WEEKLY E-MAGAZINE 66/11-18/7/2021

Carlo Voice

AA WWeeeekklllyy EE---MMaaggaazziiinnee,,, ppuubbllliiissshheedd iiinn vviiieeww oofff fffoosssttteerriiinngg TTrruuee TTeeaacchhiiinnggsss oofff CCaattthhoollliiicc CChhuurrcchh Chief Editors- Bro. Ephrem Kunnappally and Bro. John Kanayankal

Contributing Editors Very Rev.Joychen Paranjattu, Vicar General- Diocese of Rajkot Rev.Fr. Shanthi Puthusherry, PIME Rev. Fr. Sunny Kuttikkattu CMI Rev. Fr. Philip Kunnumpurath

Spiritual Patrons His Holiness Francis HB Ibrahim Isaac Sedrak, Coptic Catholic HB Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, Marionite Patriarch HB Ignace Joseph III Younan, Syriac Catholic Patriarch HB Joseph Absi, Melkite Catholic Patriarch HB Louis Raphaël I Cardinal Sako, Chaldean Patriarch HB Gregoire Pierre XX Ghabroyan of Cilicia, Armenian Catholic Patriarch HB George Alencherry- Major of Syro-Malabar Church HE Moran Mor Cardinal Cleemis Mar Baselius Catholicos, of Syro-Malankara Church HB Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa Jeruslem Catholic Patriarch HE Cardinal , CBCI- Chairman and Archbishop of Bombay HG Joshua Mar Ignatius, Vice Chairman CBCI- Mavelikara Metropolitan Bishop HG Domenico Sorrentino, Assisi-Nocera Umbra-Gualdo Tadino HE Philiopose Mar Stephanose, Syro- Malankara Bishop of Canada HE Mar George Madathikandathil Bishop of Kothamagalam HE Mar Prince Antony Panengadan Bishop of Adilabad HE Thomas Dabre, Bishop of Poone Dr.Nicola Ghori, Postulator Cause of Carlo Acutis Madam Antonia Salzano, Madre de Carlo Acutis

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HHoommiillyy ooff HHiiss BBeeaattiittuuddee PPaattrriiaarrcchh PPiieerrbbaattttiissttaa PPiizzzzaabbaallllaa

July 11, 2021

Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B

“Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” are words of the Gospel of John (14:9) summarizing the style of the mission of Jesus in the midst of men. Words that say Jesus came not to announce Himself, in bringing a message to all – no matter how new, nice and interesting – centered on His person. Jesus came to bring men something “more” than Himself: He brought the Father.

How was He able to do this?

Jesus is so united to Him, is so much in relationship with the Father, so obedient and living in His life, that anyone who has seen Him has not only seen Jesus: He has seen the love of the Father, His tenderness, His mercy; he has encountered His Kingdom, the Kingdom that is made near (Mk 1:15).

If Jesus had not come, man would have been able to build his own idea of God, more or less close to the truth: but could never encounter Him. In Jesus, instead, God is made One Who can be encountered.

This premise helps us to enter the passage of today’s Gospel.

Jesus sends His disciples on a mission, and therefore to do exactly what He did: to make the Father accessible, to bring His Kingdom everywhere.

Mark has already told us about their call: in Mk 3:13 it is written that Jesus goes up a mountain, calls His disciples to Himself, forms a group of twelve. And He does this for two reasons: first, that the disciples may be with Him, and second, that they go to preach, with the power to expel evil.

This dynamic of staying and then going is the heart of the Christian life.

The disciple is with the Lord, lives in intimacy and with knowledge of Him. Not a superficial knowledge, such as that of Nazarenes that we saw last Sunday; but an “existential” knowledge, that happens in the life of those who have been saved, who have learned in their wounds that they can put their hope in the Lord. So then, when he is sent to preach to others the Gospel, the disciple not bring himself, but brings Him, brings the relationship that makes him live: whoever sees the disciple, in some way sees something of the Lord who sent him.

A disciple who lives only the first gesture would make no sense of staying with the Lord. Unlike other religious or philosophical schools, the aim of the follower of Christ does not lead to the safety of the master’s house, does not end in the relationship with him. On the contrary, it opens the way to sending, to the other, to the world, and so to insecurity and danger.

But neither would the life of a disciple who lives only the second gesture make sense: he who departs without first “having stayed”, without having his heart turned to the Lord, brings only himself, and does not save anyone, because he is not clothed in the same authority of the Lord.

Therefore, whoever chooses to announce the Lord exposes himself to difficult trials, insecurities, misunderstandings.

He must not do anything to seek these, but he must not do anything to avoid them; for this reason, the only instructions that Jesus hastens to give to His disciples pertains to what they must not bring, that which they do not need: since they live in relationship with Him, they do need nothing else. Jesus leaves them in a situation of uncertainty so that going they can first experience the Providence that accompanies them.

Interestingly, in this regard, according to different exegetes, with today’s passage starts a section of the gospel of Mark’s called “the loaves”; so called because the theme of bread will return several times in the course of these chapters. And the first time it appears right here, in dispatching them on the mission, and it appears as absent, as something that the disciples should not take with them; in the course of the following chapters, bread is abundant, and Jesus will multiply twice, and He will do it for all, Jews and pagans. Whoever leaves without bread, discovers that this bread will not be wanting, like the refuge and help of the Lord will never be wanting.

The disciples will thus be able to announce that God, made near in Jesus, is a God who provides, a God who makes Himself bread. And they will not do it only in words, but with the same attitude of need and precariousness, an attitude that, alone, speaks of the One in whom they have placed confidence.

Then the instructions of Jesus on not bringing bread, bag, money, are not simply an ascetic tactic, nor a choice of poverty. They are the natural and consequent style of those who entrust themselves to the Lord, and therefore do not seek in every way possible to secure life for themselves: they receive it.

They receive it from the Father, but they also receive it from those who receive their announcement, who will welcome them in homes and share bread with them: it will be in this mutual sharing of life that the announcement of the gospel can be fulfilled.

Finally, the disciples are sent two by two: because the missionary is not a solitary hero, but a man of communion. And the proclamation of the Kingdom is not an individualistic, but fraternal and communal act, in witness of the new life that does not exist except in communion.

+ Pierbattista

Rev.Fr.Joychen Paranjattu

Lk 14 Humility and Hospitality

Jesus was a man of great observation. He could analyse and see a person’s character by simple observation of his behaviour. He had noticed a poor widow depositing two copper coins into the treasury and appreciated her wholehearted offering even though the rich had deposited bigger amounts out of their abundance. Jesus again notices ‘how the guests chose the places of honour’ and gives them an important exhortation: “For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Lk 14:11).It is not easy to see people who are really humble and gentle. Most of the people want to outshine the rest and be first in the society receiving lot of respect and honour. The businesspeople make profits at the cost of the other. The rich think of becoming richer daily and would spend any amount of money to revel and to go after the pleasures and comforts of the world. Usually, they would not pay attention to the poor and the suffering and offer them a helping hand.

Jesus reminds his audience that they need to humble themselves in order to be honoured by others in future. If one chooses the place of honour without being asked to, may be requested to give space to someone else more distinguished than he, by the one who invited both of them; and that would be a moment of disgrace for the one who had chosen the place of honour at first. Therefore, Jesus teaches everyone that the moment of honour comes, when one chooses the lowest place, and is asked to move up higher by the host. It is the one who thinks that he is great and is proud, who belittles others and prefers places of honour.1Pet 5:5-6 “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time”. It is the Lord who really exalts the just humble persons. It is important to be away from the company of the proud; for the book of Sirah 13:1 says: “whoever associates with a proud person becomes like him”.It is important to associate with the humble to be like them.

Humility does not mean belittling of oneself. It demands self-respect. Book of Sirach educates: “My child, honour yourself with humility, and give yourself the esteem you deserve” (Sir 10:28). Jesus tells us to invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind for a luncheon or a dinner, instead of inviting the rich neighbours, friends, your brothers or relatives. The reason is that if they invite you in return, you will be repaid on earth itself, while the poor will not be able to invite you in return and God will reward you for your kind gesture. What is important is the reward that comes from God and not the praises from the human beings. Prophet Elijah after havingbuilt the altar prayed to the Lord to listen to his prayers that the people may turn to the Lord their God. He did not want any glory for himself, but rather, wanted the glory of God revealed to the people. A proud person believes in his own abilities and trusts himself more than others. He is not humble enough to pray to the Lord.

The apostles who had chosen to respond to Jesus’ call, followed him in humility, listened to him, saw his miracles and learned from his teachings. He himself washed their feet and asked them to wash one another’s feet. The disciples are taught not to consider themselves as great, but rather, as servants willing to serve the rest. The humble apostlesremained with himand God raised them up and worked many signs and wonders through their hands. It is unimaginable from a human point of view to see the spiritual gifts of the Apostles. The Acts of the Apostles says thatthe people “laid the infirm in the streets, placing them on beds and stretchers, so that, as Peter arrived, at least his shadow might fall upon any one of them, and they could be freed from their infirmities” (Acts 5:15). The Apostles gave glory to God who did these things. Let humility lead one to charity and to other virtues, to glorify God’s name. Amen!

Vox Fidei- Created Spirits

by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.

This issue of the Catholic Faith concentrates on the angels. It is impossible to exaggerate the importance of understanding the role of angels in our lives. A good index of loyalty to the Catholic faith is the acceptance of angels as created by God. They are now living in two states of being: those in heaven, who also minister to our needs on earth; and those in hell, who are demons and are bent on seducing the human race from its allegiance to God.

The existence of angels, their spiritual nature, the fact that there are good and bad angels, the fall of the evil spirits of their own free will, and the role of the devil in bringing about the fall of man are doctrines of the Catholic faith solemnly proclaimed by the Church. It is not surprising that there is a flood of literature on the angels in our society today. As a people become more materialistic, their native intelligence and the grace of God arouse them to a realization that there is more to reality than just what is perceptible by the senses. They come to realize that the dictionary definition of "nonsense" as "things of no importance or value" is not true. The infinite Creator of the universe is not perceptible by the senses. But who in his right mind would say He is nonsense.

The of the twentieth century have been especially zealous in promoting devotion to the angels, and warning the faithful against the machinations of the evil spirits.

No one has improved on St. Francis de Sales' exhortation, "Make yourself familiar with the angels, and behold them frequently in spirit for, without being seen, they are present to you."

After all, that is what prayer is all about. It is communication of spirit with spirit. The more we communicate with the angelic spirits who surround us, the more closely we draw to the Almighty Spirit who is our God.