First Reading: Isaiah 66:18-21/Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 117:1.2 (R. Mark 16:15) Second Reading: Hebrews 12:5-7.11-13/Gospel Acclamation: Jn. 14:6/Gospel: Luke 13:22-30
Theme: The School Of Discipline
A visit to the blacksmith and any smelting industry reveals the tedious process through which metal is produced and/or refined. To have the purest gold or silver or iron, it passes through the burning furnace at extraordinarily hot temperatures. On his part the blacksmith beats the red-hot metal on an anvil in order to form it into the desired thickness and shape. Again, even a casual look at the potter at work reveals the depth of patience, the length of time and the expertise of skills which must be brought to bear in order to obtain the perfect shape, size and mould of pots. The clay used by the potter is worked on till the required texture, smoothness and quality is attained. This is a requirement for a perfect mould! In similar fashion, today’s readings assure us of God’s glory. However, we are made to understand that we need to be prepared and refined in the crucible of God’s discipline and unavoidable human suffering before we can experience God’s glory in our lives. The promise is for us, as well as the discipline which goes with it! To this, we focus our gaze.
Consequently, in the first reading, we read of the beautiful plan of God to assemble all his people together: “…I am coming to gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and shall see my glory, and I shall set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations… to the islands afar off, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the nations” (Is. 66:18-19). This universal vision of God’s glory neither excludes anybody, nor does it limit its reach to a select few. On the contrary, it is for all who accept the discipline of God. Even those far off as a result of their unbelief, indifference and waywardness, can experience God’s glory if they return to God in faith, humility, repentance and conversion.
The Gospel lends credence to the message of the first reading, and so, says: “And men will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the Kingdom of God” (Lk. 13:29). The Psalmist acknowledges this universal union and the gathering together of all people under God and towards God, what Pierre Teilhard de Chardin calls the Omega Point, and so sings: “O praise the Lord, all you nations; acclaim him all you peoples!” (Ps. 117:1). This is possible only when we go into the entire world to preach the authentic Gospel of Jesus (cf. Mk. 16:15).
This task is a daunting one; sometimes herculean! However, that is exactly what God entrusts to all believers. Acknowledging this in the second reading, the author of the Letter to the Hebrews exhorts us to embrace this seeming ‘unpleasant’ task and to consider it as necessary for our growth. Sometimes, a mere advice does not change us but the difficult burdens are those which do the trick! So, let us not lose courage, for they are meant to discipline us, to purify our souls and make them fit for heaven. Specifically, we read: “…the Lord disciplines him whom he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives. It is for discipline that you have to endure” (Heb. 12: 6-7).
Furthermore, according to the writer, discipline in the form of suffering brings out the best in a person: “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it (Heb. 12:11). Left to ourselves, we are prone to the easy life, the cheap ways and the cross-less Christianity. We swim in the path of least resistance. Like a river whose course is impeded by a fallen tree, we meander our ways, cut corners and take short cuts. We run away from anything that will bring us pain.
In the light of the aforementioned, Jesus emphasises in the Gospel, the point that, as believers in God, we may experience tough and rough times. Nonetheless, as followers of Christ who himself underwent the Cross, we need to face those moments with courage and equanimity, and to choose only one particular path among two possibilities. We are told: “Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able” (Lk. 13:24). So, who are the ‘many’ who seek to enter God’s kingdom but are unable to do so? The answer is not far-fetched!
We see in the world some Christians who pick and choose Christian doctrines which favour them, and abandon those which confront their way of life. Many today reject sound doctrine, as well as, time-tested teachings of the Church’s Magisterium. On the other hand, God has been relegated to the background while the human person has taken the centre stage, has become the measure of all things as the ancient Greek philosopher, Protagoras puts it. Relativism, subjectivism, secularism and materialism are the order of the day! This leads to a culture of death because, the author of life, God, is removed from the affairs of the human being who, in actual fact, is God’s own creation!
On television, radio and the internet, we watch and listen to some so-called Christian programmes which tend to glorify materialism, wealth, possessions – as the sign of God’s blessing even if they are ill-gotten. However, Jesus tells us categorically that the quality of a person’s life does not depend on the abundance of the possessions he or she has (cf. Lk.12:15). There is no short-cut to success; therefore, the belief in instant success, in the ‘here-and-now’ ideology, is just the illusion of the slothful. With God’s grace, hard work, diligence and dexterity comes true blessing and joy.
The desire for success by all means – fair or foul – promotes the cancer of greed and unhealthy competition in society. Kidnapping, abduction, trafficking, armed-robbery, embezzlement of public funds and other corrupt practices affect the very foundation of any given economy, public peace and societal development. It initiates retrogression and leads to the vicious cycle of poverty and violence. Those who do so must put a stop to this practice, for it disturbs the common good.
Beloved in Christ, God promises us his glory. However, God’s glory does not come cheaply. It comes to those who, schooled in the footsteps of Christ, are able to endure the crucible of pain and suffering for the sake of Christ. It belongs to those who avail themselves for the discipline of God and the practice of the Beatitudes (Mt. 5:3-12). It is given to those who face persecutions because they are authentic witnesses and prophets of justice in a corrupt world. While we do so, let us remember that no one is an island, and therefore, there is the need to support one another in our various struggles. God has promised to save us, so that we may see his glory. May the almighty God continue to sustain us in his strength and favour. Let us find consolation in God’s word that says: “Those who wait on the Lord will have their strength renewed” (Is. 40:31). Happy Sunday and may the Good Lord richly bless us. Remember and enrol in: #The-School-Of-Discipline#
