30th August, Thursday: Homily

Dear friends in Jesus Christ...first reading presents to us how Paul’s evangelical mission was established on God’s initiative. (Sosthenes Acts18:17).

Paul refers to the Church of God and the believers as set apart. He uses this highly condensed formula kletois hagiois, means that believes have been set apart by God. However it does not qualify that they are intrinsically holy, but they are sanctified through Christ. To understand the phrase ‘Those Sanctified’ we must know the context of Paul and Corinth. Paul’s earliest preaching in the city took place in the local synagogue where, both Jews and Greeks accepted his message. It is in this context that Paul tells of those who are made ‘Holy’, and ‘Set apart.’ For Paul every Christian is set apart, sanctified and made holy by the merits of Christ’s sacrifice (Heb.10:10). This comes to us in Baptism. Therefore, he encourages them to call on the name of the Lord in prayer and worship.   

Besides, Paul reminds, how they are blessed by the Holy Spirit, in order to build the Church. Although, the believers are sanctified, set apart and filled with the gifts of the spirit, this is all done only through Christ. So he tells them to be holy in word and deed. This goes without saying that how Paul sees/goes beyond the borders.   

He warns them about Judgement Day. The day of the Lord has many connotations: It relates at once to the OT expression of the Judgement Day. It is a fiery judgement when God takes vengeance on his enemies and vindicates the saints. Sometimes it refers to the last day of history, when Christ will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. Hence, Paul tells the community that God will not abandon what he has started in the Church. Therefore the members of the Church are termed as kletoi the called ones. It is a Pauline technical word used to mention the process of salvation through Christ. Thus Paul draws a line of communion, koinonia/union in Christ. Thus their shared existence as members of Christ’s body is highlighted in this Eucharist.  

In today’s gospel reading Matthew presents how essential it is to be prepared and be watchful. Vigilance is a prominent theme in Jesus’ teaching ministry presented in 24-26 chapters.  This theme addresses the glorious coming of Christ at three levels.

1. Past historical: The disciples were to look vigilantly for Christ’s judgement on Jerusalem.

2. Present Liturgical: Disciples must look with faith to see the coming of Christ in the Eucharist. Jesus’ presence must be discerned to avoid divine judgement.

3. Future Eschatological: Disciples must watch for Christ’s Second Coming in glory.  

Being vigilant in faith and good works is necessary to inherit eternal life with Christ. Therefore, let us understand what is in the mind of Matthew: Watch Therefore is the principle that tells that no one knows the exact time of the Parousia, except the Father. According to Matthew, Jesus by sharing our human condition shares also our partial ignorance. Matthew tells us that we must not be like the Men of Noah who drew wrong conclusions from their ignorance of the time of the flood and were careless in the things that pertain to God. Matthew employs a new term hetoimoi=ready, prepared and vigilance. It is an eschatological alertness to the will of God.   

We know the word eschatology comes from a Greek word eschaton means ‘the last things’ or ‘the things of the afterlife.’ In the Gospel, Jesus asks his disciples to stay awake. And in the first reading Paul urges the community to be united to the church and to behave like the people set apart. If we are not vigilant enough, then we will be like that wicked servant, foolish virgins and like the men of Noah’s time who were succumbed to their human calculations. It is true the Lord delays but then he does not wait. Let us therefore, dispose our hearts and minds at the feet of the Lord and ask him to strengthen our faith so that we go not by sight but by faith like that of the early Christian Community. For, we are also set apart, sanctified and made holy. Thus we shall live our faith with an eschatological alertness. That is how saints lived. St Augustine: Late have I know you o ancient and o heavenly beauty. Thomas Aquinas: All I wrote is trash if compared to the beatific vision he had. Mother Theresa: I trust in thee. Dear friends in Christ, let us pray in this holy Eucharist that may we also learn to be vigilant and walk in faith. Let go by faith and not by sight. For the Lord delays but does not wait for your preparedness. Blessed are if you are like Paul, John the Baptist and the saints above for you have won favour of the Lord.    

The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Dear friends today, the Church invites us to celebrate the Queenship of Mary. Her coronation as the Queen of all creation is intimately connected to her Assumption into heaven. This feast was first proclaimed as a Liturgical Feast by Pope Pius XII on 11^th October 1954 through his Encyclical Ad Caeli Reginam. The wisdom of the Church makes this feast significant for us to celebrate all the more with great favour and faith. Considering the fact that Jesus was descendant of the House of David, Mary being the mother of Jesus is entitled by tradition to sit at the right hand of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Queen Mother. This tradition dates back to the Old Testament when Bathsheba was enthroned as Queen Mother because of the role she played in making her son, Solomon, the King. We contemplate this wonderful scene in the fifth Glorious Mystery of the Holy Rosary. In the fifth Glorious Mystery, the Church believes that Mary as the Queen of Heaven, Our Lord comes back to us again through Mary, passing His Life and His blessing through her hands as the Mediatrix of all graces. He came through her in Bethlehem; through her, we go back to Him-and through her He comes back again to us.

In Regina Anglorum one of the famous poems of G.K. Chesterton is...

Our Lady went into a strange country

And they crowned her for a queen

For she needed never to be stayed or questioned

But only seen;

And they were broken down under unbearable beauty

As we have been.

Our Lady wears a crown in a strange country

The crown He gave,

But she has not forgotten to call her old companions,

To call and crave;

And to hear her calling a man might arise and thunder

On the doors of the grave.    

The Old Testament records Enoch and Elijah being taken up to heaven by the Lord. In the New Testament, we read of the single privilege of Mary to be chosen by God to be the mother of His only Begotten Son Jesus Christ. From our Scripture classes, we know the Jewish context of those who bear children outside marriage. Therefore, this grace of being the mother of God was accompanied by hardships and a test of faith. So the angel’s greetings of ‘Rejoice, you who enjoy God’s favour...was in fact not as pleasing as it appeared to be. For that greetings and blessing entailed the cross unseen and the pain unexpressed. She perhaps understood the mystery of this greeting as she accompanied her son to Calvary. But she did not fail to respond in faith and believe in heart what her son had to accomplish. She pondered all these things in her heart and with faith and confidence in her son’s divinity she told the men at the wedding to do whatever he tells.

After hearing the greetings of the angel, Mary was deeply disturbed and was perplexed about what those words mean. Mary a young Jewish girl, still holy and innocent as a teenager was afraid thinking of what would befall her. But the Angel tells her, Mary do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Look, You are to conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob forever and his reign will have no end.   

Learning from Mother Mary: Beauty takes different forms. This feast of the Queenship of Mary projects the reward of Mary’s purity of heart and sanctity of life. It also is a reminder of the true face value and inner beauty of our Blessed Mother. Therefore, this feast is an invitation to draw out our inner beauty and sanctity of life. May she help us and assist us particularly when we are troubled and confused in our isolated misunderstandings and misconceptions of truth and goodness of humanity and divinity. Thus with her assistance may we also in faith and confidence sing a hymn of Magnificat and run in haste to help and support our neighbour as she did to Elizabeth, her cousin.

Two Things to Do...

Hurrey...! we the SHTC family (Staff and Students) inaugurate another academic year of 2018-19 on 7th of August, 2018. The auditorium is packed with students both of BTh and ITLR. The President at the end of his report invited all the students to give the best and get the maximum out of this academic year. Interestingly, another professor had only two things to say; One is to READ and the other is to WRITE.  

Today's youth, students and netizens perhaps lack these two academic virtues; hence, he might have felt that the students of SHTC also might have fallen into this current of media. Therefore, his challenge and invitation to Read and Write, I believe are relevant even for us all SHTC students, particularly as we venture into yet another year of learning and unlearning and growing and becoming. 

The Theme of the Day: "From darkness of ignorance lead us to the light of knowledge oh God..."