St. Luke, Evangelist, Friday, 18-10-2024

2 Tim 4:10-17 / Luke 10:1-9  

St. Luke was not one of the 12 Apostles chosen by Jesus, but he is venerated as the Evangelist who wrote the fourth gospel as well as the Acts of the Apostles. 

Although he was not mentioned in the gospels, he is featured in the epistles of St. Paul of  the New Testament.

He is mentioned in the 1st reading of today. St. Paul mentioned about him in only five words - Only Luke is with me.

And that said volumes about St. Luke because St. Paul was suffering persecution and abandonment and his only source of consolation was that he had the company of St. Luke, and by mentioning that, it showed how much St. Paul appreciated him.

Furthermore, it was nearing the end of St. Paul's life in Rome that St. Luke was keeping him company and that was a testimony of how much St. Luke was involved in the ministry of the early Church as well as of his faith and character.

St. Luke knew first hand the challenges and difficulties of the mission of proclaiming the Good News and also the commitment and the sacrifices that are involved.

As we read about his account in the gospel of Jesus sending out His disciples, we can sense that it was from the depths of his missionary experience that he wrote it.

Yes, we are being sent out to proclaim the Good News but it is like lambs being sent among wolves.

Yet in the midst of danger and difficulties, let us keep in mind how St. Luke kept St. Paul company.

It is in keeping company with each other in unity and peace that we are able to face the wolves and proclaim the Good News of God's saving love.

28th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 17-10-2024

Ephesians 1:1-10 / Luke 11:47-54  

Have we ever wondered what would life be like if we are not a Christian?

Would we think that we would be happier since we would be free from all those Christian moral obligations?

Not that we would go around living immoral lives and committing evil without any conscience.

We would be happy just living good and peaceful lives.

But the world is a rough and tough place, and inevitably we would be hardened by the injustice and unfairness that we will face.

Jesus faced persecution when He addressed the evil and wickedness of the people of His time.

And as Christians, we would also face some kind of persecution when we stand up for what is right and just.

But we are Christians not because we chose to be, but it was God who chose us in Christ.

And as Christians, God blesses us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven.

With God’s blessings, we will stand up and witness for what is right and just, and what is good and loving.

And with God’s blessings, we will also be happy Christians.

28th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 16-10-2024

Galatians 5:18-25 / Luke 11:42-46

No one likes to be criticized or to be told of their faults and failings.

Instinctively, we will be defensive and we will counter-criticize the other person.

That is usually how relationships turn sour and may even turn violent.

In the gospel, Jesus pointed out the faults and failings of the Pharisees, 

A lawyer reacted by saying that Jesus was insulting them too.

We certainly don’t like to be insulted, whether directly or indirectly.

But let us take a moment to check our instinctive reactions.

When we cringe or get angry when others criticize us, then it could be that they have pointed out something that we don’t want to acknowledge about ourselves.

It could be a case that others see the smoke but we don’t want them to see the fire.

But as the 1st reading says, when we are led by the Spirit, we will have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self-control.

When faced with criticism and negative remarks, let us ask the Holy Spirit for the grace of self-control.

May the Holy Spirit direct us to see our faults and failings so as to rise to a life in the Spirit.

28th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 15-10-2024

Galatians 5:1-6 / Luke 11:37-41

It is always safer to follow instructions.

When we follow instructions, we are not likely to go wrong or get into any kind of trouble.

We can be quite comfortable following instructions and to conform our lives to it.

In fact, we may become rather agitated and annoyed when others don’t follow instructions.

And we can get rather defensive when others question us about the reason for the instructions.

In the gospel, the Pharisee was rather surprised when Jesus had not washed first before the meal.

While Jesus did not question the act of washing before meal, He pointed out a deeper meaning to that washing.

Exterior cleanliness should also make us think about internal cleanliness or spiritual purity.

In the 1st reading, St. Paul says that what matters is faith that makes its power felt through love.

When we are pure of heart, our faith will be seen in our acts of love.

Then we will follow instructions with love, and we will also be able to instruct others with love.

28th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 14-10-2024

Galatians 4:22-24, 26-27, 31 - 5:1 / Luke 11:29-32  

To be literate means that basically a person can read and write.

That would also mean that a person has had some elementary education.

That would enable a person to go from primary education to secondary education and to other higher levels of education.

That would mean that the person would have gone through a learning process.

As it is, learning is a life-long process, and everyday we learn new things.

So, intellectually speaking, we know and have learnt a lot.

However, spiritually speaking, there is the additional aspect of revelation and wisdom.

In the spiritual realm, one learns from the revelation from God and is open to God’s gift of wisdom.

In the gospel, Jesus called the people a wicked generation that is asking for a sign.

They may be literate and have knowledge, but they are illiterate in the ways of God.

They have not learnt from the signs of God and they keep asking for signs.

Let us pray and ask God for the wisdom to learn from the signs about His ways and how to do His will.

28th Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 13.10. 2024

Wisdom 7:7-11 / Hebrews 4:12-13 / Mark 10:17-30

Many sayings and opinions have been expressed about the subject of money. 

And it cannot be denied that money is indeed a very useful thing. 

With money we are able to fulfil our basic needs of food, clothing and shelter. 

With money, we will have a comfortable life and we are able to afford the luxuries of life. 

On the noble side, money is used to help the poor and needy, and to fund humanitarian projects. 

Generally speaking, no one would say that they don't want money, or that they have no need for money. 

Indeed, money is useful, and he who has money can be quite powerful. 

But there are things that money cannot buy and have no power over. 

Money certainly cannot buy life. Money can never bring the dead back to life. 

And money cannot buy true friendships. 

And money also cannot buy love. 

In fact, when we have no money, then we will know who will help us, who are our true friends and who will really love us. 

In the gospel, a man ran up to Jesus, knelt before him and asked what must he do to inherit eternal life.

The man kept all commandments and he wanted to know if there is anything else to do. 

Jesus looked steadily at him and loved him. Then he told the man to sell off everything he owned, give the money to the poor and he will have eternal life. 

But that man's face fell, and he walked away sad, because he was a man of great wealth. 

Jesus had looked steadily at him and loved him. 

That man looked at his wealth, but did not look into the eyes of Jesus. 

It is said that the eyes are the windows of the soul. 

Just as Jesus looked steadily at that man and loved him, Jesus looks at us and loves us too. 

But just as that man looked at his wealth, we may be too busy looking at other things. 

Our eyes look and not just money and wealth. Our eyes look at what we desire for sensual pleasure and luxurious possessions. 

When it comes to food, our eyes become bigger than our stomachs and we eat till we overeat. 

So, we are busy looking at earthly desires and our eyes avert from looking at Jesus. 

Still, Jesus continues to look at us with that look of love, with eyes that want to tell us something. 

But we are busy, as busy as a bee. 

Bees may be busy, but they still have time to talk to the flowers. 

It seems that flowers talk to bee using static electricity. If a flower hasn't been visited recently by a bee, it gives off static electricity. 

That static electricity tugs at the tiny hairs on the bees’ back, letting them know which flower still has nectar. 

Like how the flower prompts the bee, Jesus prompts us to look at Him as He looks at us. 

As we feel His promptings, may this hymn also come to our minds: 

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, 

look full in His wonderful face. 

And the things of earth 

will grow strangely dim 

in the light of His glory and grace.

27th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 12-10-2024

Galatians 3:22-29 / Luke 11:27-28 

When it comes to maternal instinct, the one thought that comes to mind is the care and protection of the mother over her children.

That maternal instinct is so amazing that a mother would be willing to sacrifice her life for her children.

And if the mother has only one child, then, needless to say, all her attention and energy will be on that child.

Mary loved and cared for Jesus as her only child. And she also knew that God entrusted her with His only Son.

When the time came for Jesus to carry out His mission, Mary had to let Him go because she knew it was the will of God.

But Jesus is still her son, her flesh and blood, and like any mother, she would have longed for Jesus to stay by her side.

And when Jesus suffered and died on the Cross, the pain is beyond description, as no words can ever express the pain of a parent losing a child.

But over and above her maternal instinct, Mary submitted herself to God’s will.

Mary is the model of faith because she did what God wanted, and not what she wanted or desired.

Jesus gave Mary to be our mother when He was dying on the Cross.

Let us honour her and love her and learn from her to do God’s will.