GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings) DATE: 1ST APRIL 2017 SATURDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF LENT FIRST READING: Jeremiah 11:18-20 PSALM: Psalm 7:2-3, 9-12 GOSPEL: John 7:40-53 THEME: THE SCHEMES OF THE EVIL ONE

A prophet speaks the “mind of God” and since God’s thoughts and ways are a challenge to a putrid society, a prophet has to contend with opposition and rejection. Some prophets have had to flee from their home countries on account of opposition and others too have had to sacrifice their very lives.

Jeremiah came to reveal the mind of God to his contemporaries. Some were not happy with his prophetic mission and today’s First Reading gives us a picture of some of the schemes his opponents put in place to eliminate him – "Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name will no longer be remembered!" (Jer 11:19).

Jesus came to show the face of God and reveal the mind of the Father to the world. In response, some of the leaders of the Jewish community plotted against him. In today’s Gospel text, we read: “Some wanted to arrest him, but no one actually laid a hand on him” (John7:44).

No one can lay a hand on a prophet of God unless God permits it. Like Jeremiah and Jesus, we may have to contend with persecutors who set into motion evil schemes to derail our prophetic presence. Our hope lies in the fact that since God the Father never abandoned Jeremiah and Jesus, he will not abandon us too.

I pray for the spirit of endurance for all the children of God who are toiling to sow the seeds of life. I pray especially for those who are on the verge of giving up. Jesus, for the sake of your name, come to their aid. Amen

GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings) DATE: 31ST MARCH 2017 FRIDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF LENT FIRST READING: Wisdom 2:1, 12-22 PSALM: Psalm 34:17-21, 23 GOSPEL: John 7:1-2, 10, 25 THEME: BE WARNED, ENEMIES ARE WATCHING!

It is difficult to know for certain what goes on in the minds of people when they see and hear us. However, one can be certain that it is not everyone who has good thoughts and plans concerning us. There are people who would hate you for no ‘reasonable’ reason. Often, such persons have unresolved issues in their own personal lives which fester into animosity towards others.

Jesus had both admirers and adversaries. In our Gospel text for today, we are told that his adversaries planned to kill him. In fact, they sought to translate their thoughts into action by trying to arrest Jesus but they were unable because “his hour had not yet come” (cf. Jn 7:30).

The text of the First Reading, perhaps, may well give an insight into why the adversaries of Jesus harboured heinous thoughts about him and planned to eliminate him. The wicked said to themselves, “Let us lay traps for the upright man, since he annoys us and opposes our way of life, reproaches us for our sins against the Law, and accuses us of sins against our upbringing. He claims to have knowledge of God, and calls himself a child of the Lord. We see him as a reproof to our way of thinking, the very sight of him weighs our spirits down; for his kind of life is not like other people's, and his ways are quite different” (Wis 2:12-15).

When you stand for nothing, nothing will oppose you but when you stand for something, something will oppose you. In any given situation, when you choose to uphold a value, those who detest that value will detest you.

Our psalm for today consoles victims of evil, “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD rescues them from them all. He keeps all their bones; not one of them will be broken. Evil brings death to the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. The LORD redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned” (Psa 34:18-22)

Let us pray that evil thoughts may not see the light of day and that we ourselves may shun such thoughts for in seeking to destroy others, we ultimately destroy ourselves.

DATE: 30TH MARCH 2017 THURSDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF LENT FIRST READING: Exodus 32:7-14 PSALM: Psalm 106:19-23 GOSPEL: John 5:31-47 THEME: THE POWER OF PRAYER

GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings)


I have heard people lamenting that in spite of all the prayers being offered by men and women of God all over the world, the world is not getting better. On the contrary, I would say that but for the prayers of men and women of God all over the world, the world would have been worse off. There is a God who answers prayers and the heartfelt prayers of faithful people bring about change in any given situation.

The First Reading of today offers us an example of the effect of prayer. God said to Moses, “Now let me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; and of you I will make a great nation" (Ex 32:10). The Israelites, on their sojourn in the desert, had apostatized and offered the honour due to God to an image of a calf. Using a very human language of characterization, the author of the text of Exodus describes God as being angry on account of this. Moses chose to intercede for the people. He cried out, "O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?” (Exo 32:11). The text ends with the statement, “The Lord then relented over the disaster which he had intended to inflict on his people.” (Ex. 32:14). The prayer of Moses was answered.

Many evils have happened and are happening in our world. The consequences of any kind of evil are far reaching than we can perceive. It takes the grace of God to curtail the ripple effect of wrongdoing. This is the reason why we need to pray for our world. The energy we spend in lamenting over the ills in our world can be used in praying for the world and taking the necessary steps within our means to ameliorate the situation.

Let us intercede for our families, our Christian communities, our nations and our world. The prayer that you offer today will change many situations today and tomorrow.
Prayer still works.

GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings) DATE: 29TH MARCH 2017 WEDNESDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF LENT FIRST READING: Isaiah 49:8-15 PSALM: Psalm 145:8-9, 13-14, 17-18 GOSPEL: John 5:17-30 THEME: I WILL NOT FORGET YOU

A discouraged person is like a deflated balloon that lies flat on the ground and unable to soar in the sky. Such a person feels and thinks that everything in a given space and time is against him/her.

Discouragement is the absence of courage. It is a strong feeling of not wanting to go on again. Like stagnant water, when we choose not to flow again, we lose our vitality. There are many people out there who out of discouragement have chosen to indulge themselves in unpleasant and unwholesome living. It often leads to spiritual and moral suicide. Unfortunately, some end up committing physical suicide as well.

In life, you cannot always dodge disappointment but you can choose not to be discouraged when you are disappointed. Discouragement can only rear its ugly head up in the face of disappointment when faith in God is deactivated or put to sleep.
 
The experience of discouragement characterised the people of Judah after the unfortunate exilic experience in Babylon and its aftermath. Memories of their defeat and perhaps some unpleasant experiences made in Babylon kept haunting them. Rebuilding the city of Jerusalem and the temple was a frightful challenge that continually stared at them.

In today’s First Reading, the nation of Judah gives rein to their frustration, "The LORD has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me" (Isa 49:15). In response, the Lord says, “Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you” (Isa 49:15).

The response of the Lord to the discouraged people of Judah reveals the depth of his compassion for us. God gives a promise that he will never forget his own. This promise should encourage anyone of us who is battling with the feeling of abandonment and discouragement at this point in time in his/her life. What it means is that God is thinking about you. It means he is not against you; he is for you.

The loving arms of Jesus are opened towards each one of us and Jesus assures us in today’s Gospel text, “whoever listens to my words and believes in the one who sent me, has eternal life; without being brought to judgment such a person has passed from death to life” (Jn. 5:24). Like children, let us run during this season of Lent into the loving embrace of Jesus our Lord and master.

PRAYER: I thank you Jesus for your gift of love. I long to be in your eternal embrace and to experience your love every hour of my life. Here and now, I surrender at your feet. Love me Lord. Amen

GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings) DATE: 28TH MARCH 2017 TUESDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF LENT FIRST READING: Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12 PSALM: Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9 GOSPEL: John 5:1-16 THEME: DO YOU WANT TO BE HEALED?

At any given time, there are people at the hospital. Churches and prayer centres have people trooping in, seeking to be made whole. During this period of Lent, we see people queuing for spiritual healing in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In almost every family, there is someone who is ill, be it physical, spiritual or psychological. The search for healing is a relentless one. However, it is not every sick person who wants to be healed. For some, their illness is their livelihood. For example, in the wake of unemployment, some use their “ill-health” to their advantage and employ themselves as professional beggars. To take away their “illness” is to take away their jobs. There are some too who see their illness as an opened door to escape from the challenges of life on earth – they would refuse to take any medicine and rather court death. It is not every spiritually sick person who wants to be healed. Some take so much pleasure in one or the other sin that they are unwilling to let go of it and be healed.

In our Gospel text for today, Jesus asks a physically paralysed man, "Do you want to be healed?" (Jn 5:6). In his response, the paralytic expresses his desire to be made whole, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me" (Jn 5:7). Jesus then tells him, "Stand up, take your mat and walk" (Jn 5:8). He stood up and started walking.

The question that Jesus put to the paralytic is one that each one of us ought to reflect upon prayerfully – “Do I want to be healed?” Jesus provides grace but like the paralytic I must take a step of faith – stand up and walk. The “standing” and “walking” are the efforts I need to contribute in the whole process of healing.

The grace of the Lord which brings wholeness can be likened to a river. In the visionary experience of Ezekiel, in our First Reading, the prophet recounts that “Wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish, once these waters reach there. It will become fresh; and everything will live where the river goes” (Ezek 47:9).

The grace of God is being offered in abundance during this season of Lent. Healing is taking place. Yes, physical, spiritual and psychological healing are happening right now.  As we wholeheartedly accept this grace, we too can be made whole and experience transformation in our lives. We tap into this grace through prayer, fasting, almsgiving and reconciliation. As grace renews us, our lives would never be the same.

MONDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF LENT FIRST READING: Isaiah 65:17-21 PSALM: Psalm 30:2,4-6, 11-13 GOSPEL: John 4:43-54 THEME: WORDS THAT HEAL

One simple text message from a friend can put a smile on one’s face and brighten the whole day. A text message from another person can trigger the feeling of anger and dim the light in the day. Different words have different impacts. This experience of words is enough to tell us that words are not just sounds. They carry power.

In our Gospel text for today, a royal official from Capernaum came to Jesus who was then in Cana, all in Galilee. The official made a request for healing for a sick child, “Sir, come down before my little boy dies” (Jn 4:49). The distance from Cana to Capernaum was about 15miles. Rather than walking 30miles, i.e. in and out, Jesus chose to heal from a distance.  He said to the man, "Go; your son will live" (Jn 4:50). The man believed the words of Jesus and at that very hour, his son started recovering from his illness (Jn 4:52-53).

There is power behind every word of the Lord. The whole universe was created by the word of God – “let there be light…” (Gen 1:3). Jesus would say, “…The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63).

The power of the word of the Lord to cause changes in our personal lives is unimaginable. As Christians, we read or listen to verses, chapters and books of the Bible. What impact has the word of the Lord had on my life? If half a verse brought healing to a little boy, 15miles away from where those words were uttered, then a chapter of the Bible can do much more than we can even think or imagine.

Miracles, however, do not happen merely by reading or listening to the word of the Lord. Believing is a key component in coming to a personal experience of the power of God’s word. 

The prophet Isaiah makes it clear in our First Reading that it is the will of God to do something new in our lives. Many of us rely so much on past testimonies. Now God wants to give us a new testimony. It takes faith to experience this divine move. Let us therefore turn to God today and with faith in our hearts accept wholeheartedly every word he utters to us.

GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings) DATE: 26TH MARCH 2017 FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT FIRST READING: 1Samuel 16:1, 6-7, 10-13 PSALM: Psalm 23:1-6 SECOND READING: Ephesians 5:8-14 GOSPEL: John 9:1-41 THEME: ANOINT HIM

I came across a religious inscription on a t-shirt which reads, “The anointing makes a difference.” As I pondered over this statement over and over again, it dawned upon me forcefully that the secret of fruitfulness in any sphere of life is the anointing of God on a person. In Judeo-Christian tradition, ‘anointing’ sets a person, place or thing apart. God acts on that which he sets apart and manifests his glory.

 

In our First Reading, the Lord said to the prophet Samuel concerning David, “Arise, anoint him; for this is he" (1 Sam. 16:12). When Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed David in the midst of his brothers, we are told, “…the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward” (1 Sam. 16:13). That act of anointing changed David and made an ordinary man, extraordinary.

Jesus also anointed a man in our Gospel text. We read, “he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and anointed the man's eyes with the clay” (Jn. 9:6). This act of Jesus brought a massive change in the life of the blind man. After washing in the pool of Siloam, the man came back seeing. The transformation was so great that his neighbours wondered whether or not he was the same person. Jesus had told his disciples, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him” (Jn. 9:3).

 

The anointing of God makes a big difference in the life of a person. The psalmist rightly sings, “You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows” (Ps. 23:5). In Christ, we too have been anointed. In him, we are destined to make a difference wherever we find ourselves. We have been set apart to manifest the works of God. Paul writes “You were darkness once, but now you are light in the Lord”(Eph. 5:8).

The season of Lent affords us the opportunity to ‘activate’ in our lives the anointing that we received when we believed -- that which was offered to us through the sacraments of Christian initiation. As we prayerfully wait on God during this period, the anointing makes us new and brings us innumerable blessings.