Faith

Change your ‘status’ – Saturday, 29th week in ordinary time – Romans 8:1-10

At one time, a man’s station or status was fixed; often governed by society or by his profession. Today with lines blurred in society and made easier by social media, we find that our ‘status’ on Instagram or Facebook can be changed on a whim if not on a fancy. St Paul tells us that the only one that can truly change our ‘status’ is Christ; for as verse one tells us that in him there is no condemnation.

What does this mean? In Chapter 7:24 A question was asked, “Wretched man that I am! who will rescue me from this body of death? That questioned is answered in chapter 8. The answer is Christ! In him there in now NO condemnation. St Paul does not say that in Christ we have less condemnation but NO CONDEMNATION. Our standing or status has not improved in Jesus Christ, it has transformed in Jesus Christ. Our status has truly changed. Interestingly, Romans 8 begins with no condemnation; it ends with no separation, and in between there is no defeat. While Romans 8:1 tells us we are free from the guilt of sin, Romans 8:2 tells us we are free from the power of sin.

St Paul tells us that God did give us the law in the form of the decalogue. The law is good and it is true; St Paul does not deny it. For example, the law can guide us, teach us, and tell us about God’s character. But the law was weakened by sinful humanity, weakened by the flesh (verse 3) The law was meant to be a moral compass but sin destroyed and corrupted it and so God had to step in and ‘send his own Son’. Notice how strong those words are. St Paul does not say that the ‘Son of God’ was sent but rather that God ‘sent his own son; as though God had to intervene personally and step in immediately.

The law could not defeat sin; it could only detect sin. Only Jesus can defeat sin, and He did just that through His work on the cross. In order to defeat sin, Jesus had to identify with those bound by it. Jesus was not sinful flesh, but He identified with it entirely. He had to take on the likeness of sinful flesh and in doing that he became one with us in all things but sin so that he could enter our world and save us from sin.

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Faith

Justification, Redemption, Propitiation

Justification, Redemption, Propitiation – Thursday, 28th week in ordinary time – Romans 3:21-30

So far, Paul has shown us how the very condition of human beings without the Gospel calls forth God’s anger on both the Jew and Gentile. In this section he will show that a new period in human history begins with the coming of Jesus Christ. This section of verses 21-30 are the most important part of Romans which formulates the core of Paul’s good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Verse 28 of this text is also the verse which Luther added the words “ONLY” into his translation of the Bible, making this teaching a major reformation issue.

This passage and much of Romans for that matter, reveals an ethnic conflict within the Christian community in Rome (cf. Romans 14:1-15:6).Remember, Paul is addressing a mixed Church of Jews and Gentiles. By the year 54 AD, many of the Jewish Christians have returned to Rome from exile imposed by the Emperor Claudius who has now passed away. They return to find the Gentile Christians now in charge of the Church in Rome and having made some changes to dietary and calendric dates.

There is obviously some tension between the two groups. How should non-Jewish believers relate to the religious traditions of Israel? Can they become linked to the “one body in Christ” if they do not have the same religious sensibilities as others within the community? Paul’s letter addressed this ethnic conflict, which was also a religious one.

Today’s text begins with the words “but now”. These words provide the most glorious transition from the judgment of Romans 3:20 to the justification of Romans 3:21. It marks a new era that is inaugurated, a new covenant that has begun. An era which supersedes the law, circumcision and the promises . It speaks of the newness of God’s work in Jesus Christ – it really is a New Covenant.

For Paul, the law by itself cannot save us, but God reveals his plan of salvation by sending his son Jesus Christ. We will be now made righteousness through Jesus and this is not a novelty; Paul didn’t “invent” it. It was predicted long ago, the Old Testament said this righteousness was coming.

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Faith

28th Sunday in ordinary time – Mark – 10:17-30

There were many things going right for the rich young man in the narrative today. He was rich, he was young (Matthew’s gospel tell us so) and he was a man! That last word may sound sexist but in Palestine, that’s what went in your favour. Women would not even find a mention. And yet while everything sounds right and the narration seems to begin with pomp and joy, it fizzles out ending in a sad departure.

The rich young ruler (Luke’s gospel) has all things working for him. The problem perhaps was the superficiality in his desire to seek the truth. He wanted some ‘cool advice’ from this new rabbi on the block. A rabbi, everyone seemed to be talking about. His address, ‘good master’ is a bit unprecedented in the Bible which indicates that this greeting was effusive and obsequious. Jesus spots the fake praise right away.

‘Get on with it’ would be Jesus’ modern day reply. The flattery was evident and Jesus wanted to cut to the chase. There seems to be a sense of arrogance in this young ruler who thought that he could buy his way to heaven. You see, the problem is not rich people per se; Jesus is condemning the arrogance behind a rich person who relies on his wealth only. ‘What must I DO’, is the young rulers question; almost suggesting that his wealth could buy him a place in heaven if not that he had the power. Jesus does not respond with a ‘to do list’ to go to heaven. Jesus simply sates what the young man ought to have done.

Interestingly the young man’s claim is that he has ‘kept all these ‘from his youth. The all these being, a section of the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) that Jesus mentions. But Jesus has not completed the list when he was interrupted by the young man’s boast. To his boastful claim of ‘keeping ALL these things, Jesus then adds the first and fundamental commandment. He does so in such an innocuous way that it leaves the young man shocked.

Jesus goes to the heart of the matter. The first commandment was that God alone is God and to love Him with all one’s heart and soul is the most fundamental of all the commandments. This young man had made money, his God. He worshiped his things more than his God and this was his ‘idol’ this was his sin.

Jesus’ command to sell everything and follow him was radical. For a Jew, wealth was a blessing from God and one who was blessed with wealth had an obligation to give alms to the poor. Jesus’ call to discipleship seemed to deprive this young man of his ‘God given blessing’ to wealth and the obligation to care for the poor.

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Faith

Performance not Privilege – Wednesday, 28th Week in ordinary time – Romans 2:1-11

We know that St Paul did not found the Church in Rome. Hence in writing to them he is eager to complete his mission of preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles and where better to do it than in Rome, the heart of the Roman Empire. In this letter to the Romans Paul makes a great point, namely that the Gospel “is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (1:16). The whole purpose of the letter is to explain that all of us, both Jews and Gentiles, are guilty before God owing to sin, and that the only escape is through the free gift of God in the redemption wrought by Jesus Christ.

Chapter two begins with the word ‘therefore’. This word indicates that something is being concluded before something else is being communicated. In the last chapter Paul painted a picture of the deplorable condition of the Gentiles. Clearly in 1:20 he states that the Gentiles are “without excuse” for “though they knew God they did not honour him as God or give thanks to him but they became futile in their thinking. Therefore God gave them up in the lust of their hearts to impurity.” After his general indictment of the Gentiles, Paul shows that in spite of special revelations, the Jews enjoy no advantage in moral status before God over the Gentiles(Rom 3:1–8).

While writing his thoughts on the matter, St Paul also anticipated a whole class of people who would say “amen” to what he had said about the Gentiles in chapter two. Perhaps some of the Jewish Christians in Rome and even perhaps some of us in our homes today must be thinking, ‘how right Paul is; how terrible the world outside the Church has become, how deluded people are, perhaps even how deluded some of us used to be, before we followed Christ.’ But in saying this we also mean how righteous we are as compared to others. We wish to be set apart from the others because we believe that we are the moralist who have kept God’s word to the tee.

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Opinion

My dear parishioners,

As you are aware the government has now permitted the opening of Churches from the 7th of October 2021. This is a happy day for us as it is also the memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary. There is a saying that I like very much; ‘where the mind goes the man follows.’ I do hope our minds are on the Lord in which case we will see ALL of you in Church in the days to come. The government advisory does not forbid those above the age of 65 and those below the age of 10 from attending mass; it discourages but does not forbid.

After having consulted certain bodies in the parish I wish to announce the following details that will help you in the days to come. The Holy Eucharist will be celebrated at 7 am and 7 pm on weekdays. The Sunday obligation can be fulfilled on Saturday evening at 7 pm or on Sunday at 7 am, 8.30 am and 10 am. We will also have a mass on Sunday evening at 6 pm. Please note that the Sunday 7 am mass will be in Konkani while the Sunday 6 pm mass will be bi-lingual keeping in mind several Hindi speaking parishioners. Please note that the mass timings will be reviewed if we feel the need to increase the number of masses over the weekend.

Funeral masses will now be celebrated in Church on weekdays at 10 am or 4 pm and on Sundays at 4 pm only. Please consult the parish priest before making any announcements with regard to funerals. We are also happy that those couples desiring to be joined in Holy Matrimony may now be able to do so in Church. If the wedding mass is on a Sunday, please note that the same can only be held at 5 pm as we are leaving a slot free at 4 pm for a possible funeral and that the next mass is at 6 pm. Baptisms will now be held every Sunday at 11.30 am only. Confessions will be heard on Saturdays at 6pm and I will try my best to be available to you for confessions before every mass.

The Cardinal’s directive advices us to accommodate only 1/3rd of the seating capacity of the Church. Hence will be able to seat 150 people for any liturgical ceremony. To make things easy for everyone, please follow the instructions of the ushers strictly. I have asked the ushers to always be polite but that request must also be mutual. The ushers are here for your safety but even more the safety of all. You are obliged to listen to the ushers. We also request you to please come to Church at least 10 minutes before Mass can begin to be assured of a seat as we will be open on a first come first serve basis. Kindly observe all covid protocols in Church.

Henceforth, the parish office will be open from Monday to Friday from 10 am to 12.30 pm and from 3 pm to 6.30 pm. On Saturdays we will be open only in the morning. I am available every day in the parish office from 10 am to 1pm. However, it makes better sense to call and make an appointment. Now that the doors of our Church will be open, we will no longer be broadcasting the Sunday Mass. I want to thank those on the online mass team for the commendable job they did the last three months.

Finally, I look forward to seeing you all in Church. Let us ‘rejoice as we hear the people say; let’s go to the temple of the Lord.” (Psalm 122). See you in Church!

REVISED MASS TIMINGS

Weekday Mass

Holy Eucharist will be celebrated at 7 am and 7 pm
Funeral Mass: 10 am or 4 pm

Weekend Obligation/Services/Sacraments

Saturday Mass at 7 pm
Confessions at 6 pm

Sunday Morning Masses:

7am (Konkani), 8.30 and 10 am.
Baptism: 11.30 am
Funeral Mass: 4pm
Wedding Mass: 5 pm
Sunday Evening Mass: 6 pm (bi-lingual)

Note: Mass timings will be reviewed and revised as and when there is a need to increase the number of masses over the weekend.

Fr Warner D’Souza
Parish Priest

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