Breaking the Word

GOSPEL READING: LUKE 10:1-12.17-20

Jesus sent missionaries ahead of him. Their work was to prepare for the coming of the Lord. They were asked not to carry anything for their way and they were told not to wear sandals. The Jews entered the place of worship without sandals and without bags and baggage. Jesus is asking his missionaries to consider their mission of preparation as worship.

They were told not to greet anyone on the way. Prophet Elisha said to his disciple something similar in a life-saving mission (“Gird your loins,” Elisha said to Gehazi, “take my staff with you and be off; if you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not answer. Lay my staff upon the boy.” -2Kings 4:29). The disciples are supposed to consider their mission as life-saving mission. Jesus assured them that evil would not overpower them.

இயேசு சீடர்களை பணிக்கின்றார். அவர்கள் பணி வழிபாடு போன்று (அவர்கள் எதுவும் எடுத்துச் செல்லக்கூடாது). அவர்கள் பணி உயிரைக்காப்பாற்றும் பணி (வழியில் வாழ்த்துக்கள் கூறி காலத்தை வீணடிக்கக்கூடாது). அவர்களின் பணி இறைப்பணி என்பதால் தீமை எதிர்கொள்ளாது).

GOSPEL READING: MATTHEW 9:14-17

In Israel, fast days commemorated the tragic events that had taken place in their history. It reminded them of the destruction of the temple. The disciples of John the Baptist fasted because they awaited the dawn of the new day. Jesus was the new bright sun shine and hence there was no need for a fast.

Jesus in this passage tells us that the old and the new cannot go together. He did not say that the old ways are bad. Old ways have no relevance now. Trying to link both old and new would destroy everything. Times were changing and in fact God’s new world was being born and it was a time of rejoicing and hence there was no need for fasting.

இஸ்ராயேல் மக்கள் தங்களுக்கு நடந்த சோக நிகழ்வுகளை நினைத்து நோன்பு இருந்தார்கள் (கோயில் இடிபட்ட நாட்கள்). திருமுழுக்கு யோவனின் சீடர்கள் வரஇருக்கும் ஒளியை எதிர்நோக்கி நோன்பு இருந்தார்கள். இயேசுதான் ஒளி அதனால் சீடர்கள் நோன்பிருக்க அவசியமில்லை.