Spiritual Spark 🔥

"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights" (Mt 4:1-2).

Today's gospel account focuses on the temptation of Jesus by the devil in the desert. The three temptations of Jesus related to bread, temple and mount are related to economic, religious and political aspects of our lives. All of us encounter these temptations in our day-today lives. We can look at Jesus, learn from him and counter the temptations boldly.

The Greek word for the devil is "diabolos", which is derived from two words: "dia" (across) + "ballein" (throw). The devil tries its best to throw us across, to confuse us, to make us doubt. We need to realize that the devilish forces are not outside us, but within us.

Hence we need to be constantly on our guard to keep the devilish thoughts, words and actions away from us. The rules for the discernment of spirits given by St. Ignatius are surest means to recognise what is devilish and what is divine.

Good day and God bless us all! 🙏🏼😈

Spiritual Spark 🔥

"If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, and if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom will be like the midday" (Is 58:9-10).

Darkness is rightly compared in the above verse with gloom. We want to be happy; we wish to be bright and shining and not dull, sad and gloomy.

Prophet Isaiah advises us to perform five actions to bring brightness in our lives. These five actions can be divided in two groups: three actions to avoid and two actions to perform.

We are called to avoid or remove the following three negative things: (1) the yoke, which is every sort of burden, oppression, injustice, unfairness; (2) the pointing of finger: judgement and criticism; (3) speaking wickedness: backbiting, gossiping, etc.

The two positive things, we are called to perform are altruistic actions of (1) feeding the hungry, and (2) satisfying the needs of the suffering.

Let us do these five actions to make our lives and lives of others bright and beautiful!

Good day and God bless us all! 🙏🏼💝

Spiritual Spark 🔥

"Shout loud, do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to my people their transgression, and to the house of Jacob their sins" (Is 58:1).

"Don't be silent, don't be violent" is one of the striking slogans of widespread protests India has witnessed in the last two-three months. Violence is not the solution to any problem; it makes matters worse. Similarly silence is also not a solution in the face of institutional injustice.

Today's first reading from Isaiah 58 is a very effective teaching on social aspect of fasting, which focuses on liberation and justice and not cultic practices. However the very first verse struck me strongly. It is a prophetic call, to raise voice against the injustice done by "my people".

It is very easy to notice the wrongs done by "other people", but it is very difficult to see the sins and transgressions committed by "our people". When we can raise voice against the injustice committed by "our people", only then can we call ourselves just and fair!

Good day and God bless us all! 🙏🏼🗣️

Spiritual Spark 🔥

Jesus said to them all, "If anyone wishes to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me" (Lk 9:23).

In today's gospel we hear the demands of discipleship or "Cost of discipleship" as Dietrich Bonhoeffer calls it. In today's world of social media, it is very easy to follow various celebrities. Social media following however doesn't demand much from us. The following of Jesus demands everything and the reward of this following is unimaginable.

Jesus' call is radical; it is extended to "all", and not only to his few chosen disciples. This call is for "everyday", a call for "daily" following, and not only leisurely, weekend or Sunday following.

Discipleship requires a continuing, daily efforts to take up our crosses, our unpleasant responsibilities, our tedious tasks and carry them nobly for the service of humanity. Am I ready for such a selfless daily following?

Good day and God bless us all! 🙏🏼✝️

Spiritual Spark 🔥

"Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning" (Joel 2:12).

With today's Ash Wednesday, a holy and important period of Lent begins. Lent is called "Cuaresma" in Spanish. Cuaresma literally means "forty" because this period of spiritual renewal lasts for forty days.

We have been hearing a lot of news about Corona virus and about the quarantine of the people as an effective measure against the virus. The word quarantine comes from Italian word "quarantina" meaning "forty days".

We have also been witnessing a lot of violence and hatred everywhere these days. This negativity is not only outside, but also within us. In the coming forty days of "Cuaresma" let us "quarantine" ourselves from the virus of hatred, ill-feelings, negativity, and let us make every effort to come closer to God of love, mercy and forgiveness!

Good day and wishing you a very meaningful Lenten season! 🙏🏼4️⃣0️⃣

Spiritual Spark 🔥

"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you" (Jam 4:10).
"Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all" (Mk 9:35).

Today's both the readings focus on humility. The disciples of Jesus were arguing among themselves who was the greatest among them. In their hearts they were desiring and coveting to be the greatest.

In the eyes of the world, the greatest are those who are the richest, most powerful, most smart and charming. But in the eyes of God things are completely different.

The about two quotes explain how God exalts those who humble themselves and how we can be the leaders by becoming servants. This teaching is diametrically opposed to the worldly teaching.

Let us give up our pride and become humble before God and others because "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (Jam 4:6)!

Good day and God bless us all! 🙏🏼🌾

Spiritual Spark 🔥

Jesus said to the father of the possessed, "'If you can!' -- All things are possible to him who believes" (Mk 9:22).

The father of the boy possessed by an evil spirit brings his son to Jesus to be healed. In the absence of Jesus, his disciples try to cast the evil spirit out, but they do not succeed. When Jesus comes down from the mountain of transfiguration, the father of the boy pleads him by saying: "If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us!"

Jesus answers him by stating that if he would believe, his son would be healed. At that the father answers honestly: "I do believe; help my unbelief!"

We do not have rock solid faith. Our faith is like that of the man mentioned above. The beauty of the man lies in honestly admitting the reality.

Let us approach Jesus today by paying to him like the man in today's gospel, "I do have some faith, that is why I have come to you. But I also have doubts. Please do not look at my doubts, my unbelief. Help my unbelief and strengthen my faith."

Good day and God bless us all! 🙏🏼🛐

Spiritual Spark 🔥

"Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's spirit dwells in you?" (1 Cor 3:16).

Today's first reading from Leviticus 19 speaks about loving our neighbour as ourselves and the Gospel reading from the sermon on the mount speaks about loving our enemies. Loving others as we love ourselves is difficult and loving enemies is all the more difficult. However that can be done if we truly understand that every human being is a temple of God and every human being has divine spirit within them, irrespective of their religion, caste, creed, race, gender, nationality and irrespective of their economic, social, cultural background.

St. Paul goes on to add: "If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person" (1 Cor 3:17). We must realise that when we insult others, when we treat others shabbily, we are insulting God's living temples. In doing that we are destroying ourselves. Acting against others is acting against ourselves; hating others is hating ourselves.

Let us respect and give dignity to each and every human being!

Good day and God bless us all! 🙏🏼💒

Spiritual Spark 🔥

"Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock" (1 Pet 5:3).

A famous quote of Mother Theresa states: "It's very easy to give example, but it's very difficult to become an example!!!" Today we celebrate the feast of the Chair of St. Peter, which celebrates the authority given by Jesus to Peter to be the shepherd, i.e. to be the leader of his Church.

Simon was a very impetuous person. He wasn't steady, but he was given the name "Peter", which means rock. He knew his weakness, but he also knew the strength and solidness belongs to the Lord! St. Peter used his authority for service and became an example of love and sacrifice for the early Church.

Let us all carry out our leadership in the footsteps of St. Peter and become examples of loving service and not become authoritarian!

Good day and God bless us all! 🙏🏼🚸

Spiritual Spark 🔥

"For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without work is also dead" (Jam 2:26).

The biggest division in the Christianity took place in 15th century, when Christianity was divided between Catholics and Protestants. It is true that there was a lot of corruption and malpractices in the Catholic Church of that time. Reformers like St. Ignatius tried to reform the Church from within. Unfortunately circumstances forced Martin Luther to leave the Church and start another Church.

Martin Luther was a brilliant theologian and his critic of the Catholic Church was valid. However he didn't give much value to the letter of St. James mainly because of James' idea about faith and works. According to Luther, faith alone (sola fide) is important and not works. Catholic position on the other hand considers both faith and works as important, i.e. faith has to be manifested in works of love and service.

Does my faith manifest itself in loving works?

Good day and God bless us all! 🙏🏼💝

Spiritual Spark 🔥

"If a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, 'Have a seat here, please,' while to the one who is poor you say, 'stand there,' or 'sit at my feet,' have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?" (Jam 2:2-4).

St. James gives above an example of partiality in dealing with the poor and the rich. He criticises such behaviour as being unworthy of a Christian. Each person has his/her intrinsic dignity and deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. However, we judge people according to their exterior and behave with them accordingly.

St. James goes on to state that the poor are God's chosen ones as God has made them rich in faith. Poor people treat us well, but the rich people oppress us and create problems for us.

Let us look into our hearts today and check for ourselves: "how do I behave with the poor and the rich? Do I need to change my approach?"

Good day and God bless us all! 🙏🏼⚖️

Spiritual Spark 🔥

"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world" (Jam 1:27).

The letter of St. James gives a very strong message of social justice. It doesn't define religion in terms of cultic practice, prayer and worship, but true religion is considered to be an active religion, manifested in concrete deeds of mercy.

St. James defines pure religion in terms of taking care of the weaker and vulnerable sections of the society. According to Gandhi, "Antyodaya is sarvodaya", i.e. rise/development of the last and least is the rise/development of all. Unfortunately in the politics, the interests of rich and powerful are fostered and poor are further marginalised and neglected.

Let us make our religion and politics pure and undefiled by taking care of the poor and needy!

Good day and God bless us all! 🙏🏼🌹

Spiritual Spark 🔥

"No one, when tempted, should say, 'I am being tempted by God'; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. But one is tempted by one's own desire, being lured and enticed by it" (Jam 1:13-14).

It is part of the human nature to take credit of the success for oneself, but to share the blame of failure with others. It is very easy to blame God. There are several people who blame God for the failures and mistakes they commit because of their foolishness.

According to J. R. Webb, "Temptation is a desire to engage in short-term urges for enjoyment, that threatens long-term goals." Very often we get carried away by our desires and urges; we choose easy and cosy life; we make wrong choices and we fall into temptations.

No one pushes us into temptations, we walk into them. We are responsible for our actions and accepting our failures, our sins is a sign of maturity. Let us accept that it is my inordinate desire which leads me into the temptation and not God!

Good day and God bless us all! 🙏🕸️

Spiritual Spark 🔥

"Whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance, and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing" (Jam 1:2-4).

There are very few people who like trials and problems. There are however several people who like challenges. In fact there is not much difference between challenges and problems. What an ordinary person perceives as a problem, the same situation is perceived by a positive person as a challenge.

Persons of faith are basically persons with positive attitude. They see good in everything. They see life's trials and problems as enjoyable roller-coaster rides. By facing such tough situations with their rock solid faith, they become more and more enduring; they become tough and strong. They become fearless and free.

Let us embrace a deep sense of faith in God so that we will be able to see positive in the worst situations of our lives!

Good day and God bless us all! 🙏🏼🌼

Spiritual Spark 🔥

"If you right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off, and throw it away; it is better ... go into hell" (Mt 5:29-30).

I came across a very interesting explanation of the above two very strong expressions given by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. Anselm Grün, a well-known German writer interprets these verses metaphorically and not literally. He distinguishes between RIGHT EYE/HAND and LEFT EYE/HAND.

RIGHT EYE stands for judgemental, greedy, controlling attitude; and LEFT EYE stands for the eye which sees goodness and beauty in others without suspicion, greed or judgement.

Similarly RIGHT HAND stands for the typical doer, controller, arrogant and selfish attitude; and LEFT HAND stands for receiving, loving, caring and releasing attitude, which promotes life.

Let us pause today and ask ourselves: Which hand/eye is dominant in me? Do I need to get rid of the right hand/eye? How can I do that?

Good day and God bless us all! 💪🏼👁️

Spiritual Spark 🔥

Jesus said to his disciples, "I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me for three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way, and some of them have come from a great distance" (Mk 8:2-3).

There are some speakers who have magic in their words. People never get tired of listening to them. Jesus must have been a phenomenal speaker! People flocked to Jesus, not only for healing, but in order to listen to his preaching. People came to him from far away places and stayed with him. Listening to Jesus must have been a delightful experience for the crowd of four thousand people mentioned in the gospel!

Most of these people must have planned to spend a day or two with Jesus and hence must have brought limited food with them. But even though their food got over, they remained with Jesus in the desert, in order to receive spiritual nourishment from his words.

Three days were over and there was no more food. Only disciples had seven loaves and a few fish. Jesus blesses this small quantity of food and feeds the multitude. Jesus worked this miracle out of his mother-like compassion and care for the people.

Good day and God bless us all! 🙏🏼🥖