July 2017 - Anbiyam meeting - Topic and reflection from Rev. Fr. Peter Chinnappan

Matthew 10:37-42

Jesus said to his apostles: "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

"Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because the little one is a disciple—amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward."

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Reflection:

A poor boy would always pass by a store in their neighborhood to ask for food that he could bring home to feed his sick father. He would always do this every day for the simple reason that the store owner was kindhearted.

After a few days had passed the store owner was wondering how come the boy was not passing by his store anymore. So he asked the people around the neighborhood about the boy and he was told that the boy’s family transferred to the city to stay with a relative.

After twenty years the store owner was now old and sick thus he already closed the store because no one would tend to it anymore. One day a young rich man was looking for the man who owned the store. So the young man was brought to the former store owner.

There he introduced himself to be the boy who would ask for food that he could bring to his sick father. The eyes of the sick man glowed and he asked: Why are you here? The rich man said: “I am here to give back your goodness.” He therefore brought the sick man to the hospital, paid for all of his hospital bills. When he was discharged he invited the old man to stay with him for good.

In the gospel, Jesus talks about giving back to ‘those who do good’ to his followers. What does this mean? This simply means that whatever good that we do to those who follow Jesus, will receive back a hundredfold.  

Of course we all know that Jesus doesn’t want us to limit our acts of goodness to His followers only. Jesus wants us to do good to anyone who is in need: To the poor loitering in the street, to the beggar asking for alms, to a relative who ask for help and the like. ‘We do good not because we want something in return someday’. We do good for the simple reason that we simply want to obey Jesus and share our blessings with others.       

When was the last time “you did good to somebody in need”?

Yes, some of you helped one of our families and hundreds lepers who you have not seen.

1. Are you interested to continue to help if any person is in need whom you seen or not seen?

Your reward will be great.

2. Do you encourage your children to be charitable with their savings if any? Toys? Food?
3. Do you expect that whenever you do something for others, you will be repaid?
4. Take some concrete steps to accept you painful moments every day and offer for the conversion of others.

Rev. Fr. Peter Chinnappan