The Fruit of welcoming the Apostles of Jesus

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Ordinary Season  : 4th Week: Thursday*

*Gospel : Mk 6:7-13*

*First Reading : 1 Kgs 2:1-4, 10-12*

*The Fruit of welcoming the Apostles of Jesus*

*1) Jesus sends the 12*

The Gospel of the day speaks about the sending of 12 apostles, by Jesus 

They were sent by Jesus, two by two. 

Jesus had send them out with a specific mission 

*2) Welcoming the Apostles*

The Apostles sent by Jesus, need to be welcomed by the followers of Jesus 

Since the mission given to them need to be actualized among the followers, the followers need to welcome the Apostles of Jesus in their houses 

*3) The fruits of Welcoming the Apostles*

They will bring the good news of the Lord

They will enter the house as the representatives of Christ. In other words, Christ enters our house through them 

They will be able to drive out the demons

They will anoint the followers of Jesus with sacred oil 

They will cure the sick and suffering 

*4) Jesus comes to our life every day*

The same Jesus who sent His apostles to preach the message of repentance and to heal the sick and needy, also comes into our life very often 

Through the Eucharist, prayer, celebration of the reconciliation, and through other spiritual exercises

What is my response? Is it one of welcoming?

*5) By welcome we gain Everything*

All those who welcomed, were able to experience His divine love and protection from evil

If so, how do I accept my Jesus? With warm welcome? 

How can I prepare myself to welcome Jesus, who comes into my life to sow the good seeds? 

What is my response?

*Think about it*

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

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*

The Nazarene Syndrome

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Ordinary Season  : 4th Week: Wednesday*

*Gospel : Mk 6:1-6*

*First Reading : 2 Sam 24:2, 9-17*

*The Nazarene Syndrome*

*1) What is Nazarene Syndrome?*

It could be identified with the reaction and attitude of those people towards Jesus 

When Jesus came to his own native place Nazareth, they didn't accept him. Instead they rejected him

There are many reasons which are cited for the rejection of Jesus by his own people 

So this particular attitude could be identified some times with Nazarene Syndrome

*2) Nazarene Syndrome consists the following things*

*A) Person is  judged from where he/she comes from*

This is one of the symptoms of this syndrome

Place becomes more important than the person 

Same thing happened to Jesus. He was wrongly judged from where he came from and not on what he actually said 

*B) Person is judged from his/her family background*

Once again the family plays a very important role in this syndrome

If the family comes from a very high reputed status, that itself is sufficient. What the person actually does, it doesn't matter 

On the other hand, if the family belongs to a very low status, then whatever the person says, has no value

*C) Person is judged from the work one does*

Is he not the carpenters Son? This is how they looked at Jesus 

The work - Whether it is very high reputed work or ordinary work, the background, and other things play in deciding the worth of the person 

*D) Position is important and not what he/she says*

This is another problem of this syndrome

Position becomes a trump card. If the position is high whatever the person says, becomes a Gospel truth. If there is no position Whatever truth you say, it has no meaning 

*E) Refusal to see good things*

People those who suffer from this syndrome, don't want to see the good things in others 

They see only the negatives and criticise the same 

*F) Problem of Familiarity*

Familiarity also plays a very important role in the negative sense 

Too much of *Familiarity breeds contempt*

This also becomes a problem in recognizing the worth of a person 

*3) Am I victim of this Syndrome?*

This is a very serious question to reflect 

When it comes to my relationship with Jesus, How do I accept Jesus?

How deeply do I know about Jesus?  Or is my understanding only at the peripheral level? 

Is the attitude of those people who lived in Nazareth corresponds to my life? 

How do I come out of this syndrome?

*Think about it*

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

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*

*1) What is Nazarene Syndrome?*

It could be identified with the reaction and attitude of those people towards Jesus 

When Jesus came to his own native place Nazareth, they didn't accept him. Instead they rejected him

There are many reasons which are cited for the rejection of Jesus by his own people 

So this particular attitude could be identified some times with Nazarene Syndrome

*2) Nazarene Syndrome consists the following things*

*A) Person is  judged from where he/she comes from*

This is one of the symptoms of this syndrome

Place becomes more important than the person 

Same thing happened to Jesus. He was wrongly judged from where he came from and not on what he actually said 

*B) Person is judged from his/her family background*

Once again the family plays a very important role in this syndrome

If the family comes from a very high reputed status, that itself is sufficient. What the person actually does, it doesn't matter 

On the other hand, if the family belongs to a very low status, then whatever the person says, has no value

*C) Person is judged from the work one does*

Is he not the carpenters Son? This is how they looked at Jesus 

The work - Whether it is very high reputed work or ordinary work, the background, and other things play in deciding the worth of the person 

*D) Position is important and not what he/she says*

This is another problem of this syndrome

Position becomes a trump card. If the position is high whatever the person says, becomes a Gospel truth. If there is no position Whatever truth you say, it has no meaning 

*E) Refusal to see good things*

People those who suffer from this syndrome, don't want to see the good things in others 

They see only the negatives and criticise the same 

*F) Problem of Familiarity*

Familiarity also plays a very important role in the negative sense 

Too much of *Familiarity breeds contempt*

This also becomes a problem in recognizing the worth of a person 

*3) Am I victim of this Syndrome?*

This is a very serious question to reflect 

When it comes to my relationship with Jesus, How do I accept Jesus?

How deeply do I know about Jesus?  Or is my understanding only at the peripheral level? 

Is the attitude of those people who lived in Nazareth corresponds to my life? 

How do I come out of this syndrome?

*Think about it*

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

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*

Jesus, Woman, and the healing Touch

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Ordinary Season  : 4th Week: Tuesday*

*Gospel : Mk 5:21-43*

*First Reading : 2 Sm 18:9-10, 14b, 24-25a, 30; 19:3*

*Jesus, Woman, and the healing Touch*

*1) Woman afflicted with hemorrhages*

The Gospel of the day speaks about the woman who was afflicted with hemorrhages

The woman was suffering from 12 years, and during these 12 years, she has suffered a lot, spending all her money 

The Gospel says, all her efforts went in vain, since her sickness had become worse 

*2) The Woman comes to Jesus*

When all her efforts went in vain, she didn't lose her faith 

She came to know some-how about Jesus and with great difficulty she came to Jesus 

She had firm faith that if she meets she will become well. That's why she came to Jesus 

*3) The Touch of the Woman*

Woman had great faith in Jesus. That made her to believe that, if she only touches his clothes, she shall be cured.

So with this faith and confidence, some how she was able to touch the clothes of Jesus 

And there was a great miracle. Her flow of blood stopped. She was completely healed

This is the miracle of Touch

*4) Who are all Touched?*

The Gospel does not give any information about how many touched Jesus

All we know that, only the woman touched the clothes of Jesus, and she was completely healed 

*5) Is it this only woman who touched Jesus?*

As Jesus was walking on the way, there were many people who were following Jesus 

Obviously, knowingly or unknowingly, some would touch the garment of Jesus

But interestingly, only this wonan,  was cured from here sickness.

Why, others were not experienced  the healing touch of Jesus? 

*6) Faith is the Crucial aspect in the miracle*

Along with the touch, the aspect if faith is very much  necessary

There have been many people who had touched the garments of Jesus, but none of them, except the one woman,  experienced the healing power Jesus 

Since the woman had great faith in Jesus and also about touching of the garment of Jesus, she was made well by Jesus 

Mere touch, without any faith in Jesus will not bring any miracles. 

Today we have many opportunities to touch Jesus. Various instances are, 

Eucharist

Adoration

Reconciliation

Reading scripute

Serving the needy

What is my plan? 

Do I want to touch Jesus?

After touching Jesus, what is my experience

*Think about it*

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

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*

The different faces of the Evil Spirit

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Ordinary Season  : 4th Week: Monday*

*Gospel : Mk 5:1-20*

*First Reading : 2 Sm 15:13-14, 30; 16:5-13*

*The different faces of the Evil Spirit*

*1) The terrible faces of the Evil Spirit*

The Gospel of the day, speaks about the various faces of the evil Spirit

What a evil spirit can do to a person? What is its power,? What is the harm it can do to human life? 

All these things can be seen in today's Gospel

*2) Man from the Tombs*

Tombs are meant for dead people 

Only foul smell and dead things are found in the tomb 

It is a scary place and no one wishes to remain in it 

The evil spirit takes a person to that level and makes him to suffer 

*3) He was bound with shackles and chains*

Animals are bound with shakels and chains 

In other words the evil spirit reduces a person to the animal level 

Human being becoming an animal is the greatest tragedy of Life  

*4) He was bruising himself with stones*

This is the another effect of the evil spirit

Self harm is the final effect of the evil spirit. This self harm may result in loss of life and miserable end 

This the another face of the evil spirit 

*5) "Legion is my name"*

This shows another terrible face of the evil spirit 

Legion means *many* a group of the Evil spirits 

A group of evil spirits will take control of the human life, which will make the life terrible and miserable

*6) Happy to go into the pigs*

According to the Bible, pigs are the most unclean animal among the animals 

The evil spirits beggs Jesus to send them into the pigs 

This also shows, how unclean those spirits were 

This is the another terrible face of Evil Spirits

*7) Modern Evils which posses the Human life*

There are many evils which control the human life in the modern day context 

Drugs, drinks, Food, pleasures of the flesh, addiction to  mobile and social media, desire for name, greed for money, power and position, selfishness, etc are the modern devils which which destroy the human life 

Only Jesus can save us. 

How careful I am in my life? 

Am I affected with these evil spirits? 

*Think about it*

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

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*

Jesus the destroyer of Evil

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Ordinary Season  : 4th Week: Sunday*

*Gospel : Mk 1:21-28*

*First Reading : Dt 18:15-20*

*SECOND READING 1 Cor 7:32-35*

*Jesus the destroyer of Evil*

*1) Have you come to destroy us?*

These are the words which came from evil Spirit

This shows that evil spirit clearly knew that, Jesus had the power to destroy the evil spirits 

In other words the evil spirits were frightened of Jesus because they could not stand before Jesus  

*2) Jesus is the destroyer of the Evil Spirits*

The Gospel makes it very clear that, finally Jesus casts out the evil spirits, which ultimately becomes helpless and powerless

In the Gospel we have many instances where, Jesus casts out the demons from human persons and saves them 

Jesus had the power to destroy the evil and to save human beings 

*3) Modern Evil Spirits, which rule the human life*

In the present day context we have many evil spirits, which at times rule our life and destroy our life 

The terrible evil spirits are operating in the following ways 

*Drugs* One who is addicted to the drugs loses everything 

*Drinks* another devil in the modern world which destroys the lives of millions 

*Addiction to the Mobile* it has become very dangerous to everyone's life, especially to the youngsters 

*Social Media* This also has become very dangerous, since it has entered the private life of the human beings 

Other devils like, power, position, sensual pleasures, greed, jealousy, revenge, selfishness, laziness, procrastination are other powerful evils which dominate our life 

*4) Our Fight against evil spirit along with Jesus*

As we saw in the Gospel, the presence of Jesus and His providence is very much necessary 

With our own power, we can do nothing. But with the power of Jesus, nothing is impossible 

Our fight along with Jesus can achieve any goals. So we need Jesus 

*5) Choice between destroyer of Life and Destroyer of Devil*

Jesus is the destroyer of the Evil 

Devil is the destroyer of our life

I need to choose between these two. My choice will decide my future 

Unless I give entry to my life, none of them can enter into my life 

If so what is my choice?

*Think about it*

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

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*

The Types of Labourers who are needed for God's Mission

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Ordinary Season  : 3rd Week: Saturday*

*Feast of Saint Timothy and Saint Titus*

*Gospel : Lk 10:1-9*

*First Reading : 2 Tim 1:1-8 or Titus 1:1-5*

*The Types of Labourers who are needed for God's Mission*

*1) Request for Labourers*

The Gospel of the day has a request for the Labourers 

The Gospel says *Ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest*

It is a open and personal invitation to all the followers of Jesus to have more labourers into His vineyard

*2) What type of Labourers Jesus wants*

Jesus wants those labourers who will work for bringing peace into this world 

Jesus wants those labourers who will work for justice among people 

Jesus wants those labourers who will inspire one another to love each other

Jesus wants those labourers who will work for teaching forgiveness to each other 

Jesus wants those labourers who will show the power of humility

Jesus wants those labourers who will show the power of prayer

Jesus wants those labourers who will show the importance of sacrifice

Jesus wants those labourers who will work for generosity and sharing 

Jesus wants those labourers who will go after the lost and least one 

Jesus wants those labourers who will lead a exemplary life 

*3) Shortage of the Labourers*

The request for the more labourers surely tells us the shortage of the labourers

There are only handful of people who belong to this category 

That is why Jesus once again reminds all of us to become the genuine labourers of the Kingdom of God

*4) Why we have a pray for the labourers?*

Prayer is one of the best ways to communicate with God. So through prayer we can place a request to God, for the labourers

Secondly prayer is one of the best ways to ask God whatever we need and prayer can work wonders in our life

Prayer makes impossible things possible

*5) Am I ready to become the Labourer for Jesus*

All sainsts were the best labourers who worked for the building of the Kingdom 

All those who selflessly serve to build the Kingdom of God are the real labourers 

God wishes to build the Kingdom of God, through the cooperation of Human beings. That's why he needs labourers

So am I ready to work as an disciplined labourer? 

In what type of labour I am involved, which contributes to the building of the Kingdom?

*Think about it*

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

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*

The Purpose of the Power

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Ordinary Season  : 3rd Week: Friday*

*Republic Day in India*

*Gospel : John 8:31-42*

*First Reading : 1 Thimothy 2:1-8*

*The Purpose of the Power*

*1) Responsibility of the Subjects to pray for the leaders*

In the First reading Timothy tell us that, *all supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgiving be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions*

By this Timothy tells us that we have the duty and responsibility to pray for all the leaders, especially those who are in high positions

As we celebrate the Republic day in India, let us pray for all the leaders of our country

*2) Duty and Responsibility of the Leaders*

The first reading also highlights the duties and responsibility of the leaders 

First of all they must ensure a peaceful and quiet life for all the subjects, irrespective of any discrimination

Secondly they must facilitate every citizen to lead a godly and dignified way of Life

*3) Power corrupts Easily*

One needs to be very careful in exercising the power which is vested in his/her hand 

Power is a very powerful tool, which can help a person to do anything. If one is not careful, the same power can make a person, proud, arrogant and dictator in exercising ones power, which will make the lives of the subjects, very painful 

In a way power corrupts easily if one is not careful 

*4) Power should be used to free ourselves from slavery*

This is the primary purpose of the power

Jesus says, all those who are the influence of sin, are under the slavery of Sin

So the spiritual powers which is given to us by Jesus should help us to free us from the slavery of Sin 

*5) How do I use my Power?*

It is easy to criticize others about their way of functioning in exercising their power

But what about myself? As a member of the family or society, or of the church, I may have certain powers. If so how do I exercise them? 

Do I use them to suppress all those who are under me? 

Do I use them to empower my subordinates? 

How do I exercise my Powers? For the betterment of the others?

Am I able to share my power? 

*Think about it*

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

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*