Saturday 3 December
Saint Francis Xavier, Priest on Saturday of the 1st week of Advent Gospel - Matthew 9:35-10:1,5,6-8 “Go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel… You received without charge, give without charge’”. Jesus came to us and made us His disciples without charge. He took us with our weakness and defects. He shared His authority with us, to go to the lost sheep. The condition of someone around us as lost, is where our mission starts. To look around to understand who is lost, who is crying, who is desperate, who is depressed, is the first step. Often, we don’t see the lost. We see those who come to the Church and are active in different realities of the Church. But be sure, our mission begins where one around us, feels lost. After understanding that this person feels lost or is lost, we must give him or her back the sense of life, his or her dignity, the meaning of life. And this giving back becomes a giving back without charge when this giving is sharing, when this giving is without pretension, as a service. Let’s reflect: Advent is the time to make all our giving a sharing in serving the other.
Friday 2 December
Friday of the 1st week of Advent Gospel - Matthew 9:27-31 “As Jesus went on his way two blind men followed him shouting, ‘Take pity on us, Son of David.’ And when Jesus reached the house, the blind men came up with him and he said to them,” . This is a beautiful scene. Two blind man following Jesus. These two blind men following until Jesus reached the house. Very challenging - keep shouting to somebody without knowing and following blindly someone without knowing. But they continued. They did not see Him, but they continued. They did not hear any reply for their shouting, but they continued. The darkness in their eyes, nor the silence in their ears stopped them. They keep following and shouting. The unanswered prayers are invitation to keep going, keep following, keep shouting. They met him at the house where Jesus is. Let’s reflect: Advent is the time to keep following and calling Jesus even when we don’t see any answers.
Thursday 1 December
Thursday of the 1st week of Advent Gospel - Matthew 7:21,24-27 “It is not those who say to me, “Lord, Lord,” who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven.” Because the one who only calls “Lord, Lord,” keeps Lord away and goes to Him in case of necessity. One who only calls “Lord, Lord,” wants that the Lord blesses whatever he does. One who only calls “Lord, Lord,” listens only to himself. What God wants is a different thing. God wants that His Word be incarnated in our life. He wants that your life be constructed according to His Word. He wanted that His Word becomes the rock of my life upon which I construct. His Word becomes my life. Then we will recognize that the call “Lord, Lord,” is superficial if the Word of God is not becoming a reality in my life. Where my life becomes part of His Word. Then the call “Lord, Lord,” is substituted by “Yes, Yes, Lord”. Let’s reflect: Is the Word of God becoming a reality in my life or I just keep the Word of God away by just calling “Lord, Lord,”?
Wednesday 30 November
Saint Andrew, Apostle - Feast Gospel - Matthew 4:18-22 Fishermen becoming fishers of men is a big change. It is work of collaboration between God and men. ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’. Following Him is our part and making us is His part. Following Him comes from listening to the call. He calls us because He sees us. So, His seeing is prior to His call. He saw, He loved, and He called. “As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast in the lake with their net, for they were fishermen”. He sees us when we are at our duties, our daily activities, at our obligations. Not when we are away from our duties and obligations. My commitment to my duties is the context of my vocation. With the Christian vocation we get a higher mission. That is the following Jesus. What changes then? My commitment to my duties becomes my commitment to my brothers and sisters. My commitment becomes my love for the neighbour to the point of giving up everything to follow Jesus. Then He makes us His apostles and disciples. To spread His love and mercy. Let’s reflect: Am I living my Christian vocation as a love for the neighbour in my duties and obligations?