Reflection on gospel of Matthew 16:13-17 By Jithin kalan cmi

Reflection on gospel of Matthew 16:13-17 

I walk by holding Christ’s hand. He is the only one consoling voice for me. The above quote is by Malayalam veteran writer Perumbadavam Sreedharan which was published in the Sunday supplement of Malayalamanorama on 3^rd September 2006. It clearly pictures out the fact that for Perumbadavam, Christ is the person who walks by him and becomes a consoling voice. The reading of the day invites us to reflect on the relationship between Christ and us. We see that Peter proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah, Son of the living God. What was that which strengthened him to speak out such a way? It is nothing but his own personal touch and experience with Christ.

There is a story which goes like this. Every day in the night the daughter runs to father and asks him “Papa, could you please tell a story?” when she cries for a story, he takes her on his lap and says the story. Later she used to fall asleep. It was the only story which father knows. It happened every day in the same line so the father got bored. He worked out an idea that he just recorded the story in a cassette. The same day when the daughter asked for story he played the cassette. But before the conclusion of the story there was a big sound. The daughter had thrown the tape recorder against the wall. Father immediately reached the room and got angry and asked her, “Why did you behave like this?” she said I can hear the story only through this cassette, but I cannot sit on papa’s lap. I want to hear the story on sitting Pap’s lap.

This story highlights the notion that knowledge will be blurred which has no personal consent. It will make clearer by the words of Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple Company who died couple of weeks ago: “Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition”

It is a big question in front of us. As we are Christians do we have our own stand to say who Christ is for me? If we are able, we will be blessed with all the graces that St. Peter was showered upon by Christ. If not, our words and deeds become like beating around the bush as St. Paul proclaimed: “if Christ is not raised, my speech becomes in vain”. So let us button up ourselves to have a clear cut knowledge and experience of Christ through our gospel oriented and prayer life. Let me wind up by spelling out a quote often we hear “Your life should become a fifth Gospel which could be read by many.”
 Jithin kalan CMI

Prophet Elijah A Reflection

“ Then Elijah said to all the people come closer to me and all the people came closer to him. First he repaired the alter of the Lord that had been thrown down(1 King 18: 30).”  The very person Elijah reminds us to build up or to repair the alter of the lord. When we go back to the period of Elijah it is true that he repaired the alter which they used to offer sacrifice. In our era or this 2G world what actually  Elijah means of repairing the alter is nothing but repairing ourselves. We have to meditate it with the words of St. Paul saying don’t you know that you are the temple of Holy spirit? Being human and christian what all things do we need to repair or to reconstruct? First let us turn back to our prayer life. It is said that Elijah was very zealous for God. He silently conveys the message that to be with God or to have God experience we should inculcate a zealous mind and heart to lead a good prayer life.

Paulo Cohelo in his book Fifth Mountain writes “ Life becomes meaningful when it has an aim in front of it.” Let us think of ourselves . What is my real aim or do I have a goal to realize as human and christian? If not try to have one, otherwise we will be just like others who swim along with the current. Oxford dictionary defines Prophet as person sent by God to teach the people  and give them the messages from God. ‘ URIM’ and ‘TUMIM’ are the beautiful words we see in the book of Leviticus. This is what priests used to keep close to their chest to know the messages from Yaweh. Prophet Elijah asks us not to keep but to carry Jesus in our hearts. Old testament clearly pictures out that prophets were the persons who stood agonst all kinds of immoral acts. We log in our day both with a bed coffe and breaking news like corruption, bribe, injustice and etc.Growing as a spokepersons of God  what is our attitude and apptitude towards these kinds of immoral acts? Are we in the edge of seat to realize the Kingdom of God here in the earth? It is the second aspect which Elijah gives us to ponder over.

“Opportunities can come as disguised.” It is an ancient saying. Thirdly Elijah calls us to pay our attention on opportunities. Never turn our face from the realm of troubles and struggles, instead we have to makse use of the opportunities to gain more valuable things, remember what Jesus said “Unless and untill a seed of wheat unties itself remains us a seed of wheat if it explores bear fruits 100,60,30. Elijah’s life glance makes it more better he did everything from God experience that he had. Philosophy begins with know thyself, Epstemology begins with I think therefore I am, and Theology begins with word that became God but Prophecy with thy God and Lord. There can be no self understanding with out God understanding.

Introduction- Delivered on the festal eve of Prophet Elijah.

Jithin Kalan CMI