PRAY
AND LIVE YOUR SUNDAY
January to March 2007
| 07th Jan 2007 | The Epiphany of the Lord | Mt.2:1-12 |
| 14th Jan 2007 | 2nd Sunday of the Year | Jn. 2: 1-11 |
| 21st Jan 2007 | 3rd Sunday of the Year | Lk. 1: 1-4, 4: 14-21 |
| 28th Jan 2007 | 4th Sunday of the Year | Lk. 4: 21-30 |
| 04th Feb 2007 | 5th Sunday of the Year | Lk. 5: 1-11 |
| 11th Feb 2007 | 6th Sunday of the Year | Lk. 6: 17, 20-26 |
| 18th Feb 2007 | 7th Sunday of the Year | Lk. 6: 27-38 |
| Ash Wednesday | Mt. 6: 1-6, 16-18 | |
| Season of Lent | ||
| 25th Feb 2007 | 1st Sunday of Lent | Lk. 4: 1-13 |
| 04th Mar 2007 | 2nd Sunday of Lent | Lk. 9: 28b-36 |
| 11th Mar 2007 | 3rd Sunday of Lent | Lk. 13: 1-9 |
| 18th Mar 2007 | 4th Sunday of Lent | Lk. 15:1-3, 11-32 |
| 25th Mar 2007 | 5th Sunday of Lent | Jn. 8: 1-11 |
| January 7, 2007 | Epiphany – Year C | Search and you will find the Lord |
Jesus: We begin our prayer meetings once again, and today being the first in this New calendar year, let Me remind you of the method we have adopted for this year. It consists of identifying yourself with one or other of the characters or personages that appear in the Scripture text and reviewing the scene from the inside, as it were. You will be surprised how much more you pick up from this angle, especially if you constantly keep relating the passage to your own daily experience in similar circumstances. For this week, we have the feast of the Magi, a familiar feast but one which has tremendous implications for practical Christian life, particularly here in India, living as we do among so many people of other faiths.
Begin first with a brief review of your past week – especially how you were able to keep in touch with Me through the events of the day. I trust you are gradually developing the art of living “in Me” as a fish lives in water – almost unconsciously, yet very closely linked, and drawing life and sustenance from Me.
[Time for silent prayer and reflection]
Jesus: As mentioned earlier, you are free to identify with any one character of the Gospel scene: thus, in the Magi story, you could become Herod, any one of the Magi, one of the chief priests or scribes, the people they enquire from… By way of example, I will help you look at the scene through the eyes of one of the Magi. As you dialogue with him, he tells you: ‘In our customary study of the stars, we noticed that there was a message about a strange happening, something that kind of ‘rang a bell’ deep in the recesses of our hearts. It told of the arrival of one who would end our slavery to Self, sin and death and bring us new life. All in our circle of friends desperately want this new life, we have been talking about it and looking forward to it, and now – out of the blue, as it were, here is the message that it is among us. What a challenge it placed before us. Now came the time for decision and decisive action!
As long as it was just a dream, there was nothing much we had to do, except dream, long for it, pray for it, and perhaps bemoan our lot that we were still slaves to sin. But that did not take much time nor effort. Now that it became available in some far unknown land, it was scaring to think of what it could involve. We would have to go there in search of this ‘new king’ and most likely submit ourselves to him! What would happen then of our independence and desire to do things our way? We would have to learn a lot of new things, give up our old traditional ways of thinking and acting – wouldn’t we then lose our identity as persons and become slaves to this king? And what if he decides to be demanding, riding rough shod over our sensitivities, canceling all we hold and cherish from our ancestors as dear and necessary? Would this slavery be better than our present one?
While all this seemed terrifying, we also sensed the deep and almost irresistible attraction to ‘give it a try.’ After all, there may be something we stand to lose, but surely there would be a lot more that we could gain! A ‘new king’ must obviously have something ‘new’ and different to offer us – and that itself would be invigorating and challenging to the core. Keeping our eyes fixed on this aspect, I got in touch with some of my friends, all sharing the same dream. Some were immediately and almost infectiously enthusiastic about the enterprise of going in search of this king, but quite a few seemed cautious and calculating: ‘What if …’ was their watchword. What if we don’t find him? What if, in the bargain, we lose everything and become strangers to our own people? What if it turns out to be no more than a ‘pie in the sky?’ Their doubts expressed forcefully and convincingly made the rest pause and review their desire – yet nothing could quench that inner burning of our hearts.
And so we set out, not the entire group, but a few. There is sympathy and encouragement from some who remain behind, while others openly call us fools, mocking us, predicting doom and failure. Against this background, we set out with mixed feelings, but soon we noticed that there wasn’t only the inner burning desire guiding us, there was also some strange light leading us on. That put fresh courage into our adventure and we proceeded with a bounce in our step – surely the God of our dreams would not let us down.
But we were in for some surprises. Not only was it a long journey, but there were many twists and turns in the road, each one more confusing than the previous one. We had to constantly be in touch with our guiding star – and after a great struggle, we reached the land of Israel. We knew that these Israelites had a strange God they claimed was very close to people. Could it be that he had now come to dwell in their midst? Using our practical wisdom, we headed straight for the King’s palace, thinking that there could be no better place to enquire than at the palace. King Herod was very gracious to us and received us politely and with dignity. But he wasn’t of much help since he himself wasn’t a Jew. Nevertheless, he enquired and obtained for us the needed information.
Armed with this, we set out again, and you won’t believe this – the bright strange light that led us as we set out from our homes, again appeared and guided us. Gradually, things began to fall into place and more surprises awaited us. Instead of a glorious palace with pomp and splendour, we came across a simple home where Joseph, the head of the family made us welcome. They had a new born baby and no sooner did we set eyes on him than we knew that this was the end of our arduous journey – this little child opened our eyes to several fundamental truths:
| a) | Finding the Truth and genuine happiness involves a search, which calls for a personal commitment | |
| b) | The journey is neither easy nor short – it is full of surprises, especially because things go so much against our natural way of thinking | |
| c) | At some point, it looks as if everything is lost – looking for outside help is of no use. We have to fall back on our own resources and take the plunge – we could be wrong, but there is strong inner conviction that we were still on the right path | |
| d) | There is a lot that we need to ‘let-go’ and in different, ever-challenging ways | |
| e) | We must not go by external looks or circumstances. True greatness lies within | |
| f) | And there was the unmistakable inner joy and peace in the surrender – a kind of inexplicable newness and now, as we look back, everything looks so easy and simple. Once we let ‘him’ take over our lives, everything in them became so much more powerful and effective. | |
| g) | Worry, anxiety, fear and doubt seemed to disappear almost magically; instead we experienced a strange boldness and courage to be radically different … |
Remain in silence and just listen to the inner promptings of your heart – but make sure that you stay in ‘the shoes’ of the Magi. With them pour out your heart and life into the Christ-child’s hands – let your surrender be something concrete (maybe even demanding) and specific. Offer this to the Lord together with Mary and Joseph … keep repeating it till you are convinced that you really mean it …
Towards the end of your prayer, remain in perfect stillness and silence – especially inner silence. Having remained still for quite some time, as you move out of prayer, make a few petitions for those in need. Conclude with a short hymn or prayer which you could use throughout the day.
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| January 14, 2007 | Baptism of O. Lord - C | Loving commitment fulfills |
Jesus: As we move into the year, different facets of Christian living will be placed before you through the various personages that appear in the Gospel stories. You will notice that Luke presents the Baptismal scene in his own special way. In order to pick it out clearly and benefit from it, you need a deep inner calm and silence. Hence, begin this prayer with a few moments of conscious silence and stillness – when you are calm enough, tell Me something of what happened during the past week … is there anything you can learn from these experiences, especially about your prayer life?
[Time for silent prayer and reflection]
Jesus: The first thing that strikes us when reading Luke’s presentation is that the Father’s appearance and voice come after the baptism by John is over. It is when I was at prayer, in deep communion with the Father, that I hear the Father’s voice. You could take the stance of a bystander, maybe a person already baptized by John ahead of Me. Most people, you observe, would have either moved away after receiving baptism, or waited for some more suggestions (a sermon, possibly) from John. You notice that I move aside to a reasonably lonely spot and am lost in prayer. As you observe, you try to figure out the reason for this absorption in prayer. You cannot but realize that for Me, that Baptism was a deep inner experience of the Father’s great love and commitment to Me in the work of redemption which began with this baptism.
I heard the Father saying to Me: ‘Do not be afraid, You are not alone in this venture. I am with You and will work in You. All You have to do is avail Yourself of every opportunity to manifest My love for My people – and I will offer You plenty of opportunities for this.’ I try to visualize what this means… I see in My mind’s eye the number of people who are sick, tired and weary of life lived as a burden; the joy of living seems to have been snuffed out by their sufferings – and for them there was nothing to look forward to, life seemed a drudgery, a millstone round their necks. What a joy it would be to bring to these people the conviction of the Father’s love …
And yet, what a difficult task! Most people would find it difficult to believe that God could be personally interested in them, especially if they saw themselves as sinners. Of Moses’ efforts in Egypt we are told: ... “and the people would not listen to Moses because of their broken spirit and cruel slavery!” (Ex. 6:9). Today’s people too are broken and discouraged – and so I would need to be very especially kind and compassionate towards them, else they will not even recognize God’s voice. I would need to look behind and beyond the people’s desperate efforts to find peace and happiness in whatever way is possible, to that spark of love that still exists in their hearts. Once I get to that level, then it would be easy to get them to respond out of love … but till then, I would have to be patient. Basically, people are good and seek the best for themselves (there are, of course, a few who are hard-headed and evil, but even these will respond to genuine love and compassion)! And so I pray the Father to fill Me with his love and tender mercy so that in all that I do, this one quality will shine through, inviting people into intimacy with him. I ask the Father to give Me lots of opportunities to do this, because only when I do this on a large scale and consistently will it have any impact on the people’s way of thinking. For many of them, their in-born perception is that God has abandoned them as hardened sinners.
My entire life has to be absolutely selfless, else the people will not be touched – they will see through My self-seeking and that will distract them. I must learn to give of Myself in every situation, and that too without counting the cost, or looking to who is going to benefit from My self-giving. “Father, as I look down this long road to salvation, I realize that there will be many obstacles, several people who will seek to obstruct Your plan – and so I need the reassurance of Your commitment to this cause, the conviction that I am not alone in this venture.” What a difference this makes to know that all Three Persons of the Trinity are working united as one in this work of touching the hearts of people.
As you observe Me at prayer, you catch something of what is passing through My mind – you see the resoluteness in My eyes and the other non-verbal communication expressing total commitment. Yes, I have been sent to accomplish this great task, and I feel the strength of the Father within Me. Already from now you can say that “I set My face towards Jerusalem” and nothing will distract Me from doing the Father’s will.
Seeing all this you cannot but reflect on your commitment to building God’s kingdom in your midst today. Do you realize that God is with you and will never abandon you as you undertake this enterprise? Feel the strength of his presence … look on the people around you waiting for ‘their messiah’ to come – what will you take to them during this week? Dialogue with Me about these plans and wishes of yours… As you near the end of your prayer, enter into a deep inner silence and stillness. This is the time when your spirit is charged with the almighty power and strength of God – drink deeply yet silently of the springs of living water. As you prepare to emerge out of prayer, remember a few people in need and place them before the Father in heartfelt intercession.
End the hour of prayer with an ejaculatory prayer or a short hymn …
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| January 21, 2007 | 2nd Sunday of Year C | Unlimited & unconditional giving |
Jesus: We begin our prayer session once again with a few minutes of deep silence and stillness – put away consciously all extraneous thoughts and worries, so that you can be free to listen uninterruptedly to Me… After a few moments of deep silence, tell Me of your past week – how did you fare? Did you find particular moments difficult to handle? Let us review at least one such moment and see what we can learn from it.
[Time for silent prayer and reflection]
Jesus: In this hour of prayer, you could identify yourself with Mary, one of the disciples, or even one of the servants. Let me remind you that several Scripture scholars today tell us that the original text focused more on the Resurrectional aspect (i.e. without reference to ‘the hour’ which obviously alludes to the Passion). So the story should read as follows: Mary notices that they have run of out of wine and she comes to inform Me of it. In the same movement, she says to the servants: ‘Do whatever he tells you…’ and the rest follows.
If you identify with Mary, then, like hers, your faith would need to be performative, i.e. ready to do what you ask. She is asking for more wine, and she prepares the way by getting the servants ready to do whatever I ask of them. Mary takes it for granted that her petition will be answered in some form or other. She might not have known exactly what I was going to do – but she was sure that My love would not leave the unfortunate couple/people in the lurch. How often is your faith like that? Do you really believe that the Father is on your side and that he will never go back on his word? Against this background, recall some of the promises God makes in the Scriptures which he will always uphold:
| a) | Do not be afraid, I am always with you – even to the end of the world | |
| b) | See what plans I have for you, plans for your welfare and not for your harm… I want to give you a future with hope (Jer. 29:11) | |
| c) | He who eats My flesh … abides in Me and I abide in him | |
| d) | I will raise him up on the last day | |
| e) | Do not be afraid, little flock, for it has pleased your Father to grant you the kingdom | |
| f) | If you make My word your home… you will learn the truth and the truth will set you free | |
| g) | I lay down My life for My sheep | |
| h) | I call you servants no longer… I call you friends …. |
Stay with each for as long as you can and ensure that the message sinks deep into your consciousness so that even in the most desperate moments you will remember them and draw strength from them.
You could also identify with any one of the apostles. They have been with Me for only a short while but they certainly know that I am a man sent from God – possibly they also understood Me to be the long-awaited Messiah. They have had experiences of My compassionate love for those who suffer any kind of want. Standing close to them, no sooner you hear Mary tell Me of the shortage of wine, you are eager to see how I respond. You notice a subtle change come upon Me , traces of deep joy and eager anticipation appear – you sense that this is the kind of moment for which I had come into the world. While I act openly and freely, there is no sign of ostentation or self-seeking; I want to use the occasion to glorify the Father and show his tender compassion.
See Me give clear, crisp instructions to the servants: the six stone water jars are to be filled to the very brim – indicating the abundance and lavishness with which God showers his favours on his beloved. Having fulfilled the command, the servants stand by expectantly – what next? The jars still seem to be filled with water, when I order that some be drawn and given to the chief steward. You begin to wonder what is the point in offering him plain water – and yet imagine your surprise and wonder when the steward exclaims that this is the best wine yet to be tasted. Hearing this, everyone around wants to have a sip and soon the first jar is empty. The servants refill it while serving out of the others – lo and behold, the refill too is rich wine like the contents of the remaining jars. Every refilled jar continues to offer exceptionally good wine. Soon you begin to realize what is happening – the Kingdom of God has come, in which there will be no want, no darkness, no scarcity, but only perpetual rejoicing and celebrating God’s love and goodness.
You overhear some people plotting to hijack one of the jars and take it home – what an unending supply of wine would it not give them? How much money would they not be able to earn from it? But, even with the little time you have been with Me you realize that things will not work out that way. In the kingdom, there is no ‘private’ property, no hoarding, no mine and thine – everything is held in common and everyone shares equally. The moment someone seeks to appropriate things for himself (like Ananias and Saphira, or the manna in the desert) they lose everything. So, you warn them not to do a thing like that! They don’t listen to you, of course, but their plans come to nothing and soon you see them returning the empty jar back to its rightful place – at the service of all.
What do you learn from this experience? How do you hold your possessions – as yours alone, or are you ready to place them at the service of the community? What do you need to change in your life from this experience? Dialogue with Me about all this…
Towards the end of your prayer, move into deep inner silence
and stillness and allow this teaching to penetrate even to the marrow of
your bones. It must shake away all traces of self-centredness in you and
make you a channel of My peace and love. As you emerge out of this stillness,
make a few intercessions for others and end with the usual bhajan or hymn.
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| January 28, 2007 | 3rd Sunday of Year C | Anointed and sent to set up the Kingdom |
Jesus: We begin yet another hour of prayer
– and in the same way: with a period of deep intense silence and inner
calm. Put away all distractions so that your mind can be totally free to
listen carefully to My instructions … Also spend a little time sharing
with Me about how you lived the lesson you learnt in last week’s prayer
– about not hoarding blessings for yourself…
[Time for silent prayer and reflection]
Jesus: In this scene, you could identify with
an ordinary Jew present in the Synagogue for prayer. He (and you too), has
been coming each week for this prayer, but today there seems to be something
special in the air. Everyone is aware that it is My presence in the group
that makes all the difference. All eyes are turned on Me and someone suggests
that I be offered the scroll to read the text and give the commentary. You
follow Me with great interest as I carefully select the passage from way
down in Isaiah’s scroll – Ch. 61. Notice the expression and
emphasis with which I read, especially the last bit ‘to proclaim the
year of the Lord’s favour!’ And then the solemn announcement:
‘This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.’ You
cannot but register the pin-drop silence that prevails. At first the message
does not sink into the minds and hearts of his hearers and they seem puzzled,
especially because of what John the Baptist had been telling them.
One by one they seem to pick up the startling message and the surprise and
almost shock is evident on their faces. You notice some discussing among
themselves, contrasting John the Baptist’s message with this insight
of Mine – for the two seem to go in opposite directions. One says
that people had to produce fruits of repentance by their own efforts, as
a proof of their sincerity or else God would not forgive them. On the other
hand, I offer them a unilateral forgiveness of sin, to be accepted in faith
and gratitude. As this difference slowly percolates through your consciousness,
you can feel a deep sense of freedom – something you haven’t
experienced for a long time in your life. No longer do you need to strive,
to fail and then start all over again, an endless round of effort and failure,
each getting more and more frustrating and depressing. I want you to experience
and live this freedom and to tell everyone about it – I have made
you ambassadors of this message of reconciliation.
It also means that from now on you do not beg for forgiveness as if it is
still to come in the distant future. Rather, you accept the gift of forgiveness
that the Father has given you, thank him for it and enjoy its benefits here
and now. Of course, the best way to say ‘thank-you’ to the Father
for this unmerited gift is to share the forgiveness with others, and to
change your sinful way of life. He calls you to live as his beloved children,
in peace and love, sharing with others all the blessings you have yourself
received. If you can do this consistently and get others around you to do
the same, what a difference it would make in the world.
You notice also that there are some disciples of John the Baptist in the
audience and they are visibly disturbed by this message – they report
back to John and some time later he sends two of his disciples of check
whether I am the real Messiah or not. On that occasion, I merely did what
the text says – made the blind to see and so on and told them to report
all this to John… who would certainly conclude that I was the Messiah.
Notice the challenge this places both on John and also on his disciples
– it calls for a radical turn-around.
Do you notice the struggle in your own heart too? It takes much more courage
to just accept God’s gift and live out its implications. The Self
in you always wants to feel that it is earning, achieving salvation by its
own efforts, somehow in control of the entire situation. In My way which
is God’s way, you always remain a recipient, dependent on the Father
and always acknowledging your indebtedness to him. In other words, you lose
your independence and self-sufficiency – but see what you gain.
Towards the end of your prayer, move into total stillness and silence, allowing
Me to work on you and transform you from within. Stay for as long as you
can in this stance and as you emerge from prayer, spend a few minutes interceding
for the needs of others … conclude with the final hymn or bhajan.
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| February 4, 2007 | 4th Sunday of Year C | Sent for the freedom of all people |
Jesus: We enter into another session of our prayer, but first I would be happy if you could spend some time quietening yourself as much as possible. Seek to be as still as possible so that your mind is attentive to every inspiration of the Spirit. Let no extraneous thoughts disturb you during this hour … when you have become sufficiently quiet tell Me about the past week – did you remember My words to you? Were you able to dwell in My presence and experience the power of the Spirit in your day-to-day activities?
[Time for silent prayer and reflection]
Jesus: At the start, the people around Me in the synagogue were all praises for My interpretation of the text of Isaiah, but after I confronted them with their ingrained prejudices, they turned against Me, even to the point of wanting to put Me to death. Of course, that would be because they regarded Me as a false prophet, with a teaching so different from what they were accustomed to. And Israel does have a history of putting proven false prophets to death!
Become one of the bystanders and see for yourself this remarkable change in their attitude. Why do you think this happened? My being a known figure and yet showing such great qualities left them totally out of control of the situation. If they entrusted themselves into My hands and took My words seriously, they weren’t sure where they would end up. And since they wanted by all means to be in control, they preferred rather to reject Me. They failed to realize that God, the Father, works in mysterious ways; he is not limited to whether the person chosen is known to his audience or not. He looks more to the heart and the readiness of the chosen one to be totally at the disposal of the Master. The human tendency on the contrary, is to look at the external credentials: family, education, background, past experience and so on. While all this can be good, they can also be misleading when dealing with the Father’s choices. However, underneath their wanting to be assured of all these details is the fact that then they are in control, or are at least taking a calculated risk in listening to Me.
Do you find yourself also wanting to be in control at every moment? This can happen even with regard to your daily schedule – every detail of which is carefully worked out. Recall the panic you experience when things ‘get out of hand’ and you have to rely entirely on Me. Such is life and this inevitably happens to everyone. Often, I deliberately put you into difficult situations, just to train you to learn how to leave things in My hands and let Me be the master of your life. Once you learn this lesson, you will never experience any problems in your life. Difficulties you may have, but you will never experience problems – if you know the difference between the two. Problems are what you create in your mind because of your fearful nature which anticipates a host of further obstacles. Notice how during their arduous journey through the desert, the Israelites experienced innumerable difficulties, but as Deut 8:4 says – ‘the clothes on your back did not wear out, your feet did not swell, all these forty years!’ Once he has decided to elect someone, the Father will never let down his chosen one, no matter what – he will always be faithful to his word.
Discover in yourself also the tendency to push away everything that disturbs you – people, things, events … they serve as a reminder of your lack of control and so… Remember, that you will never be able to destroy Me, or the instruments that I use to remind you of your submission. Instead, you end up destroying yourself and losing the chance the Father gives you to gain eternal life. As on this occasion, I will slip out of your grasp – because the Father has ordered all things for your good and eventually, things will work out according to his loving plan. If you can recall instances when you too have acted in this way, you could trace out the pattern of behaviour you adopt in such situations. In any case, now while in prayer, entrust your entire life into My hands consciously, accepting Me as the master and Lord of your whole situation. If you can do this against the background of some concrete ‘problem’ you face now, you could work out the dynamics quite effectively. You may have to keep repeating the surrender because often it appears to be quite superficial at the start – it takes time to really come from the heart and be total and loving. Once you have learnt the art of entrusting your entire life into My hands, you will be surprised at the inner freedom you experience. “For freedom Christ has chosen us…”
Towards the end of your prayer, move into total silence and stillness and remain in this way for as long as you can. Conclude your prayer with the usual intercessory petitions and the final hymn or prayer.
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| February 11, 2007 | 5th Sunday of Year C | Jesus calls the weak – to great collaboration |
Jesus: We once again begin the hour of prayer with deep silence and stillness – this will help you tremendously to listen attentively to My message. After some time spent in this deep silence, tell Me about how you were able to entrust the difficult moments of last week into My hands. What is important that the practice of placing yourself and your difficulties spontaneously into My hands must because a regular habit with you …
[Time for silent prayer and reflection]
Jesus: Today’s passage deals with the dynamics of Christian living. It would be helpful if you could get into the shoes of Simon – since he is the main person in today’s incident. Share with him a little about his tiredness and frustration at working the whole night and various ‘leads’ but finally ending up with nothing to show for all that work. Of course, that is part of the life of every fisherman – yet it is discouraging to have to work the entire night yet get nothing to support the family with. I picked this up immediately, but decided to use the situation to invite Simon to a deeper level of life – a more fruitful and satisfying enterprise. But for this, his personal experience would be absolutely necessary.
Having obtained his permission, I used his boat to teach the people – notice how Simon and the others too were busy washing and mending their nets, but were also, at the same time, listening to all that I taught. Record Simon’s surprise when I asked him to move into deeper waters to lay down his nets for a catch. This command was a direct application of all My teaching – a situation in which all would see the truth of what I had said. He possibly might have thought that I knew nothing of fishing – details like: which is the best time and the ideal place, which weather conditions were best suited … and so he began to explain. Something of My teaching must have rubbed off onto Simon, for he immediately added “but if you say so, I will…” and without waiting for an answer, we begin to sail slowly and shakily into deeper waters. Dialogue with Simon as the boat proceeds metre by doubtful metre further and further away from the shore and the crowds.
Finally, they begin to lower their nets in the usual fashion – and wait. What would the conversation have been during this inevitable wait? Notice how every intervention of Mine (even when it is you who first approach Me with a petition) involves a wait at some stage or other. It is meant to test your faith and even if you do not pull back, your inner positive conviction is tested; your perseverance is what makes all the difference. At times, this wait is replaced or followed by further obstacles as when the four men carrying the paralytic reached the house where I was teaching, only to find that there was no room, even at the door, to get him in.
Notice the gradual change in Simon and the others too as they now begin to haul the nets in – their total disbelief suffused with childlike joy and surprise. Seeing that there was yet another crisis – this time there were more fish than they could conveniently handle and their boat would have sunk if all were to be hauled in. Overjoyed and not wanting to lose any of the catch, they signaled to their partners James and John to come in and help themselves as they too would have worked the whole night fruitlessly. Hear the chatter among the fishermen – never in all their fishing career had they seen anything like this. What a story they now had for their families and the entire village!
Simon, however, was the first to catch the deeper implications of this event; he saw it as linked with the very meaning of his life - and so he came up to Me with ‘Depart from me, Lord …’ Little did he realize that it is the weak and sinful that I came to call – because knowing their weakness, they are more likely to entrust themselves totally into the Father’s hands and allow the Spirit to work through them in the enterprise of inviting people into the kingdom.
That is who a real Christian is: a weak, sinful person who trusts God sufficiently to allow him to act through his weakness. In faith he steps out to do great things for God. As in the case of Simon, often that weakness is not overcome all at once – it is rather a slow process that could take years, but if the person concerned is sincere, there is no reason why God’s Spirit cannot act through him doing immense good to all around. Reflect against this background on your own calling; pick out your prominent weak areas and trustfully place them into My hands. Visualize how your weakness when combined with My strength can literally shake the world. Remember that it is only when divine strength is seen operating in human weakness that people are convinced of its supernatural origin. If a talented, gifted person does marvels, these are naturally attributed to his own gifts and qualities, and not spontaneously to God who is behind all good works. Listen to the Spirit pointing out to you where and when you can be a fruitful instrument in his hands …
Then move into deep silence and let the Holy Spirit work on you as you remain perfectly still and receptive … when you feel you have remained in silence for long enough, and it is time for you to end your prayer, remember a few people in need and intercede for them with great generosity. Conclude with the usual hymn or short prayer.
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Jesus calls the weak – to great collaboration
| February 18, 2007 | 6th Sunday of the Year C | Code of conduct for God’s children |
Jesus: This is the last Sunday before
we move into the season of Lent and once more you will learn something deeper
about your Christian vocation. But to profit from this session with Me,
you would need to be totally present to this prayer – hence the request
for deep silence and stillness. When you have calmed your mind sufficiently,
spend a few minutes reviewing the past week …
[Time for silent prayer and reflection]
Jesus: Come down the mountain with Me and My disciples to the piece of level ground, position yourself among the disciples and listen to the ‘sermon on the plain’ as if for the first time. You could read it from your Bible if you wish (Lk. 6:20-26) – but make sure that you attend to every word. First of all, see the reason why I gave these instructions to My disciples and the crowds. Having called all sorts of people, especially those ensnared in sin to various degrees, and further, having offered them the gift of the Father’s forgiveness, I showed them that they need no longer remain distant from God. He is prepared even to share a meal with them. He looks on each person as a ‘graced-sinner’ and a beloved child of his. This gift calls for a new attitude towards oneself, towards other people and towards life in general.
Maybe this expression ‘graced-sinner’ sounds somewhat strange to you. Allow Me to explain it to you with an example. Suppose a young girl, born and brought up in a Gujerati family and hence trained thoroughly in customs and ways special of Gujeratis, eventually gets married to a Maharashtrian boy. When she comes to live in his Maharashtrian home, little by little she would take on the ways and customs of Maharashtrians – perhaps even becoming an expert in the way Maharashtrians go about certain things. After several years, everyone around would naturally look on her as a Maharashtrian – even though by birth she would always remain a Gujerati. This fact cannot be changed, but in actual practice it now makes no difference either to herself or to her husband’s family. For all practical purposes, she is seen and accepted as a Maharashtrian.
Similarly, by nature you are weak and sinful. But when God the Father accepts you into his kingdom and shares his very life with you, you would need to learn his way, to take on his characteristic style of doing things. You have to learn the ‘kingdom way’ of living and relating to people. This is what I explain in the ‘beatitudes.’
Unfortunately, most Christians read the beatitudes differently. They begin with the first part and imagine that they have to strenuously practice this before they can obtain the second part. Thus, they strive to make themselves poor, depriving themselves of all kind of things, in the hope that this effort and practice will merit them the kingdom. However, if you remember correctly, I came precisely with the Good News that the Father has gifted you the kingdom: ‘Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to grant you the kingdom!’ (Lk. 12:32). So, if you listen deeply to what I really convey, it should mean something like this. ‘When you freely and wholeheartedly receive the gift of the Father’s kingdom and live it generously, then you find that you don’t need to cling to any material things. Having received God’s love fully, you don’t even notice the lack of some material things, though at times this lack could cause you difficulties. You constantly rejoice at the greater gift you already possess. Further, you automatically, as it were, imbibe God’s ways of relating to people – which is characterized by compassion and love, and a keen desire to share one’s blessings with others. So, rather than hoard for yourself, you find yourself spontaneously wanting to share – even when you sense that what is given will never come back. You trust your Father will give you all that you need when you really require it. This was the basis for the marvelously different kind of life-style of the early Christian community when they shared their belongings with everyone in need – the result was that “there was not a single needy person among them” (Acts. 4:32-35).
But, to make the point clear, I also show you what results can be expected when a person does not accept God’s invitation to covenant. In this case, s/he can have a very pleasant time here on earth, even at times by taking advantage of the weak and poor – but in the end, he remains outside the kingdom and like Dives the rich man who would not share with Lazarus the beggar, he will not enjoy ‘heaven’ neither here nor hereafter.
Take each beatitude and also the woes, and reflect on its implications, but always beginning with the second part and moving backwards… As you near the end of your hour of prayer, spend a fair amount of time in deep silence and stillness, as you usually do – then take up a few intercessions and conclude your prayer with the usual hymn or prayer.
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We offer our readers a few challenging insights on Lent which can be used throughout the season. Lent is a time of preparation for Easter, a concerted effort to enter into the dynamics of the Pascal Mystery. Jesus accepted death not because it is something desirable, but simply because it was part of the Father’s plan for the redemption of people. Recall how he expressed this at Gethsemane: “Father, take this cup from Me, but not according to My will – let your will be done!” We know that this is but a summary of his entire life. Lent trains us also to accept God’s will lovingly and cheerfully in our daily lives, especially when it goes against the grain. One way of checking whether the Lenten season has achieved its purpose is to see how much more Christ-like you have allowed the Lord to make you: more patient, trustful, kind, loving, joyful, forgiving, peaceful, ready to help, other-centered, more self-giving and committed to your duty in the home, place of work, among friends. Also check to see how much more spontaneously and lovingly or grudgingly/reluctantly you accept God’s will in your day-to-day life.
One general suggestion: Please do not undertake any penitential practices like fasting, extra prayers and so on, unless at the same time you mean to become more Christ-like. Let your biggest penance be to love, serve; forgive – especially in the home, and small Christian community. You could choose one particular area in which you will make a special effort to be Christ-like, e.g. avoiding gossip, sacrificing some material things which you then share with the needy around you, spending some more time in silent prayer before the Sacrament. Helps to gaining a Christ-like outlook include: reading Scripture prayerfully, sharing in a spiritual discussion, attending talks and recollections on spiritual topics, consciously maintaining silence for reasonable lengths of time, avoiding needless talk, gossip, harmful conversations. Let God’s Spirit suggest what is most appropriate for your particular situation.
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| February 25, 2007 | 1st Sunday of Lent – C | Temptation = test of one’s convictions/commitment |
Jesus: We enter again into this hour of prayer with a few moments of deep inner silence and stillness – so important for effective prayer. The key point is to put aside all distracting thoughts, and especially feelings as these can divert your attention from what I have to say to you … see if you can generate an eagerness or even longing to spend this time with Me fruitfully and see some change in your life as a result of this prayer. Also don’t omit a brief review of your past week.
[Time for silent prayer and reflection]
Jesus: For this week, you will need to accompany Me into the desert. Keep close to Me and alert if you wish to pick up some very important details concerning your spiritual life and commitment. You notice, first of all, that I was led by the Spirit into a physically unpleasant situation. Yet spiritually, it was a golden opportunity for Me to test the sincerity of My commitment to the Father, to complete the task he had given Me – of establishing the kingdom among people. I needed to know exactly what it meant to establish God’s kingdom on earth. I needed to visualize the obstacles coming from those I could have hoped would be allies or friends. The Spirit also made me aware of how much I could expect from those who professed to be loyal friends – in spite of their goodwill, their loyalty would not mean much when the chips were down and the going rough. In other words, I would need to build a lot of inner strength and be prepared to face this challenge on My own, without depending too much on other people. I needed to learn how to trust the Father to the fullest possible degree.
At the same time, I would have to avoid the pitfall of despising the spontaneous and generous support of friends, even if finally it amounted to nothing much. I would need to show to all the Father’s compassion and forgiveness. What would be My biggest support would be My inner conviction of the Father’s love and fidelity. As long as I keep close to the Father, there would be nothing I need fear. I realize, at the same time, that there would be occasions when the Father’s loving presence would seem to be little more than a distant memory. Hence, I needed to taste his love very deeply during these forty days, if it is to stand Me in good stead in difficult times. Focusing more of the positive, on what I have at My disposal than on how many difficulties may arise, will prove to be My strength.
Nevertheless, fears and doubts were also part of the experience in the desert. What if I failed to experience the Father’s presence tangibly, like a morsel of bread in My mouth or like a cup of cold refreshing water amidst the desert heat? My weapon is God’s own word and assurance that a human being is not sustained by tangible realities only, but by every Word that the Father utters – because his word is infallibly true. Further, My belief that the Father is never against Me, nor does he ever abandon Me to My own resources; that the work entrusted to Me is not just My personal undertaking, but the Father’s own project and so he will never be absent, but would be fully involved in making it a success – this is what will stand Me in good stead in a moment of crisis. My victory doesn’t merely bring Me glory, but reflects rather the faithfulness of the Father.
This absolute trust in the Father’s goodness should not, however, end up making Me over-confident and a prey to rash and frivolous actions, like jumping off the pinnacle of the Temple. I need to keep My wits about Me; balance and common-sense are still qualities I need to foster in My personal growth. Ultimately, it is only My loving submission to the Father that will win Me victory in the struggle against evil – this is the conviction that will see Me through.
These forty days in the desert were a harrowing experience, yet they built Me up interiorly giving Me something to look forward to. They prepared Me for actual life among the people I would be sent to. As you share this experience with Me, I trust you realize that you don’t necessarily have to put yourself in a desert situation to learn all these important truths. As you go through life, you will be confronted with situations that etch these truths indelibly in your heart. What is needed is that you train yourself to reflect on the daily occurrences that form the warp and woof of your life. Each event bears a lesson for life and every little crisis prepares you for the bigger challenges of life. Trust, therefore, that the Lord prepares you for your life’s task through all these ups and downs.
In silence, review some of the problems you have experienced in the last couple of weeks. See if you can pick up the key message the Father was teaching you through these difficulties. How deeply have you learnt the lesson? How successfully were you able to practice it the next time it occurred? From all these experiences, are you picking up something of the pattern of God’s dealings with you? You will find that it has a very definite outline – the ‘paschal mystery’ consisting of an emptying before there can be a filling and that the filling/rising is directly proportionate to the emptying/dying. This is the most basic lesson in the spiritual life and the following of the Christ, the crucified yet risen Lord. Most people are delighted to follow Me in the victorious, glorious moments, but quickly desert Me when the painful ones hit them.
Review and see how true this is for you. How can you be a greater expert in living out the paschal mystery especially during this Lent? When you are ready, move into deep inner silence and stillness and remain in that mode for as long as you can. As you emerge form prayer, spend a few minutes in intercession for those in need. Conclude with the usual brief hymn or prayer.
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| March 4, 2007 | 2nd Sunday in Lent - C | Crosses can end in glory |
Jesus: Once more we begin our hour of prayer with a few minutes of deep silence and stillness. By now you must be thoroughly conversant with this procedure and so just follow it ensuring that you are perfectly still and calm within. Take as much time as you need, but ensure that there is a receptive emptiness within you, both mentally and emotionally. Then spend some time reviewing the past week, examining the effect your prayer had on your daily living.
[Time for silent prayer and reflection]
Jesus: Come along with Peter, James and John, accompanying Me in the prayer I myself made on the mountain top. Even though the three disciples are possibly distracted, you try and spend your time observing Me carefully. The first thing that strikes you is that prayer has a transforming effect on the person praying. Coming into contact with the Father’s life and love itself is a transforming event. It is like going near, or better, into a fire – soon you too will be ablaze and become one with the fire. It won’t be long before I hear your question: ‘But how is it that people spend so much time in prayer and yet they don’t seem to be transformed the way You are, or the way You say we should be, Lord?
The secret of this transformation is that you need to surrender all that is contrary to God’s will – in mind and heart you need to be one with the Father – only then do you share in his life and love. It is then that the ‘secrets of the kingdom will be revealed to you’ and you will begin to be ‘fishers of people.’ Like Paul you can then say: ‘It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.’ And further, it is at this stage that ‘anything you ask of the Father he will grant you’ – because now that you are one with him there is nothing that you would want that would be against the Father’s will.
But it is worth noticing that this transformation occurs not only during intense prayer. It can happen at any moment, provided your will is totally submitted to the Father’s. Further, the transformation need not be such that makes your face or exterior radiant, like that of Moses. Yet, everyone who knows you will feel the difference and realize the presence of God in your life. They will recognize God’s presence in your spontaneous generosity in self-giving, in your readiness to forgive even your worst enemies, in your ability to endure suffering without grumbling or complaints, in your cheerful attitude even in the midst of life’s greatest difficulties.
You notice that this is what Moses and Elijah were talking about during their visit. They reminded Me that there could be no victory of the resurrection without the humiliation and death of the Cross. But you hear them adding something much more comforting – that the very suffering of the passion is the victory of the resurrection. The glory of the Father is seen precisely in the manner in which one carries the cross. The evangelists bring this out when they say: ‘The centurion, standing face to face with Jesus on the cross, and observing the manner in which he died, exclaimed, “Truly, this was the son of God!”’ The manner in which you face life and its turmoil will proclaim the power and presence of the Father in your life.
Review some of the crosses you are challenged to carry during this Lent. Has the glory of God been visible in it so far? What is it that prevents God’s glory from being seen? How can you eliminate these obstacles or at least reduce their negative influence in your life? Notice Peter’s reaction of wanting only the glory without the accompanying passion and pain! He had somehow closed his mind to this possibility and so all through life he would have to grapple with this mystery – until he came to terms with it. During this Lent, it would be good if you too could get this ‘mystery’ somewhat clearer in your mind and heart. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus also struggled with the same problem: why was it that the Messiah had to suffer? The only answer to that question is that this is the way God has ordained things and this is expressed clearly in all the Scripture passages concerning Me. So, this is one of those ‘lighthouse’ truths that will always remain absolutely unshakable: you either accept it and then you will be safe, or you break yourself on it, as you attempt to get rid of it.
In silence, try to fathom something of this great mystery, particularly as it applies to your concrete situation today. What you still do not understand, place in My loving hands and leave it to Me to work things out for you – make an act of trustful surrender and then move into deep inner silence and peace. After a fairly long period of time in this silence, make a few sincere petitions for the needy and end your prayer with the usual hymn or prayer.
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3rd Sunday in Lent – C Our sins are our self-imposed punishment
March 11, 2007
Jesus: As we enter in this fresh hour of prayer, ensure that you are fully present to this chosen task with your mind and heart fully focused on the topic of this prayer. Place all that disturbs you at the moment into My hands and leave it there for safe-keeping. You can be sure that I will take good care of your pre-occupations, if you are prepared to place yourself totally at My disposal now during this hour of prayer. After quietening your mind and heart, tell Me how you have fared in the week that has just gone by – is there something that needs attention before you even begin this week’s prayer?
[Time for silent prayer and reflection]
Jesus: You could position yourself next to Me, and listen as these ‘friends’ come to Me with the message that Pilate had recently put several Galileans to death. Share their concern about the situation mixed with some fear about their own lives. However, realize that while their concern is genuine, they are still missing the mark. And that is why I have to tell them that they too are in for something similar unless they repent. Now this repentance is not in connection with their ‘sins’ but rather is linked with their ‘sin’ – their refusal to believe what I have been telling them. The parable goes on to show that they had been given several chances, several ‘wake-up’ calls, but because they had somehow closed their minds to the possibility that God could be so generous in his forgiveness, they were missing out on all these precious opportunities and could find themselves in a worse position than the Galileans they spoke about.
What are some of the ways in which God gives people ‘wake-up
calls’? Briefly, it would be anything that goes against one’s
own man-made plans and ambitions. When failure comes their way, people generally
sit up and think about the reason for such occurrences. When all goes well,
they tend to think that God is on their side and so there is nothing to
be worried about. But when their plans go awry and when everything they
do seems only to make matters worse, that is when they panic and are ready
to look elsewhere for the real meaning they need. Yet, there are some who
can be so dumb or perhaps obstinate that even such rude shocks fail to shake
them up. That is when they require a ‘prophet’ – one who
interprets the unpleasant events for them and literally shakes them out
of their self-imposed stupor or lethargy. But as you know from the parable
of Dives and Lazarus, there are some whom even those who come back from
the dead will not be able to shake out of their stubbornness.
Against this background, could I invite you to look at some of the things
that have been going wrong in your life in the recent weeks? Is God saying
something to you through all these events? Could you sit in silence and
stillness and listen – objectively, dispassionately? Don’t be
in a hurry to interpret these events negatively, i.e. against yourself.
Not all your ‘crosses’ are necessarily messages from God concerning
your faults. The best way to find out is to check whether your ‘self’
is invested in this event to such an extent that this is the one area that
you will not change no matter what! And then, the best way to ensure that
you are on the right track, is to be ready to ‘sacrifice’ the
self at all times. The moment you discern God’s will for you, if you
can joyfully surrender, that will ensure that you are on the right track.
The tree of your life will keep producing good and plentiful fruit and you
will have nothing to worry about. However, don’t ever imagine that
with a joyfully surrendering attitude, you will be spared painful situations.
These are not only part of life here on earth, but they also serve to keep
you constantly in effective contact with the Lord.
As you reflect, gradually take hold of just one idea and move into deep
silence and stillness and allow Me to work on you at the very depths of
your being. You may not experience anything special during this time, except
a dark blank space, as it were. Don’t let this worry you – continue
with the silence and stillness until it is time to conclude your prayer.
Then spend a few minutes in intercessory prayer and at last, end with the
usual bhajan or short hymn/prayer.
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4th Sunday in Lent - C Unbelievable love of a Father – for
us
March 18, 2007
Jesus: Our prayer sessions have been going well – but always remember that a large part of the success of each hour of prayer depends on the effort you make to be totally at the Lord’s disposal during this time. It is not what you do in prayer that matters, but what the Father does, or better what you allow the Father to do. So, you have to be ready to allow him to act. Hence, begin your prayer with the usual time of silence and stillness. After quietening yourself, review the week just past and dialogue with Me over the areas of concern you are still conscious of. Some of this might help today’s prayer to be more effective.
[Time for silent prayer and reflection]
Jesus: For today’s prayer, position yourself among My disciples and listen to the murmuring of the Pharisees as they see the crowds of sinners approaching Me; they discuss about My practice of welcoming these sinners even at Table. Remember that for the Pharisees, purity and uprightness was of paramount importance when dealing with God. According to the Pharisees, God would never deign to dine with sinners because that would mean that he condoned their sinfulness – acting as if sin did not matter at all.
However, with this approach the Pharisees demonstrate that they haven’t understood even the basics of My entire message. It is not as if sin does not matter: remember in the case of the woman taken in adultery, I did not condone her sin. Rather, encouraging her with the gift of forgiveness, I asked her to “go and sin no more.” So, the Father does take account of our sin, but reading our hearts, he sees the tiny little spark of goodwill and desire to change, and that is enough to melt his compassionate heart – he hastens then to welcome the sinner and help him work out the entire process of reconciliation. God offers forgiveness as a gift, not as a reward. And so, every one is eligible for the gift – only a few would ever be able to merit forgiveness as a reward!
All that the Father asks is that you genuinely and humbly accept his gift and express your gratitude in words and much more in deeds. And these deeds involve two aspects: the first and negative part is that you do not go back to your sinful ways (in some cases you will remember, I ordered the healed person not to even go back into the village) and second which is more positive is that you be equally generous and magnanimous in offering forgiveness to others who hurt you. As you look back on your dealings with God, can you say that you sincerely try to do these two things? What you would need to watch out for is that “initial moment” of temptation – that moment when you are quite aware (even if dimly) that you need to move in a different direction from that of the attraction. If at that moment you can remember God’s graciousness towards you, it is relatively easy to hang on to God’s ways and remain faithful to Him.
Notice also that the battle is won not so much on the level of the head and ideas – because everyone knows what is right and what should be avoided. It is the ‘heart’ that matters – and that in two distinct ways. First of all, remember that every ‘sin’ is pleasurable in some sense – it offers you something that deep down you intensely desire because it satisfies some craving of yours. Each time you give in, the link between the action and the accompanying pleasure is reinforced and the next decision is made faster and more easily. Now this attraction and attachment to the pleasurable side of the proposition can be overcome only by a counter force which is relatively stronger – and this can only be the felt-experience of God’s love and care for you! To make this force stronger, you would need to reflect often on the Father’s love and goodness towards you, because these are often taken for granted, and in the hurly-burly of life, can be easily overlooked. This is where the vitality of your prayer life comes in and plays a crucial role.
In your prayer, therefore, you must always focus on God’s love and generosity and not so much on your needs. Prayer has to build up an unshakable trust in you towards the Father, even though he is invisible and kind of ‘distant’ – yet in fact, he isn’t for those whose faith is alive and active. Scripture reading too can be a great help, provided again that you focus on the feeling or heart aspect more than on ideas. The Pharisees were trained theologians, but their hearts were not ‘in it’ and hence religion became a purely intellectual or logical thing for them. Notice how the elder brother adamantly refused to participate in the meal celebrating the younger brother’s change of life. Logically, the Father’s behaviour did not make sense to him, it did not add up meaningfully. But ‘the heart has its reasons which the mind does not know of.’ Notice again the pleading of the Father: ‘but son, is it not right that we should celebrate, for your brother was dead and has come back to life …’
Against this background, check on what is the feeling content in your heart with regard to the Father – is it a passionate clinging to his ‘person’ and all he stands for? You will never fully understand the working of the Father’s heart, and that is why he will always be ‘the God of surprises!’ But all the surprises are very positive ones – shocking us into the realization of how different (holy) God is! Pick out one instance where you have experienced this and keeping it before your mind’s eye, sink into deep silence, awe and stillness. Remain with that for as long as you can. As you near the end of your prayer, intercede especially today for those who cannot really appreciate God’s loving-kindness because of their mental or spiritual blocks. End with the usual hymn or prayer.
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5th Sunday in Lent - C The joy of being forgiven and renewed
March 25, 2007
Jesus: Today would normally be celebrated as the feast of the Annunciation, but because of Lent, we shall stay with what is presented for this season. Begin with the usual prayer of silence and stillness and dialogue with Me about how you worked on increasing the ‘emotional/faith’ content of your life during this week. Remember that what matters, when all is said and done, is how you relate to the Father in faith.
[Time for silent reflection and prayer]
Jesus: For today’s prayer you could position yourself near the woman who the bystanders are ready to stone because she was caught in the very act of adultery. Notice first the malice of the Pharisees – particularly their joy at having found what they thought was a ‘fool-proof’ case with which to trap Me. This, they imagined, would tear to shreds My approach advocating God’s mercy and forgiveness for the woman could have no possible escape: she was caught red-handed. As you watch Me intently you will see God’s compassion radiating from My face. I too am happy because this situation gives Me the opportunity to emphasize that human forgiveness is quite different from God’s forgiveness. The Father does not focus on culpability or malice – he knows well our human frailty; what he looks for is a heart that is yearning for his love, even if in deviant ways. Genuineness and sincerity are qualities that matter to him, and where these are present even in infinitesimal measure, his merciful love reaches out to heal and supply what is lacking. In silence, just marvel at this quality of God – it shows really how ‘great’ he is; he isn’t vindictive because his glory has been tarnished, or because we have let him down. Rather, his glory lies in raising the lowly and placing them on high. With this in mind, bring all your sins and failings to the Father and enjoy his compassionate love for you in every situation. Do this right now and you remain in silence for a while.
Next, turn to the ‘goings-on’ within the minds and hearts of the Pharisees. They are conscious not only of their own personal failings, but also of one another’s weaknesses, because a system like theirs could not survive without the collaboration and collusion of the entire gang. But at the same time, one cannot but admire their honesty in publicly acknowledging their sinfulness, accepting at the same time, that they were in no position to judge others when they themselves were in need of God’s forgiveness. Would some of them have been converted by this experience? While that is quite possible, yet you can be sure that many would have missed the point altogether, focused as they were rather on how to ensnare Me in their own legal traps. This should remind you that in life it is always more important to focus on checking and improving yourself rather than on pointing out the failures of others. Leave others to the mercy of the Father – you focus on availing yourself of all that he offers you and see if you too can become a generous channel of his love and compassion to others.
Now turn to the woman herself and dialogue with her. Focus mainly on what she must have felt within herself. Listen to her attentively as she describes her feelings. It would not just be a sense of relief, saying to herself: ‘Boy, I escaped with a pretty light penance! I can now go back to my old ways, but be more careful not to get caught again!’ Rather, it would be more like a shocking realization of how much she has been loved, without her knowing it or realizing its value and importance. There could be also a sense of the tremendous loss over the years that had passed: if only she had experienced something like this earlier, she could have been spared so much needless suffering and humiliation. This realization would have spurred her on not to lose the present opportunity. Listen to what advice she would give you, based on her own personal story. What could you learn with which to improve your life? Stay with this thought in your mind as you move into a fairly long period of deep silence and stillness – remain for as long as you can in this calmness allowing Me to work on your inner self.
As you emerge from this stillness, reach out to others, especially those caught up in an endless round of sin and shame… and conclude with a burst of praise and thanksgiving.
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