The faith Charming Personality of the Canaanite Woman

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Ordinary Season: Eighteenth Week : Wednesday*

*Gospel : Mt 15: 21-28*

*First Reading : Jer 31:1-7*

*The faith Charming Personality of the Canaanite Woman*

*1) Canaanite Woman*

Usually they are considered as gentile. 

Jews would hate them and wouldn't mix with them 

Jews would consider them as great sinners and therefore, far from salvation 

So society had created bad opinion about the gentiles 

*2) Woman Comes for asking the Help for her Daughter*

The woman is coming to plead for favour from Jesus 

She is not asking anything for her. She is asking a favour from Jesus for her daughter 

We need to learn the attitude for praying for others from this Canaanite woman 

*3) Three times negative response*

As the woman encountered Jesus she faced very negative response from Jesus for three times 

First of all Jesus *did not say a word in answer to her* when she asked for a favour

Secondly Jesus said *I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel*

Thirdly Jesus said *It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs*

Three times the woman faced a kind of negative response 

*4) The attitude of  the woman*

The woman was not upset with the negative response

She kept on asking from Jesus in different way 

Apart from this she also did him homage. Homage means showing special respect publicly

This shows that she was not at all didcourged about the situation and the negative response 

*5) The Courage of the Woman*

From the Gospel it appears that she is the only woman in the scene 

Moreover she was a Canaanite, who could not come publicly to meet Jews 

She is the only woman and there were a group of Jews in the scene. 

Yet she had the courage encounter all of them in order to meet Jesus 

We must really admire the courage of this Woman 

*6) The Counter argument of the Woman*

Usually when scribes and Pharisees argued with Jesus, He would answer them in such a way that, they will not be able to agru any more

But here is a woman who gives a best argument to Jesus when he said *“It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs*

To this the woman replies *“Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters*

This shows the shrewdness of the woman 

*7) Asked for Falling Scraps, But got entire Bread*

The woman was not asking many things. Only one thing, that is, her daughter may be freed from the demon

In the final analysis she got everything

First of all Jesus praised her. It is a *U* turn in the Story 

Secondly Jesus highlights her deep faith, which he hardly found in many 

Thirdly, She brought honor to the entire Canaanites because of her deep faith 

Fourthly, Her daughter was made well. A important favour which she wanted 

Fifthly, she remains forever in the Holy Scripture, as a model of deep faith to the millions..

Sixthly, a gentile who was seen as having no faith, not eligible for God's salvation, became a champion of faith and to experience God's mercy 

How about me?

*Think about it*

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

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*

Mountain experience for transfiguration

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Ordinary Season: Eighteenth Week : Tuesday*

*Gospel : Mk 9:2–10*

*First Reading : Dn 7:9–10, 13–14*

*Mountain experience for transfiguration*

*1) Jesus went up to the Mountain*

In the Bible mountain has a special significance

It's a place where God can be encountered. Its a place very close to heaven. 

Its a place where God gave ten commandments.

Its a place where Israelites experienced God 

It's a place where Abraham was about to sacrifice His son 

So Mountain is closely associated with God 

*2) Jesus went up to Mountain to Pray*

There was a special purpose for going to the mountain 

The purpose is to pray 

As Jesus was praying *his clothing became dazzling white.*

So the power of prayer led Jesus into transfiguration 

So prayers are powerful and we need to pray intently to have deeper experience

*3) Mountain experience in our Life*

We may not have a the mountain like that of seen in the Gospel

As Jesus and His three disciples went up to mountain, we need to go to mountain for deeper experience

In our daily life we have the Following mountains for deeper God experience

The mountain of *Altar* at 

Home, which transformed our life since childhood 

The Mountain of the *Church* Which transformed our life, through Baptism and Faith formation

The Mountain of *Bible* We need to climb everyday for God experience

The Mountain of *prayer* which really transforms our life and of others too 

The Mountain of *Love* which brings God and human being together

The Mountain of *Forgiveness* which really transforms our life 

The Mountain of *Humility* which shows direct way to heaven

The mountain of *service* which helps us to see God in others 

The mountain of *Sacrifice* which helps us to have real transfiguration

*4) Need of Climbing the Mountain*

Without climbing the mountain no transfiguration is possible 

The above mentioned mountains are very necessary for genuine Christian life 

So am I ready to climb the mountain? 

How does these mountains help to me have real transfiguration???

*Think about it*

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

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*

The Power of Sharing

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Ordinary Season: Eighteenth Week : Monday*

*Gospel : Mt 14:13-21*

*First Reading : Jer 28:1-17*

*The Power of Sharing*

*1) Divine power of Sharing*

Sharing is a divine virtue. It has its foundation in God 

God is the Origion of Sharing. He share His life, by creating us with his own image and likeness 

That is why sharing has divine power. It can change anything 

*2) There was no Shortage*

The Gospel of the day speaks about the aspect of Sharing, the sharing of Five loaves of bread and two fish 

The quantity was very limited. But it had the capacity to feed the 5000 when it was shared. 

At the end we see that there wasn't any shortage of food. 

This is the power of Sharing 

*3) There was Extra*

In this episode we see at the end there was surplus. 

After five loaves of bread and two fish which were shared among 5000 men excluding women and Children, there was surplus 

This is really amazing. This also shows the power of Sharing 

*4) No one lost anything*

*No one has ever become poor by giving.* Anne Frank

This is 100% true with regard to sharing 

Among the crowd no one lost anything. On the contrary, every one gained. 

This is the power of Sharing

*5) Sharing inspires others*

The foundation of the miracles lies in the inspiration for other to share 

When we share something, at least one or two will be inspired to share something. 

This becomes a chain in the process of sharing and finally great miracle happens 

This also shows the power of sharing

*6) Sharing begins with What they had*

This is the another important thing that we need to observe 

Sharing began with they had. They didn't collect many things in order to share 

So sharing does not depend on how much we have but it depends on our attitude 

*7) Sharing Never Ends*

Sharing is a continuous process. 

God even today shares continuously his mercy and blessings with us 

Jesus shares with us his body and blood 

So there is no end for sharing. Because sharing automatically multiples the shared things 

*8) The depth of Happiness*

There is nothing in this world which can give us the real happiness other than the sharing 

The person who gets joy and happiness by giving, by sharing whatever one has, can never get from anything else 

The happiness which we get from sharing the things, also a kind of foretaste of the happiness, which we will enjoy eternally

*9) Sharing has eternal Value*

Sharing directly opens the way to heaven 

The fruits of sharing will help us to reach our destiny, that is the heaven 

So, sharing directly connects our life to heaven

*10) What we can Share?*

We can share whatever we have 

We can share a smile. We can share forgiveness, service, time, energy, talents, skills, friendship, love, material resources, money, daily using items, 

There are plenty of things to share and to grow in divine friendship

Am I ready to Share? 

*Think about it*

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

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*

The Search for Jesus by People

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Ordinary Season: Eighteenth Week : Sunday*

*Gospel : Jn 6:24-35*

*First Reading : Ex 16:2-4, 12-15*

*SECOND READING - Eph 4:17, 20-24*

*The Search for Jesus by People*

*1) The search for Jesus*

The Gospel of the day begins with the aspect of *Search* for Jesus 

The aspect of search is very important and very much needed aspect in our life 

In other words, search for Jesus must become one of the important aspect of our life

If this aspect is missed from our life then life has no meaning 

*2) The purpose of Searching*

The Gospel also highlights the purpose of Searching for Jesus 

Those people came in search  of Jesus for the sake of food. 

In other words the main purpose of their was to have material things, especially the food, since they had tasted the delicious food when Jesus fed the five thousand, with five loaves of bread and two fish 

*3) The very low purpose*

The purpose of those people who searched for Jesus was very low or very silly purpose 

According to Jesus they were searching Jesus to have food, that parishes within no time 

The search for Jesus to have this food clearly shows the attachment for the material things 

*4) Jesus enlightens them to have greater purpose*

Jesus uses this opportunity to teach the people to have higher and best purpose in their search for Jesus 

Jesus tells them search me to have eternal food which gives eternal life and not the food that parishes 

So Jesus is enlightening every one to correct our purpose to have these higher goals 

*5) The search of Zacchaeus, Mary and Others*

We have beautiful stories of the search of Jesus by various people

Zacchaeus was a healthy man. He came in sersch of Jesus not for material needs

He searched Jesus for higher purpose, to have divine experience, to change his life, to return to those whom he had chested earlier, to find real happiness

Finally Zacchaeus found these divine treasures from Jesus 

Mary searched Jesus to pour her sinful life and to experience God's mercy at the House of Simon the Pharisee. 

At the resurrection of Jesus once again she searches Jesus not for material needs but to experience his divine love and intimacy

Apart from these there were many like Jairus, Syrophoenician woman and others who searched Jesus not for material needs but for greater things. 

All of them experienced the divine love and mercy of Jesus 

*6) Food that endures for eternal life*

Jesus refers this food in today's Gospel. This food has the following reference 

Celebration of Eucharist 

The sacrament of reconciliation

The reading for the scripture

Practicing the Gospel values 

The aspect of charity, service, sacrifice, prayer etc 

*7) Our Search for Jesus* 

In fact all of us search Jesus in our life on day today basis 

The purpose of our search may be different. 

Most of the time our search for the material things. This is clear in our prayer. Our prayer consists of asking many material things   rather than asking for eternal things 

Today we need to check the purpose of our search for Jesus 

Do I search Jesus? If at all I search, what is the purpose behind it??   

*Think about it*

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

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*

The disturbed and distressed King Herod and John the Baptist

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Ordinary Season: Seventeenth Week : Saturday*

*Gospel : Mt 14:1-12*

*First Reading : Jer 26:11-16, 24*

*The disturbed and distressed King Herod and John the Baptist*

*1) The Disturbed King*

In today's Gospel we have a king who seems to be disturbed mentally, physically and Morally at the event of His own Birthday

The various reasons for his disturbance could be the following

He had unjustly put John into prison

He didn't listen to his conscience, but listened to his passions 

His irrational decisions made him to lose control over everything 

 His attachment to money, power, position, pleasure and wealth made him to become slave rather than the real King 

*2) John the Baptist*

He was very strong. He was not at disturbed in any way. 

He was morally upright and had the courage to condemn the evil deeds of King Herod 

He could command the respect from every one including the King

So John was a block for Herod for His evil deeds

*3) The Power of John*

John disturbed the conscience of Herod

John disturbed the mind of Herod 

John disturbed the heart of Herod 

John disturbed the conscience, mind and heart  of Herodias. That's why she wanted to kill John

Disturbing a wicked conscience is the greatest thing that one can do

*4) Evil always brings disturbance and destruction*

There was lot of evil deeds in Herod and his household 

It brought destruction of the Holy person 

It brought destruction of Herodias

It brought destruction of Herod also 

It brought destruction of the birthday celebration into murdering a holy man 

Finally evil destroyed everything

*5) Johns mission in my Life*

all of us are called to continue the Mission of John 

John pricked the conscience of Herod who was wicked in his life 

John could do that because of the moral integrity. 

Listening to our own conscience is very important 

By our upright life, we must be the people to prick the wicked conscience which are arroud us 

Am I able to prick the conscience of others just like John pricked the conscience of the Wicked King??

*Think about it*

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

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*

Synagogue of the Native Place

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Ordinary Season: Seventeenth Week : Friday*

*Gospel : Mt 13:54-58*

*First Reading : Jer 26:1-9*

*Synagogue of the Native Place*

*1) Synagogue and the Native Place*

In today's Gospel there is a reference to Synagogue and the Native place 

Both these things play a very important role in our life 

Our life is very much depend on these two places 

What we are today, is because of the influence of these place 

These places have tremendous influence on the life of a person 

*2) Where did this man get all this?”*

We have this above question in today's Gospel

The answer to this question partly comes from these two places 

The divine wisdom and the mighty power to work miracles also have a direct link to these two places 

 Synagogue played a very important role in the life of Jesus and learning many things 

*3) Visit to the Native place and Synagogue*

Jesus visited his native place and the synagogue which was very familiar to him 

As a small child he learnt the divine wisdom from this synagogue and today He is teaching the divine wisdom from the same synagogue to others 

This shows that every has the responsibility to learn and teach others about God's wisdom. 

Jesus visit to the Native place also shows that one should never forger the roots from where we have come from 

*4) Foundation of our life*

The native place and the Synagogue in the native place or the Church in our native place,  are the foundation of our life 

Our life is built upon these two important and strong pillers 

Ignoring these two places at any moment of our life would invite great disaster in our life 

If the foundation is strong then nothing will happen to our life 

*5) Native place and the First Church in our life*

We started our life in our native place 

We learnt the language, culture, tradition, and various customs from native place 

We began our spiritual life from the Church of our native place 

Much of the Spiritual things we learnt from the native church 

We started our schooling from the native place 

We developed our skills, talents, and other leadership qualities from the native place 

*6) Visiting the Native Place*

This is a great gesture from the part of person 

It gives us our real identity 

It shows the humility and gratefulness of the person 

It shows the attitude of the person 

It shows the real influence of the native place on persons life 

How about my Native Place? 

How often do I visit? 

What is the influence of the native place and the temple in my life? 

*Think about it*

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

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*

The Net of the Kingdom of God

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Ordinary Season: Seventeenth Week : Thursday*

*Gospel : Mt 13:47-53*

*First Reading : Jer 18:1-6*

*The Net of the Kingdom of God*

*1) The Fish Net*

The Gospel of the day speaks about the fish net and its usefulness 

For the audience of Jesus the things like sea, lake, boat, fish, net, fishing were very important. Their life was fully involved in it 

That's why Jesus takes these things to convey the great message of the Kingdom of God 

Today Jesus uses the fish net which is used to catch the fish to explain the kingdom of God 

The fish net collects everything and finally good things are chosen rest are discarded

*2) The Kingdom Net*

Like fish net, we can also imagine the Kingdom net. 

The fishnet is made out of nylon thread. One thread involves many knots. That's how the net is prepared 

The kingdom net is prepared with many things. Variety of things are involved in the Kingdom net 

The fish net catches the variety of fish. The Kingdom net catches variety of people 

The fishnet is thrown into the sea by the fishermen. The kingdom net is thrown into this world by God himself 

*3) The Properties of the Kingdom Net*

The Kingdom net involves various things. They are the following

Prayer

Bible - Holy Scriptures 

Eucharist 

The seven sacraments 

Sacrifice 

Love

Humility

Truthfulness

Simplicity

Forgiveness

Generosity

Service

Holiness 

With these things, the kingdom net becomes very powerful

*4) The Speciality of Kingdom Net*

The kingdom net has the capacity to catch variety of people

Once the kingdom net catches any one, it gives ample opportunity to become good and to change ones life for the better 

The Kingdom net shows the beauty of another world, which is holy, divine, and filled with Gospel values

Kingdom net always connects one to God

*5) Kingdom Net in my Life*

As Christians the Kingdom Net is very important 

Anything we may lose. But we can't afford to lose Kingdom net

How about my knowledge about Kingdom Net? 

Do I wish to be caught by the kingdom net? 

Am I able to see the beauty of Kingdom net in my Life?

*Think about it*

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

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*