Arulvakku

25.10.11 ACTIVE & EFFECTIVE

Posted under Reflections on October 29th, 2011 by

Then he said, "What is the kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a person took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and 'the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.'" Again he said, "To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed (in) with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened."   (Luke 13:18-21)

 

 

Jesus preached about the kingdom. Teaching about the kingdom was his main topic in his preaching ministry. His preaching was also in parables. Parables were the main means of explain about the kingdom. He preached in parables because he wanted the ordinary poor people to understand the mysteries of the kingdom. He did not speak in legal terms or in norms.

 

One of the comparisons was with the mustard seed. Mustard seed was the smallest of all seeds and most insignificant and it was not the essential. However it was useful when it grew up to be a big tree. Kingdom was like that. In its beginning the kingdom was not seen as worthwhile and useful. It was also most insignificant in the sight of many leaders of the society. Its usefulness will be seen when it would have grown into a big tree.

 

Kingdom is like the yeast. Yeast’s presence in the flour is not known and not noticed. Its activity is known only by the passing of time. Time will reveal the presence of the yeast and the usefulness of the yeast. Yeast will make the whole dough into ready for bread. Kingdom likewise will not be seen by human means but its effect will be seen in the course of time. Kingdom is active and effective in the course of history.

24.10.11 SUFFERING

Posted under Reflections on October 22nd, 2011 by

He was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath. And a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a spirit; she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect. When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said, "Woman, you are set free of your infirmity." He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.  But the leader of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath, said to the crowd in reply, "There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day." The Lord said to him in reply, "Hypocrites! Does not each one of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger and lead it out for watering? This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now, ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day from this bondage?"  When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated; and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him. (Lk 13:10-17)

 

 

Jesus was teaching in the Synagogue. This woman could not have been inside the Synagogue because women were not allowed to enter into the synagogue in those days. Even now they are not allowed except in certain modern synagogues. Probably the woman was waiting outside the synagogue where Jesus was teaching.

 

She was sick for eighteen years. The long duration of suffering should make anyone feel for her and make anyone ready to do some good to her. Anyone who sees a person in such a condition would not be counting the rules and regulations. Natural and normal reaction would be go out to help a person in such a need. If there was any reaction against her then the person who has such an opposite reaction would be inhuman.

 

Jesus was divine and was the son of God. His incarnation made him feel one with the people especially the suffering people. He identified himself with the suffering people of his time. His identification was so much that he wanted alleviate the sufferings of the people. He demonstrated that humanness consists in alleviating the sufferings of the others. In this the people also recognized his divinity.

1 2,180 2,181 2,182 2,183 2,184 2,513