Jesus was resolutely walking along the way to Jerusalem. It was a purposeful walk. He was going to live out the climax of his earthly mission with his passion, death and resurrection. He just finished a formation session with his apostles during which he had given them long instructions, even predicted the type of death that awaited him in the Capital. He walked ahead, confident that they have understood his mission and would follow it worthily. The situation was full of forebodings about the future of the Messiah and of his Kingdom.
As he walked along there was a heated discussion among the apostles some ten feet behind. It started in subdued tones, then in the heat of the debate the pitch was raised and Jesus could pick up the main content. He was disappointed, and even amused, because he understood the human heart. They reached the house and the conversation behind abruptly stopped.
“What were you talking about on the way?”
Silence…
“I asked a question.”
Silence continued. It was a silence of shame. They felt comfortable and unashamed to talk about it among themselves. Now they surmised that Jesus had overheard, and they were ashamed. Do we not all often stop a conversation when someone we respect comes along? We wouldn’t discuss such things in front of him or her?
“Well, have you been arguing about who is the greatest among you?”
Still that embarrassed and pregnant silence continued. They had not been doing only that. They were also picking a quarrel with James and John in particular, because the latter had approached the Lord through their mother for special favours in the Kingdom.
Jesus was now teasing them: “Any conclusions? Results of the debate? Are the arguments inconclusive?”
Peter spoke up as usual: “Lord, please spare us this ignominy. We were just casually talking about…”
Jesus brushed aside the excuse. “There is only one way to decide on the issue, a secret ballot. Let us do a bit of voting to see who wins.”
The apostles did not know how to react. They were unsure whether Jesus was serious or was out to pull their legs.
Jesus pulled out a box, and some paper pieces. He distributed the paper among them and told them to vote for the one they considered greatest among them, the one who could take up leadership. He collected the pieces in the box.
Once everyone had voted, he took the papers and read each of them quietly to himself first. When he finished he burst into laughter. To the intrigued apostles he showed the papers and announced the results:
“All of you are the greatest. All of you have received equal number of votes, one each,” he said still laughing heartily.
There was a deadly silence among the apostles. Jesus made them all sit down and began speaking to them.
“I have been talking to you for a long time. I told you that the men of this world lord it over others but it should not be so among you. And yet there is a frenetic competition for posts among you. One of you asked what you would get for leaving everything and following me. Two others were asking for seats on the right and the left. And now, this argument. I wonder whether such bickering will ever stop in my Church?
Do you want to be the first really? Then don’t look for posts on my right and my left. It is not for me to grant them, but my Father. There will be always competition there and you will lose.
If you want to be a sure winner, sit at my feet, and at the feet of the poor of Yahweh. There is no competition there. There you can really be first and the greatest.”
Thursday, January 24, 2008
2. The Lost Sheep (Lk 15: 1-7)
When Jack – that was the name of the lost sheep – was being carried on the shoulder by the Shepherd into the house, there was an eruption of joyful cries among those present.
“Congratulations!” they shouted to the Shepherd, who was visibly happy.
He let Jack solemnly down in the midst of the rejoicing crowd. They watched him as if he were a VIP!
“Let us celebrate the arrival of our loved one who was lost. I tell you solemnly, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over 99 just who never sinned at all!”
Jack was taken aback by all this. When he strayed he had been frightened, and more so when he was discovered. To his surprise, the Shepherd had not shown even the minimum of anger but only love and compassion, and even pure joy. And now, this celebration… He began to realize that he was precious.
But then, Jack began slowly to enjoy his newly attained celebrity status. All were dancing around him. It was indeed a grand feast. The Shepherd told them the story of how he managed to find Jack. He was told to give a speech. He was never given that kind of privilege before. His ego began to swell. He stood up and hesitantly said: “I never knew that my Shepherd and all of you loved me so much. Thank you!”
A few months passed. And the VIP was once again one among the other sheep. There was no particular attention given to him by anyone. Jack regretfully recalled his moment of limelight. He disliked this anonymity and boredom. He badly wanted some applause.
Slowly an idea formed in his head. Why not get lost again? Day by day the idea gripped him more and so, one fine day Jack got lost again, not very far from the farm. He expected a fast search and easy find and hence he did not even take food and provisions with him. Three days passed even before anyone realized that he was missing. When they noticed, they reported the absence to the Shepherd.
The Shepherd looked a bit callous. He did not rush into immediate action and took no action for another three days. In the meanwhile Jack was starving to death in his hiding. He contemplated coming back by himself and giving some explanation of his having lost the way or something like that. But then he could not forgo the possibility of grabbing the limelight again. In another day, he was so weak that even if he wished he could not go back by himself. He lay there in fear and tears, awaiting his impending death.
The next day he could faintly hear a small search party coming along. Slowly one of his companions came to his hiding place and he was “discovered”. They gave him some milk and fruits. When he had regained some strength he looked pitiably at the Shepherd and said: “Lord, why did you not look for me? I almost died.” The Shepherd said with a smile: “Jack, last time you were lost. But now you were hiding!”
“Congratulations!” they shouted to the Shepherd, who was visibly happy.
He let Jack solemnly down in the midst of the rejoicing crowd. They watched him as if he were a VIP!
“Let us celebrate the arrival of our loved one who was lost. I tell you solemnly, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over 99 just who never sinned at all!”
Jack was taken aback by all this. When he strayed he had been frightened, and more so when he was discovered. To his surprise, the Shepherd had not shown even the minimum of anger but only love and compassion, and even pure joy. And now, this celebration… He began to realize that he was precious.
But then, Jack began slowly to enjoy his newly attained celebrity status. All were dancing around him. It was indeed a grand feast. The Shepherd told them the story of how he managed to find Jack. He was told to give a speech. He was never given that kind of privilege before. His ego began to swell. He stood up and hesitantly said: “I never knew that my Shepherd and all of you loved me so much. Thank you!”
A few months passed. And the VIP was once again one among the other sheep. There was no particular attention given to him by anyone. Jack regretfully recalled his moment of limelight. He disliked this anonymity and boredom. He badly wanted some applause.
Slowly an idea formed in his head. Why not get lost again? Day by day the idea gripped him more and so, one fine day Jack got lost again, not very far from the farm. He expected a fast search and easy find and hence he did not even take food and provisions with him. Three days passed even before anyone realized that he was missing. When they noticed, they reported the absence to the Shepherd.
The Shepherd looked a bit callous. He did not rush into immediate action and took no action for another three days. In the meanwhile Jack was starving to death in his hiding. He contemplated coming back by himself and giving some explanation of his having lost the way or something like that. But then he could not forgo the possibility of grabbing the limelight again. In another day, he was so weak that even if he wished he could not go back by himself. He lay there in fear and tears, awaiting his impending death.
The next day he could faintly hear a small search party coming along. Slowly one of his companions came to his hiding place and he was “discovered”. They gave him some milk and fruits. When he had regained some strength he looked pitiably at the Shepherd and said: “Lord, why did you not look for me? I almost died.” The Shepherd said with a smile: “Jack, last time you were lost. But now you were hiding!”
1. Curing on the Sabbath Day
(Adaptation from Lk 13: 10-17)
Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on a Sabbath and a crippled woman was there. An evil spirit had bound for eighteen years so that she could not straighten up at all.
The chief of the synagogue, a Pharisee was just waiting to see if Jesus would cure her. His name was Aminadab. There entered another Pharisee, a friend of the chief. They were both not only good friends, but staunch in their orthodox beliefs and practices. His name was Mesach.
Jesus went on teaching and his eyes turned towards this woman once in a while with some sympathy. The situation was a bit tense.
Following the eyes of Jesus, Mesach noticed the woman and was surprised to see her there. How did she manage to reach this place? She was none other than his own sister! His heart grew heavy. How many years she had been in this condition! All the prayers and medical attention were in vain. Mesach began to hope that Jesus might just…!
Jesus said: “Woman, who are you?”
“I am Deborah, Lord.”
“How long have you been sick?”
“Eighteen years.”
“Would you like to be cured?”
Aminadab interfered saying: “There are six days in which to work; come on those days to be healed and not on the Sabbath!”
Mesach butted in immediately: “Aminadab, my dear friend, we shall ask Jesus to cure her.” The brother in him got the better of the Pharisee in him.
Aminadab: “But Mesach. I am surprised. You know the law. This cannot be done on a Sabbath.”
“Well, use your brains. There are exceptions!”
“You are twisting the law Mesach. We must respect the commandments of Yahweh. I know she is your sister, but...”
Mesach now began to shout. “You are a hypocrite. Do you not unite your cow and donkey even on the Sabbath and lead them out to give them water?”
“They are poor animals and without water for an entire day they will become weak!”
“Oh, yea! I know your sympathies are more with animals than with people.”
“You are crossing the limit Mesach.”
“Who is being unreasonable? You can unite your cow on the Sabbath, because it is your cow. Who is more precious in the eyes of the Lord, the cow or the human person?”
Aminadab was fuming but said nothing.
Mesach continued: “Here is a daughter of Abraham whom Satan had bound for eighteen years. Should she not be untied from here bonds just because it is Sabbath?”
“But Sabbath is sacred to the Lord.”
“Come on man! It is sacred, fine. But the Sabbath is made for man and not man for the Sabbath.”
“I am surprised Mesach. Is that you, the orthodox Pharisee?”
“Yes, that is me,” he said stubbornly.
Jesus who was watching with interest now burst out laughing. He never imagined that his own saying would reach the mouth of a Pharisee!
He got up, walked over to the woman, put his hand on her head and said: “Deborah, you are freed of your infirmity.” Immediately she was made straight and praised God.
Jesus turned to the two pharisaical friends: “I have made her straight. To chase out the evil spirit possessing her has been easy. What about you?”
All those present, particularly Aminadab and Mesach felt ashamed and lowered their heads!
Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on a Sabbath and a crippled woman was there. An evil spirit had bound for eighteen years so that she could not straighten up at all.
The chief of the synagogue, a Pharisee was just waiting to see if Jesus would cure her. His name was Aminadab. There entered another Pharisee, a friend of the chief. They were both not only good friends, but staunch in their orthodox beliefs and practices. His name was Mesach.
Jesus went on teaching and his eyes turned towards this woman once in a while with some sympathy. The situation was a bit tense.
Following the eyes of Jesus, Mesach noticed the woman and was surprised to see her there. How did she manage to reach this place? She was none other than his own sister! His heart grew heavy. How many years she had been in this condition! All the prayers and medical attention were in vain. Mesach began to hope that Jesus might just…!
Jesus said: “Woman, who are you?”
“I am Deborah, Lord.”
“How long have you been sick?”
“Eighteen years.”
“Would you like to be cured?”
Aminadab interfered saying: “There are six days in which to work; come on those days to be healed and not on the Sabbath!”
Mesach butted in immediately: “Aminadab, my dear friend, we shall ask Jesus to cure her.” The brother in him got the better of the Pharisee in him.
Aminadab: “But Mesach. I am surprised. You know the law. This cannot be done on a Sabbath.”
“Well, use your brains. There are exceptions!”
“You are twisting the law Mesach. We must respect the commandments of Yahweh. I know she is your sister, but...”
Mesach now began to shout. “You are a hypocrite. Do you not unite your cow and donkey even on the Sabbath and lead them out to give them water?”
“They are poor animals and without water for an entire day they will become weak!”
“Oh, yea! I know your sympathies are more with animals than with people.”
“You are crossing the limit Mesach.”
“Who is being unreasonable? You can unite your cow on the Sabbath, because it is your cow. Who is more precious in the eyes of the Lord, the cow or the human person?”
Aminadab was fuming but said nothing.
Mesach continued: “Here is a daughter of Abraham whom Satan had bound for eighteen years. Should she not be untied from here bonds just because it is Sabbath?”
“But Sabbath is sacred to the Lord.”
“Come on man! It is sacred, fine. But the Sabbath is made for man and not man for the Sabbath.”
“I am surprised Mesach. Is that you, the orthodox Pharisee?”
“Yes, that is me,” he said stubbornly.
Jesus who was watching with interest now burst out laughing. He never imagined that his own saying would reach the mouth of a Pharisee!
He got up, walked over to the woman, put his hand on her head and said: “Deborah, you are freed of your infirmity.” Immediately she was made straight and praised God.
Jesus turned to the two pharisaical friends: “I have made her straight. To chase out the evil spirit possessing her has been easy. What about you?”
All those present, particularly Aminadab and Mesach felt ashamed and lowered their heads!
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