Breaking the Word

Chair of St.Peter, the Apostle, Tuesday – 22^nd February 2022 — Gospel: Matthew 16,13-19

Service to the Broken World

The Chair of Peter, the Apostle, is a feast which celebrates the Lord’s choice of Peter to be the servant-leader of the Church. The choice of Peter indicates what/how the Church is. On the one hand, Peter was over zealous, hasty, impulsive, spontaneous and ready to die for the Lord; On the other hand, he would deny the Lord and run away when trouble arose. Nevertheless, this is how the Lord chooses and continues to choose men and women, who are broken and yet called to heal the brokenness in the world.

Today’s feast invites us to reflect on two aspects in the Church. Firstly, the authority in the Church does not mean domination but always service.  The model of this service is Jesus and it is him that we must imitate. Secondly, as we are broken and sinners, we are called to heal the broken world. This is because like Peter, we too are chosen for the same; it was not his merit that made Peter hold the highest rank, supremacy in the Church, it was the grace of God which worked in him and held him high despite his sinfulness.

7^th Week in Ord. Time, Monday – 21^st February 2022 — Gospel: Mark 9,14-29

Sharers in Christ Power

Jesus gave the power to let the disciples try to cast out the evil spirit. In his absence, the father of the boy had expected that Jesus’ disciples would be able to act in Jesus’ name. The disciples tried to cast out an evil spirit, but they were unsuccessful and the father was disheartened. While people may not expect us to cast out demons, by our baptism each of us is called to make Christ present in the world. For example, the Samaritan woman who encountered Jesus at the well; she immediately went into the town and told the people of her experience. Likewise, the testimony of our lives should impact others; they should expect us to help them encounter Jesus. We should check whether our faith is a living faith, visible to those around us.