A Message from Fr. Jay
Dear Friends,
Brian G. Dyson was a famous CEO of Coco-Cola Enterprises in 1991. His speech is still viral on the internet. He gave a speech on “juggling 5 balls of life”. In his own words,
“Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them – work, family, health, friends, and spirit – and you’re keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls – family, health, friends, and spirit – are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life”.
Reconciliation creates balance. Balancing one’s life is not that simple. It needs love….greater love that would boldly face any hurt, fight ego, and practice humility. Reconciliation is not mere forgiveness; rather, it is loaded up with responsibility as well. The first reading speaks about such responsibility…”(if) you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way, the wicked shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death.”
In the Gospel, Jesus indicates who should consider the first step toward reconciliation. It’s always you and me, even when we were not the cause of the problem. Why? Because we have taken His name upon us: “Christians”. “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them’. Sometimes our self-righteousness, judgmental attitude, or selfishness either delay or totally avoid reconciliation. Let us remember the words of St. Paul in the Second Reading, “Love is the fulfillment of the law”.
We learn many good things from reconciliation. It is recommended to watch a motivational video on the YouTube named “Be proud of your scars” by a young man from Thailand named Sean Buranahiran. This video leaves us with a big lesson to learn from our past.
As we celebrate Grandparents’ Day this weekend, let us take time to remember, pray, call, visit, or spend a little time with our grandparents who helped us to taste the unconditional love in our families.
Let us also remember the innocent lives lost in 9/11. Many first responders sacrificed their lives to save at least a few. Let us always remember their love and sacrifice. God bless America!
God Bless,
Fr. Jay Raju
- Reading 1: Ezekiel 33:7-9
- Reading 11: Romans 13:8-10
- Gospel: Mathew 18:15-20
