Twenty Seventh Sunday of the Year: C: October 2, 2022

THE NEED TO PRAY FOR A DEEPER FAITH

First Reading: Habakkuk 1: 2-3 and 2: 2-4

Second Reading: 2 Timothy 1: 6-8 and 13-14

Gospel Reading: Luke 17: 5-10

   *First reading is from the book of Prophet Habakkuk. Habakkuk pleads with the Lord God in great distress and desperation. He is faced with political insecurity on the one hand and widespread idolatry on the other hand. The Lord God responds by promising him that He will save those who trust in Him. He gives him courage and strength to face the imminent trials. The Lord God promises that the righteous person will live by his faith. 

   *Second reading is from the second letter of St. Paul to Timothy. Paul urges Timothy to continue to preach and persevere in the faith he received from God. Paul instructs Timothy and us that we should never be afraid or be ashamed of bearing witness to Christ who has strengthened us by His Holy Spirit. 

"Lord, increase our faith."                                                                             Today's Gospel reading is from St. Luke. The Apostles realize their own lack of faith. Consequently, they request Jesus to increase their faith. Jesus gives two teachings. In the first part, Jesus explains to them about faith as small as a mustard seed. Such a faith, He says, is powerful enough to uproot a sycamore tree and plant it in the sea. Transplanting a tree in the ocean is nothing short of a  spectacular miracle and in human terms practically impossible. In the second part of the Gospel Jesus reminds us that to have faith in God is to carry out our responsibilities in life quietly and with total dedication. In His own life, Jesus puts His faith into His daily activities. As a result, He is able to feed the five thousand with five loaves and two small fish. He heals many who were affected by dreaded diseases and evil powers. He cures the blind and the deaf and even raises the dead to life. By His own examples, Jesus makes the Apostles realize what faith can accomplish in their lives. Today Jesus is inviting all of us to have faith in God in all challenging situations of life. Then we too will be able to do many mighty works in our lives and in the lives of others. Like the Apostles we need to pray for an increase of faith.

"Faith is to believe what you do not see, the reward of this faith is to see what you believe." - St. Augustine

"To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible." - St. Thomas Aquinas 

Twenty Sixth Sunday of the Year: C: September 25, 2022

 THE PERILS OF NEGLECTING THE POOR

First Reading: Amos 6: 1 and 4-6

Second Reading: 1 Timothy 6: 11-16

Gospel Reading: Luke 16: 19-31

   *First reading is from the book of Prophet Amos. Amos speaks to the wealthy people of Judah and of Israel. He sternly warns the complacent who live luxuriously and neglect the poor and the needy. They do not care for the plight of the poor. Besides, their conduct will bring disaster to the whole nation. 

   *Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to Timothy. Paul encourages Timothy in his pastoral care. He gives the example of Jesus who was always faithful to His call in the face of hostility and even death. He exhorts that  Christians should lead a life of righteousness, love and kindness and they should be always faithful to God's call. 

The parable of the rich man and Lazarus                                                                           Today's Gospel reading is from St. Luke. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus is narrated in detail. The rich man (who is not named in the parable) lives a lavish life - expensive clothing, sumptuous meals and palatial houses are at his disposal. Whereas, Lazarus the poor man - sick, sores all over the body and starving - is lying at the gate of the rich man. During his lifetime on this earth, the rich man enjoys life to the brim.  Whereas Lazarus suffers much and finally dies. The sin of the rich man consists not in what he did but rather what he did not do for this poor man who was in dire need. Finally the rich man too dies. Death is a leveler of all inequalities.The reversal of fortunes is the central theme of the parable.With death the roles of the rich man and Lazarus are dramatically and irrevocably reversed. Now, it is the turn of the rich man to get some attention from Abraham and the pity of Lazarus who is enjoying the comfort in next life. But it is too late. An abyss separates them and it is an abyss for which the rich man himself is responsible. The parable graphically explains what happens when we enjoy our wealth selfishly showing little or no concern for the poor and the downtrodden of the society. Jesus' parable invites us to live more simply to share more readily and to live more fully so that we can be truly followers of the Lord Jesus. It is said, "A  person's wealth consists not in what he keeps but in what he gives away."

"The parable declares that they who abound in earthly riches, unless they will relieve the necessities of the poor, shall meet with a heavy condemnation." - St. Cyril of Jerusalem 

"The biggest disease in the world today is the feeling of being unwanted (like Lazarus at the gate of the rich man). And the greatest evil in the world today is the lack of love." - St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Twenty Fifth Sunday of the Year: C: September 18, 2022

                              DO NOT TO SERVE TWO MASTERS 

First Reading: Amos 8: 4-7

Second Reading: 1 Timothy 2:1-8

Gospel Reading: Luke 16: 1-13

   *First reading is from the book of Prophet Amos. Amos was a great champion of social justice during his lifetime. He severely criticizes the exploitative structures of the society and announces the Lord God's wrath on those who oppress and persecute the poor. He strongly condemns and deprecates the so-called 'religious' people waiting impatiently for the Sabbath to end so that they can get on with their dishonest activities. 

   *Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to Timothy. Paul urges Timothy to lead his community in offering prayers, intercession, adoration and thanksgiving to God especially for those who hold public office. Because God wants everyone to be saved. 

Faithfulness in little = Faithfulness in much                                                         Today's Gospel reading is from St. Luke. In the first part, the parable of the dishonest manager is narrated. When the manager  is about to be dismissed from his job by his master, he cleverly makes friendship with his master's debtors by reducing their debt which they owe to the master. Deals are made and his future is secured. Jesus does not commend the dishonesty of the man but praises him for his resourcefulness and cleverness to deal with a crisis situation using his master's wealth. If that is the case with earthly wealth which is transitory, Jesus warns us to be more enterprising in using worldly things for gaining eternal life. In the second part, Jesus warns us that no one can serve two masters - God and Mammon. These two do not go together. If we are too much attached to worldly possessions, God takes a backseat and gradually God is forgotten. We cannot be faithful and devoted to two masters. So also with God and Mammon (in Aramaic Mammon means riches/ treasure). Hence the message is that the only way we can be trusted with possession or wealth is if they do not possess us. 

"Those who set out to serve both God and Mammon soon discover that there is no God." - L.P. Smith

"God does not create poverty. We do because we do not share what we have." - St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Twenty Fourth Sunday of the Year: C: September 11, 2022

           THE LOVING AND CARING GOD

First Reading: Exodus 32: 7-11 and 13-14

Second Reading: 1 Timothy 1: 12-17

Gospel Reading: Luke 15: 1-10

   *First reading is from the book of Exodus. The chosen people of God disobeyed the Lord God and went away from Him. They turned their back on their Lord and Saviour who brought them out of the slavery of Egypt. They went after other gods and worshiped idols made of human hands. Moses pleads with the Lord God for the people who committed sins and became idolaters. The Lord God listens to the plea of Moses and spares them from destruction and punishment. 

   *Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to Timothy. Paul recalls his sinful past and expresses his gratefulness and thanks to God and for the infinite mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ. He admits that Christ came into the world to save sinners. Through his own conversion Paul experiences the love and mercy of God. 

The Good Shepherd                                                                           Today's Gospel reading is from St. Luke. Jesus graphically illustrates for us the love and mercy of God for the least and the lost ones through two parables. The Pharisees complain that Jesus is socializing with the sinners and outcasts of the society. In this context, Jesus narrates two parables: The parable of the Good Shepherd and the parable of the lost coin. In the first parable, Jesus portrays God as a Shepherd who has 100 sheep. When one of them is lost, he leaves the other ninety nine and goes after the lost one. The Shepherd goes after the lost one because of two reasons. First of all, the lost sheep by itself cannot find its way back. Secondly, the Shepherd loves everyone of his sheep and he is in great distress when one of them is lost. Similarly, the heavenly Father, when we His children go astray and get lost, is in great pain. He searches for the lost one till He finds it. The second parable is about the lost coin. A woman has 10 coins in her purse. When one of them is lost, she searches diligently for the lost one till she finds it. The lost coin might have been a part of her ancestral possessions  representing the most precious possession and her future security( as suggested by some of the biblical scholars). She relentlessly searches for it until she finds the lost coin. When she finally finds it, she is filled with great joy. Hence no matter how deep we fall or how far we wander from the loving and merciful God, He never gives up on us. He searches for us until He finds us. Every one - the least and the lost - is very very important and precious in the sight of God. 

"There is no saint without a past, no sinner without a future." - St. Augustine

Twenty Third Sunday of the Year: C: September 4, 2022

                 THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP

First Reading: Wisdom 9: 13-18

Second Reading: Philemon 9-10 and 12-17

Gospel Reading: Luke 14: 25-33

   *First reading is from the book of Wisdom. Faced with the mysteries of the universe, we are ignorant of the meaning , history and the mind of the Lord God. But  the Lord God has bestowed us with the gift of wisdom. The Lord God sends His Holy Spirit so that we may always walk in the right path so as to conduct our affairs prudently.

   *Second reading is from St. Paul's letter to Philemon. Paul advises Philemon concerning his slave Onesimus who had run away and somehow reached Paul who was in prison.Listening to Paul, Onesimus became a believer in the Lord Jesus. Paul urges Philemon to take Onesimus back not as a  slave but as a beloved brother in Christ. 

Renunciation, the most important condition for discipleship                                            Today's Gospel reading is from St. Luke. Jesus explains to his prospective followers the cost of being His disciple. The context is that of Jesus' instructions to His would-be disciples. He tells them that to follow Him, first and foremost, they should evaluate and count the cost of  being a disciple. He makes two demands: The first is, to hate one's family and even one's own self. The second is that one has to take up one's crosses and follow Him. Hence Jesus makes it clear that one must be ready to sacrifice one's dearest things in life: Family ties and one's own very self. In certain situations in life,  a disciple may have to choose between Jesus and what is very dear to him/her. Jesus further explains this message through two parables. He makes it clear that discipleship has to be taken seriously. It could mean that a disciple has to undergo many sufferings, persecutions and even death. History of the Church reminds us that discipleship had cost much sufferings and bloodshed. As in any other sphere of life, one has to weigh the pros and cons before taking a final decision. Hence, one must calculate the cost before venturing to become a disciple of Jesus. Accepting the cross gives us immense graces that will lead us to eternal life. Blessed Mother Mary is the perfect example of true discipleship.

"The first call which every Christian experiences is the call to abandon the attachment to this world." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"The key (to discipleship) is not to ignore life's demands but simply to integrate them to your life of faith. That is why Jesus teaches that we are to seek the Kingdom first and then all else will be provided." - D.M. Bickerstaff

"To deny oneself is to be aware only of Christ and no more self." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer