It is 21st February 2019. We celebrate the memorial of Saint Peter Damian, bishop and doctor of the Church. The readings are from Genesis 9:1-13; and the Gospel from Mark 8:27-33. Life needs to be multiplied with all its richness. No matter what we have done against God, still God wants to establish the connection with us not for God’s glory alone but to save us and bless us. The first reading presents the covenant God made with Noah to begin anew. God took the initiative to show God’s love towards us. God offers God’s protection in so far as the humanity engages in multiplying the fruits of the earth. Fruitfulness without God and multiplying the gifts ignoring God by destroying the life of another human person destroys the intention of God. Destroying and getting rid of another human for our own welfare and glory of any form annihilates God’s image. God is extremely serious with the life of human and of the creation. “For your own lifeblood I will surely require an account: from every animal I will require it and from human beings, each one for the blood of another, I will require an account for human life. Whoever sheds the blood of a human, by a human shall that person’s blood be shed; for in his own image God made humankind. And you, be fruitful and multiply, abound on the earth and multiply in it.” (Gen. 9: 5-6). By this covenant, God demands preservation of life and regeneration of life by all means to have dignity restored and respected. God admonishes the humanity that they have to offer an account of all the creation and the people. God’s image in human person needs to be treasured and valued at all cost. To continue the intentions of God, one needs to know the identity. The responsorial Psalm praises, “From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.” (Ps.101:20). In the Gospel Jesus convinces the disciples about His identity as Messiah through suffering. There is no shortcut to Heaven and holiness. In order to know the real identity of us, we need to go through pain, suffering and conversion. Unless and until one recognises God and Christ in their own life and of others, we cannot have the respect and dignity that is due in others. May we be able to fulfil the covenant of love and of life by being the promoters and protects of all life. May you have a good day.