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.
Tuesday 1 November
All Saints - Solemnity Gospel - Matthew 5:1-12a The day of All Saints is beautiful because it gives us lots of strength and happiness to walk in the way of sanctity. It inspires to follow in the path of all these saints. The path of happiness and blessedness as explains the gospel of the day. The path of happiness by being the poor in spirit giving up everything expect Jesus. The path of happiness by being humble enough to include each richness of the other, small or big. The path of happiness by crying with those who cry and embracing the pain of the other. The path of happiness by not giving up any chance to do the right. The path of happiness by forgiving and not by stopping at the limitations of others. The path of happiness by being selfless to the point that your heart reflects the love of God. The path of happiness by creating peace in hearts and between hearts by listening, understanding and building relations. The path of happiness by welcoming any cross in this pursuit for spreading this love of God.
Monday 31 October
Monday of week 31 in Ordinary Time Gospel - Luke 14:12-14 Giving lunch or dinner to your friends, brothers, relatives or rich neighbors, is essentially for ourselves. We need to feel surrounded by people whom we think that they are close to us. This is not our generosity, because in this we await reciprocity and appreciations. This is truly our selfishness in the biblical language. For me to feel good, I invite those who are close to me. But if you want to be generous, be with the poor and the needy. That is what the language of Jesus is speaking. Love those who need your love. Give food to whom needs food. Give cloth to whom needs clothes. No need of theories and seminars on poverty. Be with the poor and share what you have. Giving in order to be selfless must be to the one who has nothing. Only then it becomes incarnation!
Sunday 30 October
31st Sunday in Ordinary Time Gospel - Luke 19:1-10 “Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house today.’” Until the moment you let Jesus into your heart you are filled with yourself and with the things you have. All your efforts in your life are to protect yourself and to accumulate more and more things for yourself. You do everything to achieve this. That is why we see people never satisfied with what they have. They want more. But the moment you encounter Jesus and listen to His words, “come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house today”, everything changes. You start emptying yourself, you start repairing for what you did, you start doing penitence. This encounter with Jesus comes a desire followed by a pursuit. This desire, this desire to see Jesus, is a gift of God Himself. We must accept that gift with a pursuit against all excuses. Zacchaeus did not stop his search before his shortness. He climbed the tree on the way Jesus would pass. Jesus reached and looked up. We also follow the gift of desire to see Jesus in our vocation. We face with weaknesses. There are trees on the way Jesus is passing – the Sacraments, Word of God, good friendships etc. Are we following our desire to see Jesus climbing upon those trees at our disposal or are we giving up? Actually, Jesus is walking that way awaiting to see you there on that tree.