Breaking the Word

GOSPEL READING: Mt 25:31-46

This story does not need further explanations. The message is obvious. Jesus speaks about the final judgment. Justice is one of the central themes in the Jewish as well as Christian traditions. It is very difficult to define, explain and the working of justice. God is just. This God wants justice to be done and justice to rule over the land.

Justice does not mean simply punishing the evil doers out (though it will also include that); it means bring the whole humanity, the whole world into its original balance. This takes us back to the idea of creation. God created the world and he had his purpose for each one of creation. Evil entered into this creation and upset the creation. Now the world will have to be put to rights.

Coming of the kingdom and working of the kingdom is doing this justice in the world. Jesus who is exalted after his suffering and death has been given a position of honour. This story tells us how this just rule will be exercised. One way of exercising justice or bring balance back into humanity is by taking care of the least of the brethren. Every time when one cares for the least of the brethren the he works towards justice.

நீதியை நிலைநாட்டுவது இறையாட்சியின் குறிக்கோள். நீதியின் விளைவு சமத்துவ சமுதாயம். சமத்துவத்தை நிலைநாட்ட சமுதாயத்தில் உள்ள ஏழைகள், துன்பப்படுவோர், ஒதுக்கப்பட்டோருக்காக உழைப்பது.

GOSPEL READING: Mt 4:1-11

Jesus was tempted by the devil. How could this be so? Hebrews 4,16 says: “…one who has been tempted in every way, yet without sin”. He had a great vision at Baptism and then he was confirmed in his vocation and just at this moment there came the devil to distort him from his vocation. His vocation was to be a son of God and to serve the people being truly human.

The tempter tempted him on the very strength of his vocation. (You are my beloved son in whom I am well pleased). The tempter attacked the strength of the person to make him weak at that. The tempter prompted him for satisfaction of the flesh (turn stone into bread); promised him power over the whole world (…will give all these to you…).

Jesus was well aware of the game. He relied on God and the word of God. He was committed to loving and serving God alone. Jesus overcame these trials at the beginning of his ministry or else he would have faced them later on in the midst of his ministry. Jesus focused his eyes on God and kept the word of God in his heart and moved on with the work of the kingdom of God.

சாத்தான் இயேசுவை சோதித்தது அவருடைய அடிப்படை இயல்பையே (இறைமகன்). இயேசுவின் பலம் அவர் இறைமகனாய் இருப்பதே. சாத்தான் அவரை ஊன்உடலின் மகனாக (அப்பம்), உலகின் மகனாக (செல்வம்) சோதிக்கிறான். ஆனால் இயேசு தனது இறைமகன் இயல்பை (இறைவார்த்தை, இறைவனை நம்புதல், இறைவனை சோதியாதிருத்தல்) விட்டுக்கொடுக்கவில்லை.