Thirteenth Sunday of the Year: A: July 2, 2023

 GOD REWARDS A GRACEFUL GIVER

 First Reading: 2 Kings 4: 8-11 and 14-16

Second Reading: Romans 6: 3-4 and 8-11

Gospel Reading: Matthew 10: 37-42

  *First reading is from the second book of Kings. The hospitality of a  woman of Shunem is described. When Prophet Elisha passes through the countryside of Shunem, a woman recognizes him as a man of God. She shows great hospitality by giving him food and drink. Later, she makes arrangements for his comfortable stay in her home during his visits. The Lord God is pleased by her generosity and promised her a son whom she had awaited for many years. 

   *Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to Romans. Paul explains to the Christian community at Rome and us about the meaning of baptism and its significance in the life of a Christian. To be baptized in the name of Jesus means that through the grace and power of the risen Lord, we are dead to sin and we live in holiness with Him. 

He who receives  you receives me                                                                      Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. The first part of the Gospel passage speaks about the necessity of following Jesus even to the point of death. In the second part of the Gospel, Jesus speaks about the great virtue of hospitality in the life of a follower of the Lord. Jesus' demands from His would be followers are rather harsh. He demands threefold renunciation from them. 1. He who loves father or mother more than Him is not worthy of Him. 2. He who loves son or daughter more than Him is not worthy to follow Him. 4. He who does not take up his cross and follow Him is not worthy of Him. Certainly we need to love our parents and our near and dear ones. But Jesus makes it absolutely clear that this love of others and of oneself should never be at the cost of loving God. Love of God should take precedence over all our other priorities. Jesus promises His would-be followers that the hospitality and the generosity shown to them by anyone will be suitably rewarded - even if that be a glass of water (to His disciples). 

"God loves a cheerful giver." - 1 Corinthians 9:7

"For the measure you use, it will be measured to you." - Luke 6: 38

"God will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conducts their affairs with justice". - Psalm 112: 5 

Twelfth Sunday of the Year: A: June 25, 2023

 THE CALL TO FEARLESS AND COURAGEOUS DISCIPLESHIP

First Reading: Jeremiah 20: 10-13

Second Reading: Romans 5: 12-15

Gospel Reading: Matthew 10: 26-33

   *First reading is from the book of Prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah expresses his anguish and pain to the Lord God. When surrounded by enemies and faced with terror from every side, he places his total trust in the Lord God. He is convinced that the Lord God is always on his side. 

   *Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to Romans. Paul explains to the Christian community at Rome and us that sin and death came through Adam the first man. However, freedom and life come through Jesus the second Adam. 

Fear not, you are of more value than many sparrows                                                            Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. Jesus assures His protection and asks His disciples to be fearless and courageous when faced with rejection and opposition. Jesus clarifies some important matters to His disciples: 1. The message of Jesus is not to be hidden but to be proclaimed publicly - 'on house tops'. 2. The disciples are not to be afraid of those who kill the body but rather be cautious of those who can kill the soul. 3. Even a tiny sparrow is under the protection of God. We are of more value than many sparrows. If so, we should realize that God is in control of our lives and nothing happens to us without His knowledge. 4. Those who openly acknowledge Jesus and His message will be acknowledged by the heavenly Father. Hence, fearless witnessing to Christ and His message makes us worthy of eternal reward. To respond to Jesus' invitation wholeheartedly needs great faith and confidence in the Lord. Jesus does not want His disciples to be members of a cowardly Church or a faithless community. He wants each one of us His followers to stand up and be counted for our faith in Him. 

"My job seems to be to go around picking up insults and corpses." - St. Oscar Romero, late Archbishop of El Salvador

"I really fear that most of those who call themselves Christians would go on almost as they do, if they believed Christianity to be nothing more than a fable." - Bl. Cardinal Newman

"Keeping silent in the face of injustice is as DEADLY as the violence itself." - Jimmy Carter, Former President of USA

Eleventh Sunday of the Year: A: June 18, 2023

 THE COMPASSIONATE AND CARING JESUS

First Reading: Exodus 19: 2-6

Second Reading: Romans 5: 6-11

Gospel Reading: Matthew 9: 36 to 10: 8

   *First reading is from the Book of Exodus. Moses meets the Lord God on a mountain. The Lord God reminds the people of Israel how He protected them from the Egyptians and brought them out of the slavery of Egypt. He asks them to keep the Covenant and obey the voice of the Lord God at all times to live as a people pleasing to the Lord God. 

   *Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans. Paul explains to the Christian community at Rome and us that the death of Jesus is a sign of God's great love for us. God's love manifests itself in power in order to overcome human weakness, sin and godlessness. Now we are all reconciled to God by the death of His beloved Son Jesus Christ and are saved by Him. 

The harvest is plentiful but the labourers are few                                                       Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. In the first part of the Gospel, Jesus sees the great crowds and He has deep compassion for them. He notices that they are helpless and lack purpose in life - 'like sheep without a shepherd'. He realizes the need for labourers to reap the harvest - bringing the lost and broken people to His fold. In the second part of the Gospel, Jesus summons His twelve Apostles and gives them authority over unclean spirits, to cure every disease and every sickness. The names of the twelve are mentioned. Finally, Jesus instructs the twelve and sends them out to preach, to heal the sick, to raise the dead, to cleanse the lepers and to cast out demons. They are asked to limit their missionary activities to the lost sheep of Israel: The time will come when they can go to others. Jesus makes it very clear that their mission of preaching and healing is not for any profit motives: 'You received without pay, give without pay'. Everyone of us - His followers- is called to be part of this great mission of Jesus without looking for financial gains and other favours in return. 

The Feast of Corpus Christi : A: June 11, 2023

 JESUS, THE LIVING BREAD FROM HEAVEN

First Reading: Deuteronomy 8: 2-3 and 14-16

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 10: 16-17

Gospel Reading: John 6: 51-58

   *First reading is from the book of Deuteronomy. Moses reminds the people of Israel to acknowledge the Lord God's saving power which accompanied them throughout their journey to the promised land. He exhorts them to remember that they are Lord God's own people and they need to nourish themselves on His Word. However the Lord God tests them in the wilderness. He makes them hungry for food so that they may realize that the Word of God is more important and nourishing than mere perishable food. 

   *Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians. Paul explains to the Christian community at Corinth and to us how the participation in the Eucharistic celebration can become a source of strength to Christian solidarity and oneness. As food and drink nourish the body, so the body and blood of Christ nourish us spiritually. As a result of receiving the body and blood of Jesus through the Holy Communion, an intimate union between Christ and the recipient takes place. 

Life-giving presence of Jesus in the Eucharist                                                        Today's Gospel reading is from St. John Chapter 6, which has elaborate descriptions of the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Jesus explains to His disciples and other Jews that to be a part of Him, it is essential that they eat His body and drink His blood. He affirms that He is the living bread that has come down from heaven which alone gives eternal life. Listening to this strange teaching of Jesus, many of the Jews who were His followers till that time take offence and no longer follow Him. Because, for a Jew to eat the body and drink the blood of another person is totally unacceptable and unthinkable. Yet, Jesus firmly affirms this teaching on Eucharist. Later at the last supper, Jesus ratifies His teaching on Eucharist by offering His body and His blood as food and drink to His disciples. The feast of Corpus Christi recalls to our mind all that Jesus did to give His own life for us, especially by sharing His body and blood. It signifies the totality of His self-gift to all His followers. The Eucharistic celebration implies serious challenges and obligations for everyone of us Christians. More than mere participation, it demands a Christ-like life from His followers. 

" God dwells in our midst, in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar." - St. Maxmillian Kolbe

"And just as He appeared before the holy Apostles in true flesh, so now he has us see Him in the sacred bread." - St. Francis of Assisi

"In each of our lives, Jesus comes as the bread of life to be eaten, to be consumed by us. This is how He loves us." - St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta.