Fourth Sunday of the Year: A: January 29, 2023

 THE BLESSED IN THE EYES OF JESUS: THE POOR, THE GENTLE....

First Reading: Zephaniah 2: 3 and 3: 12-13

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1: 26-31

Gospel Reading: Matthew 5: 1-12

   *First reading is from the book of Prophet Zephaniah. Zephaniah appeals to the people of Israel to seek the Lord God with a sincere and humble heart. He promises them that the Lord God favours the humble and punishes the proud. He tells  them that those who walk in His ways are few and they are the poor and the lowly in the eyes of the world. However, the Prophet assures them that they are fortunate because they will enjoy the protection of the Lord God. 

   *Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to Corinthians. Paul reminds the Christian community at Corinth and all of us that it is through God's grace that we are what we are today. God does not pick people who are wise and powerful and of noble birth but rather He selects those who are poor, weak and lowly. Hence, no one can boast in the presence of the Lord. We have to accept that we are totally dependent on God. 

Those blessed in the eyes of the Lord                                                               Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. The beatitudes are narrated and explained by Jesus on a mountain. We are presented with the values that Jesus preached and lived and what he expects from His followers. The beatitudes are the sum total of Jesus' preaching. Jesus tells us who are the people blessed in the sight of God. They are the poor, the gentle, those who mourn, the hungry, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peace makers and the persecuted. Those who are called "Blessed" or "Happy" by Jesus' standards can hardly be described as fortunate or lucky in the eyes of the world. Jesus is not offering us an unusual programme for happiness. Rather, He is describing what happens to Christian discipleship when the Kingdom of God breaks forth in this broken and fragile world. The beatitudes describe a variety of experiences that the disciples have to undergo as a result of their involvement in living the Gospel values. The result of their involvement can be suffering, persecutions and even death as happened to many saints and believers in the past. Jesus heaps blessings on those who struggle daily to live the truth of the Gospel. It is our turn to look at our lives and see how far we measure up to Jesus' standards as opposed to the standards of the world. Be assured that all of us without exception are called to be "BLESSED".

Third Sunday of the Year: A: January 22, 2023

        JESUS' CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP

First Reading: Isaiah 9: 1-4

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1: 10-13 and 17

Gospel Reading: Matthew 4: 12-23

   *First reading is from the book of Prophet Isaiah. Isaiah predicts the future glory of an oppressed and suppressed people of Israel. Threefold changes are mentioned: Darkness will be replaced by light ; sorrow will be replaced with joy and oppression will be replaced by freedom. The prophecy of Isaiah finds its fulfillment in Jesus the Son of God who comes as the light and liberator of the world. 

   *Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to Corinthians. Paul speaks about the polarization taking place in the Christian community at Corinth. He denounces this situation in very strong terms and pleads with them to be united in mind and heart to be healed of their divisions. The Apostle reminds them that all Christians are united in the Lord and hence they should live in unity and peace without giving room for divisions and dissensions. 

I will make you fishers of men                                                                     Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. Two vibrant themes are mentioned. In the first part, the inauguration of Jesus' public ministry in a land of gloom and darkness is narrated. Jesus begins His mission with the simple invitation to "REPENT". The repentance demanded by Jesus from His followers implies willingness to sacrifice and make radical changes in their value systems. In the second part, the call of the first disciples of Jesus is narrated. The setting is the sea of Galilee in the land of Zebulun and Naphtali. Jesus calls Simon Peter, his brother Andrew and two others - James and his brother John. Walking along the shore, Jesus calls them to leave their fishing nets and to follow Him. There is no hint about where they are going. There are no details of what the discipleship would lead them to. All that is promised by Jesus is that they will be made fishers of men. Immediately, they leave their boats, their nets (their total possessions) and follow the Lord. We are called by the Lord to follow Him and to be His witnesses and to be fishers of men and women. We fulfill this mission of Jesus whenever we reach out in love to others; to heal them and to comfort them in their sorrows and downfalls. To be fishers of men and women is not a metaphor. It is a mission from, through and in Christ. Every follower of Jesus is called to continue this mission.

"Discipleship is not limited to what you comprehend - it must transcend all comprehensions." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"Discipleship is relationship." - T. Bonifacio

"Discipleship is not hero worship but intimacy with Christ." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Second Sunday of the Year: A: January 15, 2023

 BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD

First Reading: Isaiah 49: 3 and 5-6

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1: 1-3

Gospel Reading: John 1: 29-34

   *First reading is from the book of Prophet Isaiah. Isaiah describes the Servant of the Lord God. He is the one anointed by the Lord God and He will glorify the Lord God by being a faithful restorer of peace and freedom of the people of Israel. He will be a light to the nations and an agent for universal salvation. This prophecy of Isaiah finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. 

   *Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to Corinthians. Paul asserts that he too is called to be an Apostle of Christ Jesus to bring grace and peace to all people of God. He explains to the Christian community in Corinth and all of us the dignity of those who are called to follow Jesus our Lord. 

Jesus the Lamb of God                                                                                 Today's Gospel reading is from St. John. The details regarding John the Baptist's witness to Jesus is narrated. 1. John testifies that Jesus is the one sent by God to take away our sins.  Thus accepting that we are all sinful. 2. John confesses that he himself is not the promised Messiah. The one who comes after him - Jesus - is indeed the Messiah. 3. The descending of God's Spirit on Jesus is the sign that He is sent by God. He will be baptizing with the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist thus announces to the people that Jesus is the lamb of God who takes away our sins. Lamb in Old Testament signifies a sacrificial offering. Jesus does take away our sins. But some of  our past sins have a deeper effect. We are born in a sinful world and each of us in some way broken and damaged. Hence we need someone to repair our brokenness and to heal our wounds. This healing and restoration can be done only by the power of Jesus the lamb of God. That is why Jesus has come into the world to live among us. In order to heal our brokenness and to remove our sinfulness, Jesus seeks out those who are lost and discarded by the society. He has come to heal the sick and to restore wholeness to the mind and heart of every human person. Like John the Baptist, we too need to recognize God's Spirit working in us and around us. It is the Spirit of God that helps us to love one another. It is the same Spirit that is praying within us so that we may walk in the truth. Like John, we too need to discover the living Jesus in us and His Spirit working in manifold ways in the whole universe. 

 

The Feast of Epiphany of the Lord: A: January 8, 2022

 THE STAR AND THE THREE WISE MEN

First Reading: Isaiah 60: 1-6

Second Reading: Ephesians 3: 2-3 and 5-6

Gospel Reading: Matthew 2: 1-12

   *First reading is from the book of Prophet Isaiah. After the Babylonian exile, the people of Israel return to their homeland and find Jerusalem in ruins. Isaiah encourages the people with the vision of a restored city and the Lord God's glory shining on it. The Prophet promises that the scattered children of Israel will return to Jerusalem and multitudes of people will come from all corners of the world to worship the true God. They will come with gifts of gold and frankincense. Thus the Prophet alludes to the future manifestation of the Lord. 

   *Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to Ephesians. Paul reveals the truth that God invites everyone - both Jews and Gentiles - to share on an equal footing the salvation brought by Jesus Christ. This invitation is for all people belonging to every tribe and tradition to accept the revelation of God's salvation. 

The three  wise men came to worship Christ                                                           Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. A narration about the three wise men from the east, how they came to Jerusalem to pay homage to Christ- the divine child- is given. While the Jewish authorities fail to acknowledge Him, the three wise men from the east travel from darkness into true light. The sudden appearance of a bright star indicates the birth of a great and powerful leader. These wise men follow the star's course until they reach Judea. They go to Herod's palace expecting the new born king there. Instead, they find Herod who is wicked to the core. He seeks to kill the divine child. From there, the three go to Bethlehem and find the child in a manger with Mother Mary. They worship Him and offer gifts to the divine child - gold, frankincense and myrrh. When these wise men leave their gifts with child Jesus, they in return receive the gift: The gift of knowing who Jesus is. Thus they are enriched by their encounter with child Jesus.  The three wise men represent all those who journey in hope to Jesus and find in Him their heart's desire. Then they return to their own country. Faith in Jesus is not to be limited to any geographical or cultural boundary but is a gift to be shared with others.