God calls us as House Repairers : Are You ready to repair your own House?

Gospel Thoughts

*Lenten Season : C Cycle : Saturday after Ash Wednesday*

*GOSPEL - Lk 5:27-32*

*FIRST READING - Is 58:9b-14*

*God calls us as House Repairers : Are You ready to repair your own House?*

*1) “Restorer of ruined homesteads.”*

This is the beautiful expression which we find in today's first reading 

Through Isaiah God calls us as the ones those who are going to repair the ruined house. 

This particular expression is very much important for all of us, and we need to reflect about the same

*2) Need, Necessity and the Urgency of the repair*

One can't remain in the ruined house. It is rather dangerous to remain in the ruined house 

Some time it may cause very serious damage to our life. So ruined house is a threat for life 

Ruined house also gives place to dwell all kinds of dangerous animals like, rats, snakes and other poisonous reptiles. 

This reminds us the urgency of repairing the ruined house 

*3) Life is Like a house*

We need to see Our life as a beautiful house 

This house was built by God, and given to us to dwell in it 

As we continue to live, at times we have forgotten to take care of this house, as a result it has become like a ruined house 

Since a ruined house is dangerous to live, so the need of repairing the house of our life becomes more important

*4) Lent is a Special time to repair the House of our life*

Lent is a special period of grace given to us by God, specially to repair the house of our life 

There is no need to say that my house of life needs a repair. Therefore all of us are in the same boat, that is the need to repair the house. 

So lent gives us three powerful instruments to repair the house of our life. They are *FASTING, PRAYER, PENANCE*

Those who use these three weapons, they are able to repair their house of life in a best possible way 

These 40 days a long period of time will definitely help us, if we are serious to repair the house of our life

*5) How is the Condition of my Life?*

What all things I need to repair in the house of my life? 

Do I need the repair in my behavior, thinking, talking, feeling etc? 

Do I need the repair in my approach, sight, leadership, work, generosity, humility, Patience, sacrifice? 

Do I need the repair in my work, in my spiritual life, in my prayer, in my smile, in my love? 

Which are the other areas of the house of my life, which need a repair? 

*Think about it*

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

*Fr Maxim Dsouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*

The type of Fast God wishes from us

Gospel Thoughts

*Lenten Season : C Cycle : Friday after Ash Wednesday*

*GOSPEL - Mt 9:14-15*

*FIRST READING - Is 58:1-9a*

*The type of Fast God wishes from us*

*1) God speaks on Fasting*

In the book of Isaiah God clearly tells us the type of Fast which we should observe in our live 

Fasting is not mere external practices, and abstaining from food. But it is more than that. 

There is a list of things which we are supposed to   as fast. They are following 

*2) Releasing those bound unjustly*

One of the important aspects of the fasting 

Fasting should help us to set ourselves free from the unjust bounds 

Need to release the self from the unjust bound of slavery of sin 

From the unjust bound of anger, pride, jealousy, revengeful attitude, selfishness, unforgiveness, laziness etc 

Fasting primarily help us to release yourself from these unjust bounds 

*3) The Fast of untying the thongs of the yoke*

Unty the thong of the yoke of greed, powerful, pleasure, and the yoke of Wordly things. 

Unty the self from these 

*4) The Fast of Setting free the oppressed*

First set free the self from the oppression of the sin and devil 

Secondly set free the others to enjoy the real spiritual freedom in their life 

*5) The Fast of breaking the every yoke*

Break the yoke of ones own ego and self righteousness is needed

*6) The Fast of Sharing the bread with hungry*

Generosity is the best form of fast. 

It helps us to fast about our own bodily desires and to become generous towards others 

*7) The fast of sheltering the oppressed and the homeless*

This is one of the best forms of fast. 

Since one needs to sacrifice a lot to do this, it becomes a best form of fast which brings down the grace of God upon us 

*8) The Fast of clothing the naked*

This also a great gesture of fast because it shows on our part the respect and dignity of human body 

This helps us to observe the fast of our lust. 

*9) The Fast of not turning your back on your own*

This needs a lot of self control 

To have self control means to fast on certain things in our lives 

Unless we fast on our selfish desires, we can't have any disciple in our lives 

This is the kind of fast God desires. 

Are you ready to do this?? 

Lent is a time to observe such fast.

*Think about it*

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

*Fr Maxim Dsouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*

Choice between life and prosperity, death and doom

Gospel Thoughts

*Lenten Season : C Cycle : Thursday after Ash Wednesday*

*GOSPEL -  Lk 9:22-25*

*FIRST READING - Dt 30:15-20*

*Choice between life and prosperity, death and doom*

*1) Lent is a special time in our life for Choice*

Lent starts with a wonderful choice. 

A choice between good and evil 

A choice between new life and old life 

A choice between conversion and holding on to the past 

A choice between creativity in life and passivity

A choice between more prayer and no prayer 

A choice between fasting and easy way of life 

A choice between alms giving and selfishness.

So let begins with lots of choices, with a special purpose 

*2) Choice between Life and Death*

The first reading from the book of Deuteronomy speaks about the life and prosperity on the one side and death and doom on the other side.

This choice is given placed by God, before us. We have the freedom to choose any one of the above 

Since both these things are very much applicable to our life, we need to think about the same 

*3)  The choice of Life and prosperity*

This is one of the choices placed by God before us. 

This speaks more about the spiritual life and eternal life and not so much of earthly life 

If we choose this as our option the following things may happen in our life 

We may attain eternal life 

We may have better God experience in our life 

We may be spiritually motivated to do lots of things 

It may change our out look towards others 

It may foster better relationship and authenticity of life 

*4) Various ways which guide us in Choosing the life and prosperity*

Desire and right  motivation in life 

Prayer, fasting and almsgiving

Mediation on the Passion death and resurrection of Jesus 

Reading of the scripture and personal prayer life 

Service to the poor and needy 

Celebration of the sacraments 

All these above mentioned things ultimately help us in choosing life and prosperity

*5) The Choice of death and doom*

Usually people don't choose these things 

But the way which some people live, makes them automatically fall into the category of doom and death

The following things will result is choosing the death than life 

Selfishness and arrogance

Revenge and not ready to forgive others 

Jealousy and gossip

Hatred and anger 

So all these evil forces in ones life makes him to choose death and doom rather than life prosperity. 

*6) Lent is a time to choose life and not death*

Lent gives a ample opportunities to choose life and avoid doom and death.

All the spiritual exercises give us an opportunity to choose life and avoid death 

Its a time to choose some needy people and yo reach out them. This will help us to build life and avoid death and doom 

Since Lent gives us a special type of Grace, it makes us choose life. 

*What is my choice?*

Is it life with its prosperity? 

Is it *life* with its richness  or beauty 

Or 

Is it doom and death? 

*Think about it*

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

*Fr Maxim Dsouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*

Various meaning of the Ashes

Gospel Thoughts

*Lenten Season : C Cycle : Ash  Wednesday*

*GOSPEL - Mt 6:1-6, 16-18*

*FIRST READING -Jl 2:12-18*

*SECOND READING -2 Cor 5:20-6:2*

*Various meaning of the Ashes*

*1) Use of the Ashes*

We begin our Lenten season by applying ashes on our forehead 

Since this is the very important gesture of Ash Wednesday, we need to understand the symbolic meaning this gesture. 

*2) Ash is a symbol of Humility*

In the book of Job, it becomes clear. (Job 42:3-6)

He realises that God is God and he who is a creature, mere dust and ashes in the presence of God. 

In the Book of Genesis, 3:19 Ashes represent not only repentance, but humility as well. 

*3) Ash is a Reminder of death and a call to wisdom*

When the priest imposes the ashes on the forehead, he says *You are dust and unto dust  you shall return* reminds us about our own death 

So to consider our final end is wise. Any failure to understand this hard reality is not only a foolishness but, loss of eternal life.  

*4) Ashes are the Symbol of Purification*

In the Old Testament ashes were used for the ritual purity and cleansing 

It also symbolized repentance and a desire to be free from sin 

In itself the Ashes can not take away the sins. But they can motivate us to repent our sins and go for confession in order to change our life 

*5) Ashes are the sign of True Change*

When the news of destruction, reached to the King of Nineveh, he took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust/ashes 

The king and the entire household did this gesture as a symbol of repentance to change their life 

Later we see that there was a great change and God didn't destroy Nineveh because they chdnged their life 

*6) Ashes also symbolizes the Temporariness of Something*

Ash can't remain for long. Its existence is for only few moments. This also conveys a great message 

Human life here on this earth is not permanent. We are here for a short period of time and with a mission 

So ashes reminds us to think about the shortness  of our life and to live accordingly. 

*As you receive the ashes tomorrow, what will be your understanding of it?*

*Think about it*

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

*Fr Maxim Dsouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*

Persecution is the Part of Jesus' Mission

Gospel Thoughts

*Ordinary Season : C Cycle : 8th Week - Tuesday*

*GOSPEL -  Mk 10:28-31*

*First Reading - 1 Pt 1:10-16*

*Persecution is the Part of Jesus' Mission*

*1) Peter clarifies the fate of the Followers of Jesus*

The conversation between Jesus and Peter clearly highlights the fate of the followers of Jesus 

Peter asks what will be the reward for those who sacrifice everything for the sake of Jesus? 

Jesus gives a list of things that will happen to the followers of Jesus. Thus it shows us the clear way about the fate of the followers of Jesus. 

*2) Jesus clearly mentions about persecution in the reward list*

Jesus says all those who have left everything for the sake of Jesus they will receive a hundred times more now in this present age:

Houses

Brothers and sisters

Mothers and children

Lands

But Jesus also adds two more things;  they are 

Persecution in the present age 

Eternal life in the age to come

So the aspect of persecution is found the list of reward 

*3) Persecution in the Early Church*

As Jesus foretold about the persecution, it became a reality in the early life of the Church 

Soon after the death of Jesus persecution became the central point of control the Christians 

In the first few centuries, persecution was so cruel and harsh, people were burnt alive, they were given to the lions and many were crucified and were killed 

So such was the persecution for following and proclaiming Jesus

*4) Persecution Today*

Today we see the wide spread persecution against Christians all over the world.

Churches are being burnt and demolished. It is a kind of persecution against Christians

Anti conversion bill, which makes a lot of noise these days is another form of persecution against Christians

The portraits of Jesus and holy images are vandalised these days. This is also another form of persecution against Christians

*5) How do I look at persecution*

At times we feel that we have been targeted for our faith and the values, which we upohold 

At times we feel that there should be no persecution against us. 

But the fact is, there wasn't a time, where there was no persecution. 

The entire life of the Church has faced severe persecutions, yet it has survived. 

So, persecution is the part of our faith.

*6) The best comes out, when we are challenged*

Only when there is a challenge, we become alert. 

The best comes out when we are challenged. 

So persecution is a constant challenge to every Christian, which makes us to become strong in our faith 

It is said, Church exists because of Persecution. Persecution makes church alive and active 

*What is my out look about persecution??*

*Think about it*

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

*Fr Maxim Dsouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*

Then who can be saved?” : Will I be saved?

Gospel Thoughts*

*Ordinary Season : C Cycle : 8th Week - Monday*

*GOSPEL -  Mk 10:17-27*

*FIRST READING - 1 Pt 1:3-9*

*“Then who can be saved?” : Will I be saved?*

*1) One of the important questions*

The above question is very important because, it makes us to think about our final destiny.

All of us want to be saved. That is the goal of our life. If there is something which comes on the way of our salvation, we become anxious and try to find out the solutions for the problems 

*2) This question makes us to think about our life*

What will happen to me after my death, is one of the important as well as worrying questions to all of us 

When this question makes us to think about our life, it also makes us to reflect about our actual lived life, the challenges and others issues of our life 

In other words this question makes us to think about the every aspect of our life and it should make us to reflect about every aspect of our life. 

*3) Check list for our Salvation*

The Gospel of the day gives us a check list which can cause some trouble in way of our salvation. The check list has the following areas.

*A) Attachment to the Wordly wealth*

The Gospel shows us clearly that, too much of attachment to the wordly wealth makes us difficult to enter into the salvation

*B) Only knowing of the Commandments*

The rich Young man knew the commandments very well. Mere knowledge of the commandments not sufficient. Because the Young man failed to practice the the commandments. This made him to go away from Jesus 

*C) Not ready to listen*

The young man was not ready to listen to the Lord. Jesus gave him the best solution which would make him eligible to enter into salvation. Since he was not ready to listen it became a hurdle in the context of salvation

*D) Need to pay special attention to the following things*

You shall not kill;

you shall not commit adultery;

you shall not steal;

you shall not bear false witness;

you shall not defraud;

honor your father and your mother.”

*4) Need to ask this question everyday*

Shall I be saved, is a question which needs to be asked everyday. 

It is not the question which needs to asked once in life time or rarely. It is a question which needs continuous reflection and attention. 

Finally only one thing matters *Shall I be saved or not?*

*Think about it*

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

*Fr Maxim Dsouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*

Know Thyself First than others

Gospel Thoughts*

*Ordinary Season : C Cycle : 8th Week - Sunday*

*GOSPEL -  Lk 6:39-42*

*FIRST READING - Sir 27:4-7*

*SECOND READING - 1 Cor 15:54-58*

*Know Thyself First than others*

*1) Know Thyself*

Know thyself is the beginning of Wisdom - by Socrates

This is one of the famous dictum, which highlights the importance of Knowing the self than anything else in the World 

Unless we know who we are, we can't grow in our life. So this dictum is very important for all of us 

*2) Know Thyself is the General theme of today's liturgy*

The readings of the day, speak about the above theme *knowing oneself*

There are some specific areas in our life though which we can try to know our self in a deeper level 

The following are some of the ways through which we can know our self a little more 

*A) Our Speech or Spoken Words*

The first reading of the day speaks about our speech or spoken words 

Sirach says, once fault is identified when one speaks 

Ones speech discloses the bent of ones mind 

Never to praise a person before he/she speaks 

Jesus Says, the mouth speaks what is stored in ones heart. If it is good, good comes out. If it is bad, bad comes out. 

So finally we can say that, our speech is one of the best ways to find out what we are and to know more about myself. 

Our Speech gives us the real knowledge about our own self. 

*B) Use Your energy not to find out others fault, but to find out ones own faults*

Jesus makes a reference to the splinter which is in the brothers eye and efforts that are made to remove it. 

There is nothing wrong in removing the splinter which is in the brothers eye, but the problem is, one is having the problem of the vision because of the log of wood, which is in the eye of the person who tires to remove it. 

Now the amount of enery spent and the efforts made by one to remove the splinter in the brothers eye, had it been used to remove the log of wood in ones own eye would have been benefited a lot 

By removing the log of wood in ones own eye, one will come to know about his/her own self more and more, which will help a person to grow a lot. 

*C) Training*

Jesus says *A fully trained, disciple will be like his teacher*

When one becomes like a master he is able to know his/own self more than before 

So in knowing the self, training is very much necessary

One Needs to train ones tongue, to  learn how talk, what to talk and when to talk

One needs to train one mind to understand the self 

One needs to train ones eyes to see what is happening within the self 

One needs to train ones heart to feel the emotions of the self 

The training of the above faculties, will help us to know the more and more

*3) Unknown self causes many problems*

If our self is unknown to us, then we become the strangers to yourself 

This also causes many problems to our life, since we don't know what is happening within the self 

*4) Knowing the Self is a great adventure of life*

Knowing ones self is not easy. It is a Herculean task, which needs hard work and continuous effort 

It is an adventure because, it is a never ending process. 

*5) Battle against the self is a greatest battle*

This is the greatest battle of life 

Only few people can win this battle 

To fight against the self one needs a tremendous courage and self confidence. 

So am I ready to conquer my self?.

*Think about it*

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

*Fr Maxim Dsouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*