It is 20th September 2016. We celebrate the memorial of Sts. Andrea Kim Taegon, Paul Chong, and their companions, the martyrs. Kim Taegon Andrea was the first Korean-born Catholic priest and is the patron saint of Korea. Just like his father, he stood for his faith. He was tortured and beheaded. The readings are from Proverbs 21:1-6, 10-13; and the Gospel from Luke 8:19-21. The first reading teaches us ten practical ways to be blessed by God. The Lord weighs the intentions of the heart. To be proud is always sinful; things we acquire by lying never stay with us permanently. God is watching the house of the wicked persons as he deals with those who mock the poor. Never to look down on others with dislike even if they are poor. God ignores our petitions when we ignore the cry of the poor. The responsorial Psalm prays, “Guide me, Lord, in the path of your commands.” (Ps.118:35). The Gospel reminds us the requirement to be a relative of Jesus does not come by the biological bonding rather through the spiritual connections to God’s Word. It is our familiarity with God’s Word makes us to be the member of the family of Christ. We do not need to be a blood relative of Jesus in order to belong His family. It is our personal disposition to the Word of God that makes us to be a relative of Jesus. Just because we are baptised, or a Catholic, we do not have an automatic special relationship with Jesus. Even though, our Beloved Mother Mary gave birth to Jesus, she is praised by the Lord for her accommodation of the Word of God in her life. Our relationship with the Lord cannot be superficial, nominal, peripheral and showy. May the Lord be with us in giving the Word of God, the place it deserves in our lives. May you have a good day.