants in the will of God and sharer of his wisdom because we belong to Christ. Therefore, we are wise and wisdom is from above. We should surpass the logic of the world. We should throw away the measure of the world. We should fall spy to the passions of the world. As the wise men we have to work for the establishment of God’s peace among men. Indeed, Jesus sees it as beatitude: “Blessed are the peacemakers because they will be called sons of God” (Math 5:9). In this way, we, as the wise men of God, do not work for the building up of our personal Manson but strive for the construction of peaceful community. - Embrace the child and imbibe its attitude (Gospel): In the gospel, there is a discussion about who is great. This question has come about in the mind of the disciples just because they have a different idea of Jesus. As we have already reflected, they have considered Jesus as the coming messiah who will establish his kingdom and place them in the important posts. The question, thus, is who will be great there in that kingdom. The discussion and the preoccupation of the disciples did not escape the knowledge of Jesus. Jesus asks them about which that they are speaking on the way. They kept quiet. They do not have any answer. They do not want to exhibit their ambitions. Their silence did not keep Jesus silent. He starts again explaining them what it means to be with him. As it was in the last week so also today. Jesus teaches a different mode of behaving. Jesus shows a new face of being great. Being great is not being in higher rank or higher position. The meaning Jesus unveils is this: the first should be the last and least of all. It did not reach to the mind of the disciples. The words are not enough for their capacity to comprehend him. He takes a child and keeps it amidst them and says that anyone who receives this child receives him and his Father. - Why did Jesus take a child? It has a great meaning. The first meaning is this: A child has no personal ambition. Its life is always in the hands of its parents. It places its complete trust in its parents. It does what they say. It acts as they guide. It has no its personal life. In a word, its life is not its own life but the life of its parents. When Jesus gives the example of the child, he asks his disciples to learn the attitude of the child. They should not have their own will. Their will should be of the one who called them. Their whole existence is for the fulfilment of the will of God. The second meaning is this: in the Greek terminology, the child means “the small” and in the Hebrew terminology, it means anawim, “the poor”. The small and the poor are deprived of belongings and belongingness. They are nothing in the society. In the biblical understanding, it is poor and the least whose side God takes. Even, the poor and small from their part, dependent only the providence of God and thus they place their trust in the Lord. The disciples of Jesus have to learn such kind of attitude: being poor and little. They do not have any personal desires but the will of the one who sustains them. No one should have personal ambitions but the requirement of the Gospel. Conclusion: Being first in the service of the kingdom of God – the state of the Spirit - Renounce what we have and give out what we are: The two conditions that Jesus proposes for the authentic following are these: first, the disciples have to renounce their belongings and second, they have to give up their life for others. The first condition demands that we give up what is ours and what we possess. It may be wealth, property and the belongings. Jesus invites his disciples to leave everything (Math 16:24; Mark 9:23), their house, their families, their kith and kin, and their possessions and follow him (Luke 18:29-30). In a word, they should not have any personal desires and ambition. The second condition demands that that we do not consider our life as more important than God’s will. Jesus proclaims that anyone who saves his life on earth will lose it and anyone who loses his life for the sake of him and for the sake of the gospel will save it. We are called to save our life. We are asked to preserve our life in eternity. The only requirement for saving one’s life is to lose it for the good cause. The two conditions are necessary for the authentic following of him. - We have to the last and least ones to consider the goods of the earth as more important than heavenly treasure. Jesus in fact warns us not to accumulate treasures on earth but in heaven where no one will steal them and nothing will eat it away (Math 6:19-21). On the other hands, we have to be the first ones to witness for the kingdom of God. We have to be the one who initiate and fulfil God’s will. Indeed, we have to the least ones in the world in order to be the first one in the kingdom of God. We need not worry about the world. Surely, the world will not understand us. It did not understand the logic of Jesus. That’s why it did not spare even his life. It has put him to death. Jesus is the first one to do what he says. He said that one has to be a child and he made himself a child in the Incarnation. He said that one has to be a servant and he made himself a servant in the Last Supper washing the feet of the disciples. He said that one has to be the last and least of all and he made himself a least of all in the death on the cross. Thus, he is the first one to be given the glorious resurrection and he is the first one to be place above all (Phil 2:6-11). Those who are last in the world will be the first in the kingdom of God. This is the logic of Jesus. Even in our regard, many a time our testimony will be a failure. Our words will go in vain. Our actions are misinterpreted. We need not worry about the consideration of the world. We have to look for the place the kingdom of God. The world will laugh at us, will scold us, murmur at us and insult us. Nothing would pain us because we decided to follow Jesus and we can expect all these strange attitudes from the society around us. As for us, we have to strive to be first but first in the kingdom of God. - Being poor and small is the spiritual condition: the condition that Jesus is asking us to wear is not the economic condition of rich and poor. Economically people may be rich and poor. That is not the matter. Being small is not in the aspect of state of life. Some may be consecrated and others may be laity. That is not the matter. Being little is not in the terms of social ranking: master and servant, great and small, leaders and common citizens. It is not the matter. What Jesus indicates is Our Spiritual Condition: we need to be spiritually poor. The first beatitude itself teaches us to be in this state: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God” (Math 5:3). Our confidence should be always in God. Our spirit should rejoice in God. Our life should find its fulfilment in God. Our hearts should rest only in him. We have to learn to be in this state of the spirit: we are still joyful when we are considered little and poor in the world for we will be the first ones in the kingdom of God. Thus, we have to carry in our hearts the invitation of Jesus: be the least and servant of all.

TWENTY FOURTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR - B

TWENTIFOURTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR – B (Is 50:5-9a; James 2:14-18; Mark 8:27-35) Theme: We are anointed servants of God: Let us proclaim our identity with the deeds of faith Reflection: Person and Mission of Jesus are intertwined - Last Sunday, through the reading, the Church has presented to us Jesus as the Saviour. By working a miracle and by healing a deaf and dumb man, Jesus revealed himself to be the Redeemer who saves and restores human being. He has come into the world to make everything perfect. This was the surprising and overwhelming proclamation of the people who have observed what Jesus has done: “He makes well everything. He makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak” (Mark 7:37). Jesus manifests himself as the one who renews and perfects everything: he brings back the original identity of man being created in the image and likeness of God. Through this passage as many other similar miracles we know that Jesus is the Saviour of man and Restorer of the creation. In other words, Jesus is the Messiah. This is the truth that the Church proclaims with today’s scriptural readings. - Indissoluble unity between the person and mission of Jesus: Jesus as person is not separate from his mission. He is what he has come to fulfil. His mission defines his identity. Already carrying the name, indicated by an angel, Jesus he takes up a mission of saving because Jesus signifies Saviour. The Christ is also a name which indicates not who is but what he is and what he does. Christ means an Anointed by God, Messiah who comes to save his people, and a “One Sent” by the Father to reveal his eternal plan of love and to make the people to participate in it. In this way, already in his name Jesus Christ he contains his mission of being “an Anointed servant, sent by God, for the salvation of the world”. This unity between his name and his mission is what makes him a perfect Son of God. Today’s readings present to us this indissoluble knot between his being and his doing of Christ. - Christ means an Anointed one of God: In the Old Testament we have many references to the anointing of God. God anoints the prophets, kings and priests. They are consecrated with the oil for a mission of being God’s instruments. The anointing with the oil signifies the choice that God makes. He chooses for himself few by calling to himself, by making them accept his plan and by consecrating them with the anointment of the oil: kept apart for a particular mission. The ever alive example is King David. In this way, the name Christ has a meaning of “anointed one of God”. In the Gospel, when Peter answers to the question of Jesus makes a profession: “You are Christ” (Mark 8:29). They would have already known the elements of the Old Testament. Peter, in particular, even without realizing well of what he is telling revealed, through the inspiration of the Spirit, that Jesus is the Christ. The ultimate significance of what it means of Christ is not yet revealed. Already by bringing the opinion of the people, in which Jesus is understood as the prophet, the disciples also would have understood him in that way: as the consecrated and anointed prophet of God. Only little later Jesus explains to them what it means to be the Christ. Readings Faith is professed in responding to the question: who do you say I am? - “Who do you I am? … You are Christ”: The dialogue between Jesus and disciples must have started casually. Jesus is going towards the villages of Caesarea Philip and only on the way Jesus just asks his disciples about the idea of the people about him. o General question: “Who do the people say that I am?” is the general question of Jesus to his disciples. The disciples would have immediately answered because his name and fame is already in the minds of people. They have taken the place of the common people and answered: you are John the Baptist; you are Elijah and one of the prophets. Why the name of John the Baptist? His is the contemporary prophet to them. The people have seen him and they have listened to him. He has just beheaded. People have still fresh memories of him. Therefore, when they saw Jesus proclaiming the kingdom of God with the similar words of conversion and repentance (Mark 1:15) as that of John the Baptist, they have thought that he has come back to life in the person of Jesus. Why Elijah? Elijah is considered to be the greatest prophet of the Old Testament and he is taken up into heaven. There is a belief that he would come again. People are aware of this and thus thought that Elijah has come back to them. Why any other prophet? The preaching and the performances of Jesus are more similar to those of the prophets they have been reading through the Old Testament pages. Therefore, people have considered him to be one of the prophets. o Personal question: “But who do you say that I am?” is the particular and personal question posed by Jesus to his disciples. Whether he is happy or not of the public opinion of him, he wants to finds out what these twelve would say about. Jesus would have really expected something different. They are with him all these days. They have seen him with the authoritative preaching. They have observed the miracles he has done in front their eyes. They are closely associated to him until now. Now they should know little more of him that the common public. Jesus expected this and the reply of Peter would have made him content. Peter, as usual taking the voice of all, responds: You are Christ. Jesus is happy because he has said it right: He is truly Christ. At the same time Jesus is aware that they did not understand well what they are professing. Even Peter is not conscious of its significance. Or at least they would have connected what they heard from the people to what was already referred in the Old Testament: Jesus as the anointed prophet of God. The truth that they have not comprehended it correctly is exhibited immediately when the same Peter has hindered Jesus (Mark 8:32-33). o The Son of Man must suffer, die and rise again (Mark 8:31): Mark notes well that after Peter has made the proclamation “You are Christ”, Jesus warns them not to tell it to anyone and then immediately starts teaching them. Yes, it is a teaching. He teaches them that “the Son of Man has to suffer much, and to be refused by the elders, by the leaders of priests and by scribes, has to be killed and, after three days, has to rise again” (v.31). This is the new teaching. Jesus reveals the supreme significance of what it means Christ. He surpasses the common meaning that the Law and the Prophets have attributed to this name and unveils the true and authentic meaning of it: Christ should suffer, die and rise again. In this way, Jesus goes beyond the identity of the prophets. He reaches to another level, higher and ultimate level: being a suffering servant of God, anointed for a mission. o Christ is the Suffering Servant (Is 50:5-9): When Jesus has declared that the Son of Man must “suffer” (Mark 8:31) he refers himself to the image of Suffering Servant found in Isaiah. As the first reading of today presents to us, the servant, here, offers whole of his existence for the call he accepts with unwavering faith in God. This passage is full of significance of Christ: it is the third songs of the four suffering servant hymns in the book of Isaiah. The servant is defined as a man who is persecuted for the cause of the word which he has to listen from God and to announce it to the people. His message is directed to the unfaithful people (v.4). His voice, which is actually the echo of God, is confronted with the violence. The destined people, instead of embracing the word of God, have become foolish. The wise word of the prophet has fallen into the hands of the vice. The servant being “filled with the wisdom of God” has been treated by them as the buffoon. The identity of the servant is contained in his courageous encounter with these people and in carrying his mission with the faith in the one who has sent him. He knows that he would be victorious because it is not the will of the men but will of God (vv.7-9 and Mark 8:33 – “Go behind me Satan! You think according to men and not according to God”). In the trust that the servant placed in God the new evaluation of the suffering is revealed: suffering is not a sign of rejection but of election. - Jesus reveals his identity: Jesus, by teaching to the disciples and by admonishing Peter through this passage, reveals his identity. He shatters the old way of thinking of the anointed in the Old Testament. He opens the new dimension of Christ: Anointed Servant of God, Sent to save the world, by passion, death and resurrection. Christ is fully realized only in accomplishing his mission and he manifests it on the cross: “it is accomplished!”. This is true identity of his. His proclamation of God’s kingdom and his performance of marvellous actions in the form of miracles and other incidents is only a preface for what he contains. His content is his mission of taking up the cross and losing the life. He is confident, as it was the case with the suffering servant (Is 50:8-9), that the One who sends him on this mission will assist him with the life. Conclusion: Jesus invites us to preserve and proclaim this identity - By name and by mission we are Christians: We are called and consecrated in the Baptism, Confirmation and in the other sacraments. With profession of faith in the Baptism our name is changed: more than our proper name we carry within us the name of Christ, and it is for this we are called Christians. With the Confirmation we are sealed with the Holy Spirit to live as Christians. With Reconciliation and with Eucharist, we are nourished with grace of God to carry on our mission of being Christians. We need to preserve this identity. We should never delink the knot between what we are (Christians) and what we do (faith, hope and love). Our mission is to live as Christ lived and to become truly “alter christi”. - “Take up the Cross” is the call: after unveiling the meaning of Christ, Jesus invites his disciples to participate in his life. The one who listens to him and wants to follow him has to really become “the anointed servant for the mission of God”. Here is his call: “if someone wants come after me, has to abandon himself, take up his cross and follow me. Because who wants to save his life, loses it; but who loses his life for my cause and of the Gospel, will save it” (Mark 8:34-35). We need not worry of the way. He has already prepared the way for us: the way of the cross. We have to leave aside our worldly aspirations. We need to abandon all that controls our earthly life. Not enough. Leaving alone is not enough. We have to take up. We have to take up the cross. The following of Jesus cannot be otherwise. The one, who refuses to take up the cross, cannot become an authentic Christian. Not enough to profess our faith in the formula of prayers, in the Mass and in the hundred and one prayers we make. Faith is not a simple confession but it is an act of carrying. - Faith without works is dead (James 2:1): Faith is not just a profession but a procession. We need to carry it in our life. We need to transform it into action. Apostle James is very keen in teaching us in a very radical manner. He says that we are dead if we do not profess our faith with action. We are dead not in the body but in the spirit. We are dead not in the mind but in the heart. Action should manifest what we are. Our identity is in our mission: losing our life for others. Taking the cross means carrying our daily troubles and difficulties, insults and pain, not for our sake but for the sake of the Gospel. We blame God for the little troubles we have and we enough abandon him because he is not helping us in our condition. Is this not selfish attitude? We call upon God for our personal needs. But the truth is that we are persons in Christ: Christians. We have a task of showing that we, Christians, are still alive. How to manifest that we are still alive and in spirit? By working for salvation of us and of others. Therefore, we have to keep in mind this truth: We are anointed servants of God – Let us proclaim our identity with the deeds of faith

TENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR - B

TENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR – B (Genesis 3:9-15; 2 Cor 4:13-5:1; Mark 3:20-25) Theme: We are the instruments of God’s will in and for the world Reflection: We are created to belong to his family - The last two weeks’ themes find their fulfilment in this week. We have been reflecting on the observance of the law is good. Even this observance has to give a way to the human dignity and human need. More than as an obligation we need to live the spirit of the law which calls for the integrity of mind and heart – coherence between intellect and affection. As today’s readings make it clear, Jesus summarizes the discourse on the observance of the law and says that one needs to do the will of God. Only when we do act according to the will of God we become his family. - In fact, God has created us not to be here on earth and away from him. He has created human beings to be with him. It was his desire when he formed man in his image and likeness: he breathed into man his life so that the man is always with him. Man’s dignity of being created in his image and likeness reveal that God called man to be in his family of Godhead. Whole of his creation has its culmination in the creation of man and woman. They are the crown of creation. They are placed as the owners and head of all the living creatures. They are given the dominance over all that is created. This is God’s will for man: man enjoys being with him and man always remain in his family. - However, as the Bible reveals to us, man has rejected to be a member of God’s family. He neglected his status of being his handiwork. He wanted to create his own family. He wanted to live separately and divided from him. He tried for the individual family. For this he has used his intelligence: to be more than God. He was so confident that he could live without or apart from his Creator. This is the arrogance of man: he wilfully and consciously rejected God’s will. Man is now found himself away from God’s family. Man is now ready to create his own world and his own family in which God has no place and His will find no priority. Thus, already in the beginning itself, God’s desire was shattered by man. - Attitude and behaviour of man with regards to God his Creator is manifested in his conscious disobedience and in his fall into the trap of the devil. As the consequence he has to face a shameful throw. He has been thrown away from the beautiful house, Garden of Eden. He has been placed outside of his family. He has been removed from the grace of God’s presence. Finally, he entered into the world. He has become a mixed being: a being with the double standards and a being with the double-mindedness. He has something of goodness in his human nature because he is created well by God. He has also something of evil tendencies in his human nature because he opted to choose what is placed before him by the Satan. - He is a being who is always in a constant struggle with himself. There is always this fight within him. He is in battle between what God wants from him and what he wants to do in his freedom. Whom to choose? is the biggest question in his life. Though he feels himself to be autonomous and eternally free being, he also feels from the other side that he cannot live all by himself. He is not only rational being but also relational being. He belongs to the family, to the society, to the world and also to God. He knows that he needs others and he needs God. But with is scientific adventures and technological growth he pretends to be the only master of the world. He pretends as though he never needed God for anything. Even in his helpless situations he prefers to lose his life rather than to return to God. In this way, he permanently goes away from the house of God and he keeps himself detached from the family of God. - He forgets his origin: man is not of his own creation. He is created by God. He is created to be in the family of God. This is, in reality, his identity as the human being created to be higher than any other creature. When he moves away from this bond of familiarity with God, he loses his dignity. He forgets his origin. He buys his own destruction. He soon realizes that the consequence of his coming of his family is the death. Very often man tries to give more importance to the mind and intellect, rather than to the heart and love: they are the fountain of family life. - “Adam! Where are you?” (First reading): God knows that man willed to stay away from him. He knows that man by this attitude has bought for himself a loss of life. He knows that man has also a nature that is basically good and that it is only controlled by the evil spirit. He knows that man desires to come back and in fact, many times he tries enough to get away from the family of devil, to enter into his family. He also knows that man has become spiritually so incapable that he cannot by himself come out this situation. Knowing all these, God himself has taken a first step. He comes out to meet man. He comes out to call man. Indeed, he searches for man. He cries out to man: where are you? (Gen 3:9). This inquiry of God about man is not finished with this question to Adam. We are Adams. We have many times tried to stay away from God. God does not wish that we are away and we are perished. He invites man to come back. He encourages man to return to the Garden of Eden. For this, God himself has opened a way for man: the way of God is Jesus Christ. He has come to call man to do the will of God so that they belong to God’s family. Readings: The requirement to belong to the family of God – to do His Will - “My food is to do the will of my Father”: This is the affirmation of Jesus. He has come not to do what he wills but what his Father wants from him. He always proclaims his identity as the one who does the will of His Father. He often declares that he has come to fulfil the will of God, his Father, and he invites all to do the same. This accomplishment of Gods’ will is that which confers to us that familiarity which makes our relation with Him something intimate and confidant. We have his invitation in today’s Gospel: “Who is my mother and who are my brothers? Turning to those who were with him he said: here is my mother and here are my brothers! Because the one who fulfils the will of God, is my brother, sister and mother” (Mark 3:33-35). Jesus always considers that he has nothing else to do expect carrying on the mission designed by his Father. The fulfilling of the will of God is something very constant in the whole life of Jesus. He has even taught us, as to his disciples, the prayer of “Our Father” in which he proclaims: “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. Garden of Gethsemane is the garden in which Jesus utterly commits himself to his Father and thus manifests his perfect obedience. In this way, in the garden of Gethsemane Jesus gives to the Father what the first man failed to give in the Garden of Eden: the desire to be with him always. In this Gethsemane, in the time of agony and pain, Jesus prefers to do the mission for which has come: “Not my will, Father, but yours be done”. These are the examples of his life to show that he is not for himself even for a single moment. His identification is his mission. His mission is to fulfil his Father’s will and desire. - Two separate situations – those who are inside and those who are outside: the Gospel presents to us two situations. Already some are with Jesus inside the house. They came to him to see him, to listen to him and to be with him. They belong to him. They belong to his family. They belong to the one family of God. There are few who have come and stayed outside only to observe what he is about to do. They are only curious and concerned of what he is going to do. They are only there to plot and to put him to test. They did not really come to be with him. They have come only to find fault with him. They refused to enter in to stay with him. Thus, few are inside, with him and for him; few are outside, away from him in mind and in heart. When his family members and his relatives have come to see him Jesus provokes a new mode of being in relation to him. He did not reject his mother and he did not try to humiliate her in the public as many speak. He, in reality, elevates them. He takes the context and proclaims the requirement to belong to God’s family. - His family belongs to him: when Jesus questions the crowd who is his mother and brothers, it is not that he pretends as though not knowing them. He knows them. He knows who his mother is and who his brothers are. They are part of his life. They are part of his journey of the mission. They are part of his intimate relationship. The question here is not his relationship with them. Jesus wants to reveal the truth about God’s family taking this context as an occasion. Mary and his brothers are already his family. They already follow him. They are already on the way to do what he is doing. Therefore, through their arrival to see him and through the question raised to the people about them, Jesus clearly indicates that they are with him always. Jesus takes the ordinary situation in order to reveal the extraordinary truth: His real family is those who do the will of God. - New mode of relating: Jesus, through the passage of the Gospel, opens the space for the new mode of relating to God. He makes us participate in his intimacy with God and with us. In front of him nothing is indifferent. Jesus speaks of God in the radically different mode and introduces a new concept of familiar relation with Him. His teaching of God, as our Father and himself as our Brother, is something new to his audience. For some people it is hard to digest calling God as the Father. Many think that God should be someone who is beyond our comprehension. Many feel that God should be a totally different and powerful being who controls us. At the situation of this kind, Jesus brings about a new kind of relationship: Father and Children. We all of us, along with Jesus, make one family. He himself calls God as his Father and asks us to do the same: “Our Father who is in heaven”. Everyone is invited into this intimate rapport between God and us. It is for establishing this “family of God” that Jesus made all of us equally saved and shared by his mission: by his cross he broke down all the barriers of difference and indifferences and by his resurrection he opened a the door of this new family of God. Conclusion: We have to be instruments to build up family of God in the world - Mutual respect and embrace: something that is essential in the family or any kind of relationship is mutual giving and receiving. Jesus gives us golden rule: “Do unto others what you want them to do for you” (Math 7:12). Relationship grows only in this exchange of virtues. We give and therefore we receive. We receive therefore we give. Life is a mutual exchange of respect. We have to embrace everyone with equal dignity of being our brothers and sisters. Jesus never calls us slaves, instead, calls us brothers. Indeed, we are his brothers and we have to behave in the same worthy manner. This is what we have to learn. We should work for the society of mutual respect and uplifting. We should be the pioneers of such society in which prevail only justice, equality and fraternity. If we accept Jesus as our Brother and if we really want to be with him, in his family, we need to do as he has done. By love and forgiveness he embraced all. Let us try all that we could in order to arrive at this level of the vocation of faith. - We may be “out of mind” for the world, still we need to be Jesus’ instruments: In the Gospel we find the people who considered Jesus as “out of mind” (Mark 3:21). The teaching of Jesus often created incomprehension and confusion in the listeners. When he talks people get divided: few understand and follow him and thus become his family and others cannot digest what he talks and thus become his opponents. Jesus does not mind all these things. He has come to proclaim the truth, to show the way and to give the life: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”. He fulfils this at any cost, at the cost of incomprehension as the consequence of which people say that he is out of min. He fulfils this even at the cost of his life which he has done on the cross. - Many a time, we also come across same kind of situation. When we live our faith and preach the gospel, people may say that we are out of mind and out of the world. This has happened to Jesus and would it not happen to you? Jesus himself already reminds: “they will persecute you for my sake… if you sustain it till the end… the rewards will be great in heaven” (Math 5:10-12). We need not fear about this. We have to continue to do the will of God until the last breath of our life. This is what Jesus wants from us. Only this way he wants us to enter into the family of God. Only this way he wants us to be the instruments of establishing a family of God in the world. - Our confidence is Jesus himself: It is not so easy first of all to know what God wills for us and all the more to fulfil it with our testimony of the words and actions. It is furthermore difficult when the world hates us, laughs at us and creates lot of tribulations and sufferings. We have a foundation for our faith and vocation: Jesus who has undergone all these before us and for us (second reading). We should not be discouraged of all these situations because we have an eternal place (second reading – 2 Cor 5:1). Our joy is this that we belong to him: Our family is God’s, we are with him and we will be with him forever. Thus, with courage and confidence we have to serve as the instrument of creating God’s family in this world.

NINTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR - B

NINTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR – B: (Deuteronomy 5:2-15; 2 Cor 4:6-9; Mark 2:23-3:6) Theme: We are to sanctify the Day of the Lord by elevating human dignity Reflection: Sabbath is for man and man is not for Sabbath - Last Sunday we have reflected upon giving more importance to the spirit of the law rather than to the letter of the law. Again, observation of the rituals should lead us to the living of faith. Living of faith calls for the radical change of the self. New wine should be poured in the new seeds. There is a requirement for the change of heart. The newness of heart is the place that God chooses to dwell in. God has already made us His bride in the incarnation of his Son Jesus. Human nature is intimately tied to the divine nature with his taking up of the image of man. What was old and ruined in the human flesh and mind is cleaned by his blood on the Cross. Old and stony heart is replaced by the new and fleshy heart. It is the work of the merciful love of God. He promised to give a new heart that burns and desires for him. He, in fact, has prepared our heart through the word of his Son and the power of his Spirit. Yes, our heart is prepared because he wanted to be with us and in us. He wanted to make us his beloved bride. He becomes an ever faithful bridegroom who loves always in spite of the infidelity of the bride. Jesus has revealed this mystery of spiritual intimacy and union between God and humanity. As long as God speaks to and acts for man, man remains ever new. He celebrates the feast of love. It is always a fruit of living with the heart than a mere practice of the liturgical rites. - Similar theme of giving prominence to what is of human value is highlighted in today’s readings: Sabbath is made for man and man not for Sabbath (Mark 2:27). Whatever may be the situation and whatever may be the condition of the law, man in need needs to be attended. Man is the centre of creation and the whole creation is handed over to him so that he would use it for the betterment of his life. The nature, the days, the laws, the time, etc., are at the service of man and man decides how to act according to them. This is the dignity that the man enjoys over everything that is creaturely. After all, God has created man little less than the angels (Ps 8). In every creaturely order and structure man holds the primary importance. This is what Jesus reminds to the Pharisees. Pharisees are those who put more of an accent on the observation of the law because it is given by the Lord himself. The law of the Lord should take an upper hand. Yes, indeed, but Jesus reveals that law is only for the building up of the image and dignity of man. In fact, God has given to man the law or the commandments so that by faithful and meaningful living of them, they attain the eternal bliss with him. If there arises any situation in which the well-being of man is neglected and rejected in the name of the practice of the law, then the law can be changed according to its service to man. - Jesus makes well the paralyzed man on the day of Sabbath (Mark 3:1-5): the gospel is noteworthy. Jesus answers his opponents on the question of keeping the Sabbath. He counter-questions them with the reference of what David has done when he and his disciples were hungry (Mark 2:26; and I Samuel 21:2, 7). They did not mind of keeping fast but entered into the Holy of the holies and have eaten the bread which they are forbidden to eat. What is important is what is required of the moment. They are in need. They are in hunger. They are dying of hunger. The law was there but the life is more valuable. Law should be at the service of man and not at the killing of life. Jesus affirms this still further by working a miracle on the prohibited day according to the law: “extend your hand”, he says to the paralyzed and his hand is healed (v.5). Jesus works the miracle for two reasons: the integrity of man is important and to break the malicious intentions of the Pharisees. He knows that they have come to him to find some fault in him for accusing him (v.2). In reality, they are anxiously waiting whether he would do something so that they can blame him. Jesus does not fear. He does not mind their thoughts. His target is to heal the paralyzed person. He is always conscious of his mission: to set right what is not well. His whole presence is for the lifting up of fallen man into sin and illness of health. It is for this reason, Jesus more than arguing with the Pharisees, asks them just one question: “which is right to do on the day of Sabbath, to do good or to do bad, to save life or to kill it?” (v.4). Even the Pharisees are aware that the man in need is to be taken care of. But for them the law prevail over everything else even at the cost of one’s life. Such a vigorous practice is their observance. - Here the situation is still worse. They want to test Jesus and see how he would react to the behaviour of his disciples who eat on the day of prohibition. They want to trap Jesus if at all he teaches otherwise than the Law of Moses and if at all he does some work against the command of the Lord. Jesus would have well said to the paralyzed man to come the next day and he would cure him. In this way, he could have solved all these confrontations with these hard-hearted Pharisees. But Jesus does whatever is good and right for the restoration of man in spite of threat and incomprehension that surrounds him. His good will has no limits. He does not stop for the fear of others. If something of him is required he does then and there without minding the evil intentions of the religious authorities. He came into the world “not to abolish the law, but it accomplish it” (Math 5:17ff). Even in this context Jesus is not totally abandoning the prescribed law. He, in turn, reveals the meaningful usage of the law and thus reveals the truth: that the law is for man and not man for the law. Readings: Jesus does not deject but sanctifies the Day of the Lord - The Sabbath is a Prescribed Law (first reading): the day of Sabbath is given by the Lord himself. In the first reading of today we have the clear message of God: “observe the day of the Sabbath for sanctifying it, as the Lord, your God, has commanded you. You may work for six days and do everything of your work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath in the honour of the Lord, your God: you should not do any work…” (vv.12-13). He has commanded his people to observe it as the day of remembrance of all the marvellous deeds he has done for liberating his people (v.15). - The Sabbath is the day of rest: in Hebrew the word Shabat signifies ‘the rest’ and therefore, the Hebrews consider it as the seventh day of the week. For them it indicates the day in which “God brings to the completion the work he has done and stopped from his every work on the seventh day. God blessed the seventh day and consecrated it, because in it he has ceased every work that he has done with the creation” (Gen 2:2-3). God has rested on the seventh day. He withdrew himself from every work. He blessed it and sanctified it. Therefore, this seventh day and this day of Sabbath is considered theologically to be the “Day of the Lord”. - The Sabbath is the day of liberation: God adds an ulterior significance to the Sabbath. It is the day of the memory of the liberation. God has called his people out from the slavery of Egypt, the land of pain and suffering, the land of cry and disgrace. He has made them to come out of it in order to set out towards the Promised Land, the land of liberty and joy and the land of milk and honey. The prescription of the Sabbath is given to them so that the people of Israel, his chosen and liberated nation, have a day of celebration. No one should work on that day: neither the master nor the servant, neither the children nor the animals… everyone should rest. Here rest does not signify that they pass the time in chit chat and while away the time in doing what they like. No, here rest means “to be with the Lord”. It is the day for the joyful celebration. It is the day for glorifying the Lord for his powerful presence amidst them. It is the day for offering the praises to the Lord for the eternal covenant he made with them. It is the day for remembering and living the miraculous moments of God’s liberation. For this the Lord ordains this day: “remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt and that the Lord your God has made you escape from it with the strong hand and extended arms; for this the Lord, your God, commands you to observe the day of Sabbath” (Dt 5:15). - Jesus truly sanctifies the day of Sabbath: in the gospel presented to us we can note well what Jesus does: he actually sanctifies it. How does he sanctify it? What does it means to sanctify? Sanctify means to make it holy and therefore, to make it worthy of the Lord’s will. God wills that everything is well. By setting right something that goes wrong we partake in the sanctifying work of God. Jesus does the same. Not only on the day of Sabbath, but in all the days of his life, he dedicates himself, for the restoration of man. Jesus sanctifies the day of Sabbath in three ways. First, he works for the new creation: he sets out to make man new; the paralyzed become well again. He is no more an old being but becomes new creation with the working of Jesus. Second, he liberates man: he decides to free him from the clutches of physical illness, social shame and spiritual bondage of curse; he becomes free being. Third, he invites the paralyzed man to be at rest: until now the ill man was restless; his mind was preoccupied with lot of insults and disgusting look of others; now he is at peace with himself. By doing this Jesus actually does not abolish the law of Sabbath but sanctifies it. He has come into the world to bring man into the dignity of being God’s children. - “Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27-28): Jesus, taking the situation into his hands, into his favour, proclaims himself as the Master of the Sabbath. Thus, he demonstrates himself as the Lord of the time and the Lord of the new creation. He gives new life to the disabled and to the paralyzed. The days are in his hands. The times are under his control and supervision. He makes the time to move. He alone can restore the life without being affected by the law and the prescriptions. He goes beyond the exterior observation of the law which does not mind any more human requirements. He touches the interior need of man: man needs to be touched, he needs to be lifted up, and he needs to be saved. Whether on Monday or on Sunday is not important. He desires to be restored. This is what Jesus does. This is what Jesus alone can do just because He is the Lord of the Sabbath. Conclusion: Let us throw away unnecessary laws in order to embrace a man in need - Sunday is the Day of the Lord – let us sanctify it: For us Christians, not any more the Saturday but, it is Sunday which is the day of the Lord. It is the day of the Lord because it is the first day of first creation. It is the day of the Lord because it is the first of new creation in Christ: Jesus is risen to life putting an end to death on the first day of the week. Therefore, it is the day life. If we are called the people of resurrection, then we are also the people of the first day and therefore, also the people of Sunday. It is the day of the Lord. As we believe it believes our day. It is the day to cease ourselves from the fatigue of the work. It is the day to apart ourselves from others. It is the day to be alone with the Lord. It is the day to recall to our mind, all that God has done in our life to bring us to this status of dignity of his children. And finally it is the day to glorify the immense love of God for us. It is in this way we sanctify the day of the Lord, the Sunday. - Testimony of the martyrs of Abitene – “without Sunday we cannot live”: At the earlier times of Christianity we have a living testimony of the martyrs of Abitene in the year a.c. 304 under the imperator Diocletian. These Christians who are asked to give up their Sunday celebrations have courageously replied: “We cannot live without Sunday”. They have sacrificed their life in order to sanctify the day of the Lord. They have not valued much their earthly life because they believed in the heavenly life: the life with the Lord. They have preserved their Christian identity. It is true, indeed, that the Sunday is the day of the true liberation from the slavery of sin and death. It is true, indeed, that the Sunday is the day of the thanksgiving, of Eucharist. Therefore, it is the day of Eucharistic banquet. We cannot live without that bread of life. - We are in journey towards the eternal Sabbath: as long as we are here on earth, we Christians need not fear although we are surrounded by difficulties and sufferings. We need not fear because we are passing, we are moving towards that Eternal Day of the Lord. Now we sanctify the Sabbath with the testimony of faith and this testimony prepares for us a space for the celebration of Eternal Sabbath. Our celebration of Sunday in time and in history will take us into the Sunday without end – Eternal Sunday. In fact, we are preparing for that. In fact, all that we accomplish on earth is a storing of life in heaven. In fact, we observe all the commands of the Lord, not as a mere obligation, but to obtain the new life in the Lord. - Living man is a glory of God (St. Irenaeus): As Jesus said to the paralytic man, he says to every one of us: extend your hand. We are no more closed beings. We are no more poor who hind themselves. We are no more disabled and paralyzed being in acting for God. Our fear and the feeling of shyness are removed. Our hands are made extended. We are asked to come out. We are asked to get us. We are asked to walk along. We are no more dead, in sin. We are given life. We are given new life. We are restored to the new creation. We are living being. Our life is God’s glory. The sanctification of the command of the Lord consists in this: coming to life and glorifying God. Jesus defends life, not the law. If law goes wrong, it can be corrected and modified. If man loses life, it is difficult to restore it. In fact, Jesus has come into the world, “to give life and to give it in abundance”. Jesus goes into the essence of teaching: the gift of life is the supreme norm and it has to be given a priority in any and every circumstance. We are asked to sustain this life which is given to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus. We are made well and we are called to make well also others. It is the only way we can sanctify the day of the Lord: by defending and by elevating human dignity.