Third Sunday of Lent: B: March 3, 2024

              MY HOUSE IS A HOUSE OF PRAYER

First Reading: Exodus 20: 1-17

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1: 22-25

Gospel Reading: John 2: 13-25

   *First reading is from the book of Exodus. A description of how the Lord God gave ten commandments to Moses is given. Instructions regarding how these commandments are to be observed by the chosen people of God are mentioned. These commandments are the road map for the people to lead a holy life pleasing to the Lord God. They are told to observe them to have the special relationship with Him. Hence, these commandments regulate and govern them to have proper relationship with fellow-humans and the Lord God. 

   *Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to Corinthians. Paul is at great pains to explain to the Christian community at Corinth that the crucified Christ is a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks. But in truth, He is the power and the wisdom of God. 

Jesus cleanses the Jerusalem temple                                                          Today's Gospel reading is from St. John. The demeaning happenings at the Jerusalem temple when Jesus arrives there with His disciples are narrated. Often in the Gospels we meet a Jesus who is compassionate, kind and forgiving. But in the Gospel narrative, we meet a Jesus who is full of zeal for His Father's house. The context is: The misuse or abuse of the temple and its premises where less of worship of God and more of trading and business was taking place. People from different parts of the world come to Jerusalem temple to offer sacrifices, worship and prayers. As a result, the temple premises looked more like a market place rather than a place of worship. There are money changers, those who sell pigeons, goats and various other sacrificial animals. Jesus is deeply disturbed and pained to see all these unholy activities taking place there. He is disgusted by the constant desecration of the temple and its premises. So He tells them: "You shall not make my Father's house into a house of trade". He makes a whip and drives out all those who are buying and selling and exchanging money. This action of Jesus should make us reflect and stand against any distortion of values in the Church and in the society at large. It is a specific warning for all of us not to make places of worship into places of business. 

"The risen Lord is the new Temple, the real meeting place between God and man." - Pope Benedict XVI

(Please note: "Sunday Homilies with Fr. Joy Joseph svd" is available on YouTube for 'Third Sunday of Lent:B)

Second Sunday of Lent: B: February 25, 2024

             THE TRANSFIGURATION OF JESUS

First Reading: Genesis 22: 1-2, 9-13 and 15-18

Second Reading: Romans 8: 31-34

Gospel Reading: Mark 9: 2-10

   *First reading is from the book of Genesis. The story of Abraham, the father of faith is narrated in detail. In spite of his total faithfulness to the Lord God, Abraham is severely tested by the Lord God. Sara and Abraham are advanced in age when they are blessed with a son as promised by the Lord God. But unexpectedly, the Lord God asks Abraham to offer Isaac  his beloved son as a sacrificial offering. Abraham is confused and heartbroken. But he does not falter and decides to sacrifice Isaac as asked by the Lord God. When about to sacrifice his son, the Lord God spares his son. Instead, Abraham is told to sacrifice a ram. Seeing his total trust and obedience to Him, Abraham is blessed by the Lord God. He is told that his descendants would be as many as the stars in heaven. 

   *Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to Romans. Paul instructs the Christian community in Rome and us that in Jesus we have an intermediary who will never fail us. He assures us that if God is for us, who can be against us? Through these encouraging words, Paul speaks to us about the depth of God's love for us. He reminds us that God did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us. 

Jesus' transfiguration on Mount Tabor                                                     Today's Gospel reading is from St. Mark. The transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor and subsequent revelations are narrated in detail. Jesus with three of His beloved disciples climbs the mountain. On the mountain top, He is transfigured in the presence of His disciples. He is covered in heavenly glory. The disciples are overwhelmed and are very happy by this heavenly experience. The presence of Moses and Elijah- two towering figures of Old Testament- is a sign that Jesus is the fulfilment of all that had been foretold in the past. Jesus' momentary change of bodily appearance and the voice of the heavenly Father confirms that Jesus is truly sent by God the Father. The transfiguration event is both comforting and challenging for us. It is comforting because we know that our Lord and Saviour Jesus is truly the Son of God and beloved of the Father. It is challenging because the Father invites us to listen to His Son and follow His teachings and be true witnesses to Him in our lives. If we are faithful to the Lord, we too will one day experience His heavenly glory.

"At His transfiguration, Christ showed His disciples the splendor of His heavenly beauty to which He will shape and colour those who are His." - St. Thomas Aquinas

(Please note: "Sunday Homilies with Fr. Joy Joseph svd" is available on YouTube- Second Sunday of Lent B)

First Sunday of Lent: B: February 18, 2024

      JESUS' CALL TO REPENTANCE

First Reading: Genesis 9: 8-15

Second Reading: 1 Peter 3: 18-22

Gospel Reading: Mark 1: 12-15

   *First reading is from the book of Genesis. A description of the floods that took place at the time of Noah is given. After the floods, the Lord God makes a covenant with Noah and promises that there will never again be such a deluge. The Lord God's pact with Noah and his sons tells us about His unfailing fidelity and benevolence towards humankind. The appearance of the rainbow is mentioned as sign of the covenant between the Lord God and humankind. 

   *Second reading is from the first letter of St. Peter. The flood waters at the time of Noah and the waters of baptism are compared. St. Peter tells us that the waters of flood during the time of Noah symbolizes the waters of our baptism by which we are saved. As Noah and his family were saved, it is through our baptism that we are saved and we enter into a new covenant and a new relationship with God. Peter exhorts all of us to live according to the Christian faith, no matter what trials we have to endure because of it. 

The temptations of Jesus                                                                   Today's Gospel reading is from St. Mark. A brief narration of the temptations of Jesus in the wilderness is given. Jesus goes through a time of serious reflections and faces many challenges during those days in the desert before starting His public life. We know from past experiences that athletes prepare themselves for long duration before an important event. Similarly, professionals and artists rehearse painstakingly for long hours. Before starting His public ministry, Jesus goes to the desert to prepare Himself for the task entrusted to Him by the heavenly Father.  St. Mark narrates Jesus' going into the desert to combat the devil and concludes the narrative with His victorious emergence. Jesus emerges from His forty days of fasting and prayer and prepares Himself for the ultimate victory over Satan and evil powers. As we enter the holy season of Lent, like Jesus, we need to renew ourselves spiritually by fasting, prayer and almsgiving. In a sense, we too go into the desert with Jesus. We are urged to keep in mind the last verse of today's Gospel throughout Lent: "Repent and believe in the Gospel." -Mark 1:15

"Lent comes providentially to reawaken us to shake us from our lethargy." - Pope Francis

"As Lent is the time for greater love, listen to Jesus' thirst... Repent and believe... Jesus tells us." - St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta

" Lent is a time to renew wherever we are in that process, that I call divine therapy." - Thomas Keating

(Please note: "Sunday Homilies with Fr. Joy Joseph svd"  is available on YouTube for the First Sunday of Lent: B)

Sixth Sunday of the Year: B: February 11, 2024

                 JESUS HEALS A LEPER

First Reading: Leviticus 13: 1-2 and 44-48

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 10: 31 to 11: 1

Gospel Reading: Mark 1: 40-45

   *First reading is from the book of Leviticus. The wretched and inhuman conditions of the lepers in the Old Testament times are described in detail. During those days, leprosy was considered incurable and made a person physically, mentally and socially an outcast from the society. He/she faced excommunication from the community. As long as the disease lasted,  lepers were forced to stay out of their homes and live in  secluded places. Ritually also, lepers were considered unclean and they were forced to live far away from any human habitations. 

   *Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to Corinthians. Paul urges Christians in Corinth not to offend anyone but to do good to everyone at all times. He reminds the Christian community at Corinth and all of us that in whatever we do we have to give glory to God the Father. He gives his own example and reminds us that he gives glory to God by being a perfect imitator of Jesus Christ and does everything for the good of others. 

"I will; be clean."                                                                            Today's Gospel reading is from St. Mark. It narrates the dramatic way Jesus heals a leper. This man implores Jesus to heal him of his leprosy. Immediately, Jesus stretches out his hand, touches him and heals him. The leprosy mentioned in the Gospel symbolizes all the external and internal illnesses that we suffer from. While healing the leper, Jesus does the unthinkable for a Jew of that time to do. He reaches out and touches this suffering man. Jesus could very well heal the man without touching him. But by this action, Jesus gives him dignity and shows that this leper too is very precious in the eyes of God. By His touch and consoling words, Jesus not only heals the wounds and pains of leprosy but also the wounds caused by rejection and alienation which are inflicted on him by the community. St. Damien of Molokai is a prime example of a person who tried to emulate Jesus by his love, compassion, concern and care for lepers. After working several years for the well-being of lepers, he too contracted leprosy and died of leprosy. The following words are written on his tomb: "Love never fails." - 1 Corinthians 13:8

"The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis but rather the feeling of being unwanted." - St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta

 

Fifth Sunday of the Year: B: February 4, 2024

        THE HEALING MINISTRY OF JESUS

First Reading: Job 7: 1-4 and 6-7

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 9: 16-19 and 22-23

Gospel Reading: Mark 1: 29-39

   *First reading is from the book of Job. A graphic description of how Job, a just man, comes to grip with the problem of sufferings during his life is given. Job is severely tested by Satan. The Lord God allows Job to be tested by the adversary. He loses his beloved children and all his vast possessions. He is afflicted by pain and sickness. He feels that there is only misery and sufferings in this world. For all his deliberations about the cause of his sufferings, He is unable to find a convincing answer. Some time or other, we too may face the problem of sufferings in our lives without any reasonable explanations. 

   *Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to Corinthians. Paul explains to the Christian community at Corinth and to us the compulsions of preaching the Gospel. To that end, he has become all things to all: Even to the weak and those who suffer. He has no choice but to preach the Gospel because he is commissioned to do so by the Lord Jesus. 

He healed many who were sick                                                                Today's Gospel reading is from St. Mark. During His public ministry, Jesus expresses His love and compassion for the sick and those suffering from various diseases. He visits Simon Peter's mother-in-law who was bedridden with fever. He stretches out His hands and heals her. In the same way, Jesus heals many who were sick and those possessed by evil spirits. Jesus gives us no answers about the question of sufferings in this world. Nor does He try to explain why people have to suffer. However, through His healing ministry, He shows us the importance of transforming our sufferings and other's sufferings and pain to divine experiences. By identifying Himself with the sick and the dying and His death on the cross, He teaches us how to face sufferings in our lives. Jesus reveals to us that sufferings are part of  the mysterious plan of God. It all depends on us how to shoulder our cross; for by uniting our trials with Jesus, we too can become victorious and lead meaningful lives. Like Jesus, we His followers are invited to bring healing and solace to someone: May be by a word of sympathy or by a kind and loving gesture or by a silent prayer. That is what Jesus wants us to do when we meet people who suffer. In the second part of the Gospel, we see that after His healing ministry, Jesus goes to a lonely place to pray. In spite of His busy day, Jesus finds time to be in communion with the heavenly Father. All our busy life and activities should be constantly nourished by prayer. 

"How sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer's ears! It sooths his sorrows, heals his wounds and drives away his fear." - John Newton

"Be not wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will bring healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones." - Proverbs 3: 7-8