Twelfth Sunday of the Year: A: June 21, 2026

 A CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP: BEING FEARLESS AND COURAGEOUS

Introduction: Today's liturgy speaks about witnessing to Christ in difficult and challenging situations. Jesus wants us to proclaim His message not in secret but from the house tops. He assures us that if the heavenly Father cares for insignificant sparrows of this world, how much more He cares for His children. We need not be afraid of any evil forces that try to prevent us from breaking His Word in the world around us. In the first reading too Prophet Jeremiah laments about the persecutions he has to suffer. People are seeking to take his life but he is not afraid to speak for the Lord because the Lord God is with him to protect and guide him. 

First Reading: Jeremiah 20: 10 to 13

Second Reading: Romans 5: 12 to 15

Gospel Reading: Matthew 10: 26 to 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 that sin and death came through Adam the first man. However, freedom and life came through Jesus the second Adam. 

Fear not, you are of more value than many sparrows                                                   Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. Jesus encourages His disciples to be fearless and courageous when faced with rejection and opposition. He assures His divine protection to us. Jesus instructs the following: 1. The message of Jesus is not to be hidden but to be proclaimed openly: 'On the house tops.' 2. The disciples are not to be afraid of those who kill the body but rather be cautious of those who kill the soul. 3. Even a tiny sparrow is under the protection of God. We are of more value than many sparrows. We should realise 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 duly acknowledged and rewarded by the heavenly Father. Fearless witnessing to Christ and His message make us worthy of eternal reward. We need great faith and confidence in the Lord in order to respond to Jesus' invitation. In this context St. John Henry Newman says: "I really fear that most of those who call themselves Christians would go on as they do, if they believed Christianity to be nothing more than a fable." And St. Oscar Romero says: "My job seems to be to go around picking up insults and corpses." 

Conclusion: Jesus' invitation to be fearless witnesses to His message is for all times and for all peoples. In order to accept this challenge, we need faith, courage and radical commitment. Jesus does not want His disciples to be members of a cowardly Church or a faithless community. He wants each one of His followers to stand up and be counted for our faith in Him. We have to make this radical choice at some stage of our lives to live in truthfulness and to take the Gospel more seriously. 

May the Lord Jesus, who challenges us to be faithful to His message and proclaim it boldly and faithfully, bless you and give you the strength to do it openly. Amen. 

(Kindly note: Sunday Reflections with Fr. Joy Joseph is available on YouTube. Please view, like, share and subscribe to the video version on YouTube. "YouTube/Sunday Reflections with Fr. Joy Joseph, June 21, 2026. Thanks.)

Eleventh Sunday of the Year: A: June 14, 2026

     JESUS, THE COMPASSIONATE AND KIND

Introduction: During His public life, wherever Jesus went, He was surrounded by large crowds. At times, He hardly had time to eat. Today's Gospel presents such a scene. He is surrounded by many people. They are a typical crowd, pushy and demanding attention. Yet Jesus shows no sign of annoyance. He sees their yearnings. He takes pity on them. He is truly concerned about their well-being. He sees that they are dejected and harrowed, like sheep without a shepherd. He immediately gives Himself to them. Yes, that is the Jesus we meet in the Gospel. 

First Reading: Exodus 19: 2 to 6

Second Reading: Romans 5: 6 to 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 freed them from 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. 

   *Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to Romans. Paul explains to the Christian community at Rome 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. All of us are 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 following Him. He has great compassion for them. He observes that they are helpless and they lack purpose in life -'like sheep without a shepherd.' He realises the need for labourers to reap the plentiful harvest - bringing the least and the lost to the fold. In the second part of the Gospel, Jesus summons the twelve Apostles and gives them authority over unclean spirits, to cure every disease and every sickness. The names of the twelve Apostles are mentioned. He instructs them and sends them out to preach, to heal the sick, to raise the dead, to cleanse lepers and to cast out demons. For now, their ministry is limited to the lost sheep of Israel. A time will come when they can go to others. Jesus makes it amply clear that their mission of preaching, teaching and healing is not for any profit motives or any personal gains: 'You received without pay, give without pay.' Hence all of us, without exception are called to be part of the great mission of Jesus without looking for any material gains and other favours in return. 

Conclusion: Jean Vanier says: "A person in misery does not need a look that judges and criticises but a comforting presence that brings peace, hope and life. In other words, what he or she needs is compassion. Compassion means: sharing the same passion, sharing the same suffering, sharing the same agony, accepting into my heart the misery of yours." That is what Jesus does to everyone who meets Him. That is what Jesus wants from His followers.

May the Lord Jesus, who sends out His Apostles to preach, to teach and to heal, bless you and inspire you to continue His mission in your daily lives. Amen. 

(Kindly note: Sunday Reflections with Fr. Joy Joseph is available on YouTube. Please view, like, share and subscribe to the video version on YouTube. "YouTube/Sunday Reflections with Fr. Joy Joseph, June 14, 2026.)

The Feast of Corpus Christi: A : June 7, 2026

 JESUS, THE LIVING BREAD FROM HEAVEN

Introduction: Today we celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi: The Body and Blood of Christ. The Eucharist is an act of common worship. Here we become conscious of our unity: Unity with Christ the Lord and unity between one another. The Eucharist becomes meaningful when that unity becomes visible. St. Paul continually reminds us that we are the Body of Christ. When we celebrate this feast, we recall to mind the self-giving love of Jesus to His disciples to remain with them (us) till the end of time. 

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

Second Reading: 1Corinthians 10: 16 to 17

Gospel Reading: John 6: 51 to 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 ought to nourish themselves on His word. However, the Lord God tests them in the wilderness: They long for food, and they 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 Corinthians. Paul explains to the Christian community at Corinth how the participation in Eucharistic celebration becomes a source of strength to the Christian solidarity and oneness. As food and drink nourish our physical bodies, so the body and blood of Christ nourish us spiritually. By receiving the body and blood of Christ in Holy communion, we become intimately united with Christ the Lord. 

Life-giving Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist                                                      Today's Gospel reading is from St. John, Chapter 6. An elaborate teaching on the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is given. Jesus explains to His disciples and followers that to be part of Him, it is necessary that they eat His body and drink His blood. He affirms that He is the living bread that has come down from heaven, which gives the recipient eternal life. Listening to this strange teaching of Jesus, many of the Jews who followed Him take offence and leave Him. For a Jew, to eat the body and drink the blood of another person is totally unacceptable and unthinkable. Yet, Jesus affirms this teaching on Eucharist. At the Last Supper, Jesus ratifies this teaching on Eucharist by offering His body and blood as food and drink to His disciples. In this context, St. Francis of Assisi says:       "And just as He appeared before the Holy Apostles in true flesh, so now he has us see Him in sacred bread." St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta says: "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."

Conclusion: 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 believers. The Eucharistic celebration implies serious challenges and obligations for us Christians. More than mere participation, it demands a Christ-like life from His followers. 

May the Lord Jesus, who shares His body and blood in the Eucharist, bless you and give you life eternal. Amen. 

(Kindly note: Sunday Reflections with Fr. Joy Joseph is available on YouTube. Please view, like, share and subscribe to the video version on YouTube. "YouTube/Sunday Reflections with Fr. Joy Joseph, June 7, 2026. Thanks.)