Breaking the Word – Page 2544 – Rev. Dr. Victor Antonyraj SDB

07.01.2010 ACCORDING TO HIS CUSTOM

Posted under Reflections on January 6th, 2010 by

…and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. Lk 4,16

"Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." Lk 4,21

Oftentimes, we do speak and think that Jesus changed everything.

He never did the same thing twice over.

He was ever so creative

so innovative

so different

that he was always new and changed everything.

But today we are told that it was his custom to go to the synogogue

regularly. We also know that he went to the temple often

not only on the day to cleanse the temple.

Jesus followed certain customs which were also

in tune with the other people and

jewish culture.

But the newness that we find in Jesus, who was regular for

his visit to the synagogue,

is that he could say that the scripture is fulfilled in him.

Almost all the jews were regular for their visit to the synagogue

and so also was Jesus but no one seem to have said that

'today this passage is fulfilled in me'.

Also Jesus (himself) does not claim in this story

that all of the Old Testament was fulfilled in him

though we profess and believe.

He said that this passage is fulfilled in him.

We need to let certain passage of the Scripture be fulfilled in us.

It Could be a word (like that of Mary FIAT), or a sentence or a passage.

Let our customs/traditions be also creative and new.

The newness is in the WORD

Let the WORD be fulfilled in us thus

making us new, fresh and creative.

Because the WORD is ever so creative

06.01.2010 HE TAKES LEAVE (OF THEM)

Posted under Reflections on January 5th, 2010 by

And when he had taken leave of them, he went off to the mountain to pray. Mark 6,46

Jesus, who came among his people, to be with them, to teach them and to heal them,

takes leave of them.

He sends away the crowd and

asks his disciples to proceed to the other side of the river.

It looks as if Jesus does not want anyone to be on this/his side. Strange.

Why so?

He has just done a miracle and that too amidst a crowd of 5000 people.

And his disciples had not understood the happenings.

He leaves the people and goes on to the mountain to pray.

He could have prayed with the people.

He has prayed with the people in the Synagogues…

he has prayed in front of the people – before raising Lazarus from the tomb…

and at other times.

But this times he goes alone to pray.

This could be a time for prayer of union, with the Father-

He and the Father alone.

Probably there is no reciting /saying of prayers in this type.

But a prayer of communion or mystical union !!!

But after the prayer he is back again with his disciples.

His prayer (of communion or mystical union) only throws him

back to the people.

He leaves the people and his disciples only to come back to them

when they are in difficulties or when they are in need.

He takes LEAVE only to RE-ENTER