Lenten Reflection: Day 19

Gospel, Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Free will is one of the most astounding aspects of the human existence. “God created man a rational being, conferring on him the dignity of a person who can initiate and control his own actions. God willed that man should be ‘left in the hand of his own consul,’ so that he might of his own accord seek his Creator and freely attain his full and blessed perfection by cleaving to him. Man is rational and therefore like God; he is created with free will and is master over his acts.” Catechism of the Catholic Church, Para 1730. The choice between good and evil is ultimately leading us to freely and ‘consciously’ desire and work towards attaining God (for He is the ultimate treasure the human soul desires), as well as ensure our eternity of holiness, joy and peace in His Kingdom.

The Father of all creation, He who is Omniscient, created the world with the sole desire of giving man everything that satisfies his body and soul. Every atom and essence of His creation was brought into being to be submissive to the ‘care’ of Man. So, the account of Genesis clearly portrays the ‘image’ of God to be generous and selflessly loving towards man, whom He created in the same image; which includes being as generous and selflessly loving as He is. Man has to constantly realise that he belongs to this Eternal Father. The Father gives everything, including that which Man is yet unaware off; for the wellbeing of his life on earth and after death. Before The Fall, man did not have to ask for anything from The Father, but after, Man is constantly in the ‘need’ of God’s mercy and graciousness.

The effect of the Original Sin therefore; cages us into such captivity of unrighteousness that the effects of this imprisonment to sin; corrupts free will beyond measure and nurtures the desire of resentment and rejection of God, making the soul vulnerable even to eternal death. This is where a very radiant and unfathomable treasure of the Will of God is manifested in human life on earth as well as in that of righteous souls who are in the realm of complete purification after death (purgatory). This treasure of God is His Divine Mercy. The ‘Khabodh Yahweh’ (weightiness of God) rests on the throne of Mercy. His mercy is beyond measure and human reasoning, and it is the Will of His benevolent love that He desires to embrace anyone; I reiterate, anyone, who is willing to reject his loitering in sin and hatred, and with a contrite heart truly desires The Father’s forgiveness. And because the very nature of God’s mercy is to be eternally forgiving, so every sincere penitent, irrespective of the gravity of the sin, will taste heaven’s peace as well as have a tangible experience of God’s loving and welcoming embrace, here on earth as well.

Let us therefore, turn away from anything and any person who might pave way to our eternal damnation. Let us turn back to God and His mercy, for that paves the path to be soaked in His eternal love and joy, and causes all of heaven to rejoice at such a home coming.

Lenten Reflection: Day 17

Gospel, Matthew 21:33-43; 45-46

The Kingdom of Heaven was conceived as the most unutterable and hallowed thought in the heart and mind of God. It was manifested most creatively and munificently in every visible and invisible substance and spirit created by God. This creation was like the ultimate vineyard which bore the fruit of immeasurable love and joy. Peace in this vineyard was not a realm or virtue to be sort. This realm that God gifted to man and let him have dominion over it, was hand-made by God, therefore it carried the image of Himself and one of the essence of this image is peace. So, peace was a given, and man lived oblivious to fear, worry, anxiety or want. Everything was given unto him and every creature submitted to him. God was the eternal caretaker of this vineyard, bestowing upon it His eternal countenance. God did not just leave it at this. He entrusted the responsibility of flourishing this vineyard in the hands of Adam and Eve. But fooled by the vice of Satan, the vineyard was stricken by great upheaval, the consequence of which changed the course of ‘all creation’.

In today’s Gospel Jesus in His another parable, speaks of also of a vineyard. The owner of which let tenants care for it and cultivate it to bear much fruit, so that when the time comes to receive his just returns (fruit of the winepress), he will obtain it as well as find the vineyard well taken care off. However, the parable shows that all those who were sent by the landlord to collect the produce, were beaten up, stoned and killed. They did not spare even the landlord’s son. He too was killed. So, the landlord brought an ‘end’ (terminate evil) and gave the vineyard to those tenants who would be virtuous and sincerely accountable in their ‘business’ with the landlord. God as well, gave us a winepress – Jesus, He made us His branches. But the Evil One is constantly devouring this winepress and causing much harm and suffering. Thos who are called by The Lord to care and cultivate the culture of life in the winepress are beaten and killed. ‘The Son’ wasn’t spared either.

Therefore my friends, as we, in baptism, we are called to be caretakers of our lives and the world in which we live in. This life and the universe (not just the known world) are given to us by the eternal owner of it all, God. We are accountable to be righteous and just caretakers. We are liable to our carelessness and mishandling. We are answerable to Him when He asks of our produce (words and deeds of kindness, love and mercy).

If we continue to persecute those who strive hard to bring The Good News, serve the least among the people, spread peace and love, so-much-so that we do not even hesitate to kill Christ every day, either in the person of others who bear Him or by words and deeds of sacrilege towards sacraments and sacramental, then we are as good as those tenants who upon whom the wrath of the landlord will fall unceasingly, taking away everything that was given to them, and given to those whom God will hand pick according to their righteousness and obedience to His guidance and expectation.