It is 30th September 2015. We celebrate the memorial of St. Jerome, the priest and the Doctor of the Church. The readings are from Neh. 2:1-8 and the Gospel from Lk.9:57-62. The first reading offers us a new mind-set, when we are doing the work of the Lord. We wonder many times that why God is asking me to do this work for God. God finds a right person to accomplish God’s work. No matter how challenging a job could be, if it is for the purpose of God, one must not hesitate to ask for success. Nehemiah demonstrated this. No fear or guilt must become more powerful than God. Every job entrusted to us with the purpose. God will achieve it anyway. We just need to cooperate with God. Accomplishing the job entrusted to us belongs to God. On our part, we must continue to submit ourselves in prayer before we ask for favours from God. The responsorial Psalm prays, “O let my tongue cleave to my mouth if I remember you not.” (Ps. 136:6) The Gospel invites us to follow Jesus. Three persons wanted to follow Jesus. All three of them have an intimate emotional attachment with the family. One wants a comfortable home to care for, another wants a moral duty to be accomplished and another has a sentimental attachment to the family. Jesus demands a complete detachment. He wants us to leave the comforts, the family duty, and the attachments whether it is emotional, cultural or sentimental attachment to our family of origin. These things make us to love God less time. “Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God.” (Lk.9:62). May God bless you to follow Jesus.
It is 29th September 2015. We celebrate the feast day of the Arch Angels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. Michael means ‘who is like God,’ Gabriel signifies ‘the Power of God,’ Raphael signifies ‘God has healed.’ St. Bernard taught us, “Make the holy Angels your friends! No matter how weak you may be, how sad your condition, or how great the perils which surround us, we have nothing to fear under the protection of such guardians!” The readings are from Rev. 12:7-12ab and the Gospel from Jn. 1:47-51. The first reading so vividly brings out the war between God and the Satan. Michael is the arch angel who protected the community of believers. The devil is not a legend or symbol but it is real. Satan was once an angel of God, but through pride, the angel became corrupt. The Satan is the enemy of God and wants to hinder the plan of God and disturb it always. The great blow to Satan came through the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. We all face the battel with devil daily. We must not give up on God because God is so powerful than the evil. In the Gospel, Jesus introduces a new relationship with the Angels. Angels are there for us. They serve us, watch over us, bring us blessings, good news, lead us to God, make us at peace with God and keep our friendship with God. And Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. May this feast help us to establish a new connection with God through the angels of God.