Friday May 16, 2008: 2:14-24, 26; Mark 8:34–9:1

St. James challenges us today to match up our faith with actions. We can pray for all the poor in the world, we can pray for all the sick in the world, we can pray for the hungry in the world, if we cannot match up our prayers with some action, our faith is in vain. It is understandable if we do not have, but if we have, but do not give, in vain are our prayers. Christianity is a practical religion. Jesus Christ consistently showed this when he was here on earth. He did not only feed the people with spiritual bread, he also fed their immediate physical hunger. How many times have people brought great needs to us and even though we can help them, we assured them of our prayers and did not do anything practically to help them. I do not want to underestimate the power of prayer for those in need, but Jesus Christ uses also as instruments to answer those prayers of faith.

How can you help those who are in need today?

John 10: 31-42, (Friday, March 14, 2008)

The people are trying to stone Jesus Christ for the sin of blasphemy. He is claiming that he is “I Am” i.e. he is God. For them, there is nothing in him that says he is the Messiah they have been expecting. They know his parents, they know about his birth, they know every bit of his human history. All these do not match up to their expectations of the messiah.

In this gospel, Jesus Christ is saying to them, do not just believe me because of my talk, look around and see the works I have done. Are these works not speaking for themselves. In our Christian journey, they got to be a point we must stop do the talking, and let the works we do speak for us. It does not make any point if I preach about the need to help the poor, if people can see us as a church helping the poor. The works of Jesus, made many people to believe in him. Rather than tell the people what the bible says about Jesus Christ, let us begin to live lives in which people would see Jesus in us.

How can you be Christ-like today?

John 5: 31-37, (Thursday, March 6, 2008)

During elections, candidates are always eager to get endorsements of prominent persons; they want those persons to testify to their suitability for the office. As Christians, sometimes, we seek these kinds of endorsements. We want people to say how good Christians we are. We do many things not because they come from our inside, but because we want to show people how Christian or holy we are. In the gospel of today, Jesus Christ alludes to the endorsements he has received from John the Baptist, from Moses, from the scripture itself. He says all these endorsements are nothing to him, compared to his works in relation to his relationship with the Father. He says, “I have testimony greater than John’s. The works that the Father gave me to accomplish, these works that I perform testify on my behalf.”

The way we live our lives in and out of the Church give testimony for us; and not what the pastor or some member of the parish council says about us. Jesus Christ tells us in the gospel of John that it is by the way we love that other people will know that we are truly his disciples. Rather than seeking the praise of men and women, let us let the fruits of our work speak for us.

What are the fruits of your Christian life?