Posted: 24 Jun 2013 06:51 AM PDT
Today’s Gospel Text: “Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under foot and turn to attack you. 7 “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! 12 So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets. 13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Matt 7:6, 12-14
Reflection: This again brings us back to the debate on Christian love, mercy and compassion.
It is meant especially for those who think that to be a Christian means to love and only love and nothing but love- a love without doctrine and based on ignorance.
If above teaching had not come from the mouth of Jesus but instead even if it would have come from a good saintly Christian, of our present time, then we would have cast stones in return for these pearls which are holy.
Indeed we as Christians are called to love and love every human being irrespective of cast, creed and colour.
But the question remain; what do we do with the beasts or more plainly put; what do we do with those who think only like beasts, i.e, like dogs and swine’s?
And what do we do with those who refuse to accept the love of God which comes to us as wonderful pearls of sound teachings?
To what extent can we love them who deliberately opt to be beasts and prefer to be treated like one.
But there may be beasts among human beings who may acknowledge their situation and feel the need for a savior and may be looking for help. That would be a altogether different situation.
In fact, we all could be one in some measure or the other but some may either through ignorance or hardness may want to continue in their folly or they could be some who acknowledging may want to change.
A true Christian in his heart desires that all humans act and behaves like a human and receives the respect of a human being and are fed with the sacred things which God has revealed through his beloved son Jesus Christ.
Dog hood and swine hood may not be a permanent situation and Christ Jesus as savior can save anyone who comes to him and transform them from an unclean beast into the image of man; into his own image and likeness.
This very reason he came and this reason he endured all things like a true human being in order to show us the demands of being human and what is more he affords us the grace to be so, if we ask for it.
Prayer: Jesus my savior, I pray that I may be like you in all things and it is only you who can transform me in totality.
DD = Dedicated Discipleship: Come grow in the Lord with us
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Posted: 23 Jun 2013 06:30 AM PDT
Today’s Gospel Text: Now the time came for Elizabeth to be delivered, and she gave birth to a son. 58 And her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they would have named him Zechari’ah after his father, 60 but his mother said, “Not so; he shall be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “None of your kindred is called by this name.” 62 And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he would have him called. 63 And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all marveled. 64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65 And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea; 66 and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him. 80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness till the day of his manifestation to Israel. Luke 1:57-66, 80Reflection: In life there is always the subjective situation of a particular situation or circumstance and the more objective in which God is at work and we are rarely able to see this working of God.
If we are not attuned to God then we could be carried away by the subjective situation and so immerse ourselves in it that we may forget the work which God is doing in our lives.
Each understanding has its own truth and merits and scripture has an abundance of examples of such situations. It can sometimes lead astray the ones who are not familiar with the objective working of God and his subjective work.
In the gospel of today we see similar situation in which the neighbors and kinsfolk of Zechariah and Elizabeth are described:
“And her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.” (vs. 58)
Subjectively or speaking as humans; the Lord did have mercy on her and it was right for them to rejoice over her and about the situation.
Objectively, the Lord was working out his great plan in and through the family of John the Baptist.
Similarly in life we may be faced with situations of persecutions and trials, which subjectively speaking, allowed by the Lord in the lives of the beloved.
But objectively, the Lord keeps doing his work of sanctification.
Subjectively and in the light of this we could be looking at the immediate situation and be lost in the maze of hurts and pain.
Objectively, we could be looking at the work, the good, almighty and powerful God could be doing in our lives and rejoice at his working and the things that he is accomplishing either in us or in and through us as his instruments and thus be blessed.
Prayer: Lord, as I offer myself to you to be your instrument let me never lose track of the work that you are doing in and through me.
DD = Dedicated Discipleship: Come grow in the Lord with us
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