Eighth Sunday of the Year : A

"STOP WORRYING AND START LIVING"

First Reading: Isaiah 49: 14-15
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 4:1-5
Gospel Reading: Matthew 6: 24-34

   * First reading is from the book of Prophet Isaiah. In this passage Prophet Isaiah gives consolation and hope to the Jewish exiles in Babylon. He assures them that the Lord God will never forget them. Further he adds, even if a nursing mother forgets her infant (which is most uncommon), even then , the Lord God will will never ever forget His chosen people. This is the assurance of God to each one of us chosen by Him. We can always trust in God. He is always faithful.

   * Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to Corinthians. In this passage, Paul tells the Christian community in Corinth that God alone can judge rightly because He alone knows the secrets of the heart of a person. We should not make hasty judgments about other people. God is the only one who can judge rightly.

"Freedom from Worries and Anxieties"
Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. In this passage, Jesus urges His disciples and us not to be anxious about the things of this world. He urges us to trust in the providence of God. Different causes of anxieties and worries are taken into consideration by Jesus.
1. The disciples are not to be anxious about life. By being anxious, we cannot add one day to our life.
2. The disciples are not to be anxious about what they will eat or drink. Jesus gives us the example of the birds of the air. They neither sow nor reap like men do. But heavenly Father feeds them without fail. We are of more value than the birds.
3. The disciples are not to be anxious about their clothing. Jesus gives us the example of the lilies of the field. They are far better presented than King Solomon in his glorious days. If so, God will certainly take care of us.
4. The disciples are to have single minded loyalty. Divided loyalties are also cause of anxieties in our lives.
To be blessed by God, all we need to do is to seek God's Kingdom and His righteousness. The rest will follow. Finally, Jesus tells us that we need not be worried about tomorrow either because, tomorrow will have its own worries and problems to be dealt with.
Hence, Jesus' message liberates us of  all types of worries and anxieties, so that we may be free to follow His divine will.
"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength" - C.T.Boom.
"The secret of health of both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly " - The Buddha.  

Seventh Sunday of the Year : A

                "LOVE YOUR ENEMIES"

First Reading: Leviticus 19: 1-2, 17-18
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 3: 16-23
Gospel Reading: Matthew 5: 38-48

   * First reading is from the book of Leviticus. In this passage, the Lord God asks Moses to instruct the Israelites regarding their way of life. They were told to be holy like the Lord Himself. To be holy would mean : Not to hate one's neighbour or take vengeance or grudge as they love themselves. This teaching of the Lord God is echoed in the teaching of Jesus.

   * Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to Corinthians. In this passage, Paul reminds the Corinthian Christians that Holy Spirit dwells among them. They are the temples of the Holy Spirit and hence they should be holy. Further, he adds that wisdom of the world is folly. Paul asks them to respect one another forgetting their differences.

"You must be Perfect as your Heavenly Father is Perfect"
Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. This passage contains one of the most difficult and revolutionary teachings of Jesus. To love those who love us is easy. But Jesus tells His disciples and us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us. Such a teaching is never heard off.
Jesus gives us the example of the heavenly Father who is good to everyone. : both good and bad. Jesus goes beyond the teaching of Leviticus, where love was restricted to the neighbour. Revenge and retaliation is not for His disciples. Old Testament teaching of eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth is not to be practiced by His disciples. because, revenge and retaliation eventually destory a person and the society. Jesus asks His disciples to be better than the gentiles/ordinary people, in their behaviour.
Jesus' teaching is very sensible if we look at the world today. Hate never solves any problems , rather, when we hate another person, we give him/her tremendous power over us.: he/she robs us of our peace of mind and capacity to love. Let us turn our enemies into friends,
"Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends" - Abraham Lincon.
" Love is the only force capable of transforming any enemy into a  friend" - Martin Luther King Jr.
"Overcome the angry by non-anger: overcome the wicked by goodness."- The Buddha.
"To error is human but to forgive is divine"- a Proverb.

Sixth Sunday of the Year : A

"FULFILLMENT OF THE COMMANDMENTS"

First Reading: Sirach 15: 15-20
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 2: 6-10
Gospel Reading: Matthew 5: 20-37

   * First reading is from the book of Sirach. In this passage, the author says that God has given us freedom to choose good and evil. But God wants that we humans should always use our freedom with a sense of responsibility.

   * Second reading is from the first letter of St. Paul to Corinthians. In this passage, Paul tells the Christian community in Corinth that salvation through the cross of Christ is God's marvelous plan for the world. He gives us a future vision too: what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.

"Letter of the Law V/s Spirit of the Law"
Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. In this passage, Jesus reinterprets the ten commandments given by the Lord God to Moses on Mount Sinai. The new Moses, that is, Jesus gives us a new vision and a new understanding.
1. Jesus confirmed the Law in its condemnation of killing. But He went deeper in condemning the motivation that leads to such a crime: that is anger. He teaches us that reconciliation is far more important than offering sacrifices. The duty of making peace is more urgent than the duty to offer worship to God.
2. Jesus confirmed the law that adultery is a sin. But He went much further by teaching us that a person who looks lustfully at the opposite sex has already sinned in his/her heart. A person's sinful intentions and attitudes are equally sinful as the sin itself.
3. Jesus gave a clear teaching about divorce too. Law of Moses allowed a husband to divorce his wife on grounds of unchastity . But Jesus taught that divorce is unacceptable in the eyes of God.
Demands of Jesus from His followers is certainly very tough. On our own we cannot measure up to His standards. But with God's grace, we can certainly measure up to the standards set by Jesus.

The Epiphany of the Lord : A

          "THE STAR AND THE WISE MEN"

First Reading: Isaiah 60: 1-6
Second Reading: Ephesians 3: 2-3, 5-4
Gospel Reading: Matthew 2: 1-12

   * First reading is from the book of Prophet Isaiah. After the Babylonian exile, People of Israel returned to their homeland and found Jerusalem in ruins. In this passage, Prophet Isaiah encourages the people with the vision of a restored city and God's glory shining on them. The Prophet promised them that , the scattered children of Israel will return to Jerusalem and multitudes of people will come there to worship the true God. They will come with gifts of gold and frankincense.

   * Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to Ephesians, In this passage, Apostle Paul reveals the truth that God invites everyone , both Jews and Gentiles to share on an equal footing , salvation brought by Christ. This invitation is for all people belonging to every tribe and tradition to accept the revelation of God's salvation.

" The Wise Men came to Worship Christ"
Today's Gospel reading is from St. Matthew. In this passage, the evangelist narrates how wise men from the east came to pay homage to  Christ - Child, while the Jewish leaders failed to acknowledge Him. In the Gospel narrative, the wise men from the east traveled from darkness into light. The sudden appearance of a bright star indicated the birth of a great leader. These men followed the star's course until they came to Judea and then went to Herod's palace where they expected the new born king.
But the wise men found instead, Herod who was wicked to the core and that he sought to kill the divine child. They went to Bethlehem and worshiped Him and offered gifts to the divine child. When these men left their gifts with the Child Jesus, they returned back with gifts : gift of knowing who Jesus is and they were enriched by their encounter with the divine.
These three wise men represent all those who journey in hope to Jesus and find in Him their heart's desire. Then they returned to their own country. Faith in Jesus is not to be limited to any geographical or cultural boundary  but is a gift to be shared with others.

Feast of Mary Mother of God : A : New Year

              "MARY , MOTHER OF GOD"

First Reading : Numbers 6: 22-27
Second Reading: Galatians 4: 4-7
Gospel Reading : Luke 2: 16-21

   * First reading is from the book of Numbers . In this passage the Lord God tells Moses to instruct the priests to Bless the people of Israel in His name. The chosen people are to be blessed by the words, " It is the Lord's blessing that will make this coming year good and fruitful". With Mary , Mother of God, we too seek the blessings of the Lord God.

   * Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to Galatians. In this passage, Paul tells the Christians in Galatia and us that by giving us His own Son, through Mary, God enabled the whole human race to become His sons and daughters in whose hearts the Spirit of God cries, 'Abba, Father'.

Mary with Child Jesus in the Manger
Today's Gospel reading is from St. Luke. This passage describes the meeting of Shepherds with Child Jesus and Mother Mary in the manger. The eagerness of the simple shepherds to pay homage to the divine Child and Mary's reflective and contemplative mood are graphically depicted.
By celebrating the first day of the New Year , as the Feast of Mother Mary - Mother of God, we are celebrating the feast of all the mothers. It is fitting that Mother Mary is the model for all mothers. God showered Mary with numerous blessings, so we too invoke God's blessings on all mothers today.  Blessed Mother was a simple, illiterate peasant woman , yet Harvard historian Harry Adams calls her the "most powerful religious symbol for centuries. 
"May the Blessed Mother Bless you in the coming Year 2017"

"Mary is given to us as a mother to accompany us on our tiring pilgrimage through life"-  Pope Paul VI
" As mariners are guided by the shinning of a star, so Christians are guided to heaven by Mary" - St. Thomas Aquinas.

Thirty Fourth Sunday :C Feast of Christ the King

       "THE KING OF THE UNIVERSE"

First Reading: 2 Samuel 5:1-3
Second Reading: Colossians 1: 12-20
Gospel Reading: Luke 23: 35-43

   * First reading is from the Second book of Samuel. This passage gives us a narration about King David. David was already anointed King of Judea. Later, northern tribes too accepted him as their King. Thus David became the King of the whole Israel. David's kingship was a pre-figuration of the universal Kingship of Christ. 

   * Second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to Colossians. In this passage Apostle Paul gives thanks to God for having delivered the humankind from the dominion of darkness and brought us to the Kingdom of His Son. Christ is ;the image of the invisible God, the head of the Church and the Lord of all creation.

                 " JESUS THE KING"
Today's Gospel reading is from St. Luke. In this passage, there is a  mention about the inscription over the Cross " King of the Jews". It proclaims the true identity of Jesus. Jesus is both Messiah and King. Even as he died on the cross, He was giving consolation and forgiveness to all those around. There were many people below the cross of Christ: soldiers, Pharisees, and other people mocking and challenging Him saying " If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself". He asked forgiveness for them from Heavenly Father."Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing"
When the thief on the right pleaded saying "Jesus, remember me, when you are in your Kingdom", Jesus immediately assured him, paradise. As He was dying on the cross, He called His mother  and beloved disciple and entrusted His mother to the disciple. Then told the mother, this is you son, pointing  to the disciple. Hence, His last gift to us was His mother to be our heavenly mother too.
Christ's Kingdom is a very special Kingdom.He has come not to conquer, but to love. He has come not to rule, but to serve. He has come not to have possessions but to give them away(even His own mother) . He is the King of our hearts and minds.
"Hungry for love, He looks at you. Thirsty for kindness, He begs you. Naked for loyalty, He hopes in you. Homeless for shelter in your heart, he asks you". Will you be that one to Him?" - St. Teresa of Calcutta.
"Rome is gone, Napoleon is gone, Hitler is gone, but the Kingdom of Jesus marches on " - D. Guzik.

Fifteenth Sunday of the Year :C

             "WHO IS MY NEIGHBOUR"

First Reading : Deuteronomy 30: 10-14
Second Reading: Colossians 1: 15-20
Gospel Reading: Luke 10: 25-37

   *First reading is from the book of Deuteronomy. In this passage Moses exhorts the people of Israel to keep the commandments of the Lord God so that they turn to the Lord with all their heart and with all their soul. The commandments of Lord God is essay to obey because it is in the very heart and soul of every person.

   * Second reading is from the letter of St.Paul to Colossians. In this passage, Paul describes the incarnate Word. Jesus is the true image of God in human form. He is pre-eminent and supreme to everything created. He is also the head of the Church and brings reconciliation to the whole creation.

"The Good Samaritan"
Today's Gospel reading is from St. Luke. We have the wonderful parable of the Good Samaritan for our reflection and action. A lawyer put a very pertinent question to Jesus that day: "Who is my neighbour?". In response, Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan. What is most disturbing in Jesus'parable is not so much the attack made on an innocent man. But the fact that two respectable persons - a Priest and a Levite - pass by this unfortunate victim without showing any compassion or concern . Because for them , the first question that came to their mind was, "What will happen to me if I stop and help him"? . Where as , the first question that came to the mind of the Samaritan was, "What will happen to this wounded man if I do not take care of him"?
In a similar situation, like the Priest and the Levite in the parable, we too may have many excuses not to help those in need. It is much easier and safer to go quietly on the other side of the road as they did. But the Samaritan brushed aside all such thoughts and opened his heart to the wounded man. He went out of his way to help this wounded man. Jesus dramatically answered the question by the Lawyer through this parable and challenged every one to be a neighbour to whom our good will must go out. He told the Lawyer, "Go and do like wise". The same Jesus is telling us today to be a neighbour to who ever is in need of our help.
"It is easier to love humanity as a whole than to love one's neighbour" - Eric Hoffer.
"Love begins at home, love your family and your neighbours. Share with the poor and the needy around you, your smile, your word, your time, your belongings"- Bl. Mother Teresa of Calcutta.