First Sunday of Lent:B: February 21, 2021

 REPENT AND BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL

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. The floods that took place at the time of Noah are described. After the floods the Lord God made a covenant with Noah that there will never again be such a deluge. The Lord God's pact with Noah and his sons tells us about God's unfailing fidelity and benevolence towards the humankind. The rainbow was given as a sign of the covenant between the Lord God and the 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. Peter tells the Christian community 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 narrative of the temptations of Jesus in the wilderness is given. Jesus went through a time of serious reflection and faced challenges during those days in the desert. As we know from past experiences athletes prepare themselves for long duration before any event. Similarly professionals and artists rehearse painstakingly for long hours. So also good teachers prepare themselves meticulously. Before starting His public ministry Jesus went into the desert to prepare Himself for the divine task entrusted to Him by the heavenly Father. He had to purify His mind and cleanse His heart. The Evangelist narrates Jesus' going into the desert to combat the devil and concludes with His victorious emergence. Jesus emerged from His forty days of fasting and prayer and prepared Himself for the ultimate victory over Satanic powers. As we enter into 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 the last verse of today's Gospel throughout the Lent: "Repent and believe in the Gospel."

"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 whenever we are in that process, that I call divine therapy." - Thomas Keating

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Sixth Sunday of the Year: B: February 14, 2021

                    JESUS HEALS A LEPER

First Reading: Leviticus 13: 1-2 and 45-46

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 condition of lepers in Old Testament times is described in detail. During those days leprosy made a person physically, spiritually and socially an outcast. He/she was unwanted in the society. As long as the disease lasted, a leper was forced to stay out of his/her home in some secluded place. Lepers were considered ritually unclean and they were compelled 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 them and all of us that in whatever we do we have to give glory to God the Father. He gives his own example and tells 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 healed a leper. This man implored Jesus to heal him from leprosy. Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and healed him. The leprosy mentioned in the Gospel symbolizes all the external and internal illness that we suffer from. While healing this leper Jesus did the unthinkable for a Jew of that time to do. He reached out and touched this suffering man. Jesus could have very well healed the man without touching him. By this action, Jesus gave him dignity and showed that this man too is very precious in the eyes of God. By His touch and consoling words Jesus not only healed the wounds and pains of leprosy but also the wounds caused by rejection which was inflicted on him by the society.                                                              St. Damien of Molokai is a prime example of a person who tried to emulate Jesus by his love, concern and care for lepers. After working for the wellbeing of lepers for many years, he too contracted leprosy and died of leprosy. The following words are written on his tomb. "Love never fails." - 1Corinthians 13:8. During these days of Covid-19, we too are faced with social distancing, loneliness and isolation. Jesus who healed the leper may heal  all who suffer due to the effects of this pandemic. 

"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 7, 2021

 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. It graphically explains how Job a just man comes to grip with the problem of sufferings in his life. Job was severely tested by Satan. The Lord God allowed Job to be tested by the adversary. He lost his beloved children and all his possessions. He was afflicted by pain and sickness. He felt that there is only misery and sufferings in this world. For all his deliberations about the cause of his sufferings, he was not able to come up with a convincing answer. Some time or other we too may have faced 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 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.

He healed many who were sick                                                           Today's Gospel reading is from St. Mark. Jesus expresses His love and compassion for the sick and the suffering. He visited Simon Peter's mother-in-law who was sick and was bedridden with fever. He stretched out His hands and healed her. In the same way Jesus healed many who were sick and those who were 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 showed us the importance of turning our sufferings and pain to God experiences. By identifying Himself with the sick and the dying and by His death on the cross He teaches us how to face sufferings in our lives. He reveals to us that sufferings are part of God's mysterious plan. 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 too are invited to bring healing and solace to someone: maybe by a word of sympathy or by a kind and loving gesture or by a silent prayer. That is what is expected of us when we meet people who suffer.                               In the second part of the Gospel we see that after His healing ministry  Jesus went to a lonely place to pray. In spite of His busy day, Jesus found time to be in communion with the Heavenly Father. All our busy life and activities should be nourished by prayer. 

" How sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer's ear! It soothes 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 be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones." - Proverbs 3: 7-8

Fourth Sunday of the Year: B: January 31, 2021

         THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS

First Reading: Deuteronomy 18: 15-20

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 7: 32-35

Gospel Reading: Mark 1: 21-28

   * First reading is from the book of Deuteronomy. Moses instructs the people of Israel that the Lord God will send an outstanding prophet who will proclaim His message and lead the people to the Lord God. The Lord God will put words into the mouth of the prophet and he will speak with authority. This prophecy of Moses finds its fulfilment in Jesus. 

    *Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to Corinthians. Paul reminds the Christian community at Corinth and us that whether married or unmarried, we are called to holiness of life and to live with an undivided devotion to God. He urges those who are celibate to give their undivided attention to the Lord. He wishes that all of us be free from all worries so as to give total attention to the Lord Jesus and His message.

With authority He commands                                                       Today's Gospel reading is from St. Mark. We have a specific example of how Jesus spoke with great authority during His public life. Only a genuine person can speak with authority. At that time there were many teachers of the law: Scribes and Pharisees. But they could never speak with authority. Jesus could speak with authority because He had the approval of the heavenly Father and He was filled with the Holy Spirit. He was convinced of what He said and He said what He believed in.                                                  In the second part of today's Gospel we have some examples of how Jesus exercised His authority. A person possessed with an evil spirit was brought to the Lord. Jesus commanded and the evil spirit left the person and the possessed person was totally freed from the power of evil. Today we are living in a world where many people are possessed by various evils. They are the people who are haunted by fear, worries, anxieties, suicidal tendencies, various addictions and many other evil habits. Jesus' authority and power is necessary to heal these unfortunate people. Hence Jesus exercised His authority to liberate people and to heal them and to bring them closer to God. The prophecy of Moses finds its fulfillment in Jesus. More than ever today we are faced with scepticism about many people in authority both in the secular sphere and in the religious sphere. Unlike them Jesus spoke with authority because He spoke the truth and He backed up His words with His deeds. 

"All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me." -Matthew 28:18

"Authority exercised with humility and obedience accepted with delight are the very lines along which our spirits live." - C.S. Lewis

Third Sunday of the Year: B: January 24, 2021

            THE CALL TO REPENTANCE

First Reading: Jonah 3: 1-5 and 10

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 7: 29-31

Gospel Reading : Mark 1: 14-20

    *First reading is from the book of Prophet Jonah. It is a  description of how the Lord God sent Prophet Jonah to Nineveh. Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria- the bitter enemy of Israel. Jonah wanted the city and its inhabitants to be destroyed. But the Lord God chose Jonah to go to that city and preach His Word. The Lord God wanted to bring them to repentance and conversion. Jonah was very reluctant to go there and gave many excuses not to go there. But the Lord God almost by force sent him to Nineveh. When Jonah preached, the people of Nineveh, from the greatest to the least, repented of their sins and did penance. The Lord God spared the city from the impending punishment and destruction. 

   *Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to Corinthians. Paul exhorts the Christian community in the port city of Corinth to abandon their old sinful ways and to have a new way of following the teachings of Christ. He encourages them to consider the values of God's Kingdom above everything else. He tells them and us that after experiencing the love of Christ, an attitude of detachment to worldly pleasures is necessary. 

The Kingdom of God is at hand                                                            Today's Gospel reading is from St. Mark. A description of the beginning of Jesus' ministry with the announcement of the Good News is mentioned. "The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Good News" is the keynote. Through this announcement Jesus tells us the following:  1. Repentance means experiencing conversion- a new way of life. It is a turning away from sin and turning to God's ways. The call to repentance is inclusive of everyone. 2. The good news is that forgiveness is available and recovery is possible. One can find one's true self even after the most disheartening fall or series of falls. We can come back to the Father's love where not judgement but welcome awaits us. In spite of our failures and sins, we are still very much loved unconditionally by God our loving Father. His love, His mercy and forgiveness are available to us through His Son Jesus. All we need to do is to recognize our need and seek His help with humility and sincerity. For He invites us to repentance and to the good news of the Kingdom. 

"Deep sorrow does not come because one has violated a law, but only if one knows he has broken off the relationship with Divine Love. But there is yet another element required for regeneration, the element of repentance and reparation." - Arch Bishop Fulton J Sheen. 

Second Sunday of the Year :B: January 17, 2021

 

THE CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP

First Reading: 1 Samuel 3: 3-10 and 19

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 6: 13-15 and 17-20

Gospel Reading: John 1: 35-42

   * First reading is from the first book of Prophet Samuel. It is an account of the call of young Samuel by the Lord God. Samuel responded to the Lord God's call wholeheartedly and unconditionally. His response was one of total submission to the Lord God. And he said, "speak, for thy servant hears." It was through the prophet Samuel that the Lord God guided the chosen people to become a great nation. The call of Samuel is an example of the mysterious and hidden ways in which the Lord God acts. Samuel thus became the liberator of God's people. 

   *Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to Corinthians. Paul wrote this letter to Christians in Corinth, a port city where people were living in much sexual immorality. Paul tells them and us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and hence we must not use them for sin but rather use them for the glory of God. Because of our call to be holy, we have to live up to the image of God and be a  source of blessings to our brothers and sisters. 

The call of the first disciples                                                    Today's Gospel reading is from St. John. John gives us an account of the call of the first disciples of Jesus. Andrew and his brother Peter had their first encounter with Jesus near the sea of Galilee. It was not merely a casual meeting but rather a meeting of hearts. Sometimes when people meet it can be a mere formality but in an encounter people open their hearts to one another and share their innermost ideas and concerns. This encounter between Jesus and the first disciples changed their lives. For the next three years they would really know who Jesus was and they would experience His constant companionship.                                               Jesus invited His first disciples with the words, "come and see." He is inviting us too in the same way. If we accept His invitation He will reveal His real self to us and the mysteries of the kingdom of God. Most of us can recall some encounters with another person/persons that had a lasting influence or changed our lives or made a firm impression on our lives.  The question is, are we prepared to accept the invitation of Lord Jesus? 

The Baptism of the Lord B: January 10, 2021

                    MY BELOVED SON

First Reading : Isaiah 42: 1-4, 6-7

Second Reading: Acts 10: 34-38

Gospel Reading: Mark 1: 7-11

   * First reading is from the book of Prophet Isaiah . Isaiah speaks of a new and permanent relationship which the Lord God will make with all humanity through His servant. He gives the picture of a true servant of God. He is gentle and humble of heart who is dedicated to his mission which is to bring about true liberation to all who are oppressed. This prophecy of Isaiah finds its fulfilment in Jesus. 

   *Second reading is from the Acts of the Apostles. The author says that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power so that He could fulfill the mission entrusted to Him. In this passage we have a short description of how the early Church understood baptism. Like Jesus, a baptized person is seen to be anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power from above. 

Baptism of Jesus at Jordan                                                           Today's Gospel reading is from St. Mark. It gives some details of the  baptism of Jesus in the river Jordan. With some reluctance and reservations  John the Baptist baptized Jesus. With His baptism Jesus' true identity is revealed publicly. He is given power for His mission entrusted to Him by the heavenly Father. Jesus was baptized to fulfill God's plan for the salvation of humankind. Jesus did not have to be baptized to be free from sin unlike other humans because He was never under the power of sin.                                              When Jesus came out of the water the heavens were opened and the Spirit of the Lord descended on Him and a voice from heaven proclaimed, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." Hence Jesus is seen as one in whom the prophecies of the Old Testament are fulfilled. It is a declaration that in Jesus all the hopes and longings of the past are accomplished. Jesus is the Son of God and the Spirit of God rested on Him. He will begin His ministry with Father's authority and love.                                          Through baptism we too are united with Jesus and share in His mission. 

"In baptism, the form of Christ's death is impressed upon his own." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

"Just as a man cannot live in the flesh unless he is born in the flesh, even so man cannot have the spiritual life of grace unless he is born again spiritually. This regeneration is effected by baptism." - St. Thomas Aquinas. 

"Baptism is an outward expression of an inward faith." - W. Nee.