TODAY'S WORD

By


Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Rector and Parish Priest
Don Bosco Shrine
Lingarajapuram, Bangalore

“Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness.”

A reading from the Book of Genesis (Genesis 1:20)


TODAY'S REFLECTION

In the account of creation that we read in Genesis, human beings are created last, as a sign of our dignity.  

We are created in God’s image and likeness with intelligence and free will.  Male and female He created us. 

Both genders are fashioned in the image of God, not one greater than the other.  

We reveal God’s image in us when we show compassion, fidelity and care for others.  

On the other hand, when we practice violence, retaliation and brutality, we tarnish the image of God in us.  

When we try to bring order out of disorder; when we seek to grow in our fidelity to God’s law; when we attempt to show our concern for those who are weak and ignorant, we brighten us and grow in the image and likeness of the God who has made us.

The Gospel reading describes a group of Pharisees who criticize the disciples of Jesus for not following the “external traditions” and rituals.

Jesus, however, as an expert physician, gets to the root of their Pharisaic judgmental attitude: A heart that was far from the ways of the Lord!

Our Blessed Lord quotes Isaiah and says: “This people honours me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines!” (Mk 7:6)

The deviation from the ways of the Lord… made the Pharisees to tread through the murky waters of criticism and condemnation

The movement away from the Spirit of the Law… made the Pharisees to find themselves withered in the arid deserts of disapproval and denunciation!

And so the Lord out rightly tells them: “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition!” (Mk 7:9)

Turning away from the Lord and turning towards their own self-righteous interests rendered them to be pessimistic and cynical in their approach. 

And this is quite true in our lives as well

The more we turn away from the ways of the Lord… the greater we indulge ourselves in mud-slinging and hurling insults at people


QUESTIONS TO PONDER

We need to examine our lives: 

Am I a person… who tends to only find faults in others and fail to see the goodness that is present in every person?

who is highly critical and ‘nit-picking’ when it comes to speaking about the acts and deeds of others?

who takes pleasure in speaking ill about people, especially when gathered together with friends or family or community members?

Many of us may have a tendency to find the faults and failures of others.


RESOLUTION

Let us resolve  from today onwards, to make a conscious and consistent effort to avoid negative talk about people.

Have an awesome Tuesday.