Reflection for 9th October 2016 we are in Cycle 3: celebrating 28th Ordinary Sunday mass,Inviting us to analyze the difference between trustful and faithful catholic.
Trust is the strong belief in the honesty,goodness etc of someone. This always has to be compared with your expectation. You expect your trusted person, carry out action, according to your expectation. So you become master, while other person become servant. If the other person acts contrary to your instructions, you become angry or frustrated.
In contrary, what is faith: while you trust the person, you accepts his theories to be implemented in your life. You accept his revealed information as truth and voluntarily follow him. So he become your master, while you become his servant. Even when Some unexpected thing happened, you will not loose trust about that person, and you will have always hope on him that when you follow his revealed truths, that you are going to be successful.
As catholic, you start with trusting God, then you develop your faith, by following his revealed truths.
We know human, is weak, he not immaculately conceived. Becoming faithful to another person, other than God, may tend to be difficult for any human. With God, developing faith on HIM is easy, since, HE is ideal person.
Let us analyze today's readings
1st reading: 2Kings 5:14-17 says" pleased at his cure from leprosy, Namaan the syrian believes in God and returns home with 2 loads of israel's soil.
2nd reading:
2 Tim 2:8-13 says " there is no chang in the word of God" writes paul from prison. He will bear the suffering to obtain salvation for others:
Gospel 17:11-19 says" Jesus cures 10 lepers, but only one of them, a samaritan, return to give thanks.
When we reflect today's readings, you will see that
there is much drama both reading 1 and Gospel. In both stories there are healed lepers. There is thanks giving,and there are persons who instrument of healing. In Biblical time lepers lived Without hope. But in both readings today there is healing. Namaan. Syrian is healed, when he follows Elsha's directives and the 10 nameless lepers in the Gospel are cured while on the way to show themselves to the priest, as Jesus has directed them.
Namaan cure results in belief in God, and he wanted to show his gratitude with a gift to Elisha. When Elisha refuses the gift, Namaan ask for 2 mule load of soil so that he can worship God on hebrew soil when he returns home. In the gospel only one person returns to thank Jesus, and he was a samaritan, a foreigner.
1st reading: 2Kings 5:14-17 says" pleased at his cure from leprosy, Namaan the syrian believes in God and returns home with 2 loads of israel's soil.
2nd reading:
2 Tim 2:8-13 says " there is no chang in the word of God" writes paul from prison. He will bear the suffering to obtain salvation for others:
Gospel 17:11-19 says" Jesus cures 10 lepers, but only one of them, a samaritan, return to give thanks.
When we reflect today's readings, you will see that
there is much drama both reading 1 and Gospel. In both stories there are healed lepers. There is thanks giving,and there are persons who instrument of healing. In Biblical time lepers lived Without hope. But in both readings today there is healing. Namaan. Syrian is healed, when he follows Elsha's directives and the 10 nameless lepers in the Gospel are cured while on the way to show themselves to the priest, as Jesus has directed them.
Namaan cure results in belief in God, and he wanted to show his gratitude with a gift to Elisha. When Elisha refuses the gift, Namaan ask for 2 mule load of soil so that he can worship God on hebrew soil when he returns home. In the gospel only one person returns to thank Jesus, and he was a samaritan, a foreigner.
In order to analyze these incidents further,let us analyze
What is healing?
Healing(literally meaning to make whole) is the process of the restoration of health from an unbalanced,diseased or damaged organism. With physical damage or disease suffered by an organism,healing involves the repair of living tissue,organs& biological system as a whole & resumption of normal functioning. It is very seldom,that you can cure from disease by yourself without support of 3rd Party(doctor or medicine).
So know that you are powerless.
What is healing?
Healing(literally meaning to make whole) is the process of the restoration of health from an unbalanced,diseased or damaged organism. With physical damage or disease suffered by an organism,healing involves the repair of living tissue,organs& biological system as a whole & resumption of normal functioning. It is very seldom,that you can cure from disease by yourself without support of 3rd Party(doctor or medicine).
So know that you are powerless.
Modern science reveal,faith will enhance to heal. Developing deep sense of spiritual faith is a protective measure for dealing loss,illness & psychological disorders. When things seem dark,it really helps to have sense of HOPE & optimism about the future & a belief that goals can be achieved. Having +ve bias helps to override fear & maintain motivations. To increase faith,you should follow the revealed truth of God{sunday readings+ church(rules& traditions),while you treat your illness in normal way.
How you develop faith from suffering?
When you suffer or when you find the solution is complex, you normally start with handing over your problem to saint or God. When you are healed you trust that God has done that through Mary or saint. In modern life, while you are taking normal treatment, you rely on God or saint for you to recover.
But most of the case, Once you healed, you just forget God, and start only appreciating the normal treatment which has healed you. Most of the people even does not dare to tell that God supports for your healing. Like 9 lepers in today's Gospel.
When you suffer or when you find the solution is complex, you normally start with handing over your problem to saint or God. When you are healed you trust that God has done that through Mary or saint. In modern life, while you are taking normal treatment, you rely on God or saint for you to recover.
But most of the case, Once you healed, you just forget God, and start only appreciating the normal treatment which has healed you. Most of the people even does not dare to tell that God supports for your healing. Like 9 lepers in today's Gospel.
Some people, just light few candles as thanks giving like samaritan today. Today readings says that you have to go beyond that. That is your healing, Jesus is inviting you to follow Him. What you can do? As a thanks giving, you start with repentance of your sins+have confession with priest+receve eucharist+do merciful actions
when you Stop with healing, Without developing further your knowledge of God, You are similar to 9 lepers in the Gospel.
There are 3 kinds of people in the world
(1) Inactive (2) reactive (3) proactive
When a problem comes, you know that you are helpless to solve it, you need another person's support. Even with other persons support, when you feel, the solution is not coming, then only you try to seek spiritual exercises. then only you realize that God is the ultimate solution for your healing.
You become inactive when you don't trust God.
Once you are healed you get the opportunity to reflect more on who is this God: what HE has revealed for you to follow in your life. When you thank and forget to carry out HIS instructions you become reactive like Samaritan man in the Gospel. Of course we do not know, whether he followed God's revealed truths or not.
Instead in the 1st reading NAAM, he has healed, he wanted to worship God, throughout his life, by placing soil, under his alter, means HE wants to carry out actions for God, throughout the rest of his life. He is an example for proactive catholic, he wants to increase his faith. Though we don't know whether the samaritan man proceeded like NAAM, today's readings shows us the difference between these 3 types of people.
(1) Inactive (2) reactive (3) proactive
When a problem comes, you know that you are helpless to solve it, you need another person's support. Even with other persons support, when you feel, the solution is not coming, then only you try to seek spiritual exercises. then only you realize that God is the ultimate solution for your healing.
You become inactive when you don't trust God.
Once you are healed you get the opportunity to reflect more on who is this God: what HE has revealed for you to follow in your life. When you thank and forget to carry out HIS instructions you become reactive like Samaritan man in the Gospel. Of course we do not know, whether he followed God's revealed truths or not.
Instead in the 1st reading NAAM, he has healed, he wanted to worship God, throughout his life, by placing soil, under his alter, means HE wants to carry out actions for God, throughout the rest of his life. He is an example for proactive catholic, he wants to increase his faith. Though we don't know whether the samaritan man proceeded like NAAM, today's readings shows us the difference between these 3 types of people.
Healing has invited you to reflect more on God, and increase faith with HIM.
How to increase faith? Catholicism provide you 7 sacraments: specially the Eucharist, sacrament of reconciliation and sacrament of anointing sick. In addition you start to find out what is the revealed truth of God. First thng is to study the Gospel.
How to increase faith? Catholicism provide you 7 sacraments: specially the Eucharist, sacrament of reconciliation and sacrament of anointing sick. In addition you start to find out what is the revealed truth of God. First thng is to study the Gospel.
But be careful of Modern threat!with the Bible!
In order to follow the revealed truths: you should be cleAr what bible says: it will be difficult for you to get the actual meanings or interpretation of bible. For example. Final
Interpretation of bible lies with pope. ex:"If Ur hand causes U to sin,cut it off"(Mt 9:43)but you don't cut it, catholics believe that it is a warning for you not to sin.
Smilarly Jn14:6 says"I am the way& the truth &the life. No one comes to the Father except through me"Implying for everything you have to come thru' God.
Jn2: 1st Miracle of Cana,Implies, for your happiness,intercession of Mary will result, for you to be given more than what you,ask!(New wine).
When you read these 2 together, you will see the role of mary and why intercessionary prayers are needed.
In order to follow the revealed truths: you should be cleAr what bible says: it will be difficult for you to get the actual meanings or interpretation of bible. For example. Final
Interpretation of bible lies with pope. ex:"If Ur hand causes U to sin,cut it off"(Mt 9:43)but you don't cut it, catholics believe that it is a warning for you not to sin.
Smilarly Jn14:6 says"I am the way& the truth &the life. No one comes to the Father except through me"Implying for everything you have to come thru' God.
Jn2: 1st Miracle of Cana,Implies, for your happiness,intercession of Mary will result, for you to be given more than what you,ask!(New wine).
When you read these 2 together, you will see the role of mary and why intercessionary prayers are needed.
Catholic believe that intercessionary prayer are necessary for us to increase faith. Even today Isah and Namman story is good example.
In conclusions, today's readings invite you
to remember following important points:
1)To become a faithful servant,you should know what master wanted you to do,
2)When you are God's servant,what HE wanted from you is only known by reflecting Bible(Sunday readings)& following church traditions &rules.
3)Otherwise you don't develop faith & cannot realise'wonders'.
4)Faith is supernatural virtue needed for Ur happiness+it is a gift of God.
5)It is given,whoever humbly seeks it.
6) Interpretation of bible lies with pope. ex:"If your hand causes U to sin,cut it off"(Mt 9:43)but U don't cut it
7)If U just say you have faith with God,U tend to become master,while God becomes servant?
Thank you
God Bless you
to remember following important points:
1)To become a faithful servant,you should know what master wanted you to do,
2)When you are God's servant,what HE wanted from you is only known by reflecting Bible(Sunday readings)& following church traditions &rules.
3)Otherwise you don't develop faith & cannot realise'wonders'.
4)Faith is supernatural virtue needed for Ur happiness+it is a gift of God.
5)It is given,whoever humbly seeks it.
6) Interpretation of bible lies with pope. ex:"If your hand causes U to sin,cut it off"(Mt 9:43)but U don't cut it
7)If U just say you have faith with God,U tend to become master,while God becomes servant?
Thank you
God Bless you
For more details follow this links :
http://weeklycatholicreflectio
Or
http://www.sundayreading.net/
http://weeklycatholicreflectio
Or
http://www.sundayreading.net/
http://www.sinhalagospel.lk/Su
Or for more details about Mary
http://holymaryreflection.blog
Or for more details about Mary
http://holymaryreflection.blog
