The halfbaked Bard

When Jesus was addressing the 6 "what sorrow awaits you" glimpses in Luke 11, He was dealing with hypocrisy. He was asking how can you deal with the outside without thinking of cleansing the inside.  - About cleaning the dish - Sitting in seats of honour - About walking over hidden graves - Unbearable religious demands - Monuments for prophets killed by them - Removing the key to knowledge. Religiosity is good. But piety is higher. Ritualism and legalism is well appreciated. But what is more important is truthfulness of the heart. Why do I do the things that I do. Isn't heart more important than the deeds? Isn't being more important than doing?  The thief by the side of Jesus on the cross, ended up being in paradise with Him, without doing anything great. Image credit: https://www.thespruce.com/order-for-dish-washing-1900439

Lk:11:36 If you are filled with light with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant as though a floodlight is filling you with light. Light with dark corners. Subtle compromises, for your comfort. You have the light, but there are patches around the corner. Those things which you thought that wouldn't matter. That others wouldn't notice. Subtle things which you entertain, though the Lord had asked you to take away, but you hold on to it for your own sake. If those dark corners are not there, then there would be that radiant light which illuminates your entire life. That is beautiful. Entirely filled with light. That would be blessed to be entirely illuminated by the light. Transparent. Fully transmitting the light incident on you. Not opaque. Not translucent. No shadows. Not reflective. Not refractive. Entirely, fully transmitting. Image credit: https://stock.adobe.com/images/3d-transparent-glass-heart-with-dispersion/567453309

Luke 11:28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey i t.” Our understanding of blessedness is totally miscued. We think of material blessings. We think of God pouring out benefits. But blessing is knowing Him and being able to come out of the rut of rebellion and being able to obey Him.  We think of the criteria for blessing also in a miscued way. We think doing is the way to blessing. But being is more important we forget. The same God who said go and make ye disciples to the ends of the world also said, do not fret. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. James 2:10 Going to the unreached is extremely important. So also is being a Christ like husband and a Christ embodying father at home.  It is not about doing alone. But about being as well.  Image credit: https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/giorgio-armani-designed-superyacht

Ask and shall be given to you. Seek and you shall find. Knock and the door shall be opened to you. Luke 11:9 Pray. And that's it. The Father who loves you, won't He give what is best for you. Just like an earthly father wants to give the best for his child. Wouldn't the Heavenly Father do much more? Then why wouldn't we ask, seek and knock? Because we think we are self sufficient. We think we are comfortable in the way we are. It's because of pride that we are lazy to ask.  So just pray. Pray aloud. Pray silently. Pray with others. Pray alone. Pray without ceasing. Pray desperately. Pray with tears. Pray with confidence. Father teach me to pray to you.  Image credit: https://exodus90.com/blog/spiritual-defense-deliverance-prayers-for-the-laity/

Dear Brother. Rest in peace. This life is small. Yet proved again. But you proved. Living for Christ alone matters. Trying to acquire skill  And to use your well earned medical knowledge For the poor and needy. Your words still ring in my ear. "We are alone there" Brother gone too soon. Leaving behind a legacy. Well done good and faithful servant. Enough is enough. Come back and enter the rest planned for you. In His bosom, the classic smile I can imagine. Your laughter will surely resound in heaven today. There is rejoicing in heaven  For a son has come back home. Fulfilling his Father's will for him Why should earth be gloomy?  For he is home.

Mary has discovered it. Lk: 10:42 Discovery is all about finding the knack of it. It is different from invention, which is finding something new. Where as discovery is finding out for yourself, something which already existed. Isaac Newton did not invent gravity, he discovered it. What did Mary discover? That there is only one thing worth being concerned about in life. It is to know Him.  To rush around in life is useless. To fret for petty things is useless. To be distracted with so many other things is useless. We need to discover that one thing which is worth being concerned about. Image credit: https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/geophysics/question232.htm

Luke:10:29 Who is my neighbour? Through the story Jesus' answer to this question was very explicit.  Everyone is your neighbour. Anyone who is in need is your neighbour. Anyone who is spiritually, emotionally, physically in need, you should be fully available. Do you cross over to the other side? Showing you did not see. Are the other responsibilities standing in your way. Or are you freely available  Selling out yourself, your time, your energy, your money. Are you a good neighbour?