First Sunday of Advent :B: November 29, 2020

                       WATCH AND PRAY

First Reading: Isaiah 63: 16-17, 19 and 64: 1 and 3-8

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9

Gospel Reading: Mark 13: 33-37

   *First reading is from the book of Prophet Isaiah. Isaiah laments over the sad state of the chosen people of God who had returned from the exile in Babylon. He recalls the Lord God's past goodness to His people. The Prophet prays that the heavens may be rent open and the saviour come among His people. This prayer is echoed in the liturgy during this holy season of Advent. 

   *Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to Corinthians. Paul  thanks  God for all the graces the people of Corinth have received in the past. He earnestly urges them to remain faithful and sinless as they await the return of the Lord Jesus. Paul assures the Christian community at Corinth and all of us that as they/we await the coming of Christ in glory the Holy Spirit keeps them/us steadfast in bearing witness to Him. 

Stay awake                                                           Advent marks the beginning of our journey of a new liturgical year. It calls us to wake up and look at our relationship with God. We are His servants in whom He has placed His enormous trust.                      Today's Gospel reading is from St. Mark. We have a short little parable for our reflection. It is about a householder who goes on a long journey. Before leaving he called his servants and gave each of them a job to do. He urged them to be responsible and not to fall asleep. He singled out the doorkeeper and told him: "When I return I want to find you awake."                                                   Christ's story ends there with that warning ringing in our ears. Let us take this story a little further: concentrating only on the doorkeeper. Perhaps the greatest danger facing him is not so much that he may fall asleep on the job but rather it will become just another job and nothing more. A person can get used to anything and complacency follows.                                                                                                       Advent invites us to wait in joyful hope for the coming of our saviour Jesus Christ. 

"The surest road to hell is the gradual one." - C.S. Lewis.

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Video reflection: 1st Sunday of Advent:B

Thirty Fourth Sunday of the Year :B: Feast of Christ the King : November 22, 2020

THE KING OF THE UNIVERSE: JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD

 First Reading: Ezekiel 39: 11-12 and 15-17

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15: 20-26 and 28

Gospel Reading: Matthew 25: 31-45

   *First reading is from the book of Prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel portrays God not as a judge of His chosen people but as someone who cares for the people. He is compared to a shepherd who takes care of His sheep - even the least and the lost ones - and watches over them day and night.

   *Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to Corinthians. Paul explains to the Christian community at Corinth about the resurrection of Christ. He assures the community and us that Christ is the conqueror of every authority and power in the world. At the end of times He will handover the kingdom to the Heavenly Father after destroying the last enemy that is death. He also assures us that Christ's resurrection is the proof and the guarantee of our own resurrection from the dead.

Christ the universal King                                          Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. The last judgement scene is described in detail. On judgement day Jesus will come as a judge and separate the good and the evil. The King and the judge will tell those on his righthand -those who are blessed - as you did it to one of the least of my brothers and sisters you did it to me. Those admitted to His kingdom are not people who have done anything spectacular in the eyes of the world. The requirements to be part of the kingdom of Christ is very simple and does not go beyond the capacity of any ordinary person. For Christ, simple human graciousness and charity are ground enough to be welcome into the fullness of the kingdom. Jesus looks upon every kindness done to a person in need however lowly, as a kindness done to Himself.                                     Those who are excluded from His kingdom  - those cursed - have brought doom upon themselves because they failed to respond to simple human needs. They are condemned eternally not because of any violent crimes but because of their failure to act on the human needs of the poor and the needy. Hence if we want to honour our King, we must do something for the least of His brothers and sisters in need. 

"The biggest disease in the world today is not leprosy, TB or AIDS but the feeling of being unwanted and uncared for. The greatest evil in the world is lack of love, the terrible indifference towards one's neighbour. What the poor need even more than food, clothes and shelter is to be wanted." - St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

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First Sunday of Advent 1B ; 

 https://youtu.be/ky288RDFFJg

Thirty Third Sunday of the Year: A: November 15, 2020

         FAITHFULNESS IN ONE'S DUTY

First Reading: Proverbs 31: 10-13, 19-20 and 30-31

Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6

Gospel Reading: Matthew 25: 14-30

   * First reading is from the book of Proverbs. A description about an ideal wife is narrated. She is hard working, a support to the husband and charitable to the poor and the needy. Hence such a person is more precious and valuable than any jewels that can be acquired. 

   *Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians. Paul exhorts the Christian community at Thessalonika to be always ready for the second coming of the Lord Jesus. It will be unexpected and sudden like that of the coming of a thief at night. He invites the community at Thessalonika and all of us that as we are children of the light let us keep awake for the coming of our Lord and Master.

The parable of the talents                                                          Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. The parable of the talents is narrated. In the parable there are three servants and each of them is given a certain amount of money by their Master to make use of it. Later the Master went on a long journey. The first and the second are industrious. However the third servant is lazy and a man of excuses. On his return the Master calls all three and asks for an account of the money he had entrusted to them. Each of them gives an account of what they had done with the Master's money. The first servant and the second are praised for their hard work and shrewdness as they had multiplied their talents and added returns to their master. But the third servant is severely chastised for his laziness and lack of resourcefulness as he simply buried his talent and did not let it be productive.                              Jesus told this parable to explain to us how we need to  make use of our God-given abilities and talents in our lives. The parable is certainly not about making money or about accumulating wealth for oneself. Through this parable Jesus is telling us about using our precious time and God given gifts and grow as children of God and useful members of the society. It is by living that we discover our talents and it is by using them that we grow.                         In spite of some negative touch, the parable has a lot of positive and encouraging aspects. Two out of three servants heard those magic words from the Master. "Well done." To all who are doing their best - to live good lives- the Lord is speaking those words of encouragement. "Well done, good and faithful servant." Hence the parable reveals the trust, the confidence and the generosity of God towards each one of us. We are invited to respond to it. 

"It is more important to be faithful than to be successful." - St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta. 

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Sunday Homilies with Fr. Joy Joseph SVD

Thirty Second Sunday of the Year: A : November 8, 2020

         BEING WISE AND PRUDENT

First Reading: Wisdom 6: 12-16

Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18

Gospel Reading: Matthew 25: 1-19

   *First reading is from the book of Wisdom. Wisdom is personified and praised. The author instructs us that Wisdom can be found by all those who seek her. Wisdom is discerned by those who love her. Further it adds that those who are worthy of Wisdom will find her.

   * Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to Thessalonians. Paul consoles the people of Thessalonika who were worried about the fate of their loved ones who have died. He assures them and us that God will raise them up as He raised up Christ. Paul speaks about the second coming of Christ which will be sudden and unexpected. Only those who have been eagerly waiting for Him and preparing themselves to meet Him will have the joy of His presence. 

The parable of the ten virgins                                              Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. We have the parable of the ten virgins for our reflection. It speaks about a wedding celebration where ten virgins went to meet the bridegroom with their lamps as was the custom of that time in Palestine. Out of the ten, five were foolish who did not take extra oil for their lamps. However the other five were wise and they took extra oil for their lamps. The bridegroom and party arrived late at night. When the bridegroom came the foolish ones could not light their lamps because they did not have oil with them. As a result they could not join the marriage party. On the other hand the wise virgins had their lamps lit with the oil they had carried along and they joined the marriage party.                          This parable warns us that there are certain things in the world which cannot be obtained at the last minute as it happened in the case of the foolish virgins. Further it tells us that we should keep awake and be ready when the Lord come into our lives - it may be at an unexpected hour. Finally the parable tells us that there are certain things which we cannot borrow. The foolish virgins found it impossible to borrow oil when they needed it most. A person cannot borrow a relationship with God. A person cannot borrow a character. He or she must be clothed with it. Hence the oil for our journey to heaven has to be acquired by each one of us. 

"A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool." - William Shakespeare

"Many receive advice, only the wise profit from it." - Harper Lee

"Do not be wise in words be wise in deeds." - Jewish Proverb