Twenty Second Sunday of the Year:B: September 2,2018

"LIP SERVICE TO GOD AND MEN"

First Reading: Deuteronomy 4:1-2,6-8
Second Reading: James 1:17-18, 21-22,27
Gospel Reading: Mark 7: 1-8, 14-15, 21-23

   * First reading is from the book of Deuteronomy. In this passage Moses exhorts the people of Israel to follow the statutes and ordinances of the Lord and keep the commandments. They were told not to add or deduct anything from them. As a wise and understanding people, they have to follow them in letter and spirit.

   * Second reading is from the letter of St. James. In this passage, the Apostle reminds us that God can be loved and served only through our love for fellow humankind: especially by serving the poor and the orphans and the widows and the needy. He tells us that we have to be doers of the word and not merely hearers. That way we will be doing the will of God.

"You leave the commandments of God and hold fast to traditions"
Today's Gospel reading is from St. Mark. In this passage Jesus confronts the Pharisees and the Scribes who accused His disciples of not keeping the traditions and practices of the Jews. This was told in the context of His disciples eating food without washing their hands as the Jewish custom was. According to their traditions they were expected to wash their hands before eating any food. Jesus went on to explain that what really make us impure is not what we eat or drink: that which goes into the stomach but rather, what comes out of our heart: that is evil thoughts, desires, fornication, theft, murder and adultery.
Jesus is inviting us to have a close look at our set practices and observed traditions. He wants us to have a conversion of heart that will lead us to God experience. Let us not waste our precious lives in trivial matters but give importance to the essentials of life. It is not enough to do lip service to God and fellow humans but rather by concrete actions which comes from our hearts (cf. James Ch. 1)
"Serving the poor is serving God" - St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
" The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others" - Mahatma Gandhi. 

Twenty first Sunday of the Year:B: August 26, 2018

"LORD , YOU HAVE THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE"

First Reading: Joshua 24: 1-2, 15-18
Second Reading: Ephesians 5: 25-32
Gospel Reading: John 6: 60-69

   * First reading is from the book of Joshua. In this passage Joshua asks the people of Israel to decide either to serve the Lord their God or other gods. The chosen people affirmed their firm faith in the Lord God and decided to serve the true God who liberated them from the slavery of Egypt and who in the past did great signs and wonders in their midst.

   * Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to Ephesians. In this passage Paul speaks of the mutual love and respect between husband and wife. He compares this relationship of husband and wife to Christ's love for the Church. As members of His body, we are constantly being nourished by Christ. In the same way husband and wife should nourish each other in love.

"Will you also go away?"
Today's Gospel reading is from St. John, Chapter 6. This passage is in the context of the sad turn of events after the multiplication bread by Jesus. After the miracle, Jesus gave a teaching that unless they eat His body and drink His blood, they will not have life. People took this teaching literally. As a result, many who followed Jesus till that day said goodbye and went away.
Seeing the negative reaction of the crowd Jesus put a challenging question to the Apostles. "Will you also go away?" Peter responded immediately and gave a very reassuring and important answer which spoke of the need to stick to Jesus and His teachings by saying "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life". In moments of doubts and confusion, let us be assured that it is not the Lord who leaves us, but often we who leave Him.
Right from the time of Jesus till today, the teaching on Eucharist remains a dividing force. Even today many of the followers of Christ are unable to accept it and those who accept it are often unworthy to receive it. This fact is expressed by St. Paul in his first letter to Corinthians. "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? We who are many are one body for we all partake of the one bread" (1 Cor. 10: 16-17)
Now it is our turn to tell the Lord "Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life".
Let our prayer always be, 'draw us closer to you, O Lord, so that we may follow you in love and trust'.

Twentieth Sunday of the Year :B: August 19,2018

    "JESUS THE GIVER OF ETERNAL LIFE"

First Reading: Proverbs 9:1-6
Second Reading: Ephesians 5: 15-20
Gospel Reading: John 6:51-58

   * First reading is from the book of Proverbs. This passage personifies Wisdom as a great Lady who has built herself a great mansion. Wisdom invites everyone who is open minded to take part in the banquet given by her. Wisdom wants  to teach people to walk in the way of insight.

   * Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to Ephesians. In this passage Ephesian Christians and all of us are urged by Paul to live according to the Christian wisdom they received. He asks them not to be foolish and live unworthy ways but rather be filled with the Holy Spirit and always live with  hearts grateful to the Lord.

"Jesus is the Living Bread"
Today's Gospel reading is from St. John, Chapter 6. In this passage we have the teaching on Eucharist by our Lord Jesus. His teaching on Eucharist was rather extraordinary and not so easily understood by the people. For a Jew to eat the body and drink the blood of a person was unthinkable and totally repugnant. Hence when Jesus told them that "the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh", many of them protested saying "how can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
The teaching of real presence of the Lord in the Eucharist was culminated at the last supper, where Jesus said to the disciples, "This is my body...this is my blood given for you": which was not easy to accept except in deep faith. But for a true follower of Jesus, there is no option but to accept the real presence of the Lord in the Eucharist. Jesus clearly warns us in these words, "unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you"(v.53)
Hence by partaking in the Eucharistic meal, a true believer is in communion with the Lord. The early Christian community understood it. That is why St. John specifically explains this teaching in the sixth Chapter of his Gospel. Let us appreciate this self gift of the Lord Jesus and accept that He is truly present in the Eucharistic bread.
"Jesus has made Himself the Bread of life to give us life" - St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta.