Thursday, January 27, 2011

WHO HAS, WILL BE GIVEN MORE – JANUARY 27TH – THURSDAY (Mk 4: 21-25)


1. The words of Jesus on the correct place and function of the lamp are a warning. It is common sense that a lamp comes to be placed on a stand, so that its light can illuminate the surrounding. When privilege is given to someone, it is not to be hidden nor kept in secret.

2. The secret of the kingdom of God is given so that it will be made manifest and come to light. Jesus’ words are directed to the disciples. They are privileged, but they also have serious responsibility to manifest the light.

3. True disciples must have right hearing, recognizing that much has been given to them. Yet more will be given to those ‘inside,’ while those ‘outside’, who have closed their ears definitively to the word of Jesus, lose every privilege. The disciples of Jesus are urged to recognize the responsibilities that are theirs.

4. The measure to which a person gives himself to know the truth determines his reward. The energy, effort, and degree of commitment, the time and depth of thought- all that a person gives to know the truth – determines his reward.

5. In our life there is always a balance. Our getting will be determined by our giving.

· This is true of study. The more study we are prepared to give to any subject, the more we will get from it.

· It is true of worship: The more we bring to the worship of God’s house, the more we will get from it.

· It is true of personal relationship: One of the facts of life is that we see our reflection in other people. If we are cross and irritable and bad-tempered, we will probably find other people equally unpleasant and the vice –versa.

Very few may object to this fact, that the more one gives the more one receives. It is true in all the cases. The one who is generous with his/her talents, money, time and resources will get it back hundredfold. Of course receiving it back hundredfold, should not be the primary motive. One of my friends was sharing with me today, that he spent 1000 rupees from his pocket to buy Marian statues to distribute to the poor families and he received 1500 rupees that same day from an unknown person. Recently I had the experience of giving the best seller ‘Purpose driven life’ which I bought to present it to my close friend, to one of the priests whom I met casually in the Railway station. That priest gave me, in spite of my resistance, more money than I spent for the book and moreover I received another best seller ‘Talk like Jesus’ that same evening from my Regional Superior. In losing we lose nothing, but we only gain.

Courtesy
The Preacher’s Outline and the Sermon Bible
The Gospel of Mark – A commentary by Francis Moloney
William Barclay- the New Daily Study Bible.

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