THE PERSONAL CALL TO FOLLOW CHRIST

The call to follow Christ is a universal call to each and every one of us. It is a universal call to all humanity. This call is an invitation to holiness and discipleship. The call may be accepted or rejected. The twelve apostles accepted the call with other early disciples of Jesus (Lk 6: 12-16). Some Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians and Romans rejected the call. The rich young man rejected the call (Mk 10:17-22). Those who accept the call are preparing themselves for the weight of eternal glory. Those who reject the call are in need of conversion.

The acceptance of the invitation to follow Christ involves some challenges (Mt 16:24). The cost will be high; the road will be narrow; the sacrifices will be great; the opposition will be ferocious. There will be moments of doubts, disappointments, crisis and difficulties. However, our success is assured. Our help is in the name of the Lord who makes heaven and earth (Ps 121:2).

The decision to follow Christ can be very rewarding (James 1:12). Our sins are forgiven; we are washed clean in the blood of the lamb; we become new creature in Christ; we become sons and daughters of God; we receive necessary graces for holiness; we receive the consolation of the Spirit; our names are written in heaven. Most importantly, we receive the reward of eternal life. If we follow Christ closely and wholeheartedly, we will be worthy of eternal kingdom

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CHRISTIAN LIFE AS AN INVESTMENT

Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously (2Cor 9:6).  This is a basic principle of life. The meaning of this biblical principle is so profound; the interpretation is so wide; the application is far reaching. This principle does not fail. It gives exactly what it promises. Of course this is not just about giving out money or sharing material things. It concerns important aspects of our lives- spiritual, intellectual, social, professional- it concerns every aspect of life.

This principle simply means little investment yields little profit and huge investment yields huge profit. The saints have invested heavily on their spiritual journey. They painstakingly stored their treasures in heaven. What we see are the fruits of their labour- their joy, serenity, balance and peace. But what we do not see are the sacrifices, penances, struggles that earned them such beautiful fruits of the Holy Spirit.

A number of people believe they can beat this principle. There are those who think they can sow little and reap much or worse, reap where they did not sow. Lazy people who sow sparingly cannot reap bountifully. Cain sowed sparingly and was expecting a huge reward. He was roundly disappointed.  Those who give minimum requirement and expecting to receive maximum profits will be hugely disappointed.

Life is too short to be wasted. Time is too precious to be squandered. Energy is too limited to be dissipated. Opportunity is so scarce to be lost. Sow bountifully so that you can reap bountifully. 

LENT: ONE THING NECESSARY

At the beginning of the Lenten season, we are filled with fervor and enthusiasm. We have many noble ideas, beautiful plans and laudable goals. We want to do many things. We want to achieve many things. We want to begin many devotions, abandon many vices and reconcile with many people. At the end of the Lenten season, we may realize that we achieve very little or nothing. The Lenten season of this year, the Lord invites us to do just one thing- one thing necessary.

The rich young man had many things. He observed many laws. But the Lord told him: “there is one thing lacking” (Mk 10:21). Just one thing lacking! Is there one thing lacking in my life? One thing that only God can provide?

Martha was doing so many things at the same time. The Lord to her:  “Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things. Only one thing is necessary” (Lk 10: 41). Do I neglect the one thing necessary in my life?

The Psalmist said: “there is one thing I asked from the Lord, for this I long, to live in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life, to savor the sweetness of the Lord, to behold his temple (Ps 27:4). What is the one thing I am asking from the Lord in this holy season of Lent?

After getting involved in so many things, St Paul asserted: “ this one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining  forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:13). What is that one thing I want to do during this lent?

The man who received his sight from Jesus emphatically affirmed: “there is just one thing I know, I was blind but now I see” (Jn 9: 25). What is the one thing I wish to know during this sacred season?

The Lord is asking us for one thing. Look for one door that leads to all other doors. Ask for one blessing that contains all blessings. Acquire one virtue that holds all other virtues together. Abandon one vice that facilitates other vices.

God is the one person necessary. Heaven is the one thing necessary. This should preoccupy our minds during this holy season of lent.

Beginning the New Year with the Beginning

We have just begun a New Year. Our hearts are filled with joy, happiness and gladness.  Our hearts are filled with gratitude to God for the grace and opportunity He has given us to experience a new year. What is intriguing about the New Year is the idea of the new beginning.   At the beginning of a New Year our hearts are filled with excitement and expectations for the new experiences the New Year brings.

What does the Bible say about the beginning? In the first book of the Bible, God is the Creator who has no beginning. God who has no beginning created the beginning of all things. God created the beginning of time, space, humanity and history.  God created the beginning of the New Year. In the beginning, God created heaven and earth (Gen 1:1).

In the last book of the Bible, God who has no beginning becomes the Beginning.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End (Rev 22:13). God is not just the Creator of the beginning but God is the Beginning.  God is the First. God is prior. God is absolutely preeminent. We are not just celebrating the beginning of the year but we are celebrating God as the Beginning of the year- the Beginning of all things.

God instructed Moses to celebrate the beginning the year by erecting the tabernacle in the tent of the meeting. The Lord spoke to Moses: On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle in the tent of the meeting. (Ex 40: 1-2).  This instruction of the Lord to Moses has a profound spiritual meaning. The tabernacle represents the majestic Presence of God. The tent often refers to the human person or human body (1 Cor 5:1).

The way Moses established the tabernacle in the tent of the meeting is the way a Christian should establish a space for God in his heart.  The way the tabernacle dwells in the tent, that is the way the Lord desires to dwell in our hearts. Therefore, in the first day of the first month of the year, God invites us to set up a place for him in our hearts, a place for his Word in our minds and a place for his Will in our plans. Our tent cannot remain void of God’s abiding presence.

Begin the New Year with the Beginning who has no beginning but has become the Beginning of all things. Plato says "the beginning is the most important part of the  work." The beginning is the most important part of the year. If we begin with the Beginning then the year will unfold according to the will of God for us. Beginning with the Beginning is the first and most crucial decision we have to make in the beginning of the  New Year.

SPIRITUAL LIFE AS A BUILDING ON THE ROCK

The Gospel describes the formation of Christian life as building a house (Matt 7: 24-27). The wise builds on the solid rock. The foolish builds on the sand. Building on the solid rock means building our spiritual lives on the living Word of God. It means hearing and acting on the Word of God.

Since the Word is the second Person of the Trinity, building on a rock means building our spiritual lives on the solid and intimate relationship with Jesus. There is only one foundation, this foundation is Jesus. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Cor 3:11).

Now it is possible to belong to a parish, come to Church regularly, be active in the Church and still not enjoy a deep, personal relationship with Jesus. That is like building on the sand. To be so concerned about outward piety, external devotion, and religious exercises without encountering Jesus is to build on the sand. Building on the sand is a comprehensive show of futility.  We are encouraged to build on the true foundation, to be rooted in Christ and build up in Christ (Col 2:7).

The idea of building on the solid rock is applicable to every sphere of life.  We can build our relationships on the solid rock of love, trust and faithfulness or a shifting sand of selfishness, lies and deceit. We can build our education on the solid rock of wisdom, knowledge and understanding or a sinking sand of laziness and forgery. We can build our businesses on the solid rock of honesty, integrity or a shifting sand of fraud and lies.

 Whatever is built on the rock stands and endures. Whatever is built on the sand is unstable and unreliable. Whatever we build is our own. Whatever we build is our reward.

FORGIVENESS AS A VIRTUE

Forgiveness is a recurring theme in the Bible. It strikes at the heart of every human relationship. It is one of the most difficult precepts in the Bible. Jesus insists on forgiveness as a fundamental and irreducible virtue. He desires that we forgive our brothers and sisters as often as they offend us. And if the same person sins against you seven times a day and turns back to you seven times and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive (Lk 17:4).

To a critical mind, this command is unrealistic and impracticable. It’s a joke! Imagine a friend coming to ask for forgiveness for the same offence seven times in a day! If showing mercy seven times a day is a herculean task, imagine offering forgiveness seventy -seven times (Matt 18:21-22). By what stretch of imagination can one forgive seventy-seven times? 

How can a finite person show infinite mercy? How can a human person with all his limitations forgive without limit? If we find it difficult to forgive even when our offender is willing to apologise, how much more when the offender is not willing to ask for mercy? If the offender is not seeking mercy and forgiveness, are we still obliged to forgive? The answer is YES!

Jesus encourages us to take forgiveness to those who offend us (Matt 18:15-17). Jesus forgave his executioners (Lk 23:34). Stephen also forgave his persecutors (Acts 7:60). Imitating the supreme example of Jesus, we can live our lives in such a way as not to take offense at every provocation. We can acquire a calm personality in the face of grave injury. We can form our hearts to keep no malice and our minds to remember no hurt. We need to understand the human condition (weakness), anticipate injury and excuse wrongs. For judgement will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgement (James 2:13).

I WILL NOT FORGET YOU (Is 49:15)

Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even if these may forget, yet I will not forget you (Is 49:15).  This is a stupendous promise of God to us. No matter the situation we may find ourselves; no matter how hard, how tough, how long our challenges may last- the Lord promises never to forget us.

God will not forget us because He has said it. God does whatever He says. God can never say one thing and do another. God is faithful. The Lord is faithful in all His words (Ps 145:13). God is faithful, even if we are unfaithful, God will still be faithful, for he cannot deny Himself (2Tim 2:13).

This promise is the source of strength for us especially when we are facing difficulties of life. When the whole world abandons us; when we have nobody to turn to or nowhere to run to; when God seems to delay in answering our prayers; when it seems time is running out for God’s promises to be fulfilled- let us remember that the Lord will never forget us.

The Lord has indelibly engraved our names in His heart even before we were born. It is not now that He will forget us.
Though the Lord will never forget us, let us never forget to remind Him not to forget us!