Breaking the Word

Dedication of the Latern Basilica, Thursday – 09^th November 2023 — Gospel: Jn 2,13-22

Becoming and Being Church

Over the years, the Church as a universal body has been described in various images that express its different characteristics. The Church as a herald, since it is called to proclaim the Good News. The Church as a sacrament, as it acts to be a sign of God’s presence. The Church as a institution, because it organizes in many ways to bring Christ to others. The Church as a servant, as it reaches out to serve the needs of all people. The Church as a mystical body, since it is to be united with Jesus the Head.

In the second reading, Paul speaks very strongly of the Christian community as the new Temple of God, not built with inanimate stones, but with animated/spirited persons (1 Cor 3,9). With Jesus as the foundation and cornerstone, the Church is visualized as the Temple of God in which God’s presence can be experienced. In this Church edifice, Paul sees himself as a builder of people and only initiates this building work, while others will take over from him and continue it. As the people of God, the Universal Church being united with Jesus as our head, who is our brother and Saviour, continues to spread the Good News and Praise God by its service to the sisters and brothers in need. Each local Church, then, continues to “remember and reimage” itself as Church after the model of Paul and other Church leaders and strives on to “becoming and being” relevant Church for the signs of the times.

31^st Week in Ord. Time, Wednesday – 08^th November 2023 — Romans 13,8-10; Lk 14,25-33

Debt of Love

In the first reading, Paul maintains the supremacy of love. He says that the only debt we should incur with others is the debt of love, because, in loving another person we are fulfilling the requirements of the law.  The love owed to others is the one debt that can never be paid off. No matter how much we have loved, we are still under an obligation to keep on loving, including those who wish us harm. This love commandment also presumes that we love ourselves. Probably we may feel guilty about being selfish and self-centred. But that is not real self-love. Real self-love means the total recognition and acknowledgment of ourselves as we are, including both strengths and weaknesses. Most of the time, we hide our real selves by hiding behind masks and creating an image that will impress others. However, without a healthy self-love, there is a lack of inner security making it difficult to reach out in love to others. Paul’s teaching reminds one of St.Augustine’s famous dictum: “Love and do what you like” or Paul’s own saying, “Love covers a multitude of sins.” If one’s actions are motivated by a genuine love and concern for the well-being of others we cannot go wrong in any form (Rom 3,9). The sincere love remains as a measure of our quality of our Christian life.