Breaking the Word

GOSPEL READING: Mt 23:1-12

The scribes and Pharisees are leaders. As leaders they present the crowds with lots of rules, regulations, and traditions. But they themselves do not practice those rules etc. They multiply external practices. They believed that the external practices will reveal the internal dispositions. But in their cases the externals only revealed the internal pretentions.

Followers of Jesus should all be brothers. They should all belong to one family to which God is the only father and they do not impose rules on others and play the role of a master. There is only one teacher and that is Jesus the Messiah. Service is the only way to express all these. Service to the other is the only thing that links the followers of Jesus with one another.

ஒருவருக்கொருவர் பணிசெய்வதே சீடருக்கான அடையாளம். சட்டங்கள் ஒழுங்குகள் சீடத்துவத்திற்கான அடையாளம் அல்ல.

GOSPEL READING: Lk 1:26-38

The angel’s movement from where to where is clearly narrated in today’s passage. The angel moves from God and destination is clearly said with regard to the village, family and the person. There is no doubt about the identity of the person. This had been the case with every situation in the bible. When God chooses a person for his mission the identity of the person is clearly said.

With regard to Mary her mission also is clarified. She has to be the mother of son of God and she is also told of the name to give him when he will be born. God has been clear about every move and there is no gray element is his moves. God’s moves are definite and all the doubts are cleared and all the objections over ruled. Because nothing is impossible to God.

However God waits for the response of man/woman. Individual has to give his or her consent to initiate God’s activity in the world. This is the freedom of man. God has given freedom to man and he will not take it away from him. The freedom is so much that man can even deny God and yet God allows him to go. When Mary realizes that it is God who is working in her and it is the plan of God then she gives her consent.

கடவுளால் முடியாதது ஒன்றுமில்லை. கடவுளுடைய திடட்ங்கள் ஒவ்வொருவதுக்கும் வெளிப்படுத்தப்படும். வேளிப்பாட்டின்போது ஏன் எதற்கு என்ற கேள்விகளுக்கு இடமே இல்லை. அப்படியே கேள்விகள் எழுந்தாலும் அதற்கான விளக்கங்கள் கொடுக்கப்படுக்ன்றன. உலகனைத்தும் அவனுடைய படைப்புதானே. அவனுக்கு தெரியாதது எதுவும் உண்டோ? அவனுக்குத் தெரியாமல் எதுவும் நடந்திடுமோ?