The Nexus

Charity that Grows Becomes Significant

Readings:
Eph 5:21-33
Lk 13:18-21

The vocation of marriage
In the first reading, St. Paul speaks about the vocation of
marriage.  Though he teaches many things about marriage, one
thing that can catch our interest is his mention of it as
a mystery.  And indeed it is a mystery, for in the state
of married life lies the seed of life for many institutions:
the State, the Church, the economy, cultural life and for
certain, family life.  Once we see that the state of marriage
between man and woman is a mystery rooted in God as Creator
of us all, then we see its sacrality and its identity
founded in the love of Christ for His Church.

The sacrality of married life
Because of its sacrality, we are thus called to help those
who were called to this life.  When we understand how much
married life is rooted in the sacrificial love of Christ
for His Church, then we truly see the value of great charity
that goes into this vocation.  And the seed of love and
charity that has shepherded the couple towards a definitive
commitment in Christ must continually be safeguarded by
continued acts of love, charity and sacrifice.  Whenever
we see friends or people we know who are having difficulties
in their married life, let us remember that when we help
them and support them in their vocation, we are actually
continuing Christ’s mission on earth to found love and
charity in His Church.  The success of a marriage is in
how much they continue to follow Christ in His sacrificial
love for all people.

The kingdom of God is within us
In the gospel reading from the gospel of Luke, we find
Jesus telling about the parable of the mustard seed and
the woman who leavens the dough.  Jesus always used
familiar things that the people of His time knew for
His parables.  This is so that the people can have a
concrete picture when He is telling about spiritual
realities like the Kingdom of God.  So when He speaks
about such spiritual reality, he likens it to the
mustard seed and the woman who leavens the dough.
What He really wanted to say was that the Kingdom of
God [which is really within us], starts like the
mustard seed and the dough: small and insignificant.
But when the mustard seed grows, and when the dough
leavens, then it becomes something significant -
something more noticeable.  And so is the kingdom of
God within us.  As we continually do good things to
our brothers and sisters and serve them in charity
and peace, the kingdom of God within us becomes more
significant: like the mustard tree!

Growth in charity makes Christ more significant
For those in the marital state, their vocation is one
of growth in love and charity.  Like the mustard seed,
it starts small.  But as time goes on, when married
people live on till their jubilee anniversary or
even their diamond [!], that love and charity is
no longer a mustard seed but a tree that has grown
where many birds take their shade.  It is no longer
insignificant or small.  Rather, it has grown but
so many sacrifices and acts of love and charity
that many people can truly say that this is something
of a mystery really rooted in God’s love for all
of us.

Kindness and Compassion

Readings:
Eph 4:32 - 5:8
Lk 13:10-17

The readings for Monday, 30th Week in Ordinary Time
can teach us much in the meaning of kindness and
compassion.

If we read the letter to the Ephesians, we can see
how St. Paul teaches the Ephesians not to follow the
ways of the pagans, whose life revolves in ways that
are immoral, impure and full of greed.  And St. Paul
knew through wisdom that with a life of immorality,
impurity and greed, people will forget being kind
and compassionate towards others.

In the gospel, Jesus also taught in the same
vein as St. Paul, and He even enfleshed His teaching
through a kind and compassionate act: the healing
of a woman who for eighteen years had been
crippled by a spirit. 

Many bible scholars teach that the gospel of Luke
is a gospel of social justice: a gospel that
emphasizes the practice of Christianity through
taking care of the disenfranchised, the marginalized,
the poor, and the outcasts of society.  In the
time of Jesus these meant all those who were
challenged in many ways, leprous, tax collectors,
and prostitutes. 

Kindness and compassion often come from a prayerful
heart.  And the gospel of Luke is also a gospel filled
with many themes on prayer: with many references to
teachings of prayer and Jesus Himself as One who
prays much before His ministry and many important
decisions. 

We too are called to follow the teaching of St.
Paul: to purify our life of our pagan ways that
hinder us from being kind and compassionate to those
who suffer.  This is not an easy call since we are
called to go out from our daily routines and take
a step out of our comfort zones.  But with much
faith in Jesus and through a life of prayer
to help us live our Christian lives well, we can
be of help to those who need our help.

Side Comment and References:
To understand the gospel of Luke, there are
some good books that can help us better learn
the richness of the meaning in the gospel, as
is attributed to the gospel writer Luke.  Two
books which are quite excellent in the treatment
of the texts of the gospel are written by Fr.
Herman Hendrickx, cicm:

A Key to the Gospel of Luke
From One Jesus to Four Gospels

A good commentary on the gospel of Luke can
also be found in:

Invitation to Luke by Robert J. Karris

One of the publishers of this book is
Image Books, a Division of Doubleday &
Company, Inc.

As regards the social justice dimension of
the gospel, a good book to browse and read
is:

The Beatitudes: To Evangelize as Jesus Did
by Segundo Galilea

Enkindle in Them the Fire of Your Love archives
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30th Sunday Year B

Lectionary Readings for the 30th Sunday, Year B
http://www.pcentral-online.net/catholic/lectionary/30th-sunday-b.html

“I want to see.”

The time in which Jesus and his disciples moved
is a simple world - unlike our contemporary age when
sophistication and complexity has built up due to
many forms of progress and modernization.  Problems
that were the concern of the people during Jesus’
time were simple: health, family and salvation.
Although these were the concerns of the people,
Jesus presented solutions that made them wonder
and experience the saving mercy and goodness of
God.  For the solutions that Jesus performed were
miraculous - something unexplainable and truly
felt by people as acts of the Lord.

The gospel speaks of a blind man named Bartimaeus.
Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing
by and he called out to Jesus.  The people scolded
him because he was probably causing a commotion
with the intensity of his voice. But he called out
all the more - calling Jesus, saying, “Son of David.
have pity on me!” Jesus then noticed him and told
his disciples to permit Bartimaeus to come to him.
When Jesus asked Bartimaeus what he wanted, Bartimaeus
replied by saying, “I want to see.”

This interaction between Jesus and Bartimaeus can
help teach us a lesson in our relationship with Jesus.
Whenever we encounter much complexities in our life,
and we are burdened with so many problems,
tasks and responsibilities, the answer is to simply
call out to Jesus in prayer and humbly place our
need before Him.  And when we place our full trust
in Him, our response of faith to His presence is
enough to lead us to light, peace, tranquillity,
and the strength needed to fulfill our tasks,
responsibilities, and commitments.  Too much
complexities in our life often blinds us to what
is really essential.  But when we seek ardently
Jesus in prayer, His answer is simple: “Your
faith has healed you.”

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29th Sunday Year B

Lectionary Readings for the 29th Sunday, Year B
http://www.pcentral-online.net/catholic/lectionary/29th-sunday-b.html

“The Son of Man has not come to be served but to
serve - to give his life as ransom for the many.”

Taking seriously our Christian lives is not
easy, especially when we live in a world that
sees the “culture of the top” as very attractive
and promises a good life.  That is why, even
in the past, those who really took the
Christian life seriously, would flee the
world and live as hermits in the desert. We
only need to read the great stories of
St. Anthony of the Desert and Pachomius to
realize that a life not “of the world” but
one “of Christ” is what really matters.

Jesus taught us that many of those who
exercise authority often lord it over others.
He however said that it cannot be like this
with his followers.  Those who really want
to follow him must exercise their leadership
or authority in a manner that is like unto
his leadership: one that serves and stewards
like a good shepherd.  And Jesus did indeed
put substance to this teaching of his when
he actually washed his disciples feet during
the Last Supper and gave his life for the
salvation of all when he died on Calvary.

Jesus’ life and example poses a great
challenge for us all.  Even though we may
not be in positions of great authority
or much power, we still do exercise
leadership or authority over others:
whether it be in the home, the office,
in business, in government service, or
in the parish community.  His challenge
for us is to seek a humble heart like
his so that we may be able to listen
well to those under our authority.
And it is only by subjecting ourselves
to the authority of Word and Sacrament
that we may purify ourselves of the
pride that takes away from us the
desire to serve as our Lord served
- a service of self-sacrifice, commitment
to others, and self-denial.

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28th Sunday Year B

Lectionary Readings for the 28th Sunday, Year B
http://www.pcentral-online.net/catholic/lectionary/28th-sunday-b.html

“How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom
of God!”

Jesus was a man who followed a radical style
of life: itinerant, poor, serving, preaching
and relying entirely on the providence of His
Father.  A man came to Him and asked Him what is
important to merit everlasting life.  And Jesus,
true to how He Himself lived and spoke, told the
man that he must sell all his possessions and
come follow His style of life.  At this injunction,
the man’s face fell for he had many possessions.

Many of us living in the culture of our
contemporary times often cling to many possessions.
But if we look even deeper into our hearts and
souls, we find the richness which is the root
of all this: greed for success, avarice for
material things, or lust for the power of
technology.  The problem is not in really the
number or vastness of our possessions; rather,
the problem lies in the inordinate desire we
have for them.  If we become aware of this
inordinate desire and acknowledge that it is
by the saving power and loving mercy of God that
we do not follow it, then we are on the road
to everlasting life and salvation.

“With God all things are possible.”  The more
we have faith in God and place our security in
His providence, then the sinfulness and greed
that expresses itself in our inordinate desires
for success, power, prestige, and money, will not
be at the center of our hearts.  The more we
displace them and make room for the Lord, the
more we shall place ourselves on the road to
His kingdom.  So in this season when people are
already bound for the Christmas rush, let us take
a minute or two before we make that purchase and
ask ourself: is this purchase for me alone?
or is it for the good of my family?  do I
remember all those people who do not even
have the capacity to purchase what I am buying
now?

Enkindle in Them the Fire of Your Love archives

27th Sunday Year B

Lectionary Readings for the 27th Sunday, Year B

“…Let no man separate what God has joined.”

A good friend of mine came from a marriage
seminar session.  As we spoke and shared, he
suddenly made this comment, “well if you
divorced her already in your heart!”  That
comment helped me to think more deeply and
reflect upon the wisdom that can be gained
from it.

Lifelong commitments are not cheap.  It costs
lives.  For lifelong commitments are made
until death.  And so is marriage.  The bible
speaks of a marriage commitment as one that
is like unto the love of Christ and His
Church.  And we know how Christ expressed
that love for the Church - he worked hard
in His ministry, suffered rejection and
rebuke, was eventually arrested, punished
and abused, scourged and spitted upon,
crucified on the cross and died, abandoned
by even His closest followers.

It is true that marriages today are
challenged with so many contemporary
realities that wish to undermine its life
as an institution created by God. And
most of us are not in a position to
judge marriages that do not work or
break up.  But that is why the State
and the Church are creating new forms
of ministry and new supportive
structures whose main purpose is to
heal a marriage or help it to gain
strength once again. And the whole
Church is constantly praying for the
life of marriages, since a marriage
is the foundational structure for
her domestic Church.

Perhaps the best model for marriages
is the commitment made by Christ for
the Church.  As long as those in the
marriage state of life look to
Christ for strength and inspiration,
then they will always find sources
of hope, faith and the charity that
is much required in the Christian
life of marriage.

Enkindle in Them the Fire of Your Love archives
23rd Sunday Year B

Lectionary Readings for the 23rd Sunday, Year B

He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak!

Jesus was known to the people as a healer and
miracle worker.  This is why crowds follow Him
and many bring their sick along with them to be
healed by Jesus. In the gospel for the 23rd
Sunday Year B, we see people bringing to Jesus
a deaf man with a speech impediment.  Jesus
took him away from the crowd and healed him -
using the spittle to touch the man’s tongue.
This freed the man from his impediment and
he was then able to speak plainly.

More than anything else, the image that best
portrays Jesus as our Savior and Messiah, is
One who heals and saves.  Though Jesus got
into loggerheads with the Pharisees and
Scribes because he healed during the Sabbath,
this did not deter Him from His mission and
His healing work of saving grace - one that
truly embodies the compassion, mercy and love
of the Father.  His kingdom is one of mercy
and forgiveness - leading all people to
be whole - physically, morally, and
spiritually.

Perhaps this gospel teaches us well how to
lead others in one way or another - either
through example or through direction and
orders.  We are called to have that same
quality of leadership as that of Jesus:
a leadership that works towards the healing
of many aspects of peoples’ lives.  And
if we follow Jesus as Healer, we ourselves
are first called to seek that which can
heal us: the Lord’s mercy and forgiveness
through the Sacrament of Penance. Before
we can participate in the ministry to
lead and save others, and shepherd
them towards Christ, we ourselves are
called to be shepherded back to the
Lord’s healing and saving graces: the
Church and the Sacraments.
Enkindle in Them the Fire of Your Love archives
26th Sunday Year B

Lectionary Readings for the 26th Sunday, Year B

“If your hand is your difficulty, cut if off!”

In this Sunday’s gospel, we see the apostle of
Jesus, John, reporting to Jesus that there was
a man who used His name to expel demons. And
His apostles wanted to stop this man.  Jesus,
however, said not to stop him because anyone
who performs a miracle in His name cannot
possibly speak ill of Him.  And after this
order, Jesus spoke about those who would
lead others astray.  And He warned His
followers not to be led into situations that
will lead them astray - towards sin and
destruction.

His warning is a bit bold for us to understand.
He says about “cutting off our hand” if it
leads us astray; He speaks also of “cutting
off our foot” if it also leads us astray;
and He speaks of “plucking out our eye” if
if will be our downfall.  Bible scholars
help us to interpret this saying of Jesus.
If not for the Bible scholars, then we
probably would take Jesus at His literal
word[!] which we know is not what He really
meant!  Bible scholars tell us that what
Jesus really meant is to avoid situations
where we may be led to sin and destruction.
We know what these situations are, for we
know our weaknesses.  If we ask grace and
strength and fortitude from the Lord to
avoid occasions that will tempt us to
sin, then that is what Jesus meant by
the “cutting off” of relationships, things
or situations in our life that will only be
our downfall.

It is thus important that we know where
our moral weaknesses lie.  We know ourselves
and we know the situations that can lead
us to be weak against temptation.  If we
follow Jesus at His word and truly “cut
off” all those things, relationships, and
situations that can lead us astray, and
instead do what pleases the Lord, then
we shall be granted all the strengths
and graces to live a virtuous life and
live rightly that is proper to our
states of life and personal vocations.

Site Reports and Updates 01-10-2006

Last September was a very challenging month for our
web site.  We experienced computer problems in the
first week. And then last September 28, Manila was
hit directly with a strong typhoon - taking away
electricity in our area for three days.  Due to this
challenging situations, we were not able to give the
Enkindle Blog Posts twice.  We hope that in the future,
despite computer problems and no electricity, we can
find ways to deliver our Weekly Sunday Enrichment as
faithfully as we should. If you are still interested to learn about the gospel reflection on the 23rd Sunday Year B plus the reflection for this 26th Sunday Year B, just go to this the link, 23rd Sunday Year B

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