Sept.22,Sleeva 2nd Friday,Mt.15:1-9

In today's Gospel, we find the Pharisees and the Scribes asking Jesus why his disciples are not keeping the age-old traditions of their faith . Eating  meals before washing their hands was considered a violation of the tradition. Jesus counters their argument by telling them that they are accusing his disciples of a braking a human tradition, while they are violating the divine commandment by not taking care of their parents. Jesus quotes the words of the prophet Isaiah to show that they are hypocritical in their words and actions.Jesus further points out that it is not the external actions that are important but their interior dispositions. It is our interior thoughts and actions directed by those thoughts that are more important.Our bad thoughts defile us.
Let us not be hypocritical in our lives.It is not the observance of rituals and traditions that are important but the good thoughts and actions that come from us are more important.We shall ask the Lord to change  our hearts so that we may become more merciful and loving.

Elia1,Sept.16,Lk.15:1-7,Parable of the Lost Sheep

 Jesus speaks about the joy that is felt by God when a sinner repents of his sins and  returns to Him. Jesus explains this through the parable of the Lost Sheep.A shepherd searches for his lost sheep and  feels extremely happy when he finds it.So too there will be joy in heaven when a sinner repents and comes back to God.This parable was spoken when the Pharisees and scribes accused Jesus of his association with sinners.They found it unacceptable that Jesus was welcoming sinners and eating with them.

Jesus makes it clear that he is not going to reject sinners but will accept them and love them.He wants them to be saved and not to be rejected and condemned.

What a source of comfort and consolation this saying of Jesus is for each one of us.We are not going to be rejected and abandoned just because of our sins. He will forgive us and offer his love for us.

Often we are caught in the web of our guilt feelings and feel ourselves condemned and guilty because of our sins.But through this parable Jesus offers us hope and peace.This is the joy that Christianity offers us.

Navarre Commentary: "In the face of our weakness,God does not stand idly by:he goes out in search of what is lost and makes every effort to find it....Meditation on this passage will help us to be optimistic and confident."

St.Therese of Lisieux: "What joy to remember that Our Lord is just;that he makes allowances for all our shortcomings, and knows full well how weak we are.What have I fear to then?Surely the god of infinite justice  who pardons th eprodigal son with such mercy will be just with me."

Elia 1 Wednesday,sept.13,Lk.12:41-48,Feast of St.John Chrysostom

Quotes from St.John Chrysostom
If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the Chruch door, you will not find Him in the chalice.
Prayer is the place of refuge for every worry, a foundation for cheerfulness, a source of constant happiness, a protection against sadness.
Why not learn to enjoy the little things--there are so many of them.
the rich man is not one who is in possession of much, but one who gives much.
the Eucharist is a fire that inflames us ,that like lions breathing fire, we may retire from the altar being made terrible to the devil.
When we teach our children  to be good,to be gentle, to be forgiving...we instill in their souls and revel the image of god within them.
St.John was the Archbishop of Constantinople and later banished from the see on account of  the allegation raised against him that he was close to some followers of Origin.
4th-5th C.
In today's Gospel,   Jesus speaks about the need to be a careful steward. If we fail in our duty and waste the resources entrusted to our care, we would be punished and deprived of the opportunity to be in charge of the tasks that were  entrusted to us.More would be expected from theose who are given more.
God has given us the faith.We know the Lord will be there to protect us and to love us.We should use our knowledge to protect and love the  people entrusted to our care.Our faith should glow more powerfully through our daily activities.
god be kind to me and help me to grow in my love for you.

Sept.12,Elia 1,Lk 9 :23-27

In today's Gospel, Jesus speaks about the true nature of discipleship.Following Jesus would involve acceptance of the crosses of our daily life.The hardships and difficulties of daily life are the sources of our salvation.It is an accepting them that we become true followers of Jesus.We accept them not because we love suffering for its own sake but because we know that Jesus will protect us. Instead of becoming rebellious and hard-hearted, we become compassonate and merciful .Jesus reminds us that all that we accumulate as our comforts becomes meaningless, if they do not help our spiritual life.What is important is being with the Lord.
Lord, thank you for giving us the courage to follow you. No hardship of life will have the power to deflect us from our attachment to you.You give us peace and comfort and in you we find the joy of our life.What is  important is the salvation of our soul.Thank you Lord for your protection and love.

Sept1,Kaitha 6, Jo.15:18-25

Jesus speaks about the persecution and suffering that are going to be experienced by his disciples.The world is hating Jesus because he is speaking their value-systems.All those who follow Jesus will also stand by those values and hence they will be hated by the world.What he is telling us is that we don't have a rosy path to follow in our life of faith.When we live by the light of our faith, we are always standing against the spirit of the world and hence will be opposed and persecuted.
What we have to bear in mind is that opposition to our faith and religious life from our neighbors and friends on account of our faith should not deter us from following our path.We have  standing beside  us, Jesus, the anchor and protector of our life.

Sept.2,Kaitha 6,Lk.21:5-6;20-24

Jesus speaks about the destruction of the Temple and of the calamities that would happen to the people of Israel.These warnings remind us that nothing is permanent in our life. All that we see and enjoy as the most beautiful creations of man will disappear before our very eyes.What is important is our faith in our lord Jesus Christ and our determination to change the direction of our lives.Our faith in him will act as a strong bulwark against all kinds of oppressive systems

Sept.4,Kaitha 7,Mk.13:14-23

Jesus speaks about the destruction and annihilaton that the world will expereince.There would be no time to find a secure place nor to gather our most precious possessions.The end will come suddenly and without a warning.What Jesus wants us to do si to prepare for any eventuality.In our spiritual life, we should be prepared.We should live in such a way that we are spiritually prepared to meet any eventuality in our lives.
The necessity of constant vigilance is what is enjoined upon us: Be watchful.I have told it all to you beforehand."
We have our faults and weaknesses.Our weaknesses and failures should not make us despair. We have to get out of such morally degenerating situations through our repentance and through our determination to reform our lives."Lord, forgive me" should be the road we have to take.Once we are reconciled with God through our repentance, we become partakers of the mercy and compassion of the Lord.

Kaitha 7,Sept.9,Mk.2:13-17,The Call of Levi

In today's Gospel, we see Jesus meeting Levi, the tax collector and calling him to follow him.Leaving his post and all that pertains to the office, he accepts the call and follows Jesus.Jesus takes the occasion to visit his house for dinner with his friends and relatives.People were surprised to see Jesus eating with tax-collectors and those who were considered by the society as sinners.To their murmurings and complaints, Jesus explains the nature of his ministry. He tells them that he has come to call sinners, to save them and offer them forgiveness and compassion from the Lord.
These words of Jesus should make our heart  glow with hope and joy.Our sins weigh us down and we bemoan the fact that there s no forgiveness and mercy for us. We feel that because of our failures and sins, we would be deprived of the mercy and love of God. Jesus shows us that God is there ready to welcome us and to offer us forgiveness. We are not going to be condemned. Instead, we would be forgiven and rehabilitated.What a joy these words of Jesus produce in our hearts!

Sept.5,Kaitha 7,Mt.25:31-40,Mother Teresa

Quotes from Mother Teresa:
"Do not wait for leaders;do it alone,person to person"
"God speaks in the silence of the heart, snd we listen.And then we speak to God from the fullness of our heart, and God listens.And this listening and this speaking is what prayer is meant to be."
"A clean heart is a free heart.A free heart can love Christ with an undivided love in chastity, convinced that nothing and nobody will separate it from his love."
"we too are called to withdraw at certain intervals into deeper silence and aloneness with God...to be alone with him--not with our books,thoughts and memories but completely stripped of everything--to dwell lovingly in His presence, silent, empty, expectant and motionless.We cannot find God in noise or agitation."
Mother Tersea was born on Aug.26,1910 and died on Sept.5,1997.She was canonized on Sept.4,2016 by Pope Francis.
I had the good luck of meeting Mother Teresa when she came to Washington DC with Abp.James Hickey. I had a picture taken of her with the Abp.I did introduced myself to her.When she heard that I was from Chy , she sorrowfully said that she had no convent in Chy. The Spanish Catholics stood on the steps of the Cathedral  and sang hymns welcoming her.From there, she went to the White House to meet the President.It was  during her stay in Washington that she established two convents in Washington DC-- in some of the poorest areas of the city.
Who an forget the transformation that she brought about in the world!

Today as we celebrate her feast, we shall also keep her message alive in our heart by helping the poor and the abandoned.

Sept.6,Kaitha 7,Mk.5:1-13

In today's Gospel , we find jesus driving out demons from a man possessed and allowing the demons to enter into the swine that were

Kaitha 7,Sept.7,Mt.13:10-17

In response to the disciples' inquiry as to why Jesus was speaking in parables, He gives his explanation by saying that the listener should be receptive to the message. There is a moral dimension in teaching.The one who is a disciple is willing to accept the teaching.The one with a questioning heart is so filled with attitudes that are negative the he is not willing to accept the teaching. Jesus is hinting that  in order to understand his message about the kingdom of God, one should have an openness of heart.
We should ask the Lord to open our heart to the words of the Lord so that we may be transformed by His teaching.As long as the Lord is with us, we know that we can find our way in the labyrinth of worldly concerns and anxieties.

Sept.8,Nativity of Our Lady,Kaitha,7,Mt1:1-16

Today we celebrate the Nativity of the Bl.Virgin Mary.In a world that is torn with war and violence, she offers us hope and peace.She wants us to return to a life of submission to the will of God.Her "Yes" to God changed the nature of the world and made the it a home for the Son of God.
This feast originated after the Council of Ephesus in 431where Mary was given the title the "Mother of God."The feast originated first in the Greek Church but was later adopted in the Latin Church in the 17th century.
This Feast celebrating the birth of Mary is an occasion for us to thank  the Lord for having given her the gift of birth so that she could become the Mother of God as well as the Mother of humanity.When dark clouds of despair  and  of pain , mental and physical, harass us, we have a Mother to go to to intercede for us, to offer us hope and peace.What she told Jesus at Cana, she would be telling God for each one of us: "They have no wine". The emptiness of our life will be transformed through her intercession into a well of joy.

Sept.2,Kaitha 6,Lk.21:20-24

In this passage, Jesus speaks about the destruction of Jerusalem.The beautiful city of Jerusalem which was the pride of the Israelites was destroyed by the Roman army in AD 70.What Jesus predicted did happen before the eyes of his disciples later.But it is also the harbinger of good news too. Just as the destruction was a certain fact, so too will be the redemption of the world.
What we have to remember is the warning that Jesus gives through this  passage.Everything that appears to be glorious and  powerful in this world has only a transient value.It will disappear  from our sight in no time. What is important is the way we lead our lives-- the conformity that  we try to establish between our life and the teachings of the Lord.What is more stable and long standing than a beautiful Temple is our faith in the Lord and our determination to lead our lives in conformity with His teachings.

Kaitha 5, FridayMt.10:16-25

In today's Gospel, Jesus speaks about persecutions that the disciples will experience on account of their faith in him.They will be like like lambs  among wolves.There will be blood-thirsty hounds out there to destroy and annihilate the  dsiciplesof Jesus.Even in the heart of the family, there will be severe opposition.Close  relatives would be turning against them.We may think the strenth of love that exists between parents and children or between brothers and sisters would prevent them from attacking their dear ones who have accepted Jesus.Even those  blood relations lose their love and bonding in the violent opposition that will be unleashed against the believers. Jesus would send the Holy Spirit to protect his disciples.If Jesus is going to suffer, it is definite that the diciples would suffer more. He gives the warning so that the dicipls may be better prepared to meet such violence, opposition and death.
We should never think  that our Christian life would be an easy one.We will definitely meet obsolesces, challenges and opposition.We have to be strong through our prayer life.Jesus is our hope and anchor.We have to stand close to him and feel the protection of his love.

Kaitha 5th Week,Wednesday,Aug.23,Mt.7:15-20

In today's Gospel, Jesus tells  his diciples to be beware of false prophets. False prophets can only lead one to destruction.As their life-goal is false, they can never lead one to truth and righteousness. Appearances should not  be the criterion for our choice.We have to see what their vision or religious view is, Jesus reminds us that  a good tree bears good fruit and a bad tree bears bad fruit; so too good people guide us to truth and false people distract us from following the right path.
Jesus offers us the sign to choose the right path in our life. We shall not allow ourselves to be distracted by the views of people who are deceptive and untrustworthy.In the choice of friends too, we have to guided by this criterion. In our religious life too, we have to follow good  people who do not misinterpret the Bible or the teachings of the Church

Kaitha 3rd Week,Mk.1:16-20

In today's Gospel, we find Jesus calling Andrew and Simon, John and James to follow him.They left their job and the people they worked with to follow him. Looking at the scene, we become totally surprised at the power of the words of Jesus. He does not give them the reasons to follow him nor does he tell them how they would be living , if they are following him without any profession or livelihood. The call was so powerful that they had no misgivings about their decision to follow Him.
We too are called to follow Him.We should have no fear in our heart in following the call. His protection is with us.We just have to be listening to His voice.His words give us the power to overcome obstacles in our way.
Lord, help me to follow you.You are the joy of my life. You will take care of me.

Kaitha 2nd Week,Lk 6:20-26,Feast of St.Liguori

The words of St.Alphonsus: "He who trusts himself is lost.He who trusts in God can do all things."
His prayer: " I love You, Jesus my love,I love you more than myself. I repent with my whole heart for having offended you.Never permit me to separate myself from you again.May  I love you always, and then do with me as you will."

Kaitha 2 nd Week, Feast of St.Ignatius,Lk.14:25-33

Today we celebrate the feast of one of the great saints of the Church, St.Ignatius, the founder of the Society of Jesus. He began his life as a soldier but then ended as a great soldier of Jesus Christ, with the intention of spreading his love and compassion in the world. With a small band of friends, he created one of the most inspiring religious congregations in the Christian world.The missionaries of the Society of Jesus traveled to all parts of the world and sacrificed their lives to spread the faith in Jesus Christ.
I was really fortunate to visit the cave in Manresa in Barcelona where Ignatius spent his days in fasting and prayer.Ignatius' prayer of surrender was one of the most beautiful prayers that one could recite daily in life, surrendering everything to the Lord and asking only for his love and mercy.
"Take Lord, and recive all my liberty,
  my memory,my understanding
and my entire will.
All i have and call my own
You have given all to me.
to you,Lord, i return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
give me only your love and your grace,
That is enough for me."

kaitha first week,Jn.11:17-26,St.Martha

Today we celebrate the feast of St.Martha. In the Gospel that we read today, we are given the moving encounter of Jesus with Martha and Mary who were grieving over her brother's death.Their grief over the death of Lazarus has brought the greatest proclamation from Jesus about the Resurrection of the dead: "I am the resurrection and the life:whoever believes in me , though he die,shall live.Whoever lives and believes in me shall never die."
The moment of the meeting of Jesus with Martha and Mary is one of the great moving scenes in the Gospel.The intense grief of Mary and Martha, Jesus' love for Lazarus and finally the resurrection of Lazarus are breath-taking events. Here , we also see the faith of Martha and Mary.They had absolute trust in the power of Jesus.Their sorrow and faith brought the greatest miracle of life: the dead being raised to life.
Martha is a model and example for those who believe in Jesus.She finds joy in serving Jesus. Her only concern is to make Jesus happy and comfortable and to do all kinds of service in order that she could make her home comfortable for the stay of Jesus.She is not intellectually sharp as Mary who would like to listen to Jesus and absorb every word that comes form him.
Lord, I ask you to give me the same sense of total dedication and service that Martha exhibited in her life to me so that I could also be dedicated to you totally.Let me find joy in ministering to you, in spreading your message and make you known to and loved by people.

Kaitha First week,Jn.12:20-26,Feast of St.Alphonsa

Today, being the feast of St.Alphonsa, most of the churches in the Syro-Malabar community have commemorated her life with great enthusiasm and love.St.Alphonsa draws the minds and hearts of Kerala Catholics  with  same  kind of love that the little Flower has  over the minds of Catholics all over the world. Even before  she was canonized as a saint, people would gather in thousands at her grave on her day of her commemoration, asking for her intercession.She who has accepted suffering without any kind of resentment offers everyone an example to accept the troubles and hardships of life.Her simplicity, lack of affectation, her love for people , her sense of humility and her ardent prayer life have endeared her to ordinary people. She is the ordinary people's saint as they can identify themselves with her life.
Today's Gospel very well summarizes the the life of Alphonsa where Jesus speaks about the new life that will sprout from the decay of the old : "Unless a grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies , it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit."
Our hardships and death do not have the final say on our lives. If we trust in God, and believe in him, we will never undergo eternal destruction.Our sufferings will be the cause for our victory and joy.
Lord , help me to to put my trust in you and attain joy and peace under your loving protection.

Kaitha1,Jn.8:48-59.

Jesus asserts himself to be Divine in his confrontation with the Jews who maligned him as one who was obsessed by an evil spirit.Jesus spoke of himself as existing before Abraham and was one with God. It was more than they could tolerate and they immediatlety took stones to kill him.
What we find here  is his fearless assertion of his Divinity and his request to them to change their attitudes and accept him as the Son of God.They refused the chance of salvation and were stuck in their determination to exterminate him.What about our attitudes? Will we stand with Jesus and are willing to follow his teachings?
Lord, be with me and give me your grace to be strong in my faith.I am a weakling, afraid and diffident. Strengthen me.make me strong and confident. Let me find my strength in you.

Jn.10:22-28,Feast of Joachim and Anna

In today's Gospel, Jesus is confronted by a hostile audience in the Temple who is asking for evidence to prove that he is the Messiah. They had seen the miracles he performed and  they were witnesses to his teaching and his prayer life.Still, they were not convinced.They wanted more proofs.Jesus uses this occasion to tell them that all those who have believed in him would be protected and that the Father would never allow them to be lost.Then, He told them directly and plainly that he and the Father one one. What a solemn proclamation.A Jew who had no faith in Jesus would definitely be scandalized.Those words of Jesus were enough to offer them convincing proof of his Divinity.
As we reflect on these words of Jesus, we become comforted by the fact that we who have put our faith in Him would not be abandoned. Our way is the way shown by the Lord. We shall remain in constant contact with him.He is our anchor and rock in life and nothing can take away the  joy of life from us.

Mt.20:20-28

In today's Gospel, we find the mother of James and John asking Jesus to give her sons the best positions in his kingdom. Jesus uses the occasion to explain to them that  in the heavenly kingdom there is no place for positions of superiority. The one who is considered important in the eyes of God is one who serves all. Jesus points at himself to show them that he, who is called a master by them, is willing to be their servant. His whole life- purpose is to offer himself for the liberation of all from sin and slavery to sin. It is in sacrifice and self-abandonment that he finds the fulfillment of his life.
These words are a strong source of encouragement for us to defeat the feelings of defeatism and despair in our lives. We often become discouraged when we don't get the so called plums of life. These plums of life, the offices of position and superiority do not mean anything. They are just illusions.What gives us strength is our willingness to be helpful to others.

Kaitha, First Week,Mt.21:28-32

Through the parable of the two sons, Jesus asks his listeners that it is not what appears on the surface that matters but the internal disposition that makes one act .the first son although said no to the request to the request of the father, he relented and decided to accede to the request of the father. In our own personal life, such a situation may arise.We may think it is foolish to follow the teaching sof the Lord that cme to us thrugh the Scriptures and th Chruch but then we still have time to change our attitudes and to follow the Lord.
it is not late for us to follow the Lord. any time is good time for us. we may have committed awful sins but there is always a chance to repent and to change our ways.
Fulton J.Sheen calls it "Second Chance". Always we are given  opportunities for second chances. Without getting stuck in our rebellious and sinful ways, we shall make changes in our lives and follow the teachings.of the Lord.