TODAY'S  WORD

By


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


"To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children..." (Mt 11:16)

TODAY'S REFLECTION


Coming into the presence of the Lord yields a much desired positive transformation.

First Reading
The prophet Isaiah informs us today that it would earn us peace, righteousness and every good thing, including having our names in his book of life (cf Isa 48:17-19).

To be in the presence of the Lord is to be without sin. The prophet Isaiah had also noted that it was our sins that separated us from God (Isa 59:2). Jesus name and healed the wounds of that separation so that we can pass over from the darkness of sin and death to the brightness of eternal life (see jn 17:3).

The Gospel of the Day is an exposition of a group of people who remained stubbornly stuck to their own immature childish ways!

Two persons who had committed themselves totally to the cause of the Kingdom are under the scanner today - John the Baptist and Jesus.
John the Baptist lived in the wilderness and in preparation for the arrival of the Messiah.
John did not drink wine, and he and his followers fasted regularly.  He baptized people in the Jordan River.

But John also preached repentance and gave a clarion call to turn away from one sins!
And this irked the people...

The elders of the Jewish community dreaded him because he recognized the corruption of the priests, and publicly called them to repent and be baptized.

They refused, because they wanted to keep their power, their wealth, their full stomachs and their fine clothing!
Jesus went around the cities and towns healing the sick and curing the lepers and doing many mighty works.
Jesus shared in the table-fellowship of many people regularly. Jesus preached the Kingdom of God.

But Jesus also challenged people to let go off their sinful and corrupt lives and turn to God in penitence!
And this annoyed the leaders...

The Pharisees hated him because he preached with much authority and his new understanding of the law was highly challenging!

They rejected Him, because they wanted to stick to their traditions, empty hearts and their inhuman practices!

Jesus and John both would have hit high on the popularity charts if they had "lightened up" or "played nice" or "would have allowed things to be little more easy"!

But both of Them did not budge...

This is what Jesus says:
"We played the flute for you, you did not dance;
We mourned to you, you did not weep." (Mt 11: 17)

This reaction by the people to Them was a song of derision... a tune of mockery...a melody of ridicule!
John the Baptist and Jesus, both, failed to let this Spiritual Childishness to overpower Them and to give in to silly demands!

We all can fall victims to this tendency to be confined to small, petty thoughts of our ego, selfishness and childishness!

Sharks, if confined to a small area, remain small and insignificant
But if let loose in the ocean, they grow to a massive size of eight feet!

Let us seek the grace of God to make efforts to be humble, docile and childlike in the Presence of God
With gaiety and enthusiasm, let us be willing to swim across in the vast ocean of God’s Will!

RESOLUTION
May the light and peace from God continue to dwell with us to lead us and keep us in his presence at all times.

God bless you with a good day.