Twentieth Sunday of the Year: A: August 20, 2023

 THE PROMISE OF UNIVERSAL SALVATION

First Reading: Isaiah 56: 1 and 6-7

Second Reading: Romans 11: 13-15

Gospel Reading: Matthew 15: 21-28

   *First reading is from the book of Prophet Isaiah. Isaiah looks beyond the Chosen people and looks to the salvation of all nations and races. He  affirms that the Lord God's salvation is inclusive of all people (everyone) and it is not limited to one's nationality, race or religion. It is open to all who worship the Lord God with sincerity of heart, no matter where they come from. 

   *Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to Romans. Paul explains to the Christian community at Rome and us that God never ever takes back His call and His gifts. He affirms that in order to receive the gifts of God and to live His call, we need to accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord. We receive mercy from God by turning away from our sinful ways and by returning to the love of God. 

Jesus heals the daughter of a Canaanite woman                                                   Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. A Canaanite woman approaches Jesus and pleads with Him to heal her daughter from an evil possession. At that time, Jews and Canaanites had a hostile relationship. At first Jesus does not respond to her desperate cries. The disciples plead with Jesus to grand her request because she had become a real headache to them. Jesus then cites the reason for His inaction. His ministry is limited to the Jews. It is not reasonable that the bread of the children is given to the house dogs. He has come to bring back the lost sheep of Israel. However, this woman does not take Jesus' no for an answer. She persists with her request. She humbly accepts her unworthiness to receive such a gift. Her persistent and continuous prayer finally makes Jesus to grant her wish and her daughter is healed. This miracle story illustrates to us the following: 1. We need to be persistent in our prayer even when our prayers are not immediately answered. 2. No one is to be denied of God's love, mercy and healing touch because he or she does not belong to a particular community or a particular religious tradition. 

"God's dream is that you and I and all of us will realize that we are family, that we are made for togetherness, for goodness and for compassion." - Bishop Desmond Tutu

"The whole idea of compassion is based on a keen awareness of the interdependence of all these living beings which are part of one another and all involved in one another." - Thomas Merton

Nineteenth Sunday of the Year: A: August 13, 2023

 CONFIDENCE BUILDING MEASURES: 'IT IS I, DO NOT BE AFRAID'

First Reading: 1 Kings 19: 9 and 11-13

Second Reading: Romans 9: 1-5

Gospel Reading: Matthew 14: 22-33

   *First reading is from the first book of Kings. The sorry plight of Prophet Elijah is described in detail. He is fleeing for his life because his enemies are trying to kill him. When everything seems to be lost, suddenly he hears the voice of the Lord God. The voice of the Lord God comes to him not in a mighty wind or in a powerful earthquake. It comes to him in the gentle breeze. Prophet Elijah's experience of the Lord God should remind us that the Lord God often comes to us in our lives not with powerful and awesome signs but He comes to us in silence and in gentle whispers. 

   *Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to Romans. Paul narrates to the Christian community at Rome and to us about his own sorrows and anguish. His sufferings are due to the fact that his fellow Jews refuse to accept the Lord Jesus as their Messiah. He expresses his willingness to forgo everything he has for the sake of the Jews who are not ready to become sons of God through the mediation of Jesus Christ. 

Jesus walks on the sea                                                                       Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. A detailed account of how Jesus miraculously walks on the sea and comes to the disciples who were frightened by the rough sea and the wind is given. Whole day long Jesus had been breaking the Word of God and healing many who were sick and possessed by evil powers. His disciples had gone in a boat to the sea of Galilee. At day break, when it was still dark, Jesus comes to them walking on the sea. The disciples are terrified because they thought they saw a ghost. Jesus immediately assures them, 'Take heart, it is I ; do not be afraid.' In the same way, Jesus assures each one of us who are worried and frightened by the many challenging situations in life, the many visible and the invisible ghosts of this world. When we recognize the Lord and put our trust in Him, we too will become confident and courageous to face many challenging situations in life. In the later part of the Gospel, Peter wants to walk on the water as Jesus does. On his request, the Lord grants him that privilege. However, when he starts to walk on the sea, seeing the rough sea and the waves, he is frightened and begins to sink. He cries for help. Jesus saves him and reproaches him for his lack of faith. Yes, we too can sink to the bottom if we do not focus our lives on Jesus and lose our faith. Jesus' assurance to the disciples is for all of us. He is  ever ready to help us in times of uncertainty and turmoil. 

"Have no fear of moving into the unknown. Simply step out fearlessly knowing that I am with you, therefore no harm can befall you." - St. John Paul II (Pope)

"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it." - Late Nelson Mandela 

Eighteenth Sunday of the Year: A: The Feast of Transfiguration: August 6, 2023

 TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD JESUS

First Reading: Daniel 7: 9-10 and 13-14

Second Reading: 2 Peter 1: 16-19

Gospel Reading: Matthew 17: 1-9

   *First reading is from the book of Prophet Daniel. The (prophetic) vision of Daniel is narrated. In the vision, Daniel sees the Son of man in great glory and power. The Lord God (Ancient of days) gives Him dominion, glory and power over all peoples and kingdoms. This vision is a pre-figuration of the glory of Jesus the Son of God at His transfiguration on Mount Tabor in the presence of His beloved disciples. 

   *Second reading is from the second letter of St. Peter. Peter affirms that he is an eyewitness to the honour and glory given to Jesus by God the Father. This is confirmed by the voice from heaven, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." This eyewitness account of St. Peter is for all of us who were not part of the transfiguration event at that time. But now we are invited to be part of that glorious event which took place on mount Tabor.

This is my beloved Son                                                                            Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. The transfiguration of Jesus, which took place on a mountain is narrated in detail. Jesus takes three of His disciples: Peter, James and John on a high mountain and there He is transfigured. As a result, Jesus' face shines like the Sun and His clothes become white as light - indicating that something extra-ordinary and heavenly is happening to Jesus. At the time of transfiguration, Moses and Elijah - two of the towering personalities of Old Testament - appear and converse with Jesus. This signifies that Jesus' mission has the approval of those two great men of old. As He speaks with Moses and Elijah, they are overshadowed by a bright cloud. A voice from the cloud proclaims, "This my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." The presence of the cloud and the voice signifies the presence of the Heavenly Father, approving the mission of Jesus. Subsequently, the disciples are terrified and fall on their faces - indicating that they are in the presence of the divine. Finally, Jesus reassures the disciples and tells them, "Rise and have no fear." This is much like the assurance given to the disciples by the risen Lord at the resurrection experiences. This heavenly experience is granted to the disciples in order to strengthen their faith in Lord and meet various challenges in their future mission. The feast of transfiguration is celebrated by the Church to strengthen our faith in the Lord especially in times of doubts and challenges in our lives. The messages of Transfiguration of the Lord: 1. Jesus is not merely human. He is indeed the Son of God. 2. The heavenly Father blesses and approves His mission in the world. 3. Like the three disciples, we too can experience the transfiguration experience if we are united with the Lord.

"It is indeed good to be here, as you have said, Peter. It is good to be with Jesus and to remain here for ever. What greater happiness or higher honour could we have than to be with God and to be made like him and to live in his light." - Bishop Anastasius of Sinai (on transfiguration of the Lord)

Seventeenth Sunday of the Year: A; July 30, 2023

 THE HIDDEN TREASURES : THE DISCOVERY OF FAITH

First Reading: 1 Kings 3: 5 and 7-12

Second Reading: Romans 8: 28-30

Gospel Reading: Matthew 13: 44-52

   *First reading is from the first book of Kings. A detailed narration about the Wisdom of the Lord God is given. The Lord God is pleased with King Solomon. He is ready to grant any favour that the King asks for. King Solomon humbles himself before the Lord God. He requests the Lord God to give him wisdom that he may know what is right and wrong. The King makes the right choice by asking for discernment so that he is able to make right judgement to rule his people. He realizes the relative values of the things of this world. 

   *Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to Romans. Paul gives the Christian community at Rome and us the comforting message that for Christians all things in life - the painful and the difficult ones as well as the happy ones - work for our good. He encourages us that God enables us to love Him wholeheartedly and when we thus become God's beloved, He will protect us and bless us in all things in life. 

The parables of the Kingdom                                                                      Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. Through three parables, Jesus teaches us about the Kingdom of God. 1. Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a treasure hidden in a field. By chance, a person finds it and he goes and sells all that he has and purchases that field. This parable instructs us that possessing the Kingdom of God is of more value than anything we have in the world and we must make every effort to possess it. 2. Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a merchant in search of very precious pearls. After much search, finally he finds one of great value. He sells all that he has and buys that precious pearl. As above, Jesus suggests that the Kingdom of God is the finest and the most valuable of all possessions in the world. Hence, we must make every effort to posses it. 3. Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a net cast into the sea.Both good and bad fish are caught in the net. When the net is brought ashore, useful ones are collected in baskets. However, the useless ones are thrown back into the sea. Jesus warns us that it will be so at the end of times. The good and the bad will be separated. The Lord allows everyone to come into His presence (net) but those who do not follow His teachings (useless ones) will be left out of His Kingdom. These three parables graphically explain to us the different ways of discovering faith: By chance, by diligent search and by careful discernment. Hence, the discovery of faith is a wonderful experience like finding a treasure in a field, searching for a precious pearl or even like casting a net into the sea.

"The Kingdom of heaven is worth infinitely more than the cost of discipleship and those who know where the treasurer lies joyfully abandon everything else to secure it." - D.A. Carson

Sixteenth Sunday of the Year: A: July 23, 2023

 THE GOD OF PATIENCE AND OF TOLERANCE

First Reading: Wisdom 12: 13 and 16-19

Second Reading: Romans 8: 26-27

Gospel Reading: Matthew 13: 24-42

   *First reading is from the book of Wisdom. The Lord God is the only one who has both knowledge and the power to root out evil as He desires. The Lord God's punishments are not to be seen as a weakness but rather, He wants to bring the godless and the evil people into repentance. We need to learn from the Lord God who always judges with  great patience. 

   *Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to Romans. Paul expresses the fact that when we pray, sometimes we are unable to express ourselves with appropriate words. He assures us that although we do not know how to pray, the Holy Spirit helps us and intercedes for us to find the will of God. He instructs us that the Holy Spirit enables us to transcend our human nature. 

The parable of the wheat and the weeds (co-existence of good and evil in the world)                                                              Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. The parable of the wheat and the darnel (weeds) is narrated in great details. Jesus speaks of a real life situation in the world. We know from our past experiences that good and evil co-exist in the world. The question often asked by many people is, how is that God allows good and evil to co-exist and grow in world ? Jesus explains to His disciples and us that it is similar to a field in which the wheat and the weeds grow side by side. Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a farmer who has a difficult problem to deal with. Although he sowed wheat during the sowing season, the field is filled with both wheat and poisonous weeds (darnel) which cannot be distinguished from the wheat at the initial stages of growth. Only when the plants grow to a certain stage, they can be identified. The servants of the farmer are very eager to weed out the darnel. But the farmer disagrees with them and refuses their request. He is concerned that while uprooting the weeds, wheat plants too may get damaged or destroyed. So he allows both of them to grow till the harvest time. It is a fact that we too live in a mix of good and evil - the wheat and the weeds, light and darkness,  grace and sin. God in His great providence is tolerant and patient with us and allows us to grow in the world. If we turn out to be wheat, we will be part of God's loving plan. But if we turn out to be weeds, then violent uprooting and destruction can take place. 

"Even in these high seats, there is both wheat and weeds. Let the good tolerate the bad but the bad change themselves and imitate the good." - St. Augustine

"The Church should let dissent grow with orthodoxy until the Lord comes to separate and judge them." - Bishop Wazzo of Liege

Fifteenth Sunday of the Year: A: July 16, 2023

 FRUITFULNESS OF THE WORD OF GOD

First Reading: Isaiah 55: 10-11

Second Reading: Romans 8: 18-23

Gospel Reading: Matthew 13: 1-23

   *First reading is from the book of Prophet Isaiah. Isaiah tells the people of Israel and us that the Lord God cares for the earth by sending rains in due season to make it fruitful. In the same manner, He sends His Word so that it may bring forth fruits in our lives. Isaiah assures us that the Word of God will not be empty but will surely accomplish its desired purpose. 

   *Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to Romans. Paul instructs the Christian community at Rome and all of us that the glory which awaits us in the next life far outweighs all the sufferings and the pains we endure at the present times. Further, he assures us that the whole of creation is eagerly waiting for the liberation and glory which will be accomplished through Christ. In Christ all of us have become adopted sons and daughters and hence we will receive redemption of our mortal bodies. 

The parable of the Sower                                                                          Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. Jesus gives a very powerful message about the fruitfulness of the Word of God through the parable of the Sower. Jesus compares the Word of God to the seeds that are sown in a field. In the first instance, some seeds fall on the pathways. In the second instance, some seeds fall on rocky ground. And in the third instance, some seeds fall on thorny bushes. In all the three situations, the seeds fail to produce the desired results due to various reasons. But in the final instance, some seeds fall on good soil and they produce fruits : Some thirty, some sixty and some hundred fold. Jesus narrates this parable to His listeners and us to instruct them/us how the Word of God affects different types of people in the world. In the later part of the Gospel, Jesus explains this parable to His disciples. He highlights four different responses to the Word. As for those who hear the Word of God and do not understand it and the evil one comes and destroys it: They are like those seeds that fall on the roadside. There are people who hear the Word of God and receive it with joy but when trials and difficulties come their way, they give up following the Word: They are like those seeds that fall on rocky ground and fail to produce the desired results. There are also people who listen to the Word of God but cares of the world choke them and they too fail to produce the desired results : They are like the seeds that fall among thorny bushes. Finally, there are people who hear the Word of God, they accept it and gladly put it into practice in their daily lives: They are like seeds that fall on good soil eventually producing the desired results. The theme of Jesus' parable has its echoes in the first reading from the book of Prophet Isaiah that the Word of God is fruitful and will accomplish its purpose. In this context, it is worth noting that many great and beautiful works had very humble beginnings like the tiny seeds that fall on soil.

"It is not always granted to the Sower to live to see the harvest. All work that is worth anything is done in faith." - Albert Schweitzer

Fourteenth Sunday of the Year: A: July 9, 2023

 AN INVITATION OF JESUS TO REST A WHILE

First Reading: Zechariah 9: 9-10

Second Reading: Romans 8: 9 and 11-13

Gospel Reading: Matthew 11: 25-30

   *First reading is from the book of Prophet Zechariah. Zechariah urges the people of Israel to rejoice because their promised leader - the Messiah - is coming. The Messiah is not coming as a proud warrior but he is full of humility. He is victorious but peace-loving. He is triumphant yet very humble. This prophecy of Zechariah finds its fulfillment in the person Jesus. 

   *Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to Romans. Paul instructs the Christian community at Rome and all of us that we have Holy Spirit living in us. He further clarifies that authentic and genuine Christian life is lived in union with the Spirit of Christ and it results in the fullness of life. He warns us that a sinful and sensual life is a living death and results in the destruction of the divine life in us. 

Come to me all who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest                                 Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. Jesus lovingly invites everyone who is humble, gentle and are overburdened to have rest in His caring presence. All of us in some way are burdened due to various life situations and worries. Jesus is the embodiment of the heavenly Father's goodness. All those who follow Him finds true rest and reassurance that He alone can dispense with. 'Come to me'  is a great invitation of Jesus which is totally open to everyone of us-in various age groups and all classes of people in the society. It is an invitation to all people: Those working, the struggling, the oppressed and the persecuted. It is an invitation to those who do manual works or intellectual works. Jesus offers true rest to everyone no matter who we are  or what we do. We all get weakened, tired and enfeebled. Rest is a universal need: We need physical, mental and spiritual rest for our true growth. Jesus is always ready to give us that rest. 

"Lord, you have made our hearts for you and they are restless until they rest in you." - St. Augustine

"We find rest in those we love and we provide a resting place in ourselves for those who love us." - St. Bernard Clairaux

"If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other." - St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta