It is 13th September 2016. We celebrate the memorial of St John Chrysostom, the Bishop and the Doctor of the Church. The readings are from 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 27-31; and the Gospel from Luke 7:11-17. In the first reading, St. Paul illustrates the Church as the Body of Christ symbolising our human body with its many different parts. Though many in parts yet all work together to form one unit. Each one has to play its part without comparing with another part and its achievements. The part each one has to play in the church and its unity is the matter of urgency. No one is going to play the part that is entrusted to us by Christ and so we are answerable to the One who invited us to be the member of the Body of Christ in which Christ is the Head. Through the Sacrament of Baptism, we have become the member of the Body of Christ. By the virtue of the Sacrament, we are connected to all the Christians all over the world. We all have the same life, the same Spirit and the same faith. Only by sharing these gifts with one another for the welfare of the Church, we remain united. We need to “be ambitious for the higher gifts.” (1 Cor.12:31). The Responsorial Psalm praises, “We are God’s people the sheep of God’s flock.” (Ps.99:3). In our Gospel we read about Jesus who restores a young man to life in the town of Nain for he had compassion on the mother. Feeling sorry for the condition alone not enough. Pity alone is not enough as a believer in Jesus, we need charity in action. In order to work together and collaborate with each other, we must first become the compassionate face of God to each other in the Church. May the Lord bless you to be connected to one another through mercy and love. Have a good day.