Back ground:
Ordinary times 2, started reflecting about value of seed to be developed as a big tree. In this regard, we were reminded, how church has organized all the sunday readings to be read in 3 yearly cycles(from Vatican II). Each liturgical year consists of 5 seasons.
(1) Advent- How God planned to send HIS SON-Jesus/ how you anticipate the coming of Jesus into your life.
(2) Christmas- How GOD, became human+divine through Holy Mary + Joseph
(3) Lent- How Jesus showed, the treatments that we should adopt for our fear/sorrow/disagreement, in enjoying happiness with full Freedom given to human after Jesus or presence of Holy Spirit.
(4) Easter- Characteristics of following new message with full freedom of human, in following God's Will.
(5) Ordinary times- divide into 2 parts
From Baptism- you become a christian, then up to lent/ then 2 part start after easter but there are overlapping 4 feasts with ordinary times(ascension of Lord, Pentacost, Holy Trinity, Corpus christi) these feasts will tell us the essential characteristics of Christianity as against Judaism).
Ordinary 2, starts with, characteristics of developing faith. Any subject when you want to develop, you have to, not only learn but start focusing on the subject. More you learn and more you focused you will see the truth in that subject in amplified form Catholicism, in that regard, gives well organized syllabus(through sunday readings) and well organized rituals, so that you can enjoy the result anticipated by developing Jesus message.
2nd sunday of ordinary 2, we reflected, the consequence of Pride, giving rise to fear and sorrow in your life. It gave a clear message, through it's 1st and 2 nd readings, after Holy Spirit, PRIDE has to be controlled by yourself otherwise, without your knowledge, you undermine, God's OMNI POTENT!. Pride has 7 evils.
(1)Boasting
(2)Love of publicity
(3)Hypocrisy( a way of behaving in which you pretend that you have better moral principles than you actually do)
(4)Hardheadedness( practical and able to make difficult decisions without letting your emotions affect your judgment)
(5)Discord(formal disagreement or quarreling between people)
(6)Quarreling
(7)Disobedience
Today we are reminded another vice we should avoid: Envy or jealousy
B. Preamble for today's reading
B.1 Challenge of developing faith!
B.1.1 Last sunday summary:
Sunday(21/6)Pride Catholic
JOB says"..U'r proud waves shall break"
Paul says"..Christ..died..now..who is in Christ..new creation.."Mk(4:35-41) says"..Jesus"..cross..other".. boat..blow gale..almost swamped. But He..asleep.. woke Him..rebuked..wind..Be Calm..so frightened?How..U have no faith.." Reminds:U'r 2 machines in brain(A) logical-data+truth(B)Emotional-U'r feelings& emotions-normally attracts Pride(too great admiration of oneself). Pride has 7evils:Boasting/Love of publicity/Hypocrisy(way of behaving in which U pretend that U hv better moral principles)/Hardheadedness/Discord/Quarrel/Disobedience.When pride balloons in U,Uget fear for slightest disturbance in life.JOB suffering lead him to remove his pride.Jesus clearly showed that HE do impossible things provided U follow HIS WILL.Pride is next to avoid after sloth&anger(7vices)"PRIDE REDUCE FAITH IN GOD &INCREASE FEAR/SORROW IN U'R LIFE"U'r Pride?
B.1.1- practical exercise to increase your faith from catholicism.
U'r brain consist of 2machines(1)logical-human(2)emotional-chimp(anchy).CHIMP is 5times power full than other,operates as 'Jungle center'&is separate entity to U-will provide beliefs& behaviors to work in a jungle but not so well in society! &U'r responsible to manage it! Most of time these2 machines contradicts, indicating a cross for any action.U'r cross can be managed by(1)identify incidents how God saved U(2)thank HIM(3)God can make impossible to possible, for that everyday,look at cross(a)get pardoned,from God,U'r sins against 5 senses(5wounds with Jesus risen body)(B)hand over U'r+immediate family+society-worries(3nails-Jesus body was hanging) to Mary/saints-death body on lap of Mary(c)pardon U'r enemies(linen at tomB)(4)change u'r life(stone roll out at tomb).Then U'r 3 new nails will become FAITH/HOPE/CHARITY. Next avoid 7vices(anger,sloth,Pride,lust,envy, avarice,Gluttony) to be happy.U?
B.2 Can God suspends laws of nature or laws of Governments?
Jesus rose from death,biologically,assume that decaying corpse-which is already cold &without blood in it's brain-could be made alive again?Surely it is not something that elite scientist can embrace. Yet reality of the resurrection, which transforms skeptics like paul& James in 1st century, continues radically redirect lives today-even tough minded scientist!.Jesus resurrection clearly shows that God can suspend laws of nature,if He needed to achieve more important purpose!.After Jesus resurrection,God has not revealed path for his kingdom (HAPPINESS) thru'Prophets, dreams, angles,stars etc. Mostly thru'Mary (another human or saints)U get his direction subject that U avoid7vices(Anger,sloth, Pride,lust,envy,avarice& gluttony) +following10Comm:Then U realise how to balance worldly attachments,as against spirituality(going against gravity), to love U'rself+society!,leading a happy mind.U?
B.3 Why paul says"man gathered much had none too much,the man who gathered little did not go short"- Attachment and beliefs
When we are young, we were programmed to unhappiness. They taught us that in order to be happy you, need money,success, a beautiful or handsome partner in life, a good job, friendship, spirituality, God- you name it. Unless you get these things, you are not going to be happy- this is what is call ATTACHMENT- is a belief that without something you are not gong to be happy. Once you get convinced of that-and it gets into your Chimp(subconscious), it get stamps into the roots of our being. " How could I be happy,unless I have a good health.but haven't you met people who are dying with cancer who were happy. But how could they be happy if they knew they were going to die. Some says" how can I be happy, if I don't have money?" One person is havng million rupees in bank, and he feels insecure; the other person has practically no money, but he does not feel insecurity at all.He was programmed differently. That's all. You need to understand that you have been programmed.
Listen to our pathetic story; unless, I get this object(money,friendship any thing) I am not going to be happy. I have got to strive to get it. When I get it, I have to strive to keep it. It is a temporary thrill. But how does all these things last?. Until your next attachment is threaten.
We have to clear, what is our basic need,and
What are our wants. Then it is very difficult for you to be unhappy.
B.4: Envy;
Envy start demanding,"WHY SHOULD NOT I HAVE EVERY THING THAT OTHERS HAVE?". We are envious of another's goods and jealous of our own. DEEPLY ROUTED JEALOUSY CAN LEAD TO LOSE HEALTH BOTH PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL.
You are not having fear, that something you don't know!. NOBODY IS AFRAID OF THE UNKNOWN. WHAT YOU REALLY FEAR IS THE LOSS OF KNOWN.
Under the global Villege concept, any information from corner of the earth, will be known globally in a matter of seconds. So jealousy can be developed by human easily. Unless you know that God is having a different hope specially to you, and He guaranteed your happiness, you can be easily envious about your immediate friends.
C.
Todays reading:
Book of wisdom(Ws 1:13-15,2:23-24) says"..death..not Gods doing..man imperishable..made..image..his own nature..devil's envy ..brought death.."
Paul says(2 cor 8:7.9. 13-15)"..Lord Jesus..rich..became poor for your sake..make you rich out of His poverty..balancing..man gathered much had none too much,the man who gathered little did not go short."
Mark(5:21-43) says"..Jairus..My little daughter is desperately sick..save..life.went with Him..woman..hemorrhage..touched His cloth..cured..Jesus"Who touch.. Your faith has restored.."..daughter is dead..Jesus" do not be afraid"He went..'Why..crying.. asleep"..they laughed..little girl..get up.."..began to walk.."
3 Gospel writers, except John, wrote these 2 incident together. Just to indicate, Peoples worries are different and following Jesus message, all worries, can be settled with God. God in His own wisdom, shown us to hand over all our worries to Holy Mary and saints as they are humans who has successfully overcome worries, by following God's will. They will intercede on behalf of us to clear our worries.
Conclusions: To know who is our God(Trinity) and what HE expect from us has to be studied to receive the anticipated Happiness that God has guaranteed to you
Last sunday we identified deadly vice, that can be developed in our life PRIDE- you tend to forget, that every outcome that you gain, is result of God's Will.
Today you are reminded with another Vice, Envy. Why my friend is rich, while I am poor. This kind of comparison is normally comes into our mind. We should be clear, about God's creation. He created us to be happy. To be happy means not rich. I can enjoy my time happily. When you try to compare is the question. We tend to think, every, human is equal with respect to 'WANTS'. But every human has been created with basic needs, without which you cannot live. There are 6 basic needs for human to live. I.e earth,water,air,sunlight,FOOD and fire. Only food you have to search for, all other basic needs are given free.
Why Mary, is our mother, who intercede with God, with regard to our worries?
Last week, on 25/6 we celebrated the birth of John the Baptist. When we reflect about his birth, we can analyze the following:
John The Baptist(24/6)
3major times in Catholism.(1)upto John baptist(2)Jesus life(3)after Pentecost-U'r present life/start of church.we notice in(1)Having openly rebuked Herod for his unlawful marriage with Herodias,his brothers wife,he was arrested.John doubted&even sent someone to ask Jesus in public"Are U sure U'are who say U'are? JOHN WAS DOUBTING SAME MAN HE HAS BAPTISED!(2)Peter denied Christ 3 times(3)Mary is only human,who went thru,all 3 time lines,NEVER,lost her FAITH,what ever worries she encountered,not like apostles in turbulent boat!.until John,God directed Jews,then showed how to enjoy U'r life, thru' His teaching of Love,then Holy Spirit was given to Guide U/church
Along with John,Church celebrate 3 birthdays. Jesus(25/12)&Mary(8/8).now U'r in time line3,there are no dreams, stars,angles to direct U,how to resolve U'r worries!.Ask Holy Mary(Queen of Heaven)handle worries similar to us.U?
