We know Gospel is called Good News, as it brings generally positive messages. The Gospel passage of this Sunday is also Good News in that way, as Jesus heals two people; two women: one is old the other is child.
Yes, being healed or getting life after death is a great thing. And there is no doubt; these are good news for many.
Among these good news, there are some bad news too.
Let us take the crowd in consideration.
There are too many followers surrounding Jesus.
Many were so close to Jesus, so many were touching Jesus.
But none of them, yes even the closest followers were not feeling the power of Jesus. The counter question proves that.
Why couldn’t they feel that power of Jesus?
Was it the problem of Jesus?
No. It was not his problem. His power was for all. We should redefine the “all” here following: “all those who really looking for the healing power of Jesus”.
Many were just “audience” and were moved by the many signs of Jesus.
They moved with him only to see these signs.
They were moved externally only.
They touched and were near to Jesus in the external sense only, but lacked the openness to receive the power of Jesus.
Only this one woman had the external and spiritual openness to receive the Power of Jesus to her life, because she had deep faith in Jesus.
Now let us study these two healed people.
One was a woman and the other a girl-child. Women, Girl, Child: all these were not much considered in that Jewish community. (The present situations in many oriental countries are not much better.) They had not much power in their social lives. Yes, both of healed persons in the gospel represent the weak and rejected group. Jesus is considering their powerlessness.
No, he is really accepting their power in faith. This is the great and Good News!
Now let us look at their physical state: the woman had a ‘lifelong’ bleeding: The child was dead as Jesus reached the home of Jairus. The scripture tells us Jews used Blood of the animals as offering and used it for purification of altar and people in their worship. But contact to the bleeding women or injured person will make one unclean! (What a paradox!)
Gospel is actually saying,
according to the Jewish customs,
Jesus becomes unclean by being touched by this woman;
by touching the dead child.
But how can an “unclean” person heal someone, give life to the dead?
Through these actions Jesus is criticizing the customs and practices of the people in a way. He proves, the purity remains in the heart mainly; and not only in the external matters.
He is challenging them to realize the human needs.
Jesus really understands the necessity of the people.
He was able to realize their inner dispositions.
That was a great gift, Jesus had.
My dear friends,
Jesus was followed by many.
But only some people could really touch the core of Jesus.
Many were around him as his ‘followers’. But he only chose 72 people to proclaim his Kingdom of God. And from them he chose again 12 as his Apostles. And even then one of them didn’t reach his target – Judas Iscariot.
The Gospel questions our many customs and practices too.
The Gospel and Jesus are saying very obviously being in the group will not heal you. Faith is not something only to demonstrate.
It is meaningless if one fail to live it in the spirit, in the fullness.
Are we simply the crowd around Jesus? Just following the external signs and fulfilling the customs only? Or can we say in heart that we are really following him. We may be weak to fulfil every Word of God, but remember Jesus decided for the weak and needy and helped them. God bless us to remain humble and remain with him and feel his powerful touch in our lives. Amen!
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Fr Thomas Kalathil
Today we celebrate the birth of the great NT Prophet John the Baptist.
It was really interesting for me to observe some readings of this week;
because in this 11th Week, the Church was exposing some of the prophets.
Tuesday’s reading was from the 1st Kings 21:17-29.
It was on the Prophet Elijah.
He was sent to the King Ahab, to proclaim the (Punishment) Message of the Lord - “I am bringing evil upon you” - as he murdered Naboth and took possession of his vineyard.
We see there that Ahab repents and gets the mercy of the Lord.
The Wednesday’s reading from the 2 Kings 2:1.6-14 was about the Prophets Elijah and his follower Elisha. Elisha follows Elijah- his master, with immense faith and gets the power of his master.
The Thursday’s reading from Sirach 48:1-15, is a Praise of the Prophet Elijah, the one who “by God's word shut up the heavens and three times brought down fire“ …“brought a dead man back to life … by the will of the LORD”
The Saturday’s reading from 2nd Chronicles 24:17-25 tells about the Prophet Zechariah, against whom the people of Israel conspired and stoned to death at the king's order in the court of the LORD'S temple.
Today, (in this Saturday evening Mass)
we hear on the call of Jeremiah (Jer 1, 4-10).
His reply to the call is very genuine. “I am a child”.
The figure of speech - ‘Child’ corresponds not only the age,
but it denotes also the state of understanding the divine will.
We see here the God, who motivates Jeremiah, telling:
“I have chosen you before your birth.”
“I blessed you in your mother’s womb…”
These positive words of God strengthen Jeremiah.
Almost the same message is heard about the great prophet Isaiah (49, 1) on Sunday’s (Day liturgy) reading: “The Lord called me from birth, from my mother's womb he gave me my name“
Also the Gospel passages (Evening & Day) of the liturgy
are about the birth and call of John the Baptist.
What is common in all these Prophets?
Or what made them Prophets?
We will say with out a second thought, that
A Prophet is always labelled as criticizer.
He is some one who cannot compromise with the opponent.
But was it their personal interest?
A thorough study on their lives may tell us:
All these Prophets were not originally criticizers.
They were mainly the witness of God.
In order to witness the God they experienced, they had to criticize many social practices at their time. It was their mission. It was the will of God in their call.
Except that, the prophets were normal people.
They became special or great, by recognizing the call of God in their life.
They became prophets by recognizing their responsibility to the society and God, for this they received Help and courage from God.
Now the question is; is this – being a prophet -
a concept too old for our time?
Or does it mean something to my present faith and life?
Yes, we aren’t different from these great prophets in our call.
Then basically we too are called to witness God and his Values from our birth itself. We received this great call in our Baptism. Yes, that was not only a sacrament to follow Jesus but it makes us His witness in our life.
Carrying the name “Christian” is some great mission as we follow Jesus.
God asks from us more witness, than some superfluous and external matters.
He asks more deeper and living witness by life, in actions, in thoughts, and words. This is a challenge! Let us accept this challenge and make our call meaningful. Let us find the prophet of God in us! God Bless and empower us through his prophets. Amen!---
Fr Thomas Kalathil
Today we hear two of Jesus' parables and both of them are about the kingdom of God. Jesus’ stories and parables are normally complete and contain many details. That makes his teaching- the Gospel, some thing special.
But we can find some lacking of details in the first parable.
In the first story we hear about the man, who scatters seed on the land. Jesus says, the seed grows in the day and night. More over he says, the man doesn’t know how they grow up. There is little reference to the human work for the cause.
For the first time we will ask, how can it happen. We are sure that, Jesus was aware of the hardships of the works and he respected all. That means the silence of this human part has some other greater meaning.
Analysing the first reading may help us to understand the context. We may see some resemblance between the first and the Gospel passage.
Both explain the divine interference in the life of his Folk.
Very specially the first readings shares some intensive caring God. We hear that “I will take it” “I will plant it”.
The repeated “I, the Lord” explains, the invisible but important role of God in the life of Israel.
The first reading is all about this personal care of God towards his beloved chosen people.
This same personal touch and care are strongly asserted in a hidden way in the Gospel parable.
And considering the first reading with the Gospel we get the explanation that it is not the human work alone brings fruit. But the personal care of God too is very important.
It doesn’t mean that our works are overlooked or they are unimportant.
God surely asks from us the initiative and perseverance.
But God himself has the greatest role in the Kingdom of God.
God has his plan and his Will.
How the readings are connected with our daily life?
We are so distressed about the many criticisms, persecutions against the God or Church or his followers. We are dubious of the future of the Church as the faith and faithful and pastors are decreasing.
I do remember a comment of a friend, as there was some issues in a particular church:
“Why should you make so many plans about Church and faith? You say that you believe in God. Then why don’t you believe in his Providence? Why don’t you accept the will of God?”
Sincerely, I had no answer for this sincere friend.
Yes, we believe in God.
But some how there are some issues in accepting his Omnipresence in our life. Many of us are not fully aware of the main role of God in our lives.
Our aim is to grow in this wonderful faith;
just as God provides necessary surroundings for the growth of the seed,
he will provide us with his gifts.
Just as the sower did his part, God too fulfils his role in the growth.
We have to trust our life in the hands of God.
It is the challenge for us in this new era of self-confidence and over confidence.
Let us try to be aware of God’s role in our life. God Bless us all. Amen.
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Fr Thomas Kalathil
Who are the dangerous enemies of the church? Are they some atheists or some sects or any other religion?
Of course some of these groups are trying to destroy the church through their own way. Still they are not the real enemies of the church.
But it is some of the faithful in the church itself. Their scandalised life and provocations can be more dangerous than other enemies.
This is not a new finding. Our history is it’s simple but concrete witness.
Also this is not some thing experienced in the past middle ages.
It happens in the present era too.
In these days we hear about the „Vati- Leaks“: about the butler,
who stole some private documents of Holy Father Pp Benedict XIV.
Many newspapers and news channels discussed about this in various manners. But the words of Pp Benedict on May 30, 2012 was very special:
He said: “The events of recent days involving the Curia and my collaborators have brought sadness to my heart. However, I have never lost my firm certainty that, despite the weakness of man, despite difficulties and trials, the Church is guided by the Holy Spirit and the Lord will ensure she never lacks the help she needs to support her on her journey.“
These words come from the experience of Centuries; more over it underlines the unmovable faith in the Divine Providence.
Why should I tell all these on this Sunday? To tell, not only we faced such obstacles. We hear Jesus too facing some problems in his life. The Evangelist Mark tells us, Jesus had a very busy day. He and his followers had no free time. They even had no time to have food. This is not a problem at all in itself. But these hard works are not well accepted by many.
More over the scribes from Jerusalem accuses:
Jesus “has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.”
Yes, the good hard work of Jesus was not only rejected as it was, but it was misinterpreted. Jesus was accused to be a follower of Evil Spirit.
Jesus was not astonished over such denials. He never expected an encouragement from such people.
But the denial of his family members might have hurted him a lot.
Their comments on Jesus works was:
“He has gone out of his mind“.
But all these hindrances couldn’t stop the works of Jesus.
They couldn’t diminish his motivation.
Because, Jesus had great faith in his Father.
He believed in the work of the Spirit more than any human recognition.
My dear friends,
just as Jesus, our church too faced so many accusations and difficulties over these centuries. It is still continuing through many other modern ways. The Church is still a persecuted church in many part of the world.
But nothing could and can stop her motivation.
Nothing could/ can decrease her faith in the Holy Spirit.
We too are living in a world of criticisms.
Crises are not new in our lives.
There can be many obstacles in our lives.
Our dedication may not give us attractive life circumstances.
We may lack many advantages in our lives.
We may have to sacrifice many life pleasures.
And these sacrifices may not be counted positive too.
We may not even get the minimum support – from our family or near ones – in our mission. But never forget: Jesus, Our Master too had such a life.
He will support us with his power and Holy Spirit.
Jesus exhorts us today to have faith in his word.
He teaches us to believe in the Holy Spirit.
The experience and example of Jesus and his disciples and our church are encouragement to face our life and faith in the Good Spirit.
Let us believe in him completely.
God Bless us all. Amen. --
Fr Thomas Kalathil
“Rules are to violate”; one get such impressions by watching some politicians or some Far right /left Followers.
One may get such an impression in the Old Testament.
The Israelites are always connected to God through the covenant.
But shortly after they hurt him, they forget the covenant with God.
In the first reading they promise:
“We will do everything that the LORD has told us“.
As always, God recognizes their promise. He makes a covenant with the Israelites. As its sign, Moses blesses and cleanses the altar first - then the people with the blood of the sacrificial animal.
We know people include in various agreements in their life. All these agreements will not always be holy.
But the covenant between God and Israel was not something usual.
It is holy. Therefore, it should be clean.
But by the time, it becomes loose.
And after the temple was built, this bond became laxly.
Because for many God is no longer the PRESENCE among them, but some RULER who is in the temple of Jerusalem.
He finds the cause of sin and dissipation.
Jesus understands this distance of the hearts.
Because for many God is not close enough to their lives.
That was not the case in the beginning;
then the God lived among the people in the Ark of the Covenant - in the tent.
But he is now in ‘Jerusalem’ or in the ‘Heavens’ – so far away from people.
The Covenant Jesus makes is a new one.
It does not seek another sacrifice for the bond with God.
He himself becomes the victim. And it is a sign. The Sign of self-sacrifice.
It says, I'm ready, to offer my self – as sacrifice and I offer own will to.
Jesus used an everyday character:
Bread and wine - every man must eat and drink.
Jesus gives a new meaning to the Sacrifice / offering.
He does not mean everything that gladdens us, must be avoided. No:
It's more than that - a sign that I am connected with God daily and fully.
From the Life of Jesus, we understand that he was a relaxed and normal human being except sin. He ate, slept and talked to people worked:
But everything, he kept his commitment and relation to God.
He had not violated the bond to the people.
He also had a healthy relation to the nature.
This is a covenant. Always and in any situation in life be connected with God, man and nature.
Jesus established this new covenant is not in the synagogue or temple.
It happens when eating Pasha Meals.
Yes, he has not completely contradicted the religious atmosphere.
Moreover Jesus knew the following meals of his disciples will not be like before.
They will remember their Master, when they come together; when they are around the table.
Then they will remember his words.
Then, they remain united in his name. This will shaped their life.
Not only physically, but also spiritually.
This is Meal is a living covenant - an effective one.
From now on, God is / should be a living PRESENCE for humans.
On today's feast we celebrate the same.
We commemorate Jesus, not only present in the Church and the sacraments; we remember Jesus, who is also in our lives. He is the living covenant.
He, this covenant connects me with God and people. He makes me to live responsibly for the nature around me.
May this living Covenant of Jesus be stronger in us. Amen!
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Fr Thomas Kalathil
