Saturday 5 November
Saturday of week 31 in Ordinary Time Gospel - Luke 16:9-15 “For what is thought highly of by men is loathsome in the sight of God.’” The key to understand the gospel passage is this phrase of Jesus. What we think as noble could be disgusting in the sight of God. When I read this phrase again and again. The question comes: What are the things which I think noble in my life and around me? Then I would think, “imagine, if these things are disgusting to God, where am I?”. Our value is to be centered around God. If we fix our value around things we consider as noble and important, those things could be disgusting to God, and we will find ourselves senseless. With whatever we associate, it is not those things that give us value or importance. Only the relationship with God that makes our life meaningful. When we depend on other things, may be our own capacities, connections, or possessions, we may fail to serve the Lord because we feel ourselves in control of situations and our life. This is where we lose ourselves. We lose the sense of life. Therefore, the Gospel asks us: make sure the things I consider noble are not disgusting in the sight of God!
Friday 4 November
Saint Charles Borromeo, Bishop Friday of week 31 in Ordinary Time Gospel - Luke 16:1-8 Jesus is highlighting our attitude to give up when we face difficulties in living our vocation as children of light. ‘The master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness. For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.’ The dishonest steward did not give up when he faced the situation of losing his job. He finds a way to deal with it and comes out successful. So, the question is: when this man is doing this, why are we giving up? The moment we see difficulties and challenges we give up doing the good. Even before doing something good, we think about the challenges rather than the beneficiaries. The difficulties and challenges instill in us fear to continue. Whereas they should not instill in us fear but it should inspire us to think of overcoming this difficulties and challenges using our intelligence and creativity. Therefore, the Gospel puts before us the question: are you finding ways to continue the good you are doing or are you giving up because of the challenges and difficulties?
Thursday 3 November
Thursday of week 31 in Ordinary Time Saint Martin de Porres, Religious Gospel - Luke 15:1-10 This gospel speaks about how to create the joy of heaven in our communities and families now. Jesus is teaching us how to do that. This is how things work in heaven, how it works in the community of this shepherd which comprises of him, his neighbours and friends. When each member of the community learns to love like this man, this joy is generated. Searching for the missing one is important for him because the missing one is unique and irreplaceable. He loves that one. He loves that sheep because of what that sheep is. That sheep belongs to him, to his heart. So, it’s that love which prompts him to search. And this love is unconditional as we don’t see any excuses for not searching. Nothing is preventing him from searching. Even the 99 sheep are not stopping him. And when he found the sheep, he is ready to share his joy. His joy becomes the joy of the community. His friends and neighbours are ready to share his joy because they participated in his pain of loss. Here we see a community where each single reality of each person is important for the whole community. There the joy of heaven is created.
Wednesday 2 November
All Souls Gospel - Luke 7:11-17 Life is the only way for an eternal relationship with God. We see the beautiful image in this gospel. Jesus coming near the crying widow and telling her, “Do not cry”. Resurrection is the effect of the eternal presence of this unconditional love of God in our life. Death becomes the moment of unconditional possession of that love given by the unconditional mercy of that love. The love that sees the crying widow amid a great number of people. The love that sees the crying widow whose all dreams are shattered as her only son is dead. The love that places the hand on the coffin to stop the bearers. The love that says to the dead man, “Young man, I tell you to get up.’”. This unconditional love starts in us like a seed, and it grows up as we give space to that love in our hearts. It conquers all aspects of life. It permeates each cell of our life, each aspect of our life, each moment of our life. That love takes complete control of our life unconditionally and eternally. The distance between the lover and loved disappears. That is the moment of liberation. That is resurrection. “And the dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Everyone was filled with awe and praised God…”. Jesus reinstating the son to his mother as a new creation. Relationship reaches its fullness.