My Reflection for June 16, Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 7:36-8:3

My Reflection:

A young lady who had five children from five different men was already labeled as an immoral sinner by her siblings and parents.  Her family has already given-up on her even if deep in her heart she was telling herself that she was ready to live a renewed life which is very different from her sinful past.

In our first reading for this Sunday we have King David who committed sin against God by coveting the wife of his soldier Uraih. He purposely feed Uriah to their enemies. So that he would be killed and hence possess his wife without any complications. The action of King David was sinful but notwithstanding his sin he was forgiven by God because he humbly admitted his sinfulness before God almighty.

Similarly, we have in our gospel a sinful woman who humbly went to Jesus to honor Him by kissing His feet and anointing it with ointment. She cried before Jesus as if begging Jesus for forgiveness and second chance. Jesus saw her humility and her honest desire to start a new life. That’s why despite of her grave sins she was forgiven by Jesus.

There is always hope and forgiveness for us sinners no matter how grave the sins that we have committed against Jesus. …      

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Why do we shout in anger at each other... ? Author Unknown

A saint who was visiting river Ganges to take a bath found a couple on the banks, shouting in anger at each other. He turned to his disciples smiled and asked.

'Why do people shout in anger shout at each other?'

The disciples thought for a while, one of them said, 'Because we lose our temper, we shout.'

'But, why should you shout when the other person is just next to you? You can as well tell him what you have to say in a soft manner.' asked the saint.

The disciples gave some other answers but none satisfied the other disciples.

Finally the saint explained.

'When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other to cover that great distance.

What happens when two people fall in love? They don't shout at each other but talk softly, because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is either nonexistent or very small.

The saint continued, 'When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that's all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.'

He looked at his disciples and said.

'So when you argue do not let your hearts get distant, Do not say words that distance each other more, Or else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return. …

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My Reflections for March 19, Tuesday Solemnity of Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Mathew 1:16, 18-21, 24a

Gospel: Mathew 1:16, 18-21, 24a

Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.

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My Reflections:

When Saint Joseph discovered that Mary was already pregnant he decided to quietly divorce the Blessed Mother. Why quietly divorce? Why not broadcast it to their whole community so that Mary will be embarrassed and severely punished by stoning to death.

Joseph decided to quietly divorce Mary because deep in his heart he already loved the Blessed Mother. Deep in his humble and righteous heart Joseph already loved the baby in the womb of Mary. That is why Joseph wanted to quietly divorce Mary so that Mary and the baby Jesus would avoid the punishment of death by stoning. But his plan did not push through for the simple reason that Joseph listened to the angel of the Lord. Who told him that the Blessed Mother conceived by the grace of the Holy Spirit.  

The love that Saint Joseph exercised towards the Blessed Mother and the baby Jesus must also be the love that we must always give to our family. We must at all times first take into consideration the welfare of our family more than our own selfish interest.

In his heart Saint Joseph was always quietly praying for guidance and enlightenment. This may be the reason why he never said a single word. He was always waiting for the voice of God to tell him what to do during that critical moment of his life. Humility, selfless love, obedience and prayerful silence these are the values of Saint Joseph.

Are we like Saint Joseph? Or do we have some of these values of Saint Joseph?