To go to our Home town we need a boat, to Cross to the other Side

Gospel Thoughts

*Ordinary Season : 13th Week -  Thursday*

*GOSPEL - Mt 9:1-8*

*First Reading - Gn 22:1b-19*

*To go to our Home town we need a boat, to Cross to the other Side*

*1)  Jesus uses the boat to cross and come to His own town*

The Gospel of the day makes it very clear that, Jesus was on the other side the river

He uses a boat to cross to the river and comes to His own town 

We need to pay attention to the event of crossing, using of the Boat and coming to His Own town 

This event has very powerful message in our lives, and a deep spiritual insight.

*2) Our Home town - Earth or Heaven?*

St Paul says *"our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ"*

This earth and earthly dwelling is only a temporary place to dwell 

Only for few years we live here. But we don't have the permanent citizenship here on this earth

Since we belong to heaven and our permanent citizenship belongs there, heaven is our Home Town 

So to this Home town we are suppose to reach, that is the real mission and goal of our life.

*3) We need to Cross from this side to the other*

As we know our life is a pilgrimage from this world to the heavenly abode 

This world is like a great river, and we are on this side of the river, need to cross to the other side 

So our life is meant for crossing from this side to the other side 

*4) We need a boat to cross the river*

As Jesus used boat to cross the other side of the river, we to need some boat to cross from this world to the other side, that is the heaven 

As Christians, Jesus has given us many boats to get into and to cross the other side 

Some of the following things can be considered as boats 

The boat of Christian Faith 

The boat of Eucharist

The boat of confession

The boat of the Word of God

The boat of Sacraments

The boat of commandments

The boat of forgiveness

The boat of sacrifice

The boat of love 

The boat of sincerity

The boat of generosity

The boat of humility

The boat of Truth and Justice 

Apart from these there are also other powerful boats which are to be used by Christians

One who gets into these boats, definitely will be able to cross to the other side, by facing all the challenges and will reach to his/her own home town without any problem

*5) What about my life?*

Is my boat of my life sailing in the right direction?

Have I started my journey or yet to start, to my destiny? 

What are the boats which I am using right Now in order to cross to the other side, so as to reach my home town? 

Do I need to change my boats? If so how can I do it? 

*Check your journey, direction, and also the boat*

*Think about it*

*God bless you and your family. Praying for you and your dear ones*

*Fr Maxim Dsouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*