Breaking the Word – Page 2523 – Rev. Dr. Victor Antonyraj SDB

18.02.10 CROSS

Posted under Reflections on February 17th, 2010 by

Let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. (Lk 9,23)

Following Jesus is not following any dogmas and rules and rituals. It is following a person. It is going behind a person; literally, it is following the foot steps of the leader. That is why when peter rebuked him saying that he should not go to Jerusalem; Jesus answered him saying that he should come after him. In fact he tells him “Get behind me Satan” because your thinking is not in line with that of God.

So a follower is to get behind the master and walk and the disciple should in no way take up the leader’s role in front of the master.

If the master is going to have an end, that is, going to a death on the cross the disciples also should be ready for that. Here the cross is not the daily difficulties and problem one faces. These are there even for the non-believers.

For Jesus the cross meant that he was alone, that he was insulted and humiliated because he followed the way of God. He wanted to do the will of the father. In the same way a disciple should be ready for a death that will included insults, humiliations, loneliness etc.

All these crosses come and they come daily because they follow Jesus. This is the self denial that Jesus speaks here.

17.02.10 RELIGIOUS PRACTICES

Posted under Reflections on February 16th, 2010 by

And whenever you fast,…Father who sees in secret will reward you

( Mt 6,16-17)

Every religion has its own dogmas, rules, liturgies, religious

practices etc. Judaism also had its own pious practices.

The three main pious practices of Judaism, at the time

of Jesus, were prayer, fasting and alms-giving.

Interestingly these three are based on relationships.

Fasting stands for one’s relationship within himself/herself.

Alms-giving represents one’s relationship with the other.

Prayer speaks for one’s relationship with God.

Hence, these practices are mainly to build relationships.

They are not actions for any other profits or motives.

And these practices are also not for a show.

They are not for rewards or applause from the viewers.

They are solely to build relationship.

At the end of the season of lent if one comes out with a

better relationship with God, with the other, and with

oneself then we can say that, the individual has

practiced the religion well.

This is what prophet Micah 6, 8 says. Israelites believed

that this verse gives the summary of the Old Testament.

Even if the whole of the Old Testament were to be lost,

then this verse could be a source of re-writing the bible.

"O man, he has told you what is good, and what does the

Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness

and to walk humbly with your God?"

This verse also speaks of the three relationships.

Probably Jesus had this verse at the back of

his mind when he spoke of the religious practices.

Every religious practice is to build the right relationship:

with God, with the other and with oneself.