Sunday Homilies

Thirteenth Sunday Ordinary Time Year A

2020-06-29T15:03:00.000-07:00

Readings: 2Kg 4:8-11, 14-16; Rm 6:3-4, 8-11; Mt 10:37-42

Hospitality, the first pillar of stewardship is the key to unlocking the message of this Sunday. In the first reading, we find a remarkable example of hospitality given by the Shunamite woman. Her hospitality to the prophet Elisha is rewarded by God. She will get a baby boy, though her husband is advanced in age. The point of the story is that making space to welcome strangers can indeed unlock God’s blessings and favors.

Jesus in the gospel passage underlines the importance of hospitality in the life of his disciples. He tells his disciples that “whoever receives” them receives him and the Father who sent him. Those who offer hospitality to them will receive an appropriate reward.

In the Joy of the Gospel #114, Pope Francis has said that “The Church must be a place of mercy freely given, where everyone can feel welcomed, loved, forgiven and encouraged to live the good life of the Gospel.”

My dear parishioners, as I prepare to retire from St. John’s, it is my hope that you have found this parish to be a place of welcome, forgiveness and spiritual nourishment. We have intentionally put the word of St. Peter into practice when he tells us: “Be hospitable to one another without complaining.” (1 Peter 4:9) We have also taken to heart the words of St. Paul who says: “Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.” (Heb 13:2)

I remember that in 2011 9 years ago you gave me hospitality, and that has remained in my heart. You became family to me, my sons and daughters; my brothers and sisters. I leave St. John’s with great satisfaction for what we have accomplished together, mainly because of your trusted in the vision and mission of our parish as the Spirit guided us. Thank you for trusting in my leadership.

I want to thank in particular all the leaders who have worked with me these 9 years. Even in times of darkness, you stood with me. I want to thank all parishioners in the various ministries for their dedication and especially these days of uncertainty. I want to thank you parents for supporting your children in ministry. My closest collaborators have been the staff and I want to thank them all from the bottom of my heart for all the full support they have given me. They cared for me like their brother.

Dear parishioners, as I go on retirement, I have no doubt that you will be in good hands with Fr. Drexel and eventually with Fr. Nicholas whom some of you know. Please do not forget to pray for me. God bless you all. Ke Akua pu.

Palm Sunday Year A

2020-04-06T11:50:00.000-07:00

Readings: Is 50:4-7; Phil 2:6-11; Matt 26:14-27.66

Joyful entry into Jerusalem; dramatic passion and death on the Cross; pointing to the resurrection. These phrases sum up the message of Palm Sunday. It is the prelude to the Holy Triduum –Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Vigil. There are two parts in today’s celebration that highlight what we celebrate on Palm Sunday: First of all is the blessing of the palms at the beginning, followed by the solemn procession. This part highlights the Joyful Mysteries of Christ. The blessing ritual simply makes sacred the natural symbols of palms to assume a religious significance. The celebrant prays, “bless these branches and make them holy.” The procession and triumphal entry into Jerusalem is a prophetic event. The Gospel proclaimed after the procession reminds us of the prophecy. We hear that "This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: ‘Say to the Daughter of Zion, 'See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey.'" The event therefore was not just by chance; it is also highly symbolic. The Gospel of Matthew refers to the prophecies of Isaiah 62:11 and Zechariah 9:9.

Jesus chooses to enter the city 4 days before the Passover. In this first part of today’s liturgy, Jesus communicates the fulfillment of a prophecy: that he is the promised peace-loving and gentle king, who has now come as prophesied. He is greeted with a well known pilgrim psalm 118 “Hosanna son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” That was an acclamation to the one who comes to bring salvation from the hands of the Romans rulers, pointing to salvation from everything that oppresses human beings – above all sin. We therefore celebrate prophetically the triumph of Jesus over sin through his death and resurrection that becomes a reality in the Paschal Mystery of Christ.

The second part of Palm Sunday, the Liturgy of the Word, plunges us into the Sorrowful Mysteries of Christ in his Passion and Death. The Passion of Our Lord that we hear today is already prophesied in the first reading from the prophet Isaiah where he gives us a glimpse of what the messenger of the Lord will undergo. He will pay a heavy price and suffer both physical and personal insults. He will be beaten, his beard plucked and spat upon. Psalm 22 blends well with the theme of the passion of the Lord, unfolding the drama of Christ’s suffering. The psalmist uses graphic metaphors to describe the bystanders in terms of ravenous thieves ready to strip him of his clothes, but neither mockery nor suffering will undermine his purpose and hope. All three readings today clearly points to the Good Friday events through which we enter into a drama of cosmic proportions. This drama has an interesting cast of characters with Christ in the center stage. Whether we like or not, you and I are much part of this drama of human sinfulness that condemns Jesus to a violent death on the cross. We are part of the crowd that cries loudly, “His blood be upon us and upon our children.” So what message do we take home on Palm Sunday? On this final Sunday of Lent, as we enter into the Sacred time of Holy Week, we are invited to reflect on what Jesus means in our lives. Yes, we recognize him as our Savior, but we need to look at him more closely this time to discover just what kind of a Savior He is. Jesus takes the form of a slave, yet glorified with a name above all other names; He is an example of humility and self-offering, particularly suffering for others especially those who identify with his suffering: the poor, the humiliated, those stripped of their clothes and food taken off their tables; those disposed and marginalized; the abused and the ridiculed for no other reason except their creed and skin color. The core of the message of Palm Sunday is the following: 1) if you and I are to be saved, we must go where salvation takes place, on our streets and homes and where violence rages at 2 a.m. in the dark corners of society, where despair and apathy hold sway daily; where the innocent are abused and the needy neglected; we must go where there is misunderstanding, fear and jealousy; we must touch the untouchable and do the unthinkable. In brief, we must go where Christ emptied himself for our sake; we must go to the Cross to encounter Christ in the suffering of many. 2) The passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ must touch us deeply; it must move us to repentance, and prepares us to follow the path that Jesus takes as He completely humbles himself to the point of “assuming the condition of a slave, even accepting death, death on the Cross” for our salvation. 3) Palm Sunday points beyond Good Friday to the resurrection, and reminds us that there can be no resurrection without Good Friday, without entering through the Passion and death of Our Lord, in order to rise with Him into the newness of life.

Fifth Sunday of Lent Year A

2020-03-25T12:14:00.000-07:00

Readings: Ez 37: 12-14; Rom 8:8-11; Jn 11:1-45

Life and death; hope and despair are the key phrases that sum up the message of this Sunday. All three readings this Sunday lead us to meet Jesus who is not only the water of life and the light of the world, but also the resurrection and the life. It is around this central theme of our faith in Jesus as the resurrection and life that the Church celebrates the third Scrutiny with those preparing for Baptism at Easter. In the prayer over the candidates this Sunday the celebrant says these words: "Free from the grasp of death those who await your life-giving sacraments and deliver them from the spirit of corruption." The purpose of the third scrutiny is to help the elect candidates to deepen their faith in Christ who is the life and the resurrection. The readings therefore provide a sharp contrast between life and death; hope and despair. They also remind us of real life experiences of the destructive effects of death in real families. We are reminded of the pain of death of loved ones faced by millions of people all over the world daily. The prophet Ezekiel in the first reading urges the devastated nation of Israel to look beyond the destruction of Jerusalem to a new future, when God’s Spirit will restore Israel. If you are facing grief or conflict in the family, there is good news for you. The prophet Ezekiel offers hope for those who believe in the God of life. You and I have many times encountered the shattering effects of death in the family as I did just one year before my ordination when I lost my dad in a tragic automobile accident in which 3 others died with him in 1966.

The Gospel opens with the announcement that Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary, is ill. Jesus’ immediate response is that this illness will not result in the death of Lazarus but that it will be an occasion for God’s glory to be revealed to all and that the Son may also be glorified. Even though Jesus had a deep love for Lazarus and his sisters, he remains in the same place for another two days. By the time Jesus arrives, Lazarus is already dead for four days. The dramatic episode of the raising Lazarus to life is a reminder that Jesus is the source of life; he is the resurrection and the life. Just as in any funeral we have attended, there are tears the eyes of Mary and Martha as they tell Jesus, that if he had been there, their brother would not have died. The whole account is a beautiful catechesis that Jesus offers as the episode develops. On meeting Jesus Martha says: “If you had been here, Lord, my brother would not have died.” “Your brother will rise to life,” says Jesus. “Yes, I know that he will rise again on the last day,” replies Martha, reflecting on Jewish belief of life after death. Jesus uses the occasion to lead the two women through a gradual revelation of who he is: "I am the resurrection and the life. If anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die". The passage is a powerful revelation of who Jesus is from his absolute control over life and death. In other words, Jesus has the power to transform death into life; to bring hope in the midst of despair; and joy out of grief. So what message do we take home this Sunday? 1) The good news is that Jesus is the resurrection and source of life that he promises to anyone who believes in him. 2) We are led to strengthen our faith in the life after death. 3) Our faith in Christ who transforms death into life has been strengthened in the liturgy. We are sent to share this good news with others who may be in grief or in despair and care for them.

Fourth Sunday of Lent Year A

2020-03-20T12:59:00.002-07:00

Readings: 1 Sam 16:1,6-7,10-13; Eph. 5:8-14; Jn 9:1-41

Light and darkness, sight and blindness are the contrasting images in the readings of this Sunday, also called Laetare Sunday which means Rejoice Sunday. On this Sunday, we pause to rejoice and celebrate the good news that Christ heals our spiritual blindness in our Baptism, and makes us witnesses of the truth. That is the meaning of the second Scrutiny celebrated this Sunday for those preparing for Baptism at Easter. The celebrant prays over the Candidates and anoints them with Holy Oil in a rite of exorcism, that symbolically restores their spiritual sight so that they begin to see Jesus and to follow him like the man born blind in the Gospel. For those already Baptized, Christ renews our vision as it were from 10/10 to 20/20 vision. Such a spiritual vision leads us to rejoice because we can now almost see as God sees (cf. 1 Sam 16:7). The entire liturgy this Sunday anticipates Easter Vigil in that it celebrates the mystery of Christ - the light of the world; the light that dispels the darkness of our minds and our hearts. We celebrate Christ who heals our spiritual blindness. The three readings draw a sharp contrast between light and darkness; spiritual sight and spiritual blindness.

The story of the man born blind in the Gospel is not so much about the man being healed, but about seeing as God sees. Here we meet a blind man with sight, as compared to the learned Pharisees who are spiritually blind. The Gospel reminds us that our Baptism illuminates us to see and embrace God’s vision, life, goodness and truth. Our Baptism commits us to be bearers of the truth and to confront the relativism and spiritual blindness of the world with the truth. The passage clearly contrasts light and darkness, faith and the rejection of the truth. These contrasts emerge from the controversy with the Pharisees. Because they are in the darkness of their own prejudice, they refuse to recognize Jesus as the messiah; they refuse to acknowledge that Jesus has the power to heal the blind man. The healing of the blind man gives Jesus the opportunity to show forth once again his own true divine identity for all to see and believe. In the story, Jesus not only gives the blind man his physical sight, but he also gives him the light of faith. When Jesus asks the blind man if he knows the Son of Man, he says, “Who is he sir that I may believe in him?” Jesus says to him, “You have seen him, the one speaking with you is he.” The man then makes his profession of faith, “I do believe, Lord.” On the other hand, the Pharisees are stubbornly blind to Christ and even attribute his miracle to Satan. The story is not simply about the healing of the man born blind and the Pharisee refusing to accept the power of Christ to perform such a miracle. Rather, the story is about you and me in moments of our own spiritual blindness and darkness. However, we need to focus on the Joy of the Gospel this Sunday, namely that in baptism, Christ has healed our blindness and given us the light of faith, so that, like the healed blind man, we may proclaim Him boldly despite the opposition from those still in darkness. The message we take home is threefold. 1) Jesus heals our spiritual blindness so we can see our brothers and sisters as God sees them. 2) Like the blind man, we have been healed. We have become fearless disciples, ready to give our time, talent and treasure in witness to Jesus Christ. 3) As faithful disciples, we must not allow relativism, dishonesty and the distortion of the truth to dim our light, because Christ is our Light.

Third Sunday of Lent Year A

2020-03-10T12:17:00.000-07:00

Readings: Exodus 17:3-7; Romans 5:1-2,5-8; John 4:5-42

Transforming people one at a time is at the heart of God’s plan for the world. The story of the Samaritan woman in the Gospel is a concrete example of how God transforms people one at a time. Lent is a season when we encounter God who not only thirsts to transform us, but also God who satisfies our spiritual thirst. This is evident in the Gospel from John which very effectively uses the symbolism of water and thirst, leading us to scrutinize our own spiritual thirst. Let me first tell you a true story. One morning in 1888, a man was shocked to read about his own death in the obituary. It was an error. However, he was even more shocked to read in the newspaper about himself as someone who had found new ways to kill people and became rich from doing so. It was true; he had invented dynamite. That morning he decided to change and devote his energies in a new direction, to work for world peace. He left most of his estate after his death to fund the Nobel Peace Prize. That man was the Swedish Alfred Nobel.

I tell this story because Nobel, on reading a shocking story about himself, decided to change. Similarly, the Samaritan woman in the Gospel was shocked to discover that Jesus knew about her private life and her brokenness. That led to her own self-scrutiny. When she confessed that she knew the Messiah, Jesus then reveals his true identity to her. “I who am speaking to you... I am he”. On hearing this, she accepts the water of life that Jesus is offering to quench her spiritual thirst.

The Samaritan woman in the Gospel becomes aware of her own brokenness; her spiritual thirst and accepts the water of life that Jesus offers to quench her spiritual thirst. This woman who first came for a jar of water, now leaves the jar at the well and becomes a disciple and a messenger sent to her village where she tells her people: “Come and see”, come and see the person who has changed my life! This story was so convincing that the entire village came and saw and invited Jesus who stayed with them for two days!

You and I like the Samaritan woman have come to the well and encountered Jesus, who has told us everything about us. He has offered us life-giving water; he now challenges us to accept his offer and change our lives. As we celebrate the first of three Scrutinies with the candidates for Baptism, the readings invite us along with the candidates to reflect on our lives and so discover our need for conversion.

The message we take home is threefold. 1) Like the Samaritan woman, this too is our day to encounter Jesus at the well, leading us through our self-scrutiny, conversion and transformation. 2) We too have discovered our thirst and need for the Water of Life. 3) At the end of the Mass today, like the Samaritan woman let’s go out and announce the good news that Jesus whom we have encountered at the well today has transformed our lives.

Second Sunday of Lent Year A

2020-03-07T11:54:00.001-08:00

Readings: Gen 12:1-4; 2 Tim 1:8-10; Matt 17:1-9

Call of Abraham, journey of faith, undeserved blessings, new beginning, choosing Christ,the ultimate blessing, hardships for the sake of the Gospel: these phrases help us to focus more deeply on the readings of this Sunday. The first reading from Genesis leads us into the most significant event for God’s people in the Old Testament, namely the call of Abraham. To understand the call of Abraham we need to know the context out of which he was called. That call reveals God’s plan for the chosen people. Abraham is called to a journey of conversion; into a land the Lord would show him; from a land he knew best into the unknown. The city of Ur (in present day Iraq) was a large city with spacious streets and large markets. It was a prosperous city with dazzling technology of the day. For the majority of the people in Ur the only thing that seemed to matter most was prosperity. The people’s ancient religion centered on a life-force or fertility gods. Their rites involved orgies complete with temple prostitutes – male and female. They also had human sacrifices including infants. Their gods demanded more and more blood of children. That was evidently a culture of death. It was those terrible gods Abraham was told to leave. The gods of our culture today are remarkably similar to those Abraham was asked to leave and go to a land the Lord would show him. Through the media we are daily sucked into a culture of consumerism, a culture of violence and of death. Like Abraham we are challenged to take a journey of conversion to leave our comfort zone, to let go so that the Lord may lead us into a journey of conversion. We are challenged to trust Abraham, who left everything behind.

In the Gospel, Jesus takes his closes disciples apart on the mountain where his glory is revealed. As in the call of Abraham in the first reading, Jesus calls each of us to a journey of conversion, to leave behind the pagan gods of our culture and consumerism. The way to avoid being sucked into a terrible culture of death is to go to the mountain with Jesus. The mountain in scripture always signifies God’s presence. The Gospel of today gives us the experience of such a presence in the Transfiguration. Jesus is transfigured before the three disciples and they see the mystery of his glory. The Sunday experience in a certain sense takes us to Mount Tabor, the Mountain of the Transfiguration. There we are lifted up high and see the glory of the Lord in his Liturgy of the Word and the Eucharistic celebration. Here we are purified, sanctified and experience in a profound the glory of God shown in Jesus Christ. We do not want to leave. It is so beautiful. We want to stay. As we continue our journey of faith this Lenten Season, you are one of the privileged disciples to be invited to the mountain. You are transformed. You experience the glory of Christ. You are deeply touched. You cannot be the same again. Three points to take away: 1) As disciples and stewards of Jesus Christ, we will have many uplifting moments. Many times we will encounter the Lord in profound ways. Take advantage of those moments for the Lord is working of you then. 2) We will have the temptation to want to stay there in the warmth of the glory. That is a transitional moment and we may be even confused like Peter wanting to build three tents and settle down there. As stewards, we are disciples on pilgrimage with the Lord, who has a vision, a purpose and a mission. 3) At the end of today’s Mass you are sent to go back energized to tell what we have experienced: seen with our eyes and heard with our ears to the world. It is our moment to evangelize those we meet. Share your joy of this Sunday celebration.

First Sunday of Lent Year A

2020-02-27T11:45:00.001-08:00

Readings: Gen 2:7-9, 3:1-7; Rom 5:12-19; Matt 4:1-11

The Lenten Season leads us along with Jesus towards Jerusalem and to the Cross. We are called to prepare for that journey by imitating Jesus who spends 40 days in the wilderness where he faces temptations. The Lenten journey will be a challenge as we face one temptation after another just like Jesus. In our case these temptations may be around food, drink, alcohol, drugs, lustful thoughts, and by possessions (money). The Devil will want us to take short-cuts on our spiritual life or even giving us the excuse for not saying our prayers or fasting. It all starts by skipping prayer or going to church. The Devil too will tempt us to use all 24 hours a day and 7 days a week for ourselves because we own them! Well, we do not own our time. That is a gift from God. In the Gospel Jesus faces temptations by the devil three times. He resists, because He not only knows the Scriptures, but He also remains faithful: "Be off Satan! For Scripture says: You must worship the Lord your God, and serve him alone". It is not enough for us to know God's Word or his Commandments. We must be doers of the word. In the first temptation, the devil knows that Jesus is hungry after 40 days of fasting and so tempts him to turn stones into bread - (self-satisfaction with food). Next the devil takes Jesus to the highest point of the Temple and asks him to throw himself down, which would immediately convince the people of Israel that He is truly the Son of God (shortcut to success). Finally, the devil tempts Jesus with the illusions of power and glory by taking him to a high mountain and showing him all the kingdoms of the world which the devil pretends he owns and will give them to Jesus if he only worships the devil! Jesus overcomes all these temptations one after another because he is focused on his mission. As human beings, temptations are bound to come our way. The three temptations of Jesus remind us that any shortcut without sacrifice does not last. The temptations call us to the same faithfulness that Jesus had in overcoming his temptations. During this season of Lent, we have opportunities of prayer, almsgiving and fasting to help us. Prayer in particular is a great weapon in moments of temptations. We also need to know the scriptures and live what they say. That can help us remain focused in following Jesus Christ.

The central message of this Sunday may be summed up in four points. 1) We will be tempted by food, drink and other material desires. What satisfies our hunger is not physical food but God’s word and every teaching that nourishes our faith. 2) We will be tempted to take shortcuts to achieve success; to give ourselves without sacrifice. The alms and the offertory you give must have an element of sacrifice. The temptation is always to try tip God who owns everything! God cannot be tipped! 3) We will be tempted to embrace the idolatry of power and control, rather than focusing on our baptismal faith journey that has one purpose and mission for which God created us: to be the best version of ourselves by seeking closer relationship with Christ. We do this through the Lenten disciplines of prayer, almsgiving and fasting. 4) Finally, we will be tempted to use all the 24 hours God gives us daily for ourselves and for some, only the Sunday time at Mass. To give no time to God is very selfish and even very arrogant! God gives you 24 hours a day. That is 1,440 minutes a day. This Lent commit yourself to giving at least 10 minutes a day to God. If you do not come to daily Mass, consider visiting the church near you on your way to work or after work, and pray for 10 minutes a day. At home, commit another 10 minutes to scripture reading. I guarantee you will see a change in your life, your work and family life. May God give us the grace to deepen our baptismal faith journey this Lenten Season.

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

2020-02-19T16:38:00.000-08:00

Readings: Lv 19:1-2,17-18; 1 Cor 3:16-23; Mt 5:38-48

This Sunday in the Gospel Jesus continues his Sermon on the Mountain. The Gospel message challenges us to do the impossible by turning the other cheek by loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us.In other words, we are called to use the secret weapon of kindness to disarm the enemy. In the First Reading, the Lord asks Moses to tell the people: “Be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy.” The instruction then goes on to tell the people some practical ways of being holy: avoiding hatred and not taking revenge. All that is summed up in the Levitical Law as, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” This is not just a law, but a relationship that is grounded on God’s love for all without exception. This understanding leads us to imitate our God; it leads us to be holy, just as our God is holy; it leads us to be “kind and merciful” just as “The Lord is kind and merciful,” the response to Psalm 103 used in the readings this Sunday.

Once again like last Sunday in the Gospel Jesus teaches about forgiveness, challenging us further to do the impossible by going beyond the law of love and revenge. In a world so marked by a culture of violence and revenge, we are called to be compassionate and forgiving. As followers of Christ, we must never revenge. Instead, Jesus tells us, “When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one as well.” Let me try to unpack this Gospel text in order to help understand what Jesus means by turning the other cheek. At the time of Jesus in Palestine, the law forbad anyone in authority from striking anybody with the back of the right hand, or with the left hand. Therefore, if you turned the other cheek, the enemy would first be surprised and stop to think! That technique of Jesus may be called disarming the enemy because it is a game changer. It transforms behavior and defuses a situation that would have otherwise ended up in violence or revenge. I once heard the story of a person who broke into a home on one winter night. The owner, a woman who lived alone, woke up on hearing some noise in her living room. On opening her bedroom door, she saw a man standing there and was so frightened. She stood at the door in panic, not knowing what to do next. The man had opened one of the back windows to get in. For a long time, it was tense as they remained in silence. Suddenly, she broke the silence and asked him, what time is it? He responded as he looked at his watch. Only then did the man say how sorry he was to have broken into her home. He was homeless; he was hungry. She then gave him some food and prepared the cough in the living room for him to sleep. With her kindness, she had disarmed the man. The example of turning the other cheek may seem by world standards to be weakness or even as taking a risk, but that is what gives us a unique identify when we react to the enemy in a non-violent way rather than violently. That is what is unusual and different from a world culture of violence. Our apparent weakness and cowardice is a powerful witness and leads to holiness. That is why Jesus concludes the passage with, “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” What message do we take home this Sunday? 1) In a world so marked by a culture of violence and revenge, we are called to be compassionate and forgiving. 2) Jesus challenges us further to be transforming agents in this violent world by disarming the enemy, rather than by revenge. 3) Our compassion and apparent weakness before the enemy is a powerful witness and leads to holiness.

Fifth Sunday Ordinary Time Year A

2020-02-04T11:29:00.001-08:00

Readings: Is 58:7-10; 1 Cor 2:1-5; Mt 5:13-16

Salt of the earth and light of the world are the phrases that focus on the central message of this Sunday. In the gospel this Sunday Jesus uses two metaphors in his teaching: the salt of the earth and the light of the world. We have heard that Gospel before, and it is very easy to miss the deeper meaning of the two metaphors. Let us first look at the example of the salt. Why does Jesus call his disciples salt of the earth? 1) The first obvious reason is that Jesus wants to describe the power of influence his disciples have in the situations they find themselves. 2) the second reason is that historically, salt has always been valuable in human society, much more than it is today. 3) It may be interesting to note that the English word "salary" comes from Latin salarium, "salary", "stipend", originally a Roman soldier's pay which was in salt. The English saying, "worth one's salt" means that someone is worth his or her wages. 4) The hearers of Jesus understood the expression salt of the earth to represent a valuable commodity. Thus the followers of Jesus were to have an extremely important role in the world, much comparable to the function of salt. Because of the preservative nature of salt, an covenant sealed with salt in Jewish society was deemed to last forever. In saying to his disciples “you are the salt of the earth,” Jesus could have used the metaphor to underline a several disciple qualities. One of the best meaning for the metaphor of salt is its preservative quality. So just as salt is used to preserve food from decay and keep it fresh, so too Christians by their life of witness, can make a difference by preserving their situations from moral decay. That preservative quality of salt implies our being mixed with the affairs of this world, in order to change its flavor. We must maintain our saltiness in order to sustain our influence.

The expression light of the world, perhaps comes from Isaiah, who described Israel as “light of the nations” (Is 42:6). In calling his disciples “the light of the world” Jesus refers to their radical way of life that must be distinctive and thus become witnesses for the world to see, like a city set on a mountain. Christians become the light of the world through their visible good deeds. But just as light does not draw attention to itself, but to what is in the room, so too a disciple, to be truly light of the world draws attention to the source of the light, Jesus Christ. The message for this Sunday may be summed up in three points. 1) Just as salt fulfils its function of saltiness by being mixed with food, we too mix with the affairs of daily life and so give the flavor and taste of Christ to such situations. 2) We become the light of the world by our exemplary life of witness that makes others see the possibility of living as Christ teaches. 3) Both salt and light are most effective, when they draw attention, not to themselves, but to something beyond themselves. Similarly, disciples are more effective and faithful when they point to the source of saltiness and light, Jesus Christ.

The Presentation of the Lord Year A

2020-01-27T17:16:00.001-08:00

Readings: Mal 3:1-4; Ps 24:7,8.9,10; Heb 2:14-18; Lk 2:22-40

Observing prescriptions, presentation, sign of contradiction and a sword of sorrow, are the phrases that help to focus on the central message of this Sunday. Forty days after the Nativity of the Lord on February 2, the Church celebrates the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, previously known as the purification of Mary. This feast is therefore only celebrated on Sunday, if it falls on Sunday. The celebration started first in Rome and in France in the sixth century with solemn blessings and processions of candles, popularly known as "Candlemas." The first reading gives an important insight to understand the mystery of the Lord’s Presentation in the Temple by Mary and Joseph, in accordance with the Mosaic Law. The text, taken from the Prophet Malachi says, ‘I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me; and suddenly there will come to the temple the Lord whom you seek’ (Mal 3:1). That messenger comes to purify the hearts of the people in readiness for the Lord.

The Gospel passage is the fulfilment of the prophesy in the account of the presentation of Jesus in the Temple. This was a celebration of piety: the piety of Mary and Joseph, of Simeon and of Anna. This ritual points to the fact that Jesus is raised in a religious devout family. Five times Luke says that the parents of Jesus observed the ritual prescriptions of the Law. Here they comply with the religious requirements of purification and a second ritual for redeeming the first male child. The first ritual purification sprung from the belief that the life-power within blood was sacred and belonged to God. Because of the mysterious power of blood, all objects and people coming into contact with human blood had to be ritually purified. Thus birth and death too were surrounded by ritual purification. The second ritual was a kind of buying back from God every first-born male child. At the end of the Gospel Simeon prophecies Mary’s sufferings which point to the passion of the Lord. Simeon also announces that Christ will be ‘a sign of contradiction.’ St. Cyril of Alexandria explains this phrase by saying that “those who loose appear foolish, while in those who recognize the power of the cross reveal salvation and life”(cf. Cyril of Alexandria, PG 77, 1044-1049). So what message do we take home this Sunday? 1) The readings inspire us to get to know the precepts of the Church and so observe them; 2) The readings also underline the need for purification in preparation for the Lord’s coming. It is like washing my car to get downtown! Do I wash my car only every 3 years? My soul is more precious than my car. 3) Just as Simeon prophesies that Jesus would be a sign of contradiction, you and I will appear weak and foolish before the world, but in the eyes of faith equipped with the saving power of Christ.

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

2020-01-23T18:11:00.001-08:00

Readings: Is 8:23-9:3; 1 Cor 1:10-13,17; Matt 4:12-23

Christ the Light of the world and source of unity is the overarching theme for the readings of this Sunday. The readings draw our attention to two central themes that are closely related: Christ revealed as the light of the world; and Christ in whose name we are baptized and united. Both these themes are interwoven. The first reading gives an example of the kingdom established by David which was torn apart by divisions soon after Solomon’s death. Consequently, foreigners invaded the Northern Kingdom in 733-32 BC and occupied it, and further threatened the Southern Kingdom of Judah. For centuries thereafter, darkness reigned all over Israel. But today’s first reading prophesies a great light in time to come. Great joy and happiness would be restored. A king of peace would come to establish freedom and unify Israel forever. The second reading gives another example of divisions in the Christian community of Corinth. Paul reminds the Christians there that they belong to Christ, and not to any particular apostle who may have baptized them. It is the death and resurrection of Christ symbolized in their baptism, which binds them together as a Christian community.

In the Gospel, Matthew uses a passage from the First Reading to show that Jesus is the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy. “The people that walked in darkness has seen a great light; on those who live in a land of deep shadow a light has shone.” Jesus Christ is therefore our light and source of unity in a world that is very much in need of enlightenment and unity in the midst of fragmentation. Ideological differences, regional and civil wars, ethnic conflicts and Christian divisions continue to cast a deep shadow over the world. Our Christian faith and hope, however, tell us that someday a great light will indeed shine and unity will be restored. The source of that light and unity is Jesus Christ. As Jesus begins his ministry, He proclaims a message of repentance. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” That message is a wakeup call for all disciples of Christ to be transformed into God’s authentic witnesses in a world overshadowed by the darkness of disunity due to human pride, greed and selfishness. Our witness will only be effective if we are first transformed into the light of Christ and signs of the unity; if we shed off our pride in realizing how much we need to be enriched by Jesus Christ, and by one another’s traditions. If we are credible witnesses, others will want to become Christian. Mahatma Gandhi was once asked by a Western journalist why he did not want to become Christian. He said: “I like your Christ; I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." He found Christians in India so divided and fighting among themselves that he preferred to remain a Hindu. The central message could be summed up in three points. 1) The readings remind us that as Christians we are called to unity that requires true conversion of heart and mind towards God and other fellow Christians. 2) As long as Christians remain divided, their witness will continue to be conter-witness, weak, a scandal and unconvincing. 3) Unity between Christians can be a powerful instrument for ending divisions no matter how deep, and conflicts no matter how vicious, and help lead to peace, unity and reconciliation in the Church and in the world. Think about it.

Second Sunday Ordinary Time Year A

2020-01-16T12:17:00.001-08:00

Readings: Is 49:3,5-6; 1 Cor 1:1-3; Jn 1:29-34

The Nativity scene is gone, the lights are down and the Christmas season is over. We are already in the Ordinary Season of the Year, and this Sunday we are at the very beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. There is one key phrase I would like to underline in this homily: the reference to Jesus as “the Lamb of God.” What does that phrase mean? There is a story about a German artist who, centuries ago, was working on a Catholic Church roof in Werden, Germany (in Essen). Suddenly, his safety belt snapped and he fell. The area below was filled with large rocks. As fate would have it, a lamb chose that moment to have its lunch of grass between the rocks. How it happened, nobody knows, but the artist miraculously fell on the lamb, that died at once, but the artist survived. When he recovered from shock and some bruises, he sculptured a lamb and placed it on the church roof in gratitude. That lamb still stands there to this day.

I tell this story because it leads us to reflect on the Lamb of God who was slain to save us all. The phrase “Lamb of God”, sounds simple, yet it is a metaphor for the whole saving mystery of Christ. When John the Baptist describes Jesus as “the Lamb of God”, he draws the phrase from an Old Testament “lamb of God” symbolism. The blood of the paschal lamb in the Old Testament protected and saved the Israelites from the slavery of Egypt in Exodus 12. John the Baptist in the Gospel makes a prophetic proclamation when he identifies Jesus as the “Lamb of God” whom the Prophet Isaiah also prophesied as being crushed for our sins; like a lamb led to the slaughter; the Lamb who was wounded for our sins, bruised for our iniquities. (Isaiah 53:2-3). There is no doubt that Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus in his passion and death also prophetically in the symbols of bread and wine at the Last Supper. At that event, Jesus took the Jewish Passover ritual sacrifice and applied it on himself as he shared the Passover meal with his disciples. The symbolism of the lamb, the bread and the wine was later adopted by the Church as part of the order for the Eucharistic celebration. Therefore, when we use the phrase “Lamb of God” three times at Mass, we reflect on the mystery of the Eucharistic Sacrifice of Christ’s death and resurrection for our salvation.

The message we take home is twofold. 1) Like John the Baptist who recognizes Jesus and points him out to his disciples as the Lamb of God, we too are invited to get to know Jesus, so we can proclaim him to others. 2) At this Mass, when we hear “Behold the Lamb of God” before Holy Communion, let us look at Him in gratitude with deep faith and humility for what he has done to save us. Let us come humbly to receive Him at Holy Communion, and go out as the end of the Holy Mass to proclaim the Good News we have experienced today.

The Baptism of the Lord Year A

2020-01-08T14:20:00.002-08:00

Readings: Is 42: 1-4, 6-7; Acts 10:34-38; Matt 3:13-17

Baptized, anointed and doing good, are some of words and phrases that help us to understand the Solemnity we celebrate this Sunday - the Baptism of the Lord. But immediately we face the question of why Jesus had to be baptized since he had no sin. One reason given is that God wanted Jesus to begin his ministry by symbolically identifying himself with sinful humanity, in order to save it. Jesus therefore identified with humanity not as a sinner, but as a fellow human being. Jesus knew what it was to be human. At the same time, the divinity of Jesus is manifested through His Baptism by John in the river Jordan. As Jesus comes out of the water, the heavens open, and the Spirit of God descends upon Jesus, and the Father’s voice affirms who Jesus is: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased”. The Baptism of Jesus as recounted in the Gospel of Matthew signifies the anointing of Jesus by the Father, in the power of the Holy Spirit, and the Father’s commissioning of Jesus for his ministry that begins thereafter. That anointing and commissioning underlines the power of Baptism that we have received. By virtue of our Baptism, we share in the three-fold ministry of Jesus Christ: priest, prophet and king. We are therefore sent on mission to give witness to Jesus Christ.

Peter in the second reading captures that idea of being sent on mission, in the case of Jesus who gives us an example. After Jesus' baptism, He "went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil". It was for this purpose that the Father had anointed him with the Holy Spirit, and sent him on his earthly mission. In the words of the Prophet Isaiah, the Father appoints Jesus as “a covenant of the people and a light of the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to free captives from prison, and those who live in darkness from dungeon”. Thus Jesus is the one who fulfils Isaiah’s prophecy of bringing salvation to the nations. The dove that descends upon Jesus symbolizes the nature of his mission as an agent of peace and reconciliation in the world. This Sunday, as we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, we are reminded of the power of our Baptism. The puzzling question of why Jesus had to be baptized, since he had no sin, is an important question. The answer is twofold, and helps us to further understand the power of Baptism. 1) The first reason is that when Jesus is born, He becomes one with us. In His baptism, the Son of God becomes one with us in our sinfulness that is symbolically washed away in the waters of Baptism. 2) The second reason is that like us, Jesus is alienated from the Father, in order to lead us out of that isolation through his death and resurrection back to the Father. Therefore, Christ becomes immersed in our tainted human nature, and emerges from it in the waters of Baptism through the resurrection, in order to cleanse us and to reconcile us with the Father. So what message do we take home? 1) The Baptism of the Lord celebrates the mystery Baptism as an immersion with Christ and a rising with Him into new life. 2) Just as Jesus was anointed and sent by the Father to proclaim peace and to heal, we too are anointed and sent to proclaim God’s mercy, compassion and forgiveness. 3) The secret power of our baptism is found in our union with God, that makes us powerful instruments of transforming the world by being witnesses of God’s peace and reconciliation in the world.

The Epiphany of the Lord Year A

2020-01-02T18:25:00.000-08:00

Readings: Is 60:1-6; Eph 3:2-3,5-6; Matt 2:1-12

This Sunday we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord. The word ‘epiphany’ comes from the Greek language “epiphaneia’ which means ‘appearance’, ‘showing forth’ or ‘manifestation’. So we could say that we celebrate the manifestation of the Lord. The feast of the Epiphany originated in the third century to commemorate the first appearance of Christ as Savior to the entire world. The first reading from Isaiah speaks about light shining through the darkness and the clouds, a wonderful image of describing what epiphany tells us about Jesus Christ who enlightens our dark minds. Psalm 72 focuses on the nations coming to adore the Lord. “Lord, every nation on earth will adore you” and then speaks of kings from foreign lands bringing gifts to the Lord. The Psalm in a certain sense introduces the Gospel of today, that recounts the story of the three wise kings from the East, who represent all the nations. These Magi come as seekers of the source of the light. The star is only a guide for them. On finding the source, the infant king, they are overjoyed, they confess, worship him and offer him gifts. In the preface of the Epiphany, we get a sense of the mystery we celebrate. "Today you revealed in Christ your eternal plan of salvation and showed him as the light of all peoples". The mystery of Christ's birth, the mystery of the Incarnation, is therefore made known to all people all over the world without exception. St. Paul in the second reading speaks about the inclusive nature of salvation in God’s plan.

The central message of the Epiphany is that Jesus is revealed to us as a light to the nations. The Magi go in search of this light guided by a star until they find the source of the light in Bethlehem. Like the Megi, we are led to discover Christ and are therefore called to go out and share with others the Good News revealed to us. Through our daily witness, in loving others, in forgiving them, in our faith and compassion, in our courage and perseverance, may we be like the star that guides them in their journey of faith, to seek and to discover Christ in their lives. There is a story of certain woman who had a problem with the Church. For a long time she stayed away from the Church. Her problem had nothing to do with church authority, but about certain doctrines. She had a problem in understanding the resurrection. One day she met a friend who was Catholic, and as they began to discuss about their faith, she said that she did not believe in going to Church. Her friend was surprised. As they kept on talking, her friend began to realize that the woman perhaps needed to talk to a priest, and she guided her to go to talk to a priest, even though she was not comfortable about the idea. However, something mysterious moved her, and she found herself at the parish door asking to meet a priest. The way she was received by the priest with total acceptance; the way the priest took his time to listen attentively to her story and her faith concerns; the answers she received; all that moved her to tears, as she felt respected and affirmed. She began to see some light in the darkness of her journey of faith. As she rose to walk away, she said, “today I have discovered a star that will lead me to the true light.” That is mystery of the Epiphany of the Lord we celebrate today. It celebrates our discovery of a star that leads us to the source of the light, Jesus Christ. The message we take home therefore is three-fold: 1) We are invited today to recognize God's light, God's presence in our lives, and to let our hearts rejoice, throb and overflow, because we know that God is with us. 2) Like the friend of the woman in the story, you and I are challenged to lead a life of witness that becomes like the star that leads others to source of light, Jesus Christ; Like the Magi, let us follow that star until we find Jesus Christ. 3) Consequently, we are called to go out and share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others; to share the light that Christ has given us, so that others may find the way to Jesus Christ.

Solemnity of the Holy Family Year A

2019-12-26T11:25:00.001-08:00

Readings: Sir 3:2-6, 12-14; Col 3:12-21; Mt 2:13-15, 19-23

Christmas as a family feast, importance of family spirituality centered on Jesus Christ, who brings healing and reconciliation to all family life. The solemnity of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, is celebrated on the Sunday after Christmas, mainly for two reasons: 1) to remind us that Christmas is a family feast; and 2) to remind us that Jesus was born and raised in a family just like us. Paul in the second reading from his Letter to the Colossians, reminds us that Christ is the profound link for every Christian family. For Paul, the solution to the many problems parents must face today, cannot be purely human, but must be based on the message of Christ. In other words, Christ must be at the center of every Christian family. Paul speaks of the peace that reigns in the family that lives in Christ. That peace is now threatened. The greatest threat facing families today is simply that we don’t spend enough time together. We are so busy working, or socializing, or watching TV or surfing the Internet and twittering, that we have less and less time for each other. That style takes a big toll on the family today. There is a story about a young lawyer who lived quite a distance from her elderly father. Months had passed since they had been together and when her father called to ask when she might visit, the daughter detailed a list of reasons that prevented her from taking the time to see him. She had court schedule, meetings, new clients, research, etc., etc. At the end of her recitation, the father asked, “When I die, do you intend to come to my funeral?” The daughter’s response was immediate, “Dad, I can’t believe you’d ask that! Of course, I’ll come!” To which the father replied, “Good. Forget the funeral and come; I need you more now than I will then.”

The Gospel invites us to focus our attention on how Mary and Joseph faithfully accept their vocation as parents, and on their total submission to God’s will. The spirit in which Mary and Joseph lived their parental vocation, is an example to be imitated by parents. The Holy Family is put before us as a model because even though they did not have our modern day obstacles like TV and the Internet, Mary and Joseph went through many of the trials and obstacles that families today have to struggle with. The holy family had to flee to Egyptin order to escape from the threat over the life of Jesus by king Herod. Mary and Joseph were troubled when they lost their 12 year old boy only to find him in the temple doing his Father’s business. They had to struggle to survive without miracles! Joseph had to teach young Jesus carpentry so they could earn a family living. We can also imagine that Mary and Jesus suffered bereavement after Joseph’s death. Mary suffered the most agony watching her own son die on the Cross. How did the parents of Jesus cope with the difficulties they faced? One may say that Mary and Joseph lived a family spirituality centred on Jesus: they learnt to look at Jesus with eyes of faith; to listen to him with attention, and to meditate on the unfolding mystery of the Son of God in their midst. But above all, they loved each other. Just as the Holy Family survived its crises through love for each other and faith in God, let us pray that our families that they too may follow that example of love and faith in God. The message we take home is three fold: 1) The example of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph challenges us to find ways of coming together and centering our family life spirituality on Jesus. 2) We need to pray together as family, because family bonds are strengthened when Christ is in our midst. “The family that prays together stays together.”3) We are invited to pray for our own families and those of our relatives and friends, so that, by God’s grace, they may overcome the trials and sufferings that face family life today, and find healing and reconciliation during this Christmas season.

Fourth Sunday of Advent Year A

2019-12-19T14:36:00.001-08:00

Readings: Isaiah 7:10-14; Romans 1:1-7; Mt. 1:18-24

Does doing God’s will and the messiness of life have anything in common? That is one question we need to think about seriously this Sunday. In the last two Sundays we have focused attention on John the Baptist. This Sunday, only days from Christmas, we change our focus from John the Baptist to Saint Joseph. The main reason for this shift is that Matthew writes his Gospel for the Jewish people. He wants to show that Jesus is the Messiah promised by the prophets in Sacred Scripture, and that He comes through the line of David. Joseph is a direct descendant of David. In the Gospel of Matthew, Joseph names the child. He gives his own spirit and all he is to the child – the carpenter’s son. The child is Son of God and Son of Mary, but also, through the action of naming the child by Joseph, He is Son of David. Paul, in the Second Reading argues that Jesus becomes the Son of God through the resurrection that fully manifests his divinity. The readings therefore place before us the mystery of the Incarnation foreshadowed in the Old Testament, and fulfilled in the New Testament. In the first reading, Isaiah offers a sign to king Ahaz confirming that the line of David would survive the attacks from neighboring nations. The sign is that “a maiden shall conceive and bear a son.” Very true to the prophecy, the young wife of Ahaz bears him a son, whose name would be “Emmanuel.” Matthew in the Gospel uses that story to show the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy in Jesus the Messiah, out of the line of David.

That is why the Gospel begins by saying “This is how Jesus Christ came to be born.” He will be named Emmanuel, a name that means “God-is-with us.” Two persons are at the center of this mystery. First we have Mary who responds to God’s message through the angel with unconditional faith and trust. In so doing, Mary risks so much: her future marriage and family reputation, placing everything in the hands of God. Then we have Joseph who at first is confused and afraid. We often hear that Gospel passage, and perhaps we wonder what Joseph was afraid of. He must have thought of the messiness of his own situation. He must have thought of a greater mess if he went ahead with the marriage. He does not know what to make of Mary’s conception before their marriage, but then divine intervention comes. An Angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream and reveals the mystery of the conception. The angel advises him to proceed with the marriage, because Mary “has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit.” Basically, Joseph is told to celebrate this unexpected birth. When he awakes from his dream, Joseph decides to follow his faith; to do God’s will and take Mary as his wife. In so doing, Joseph saves her reputation. The Gospel tells us that Jesus is born of Mary who was betrothed to Joseph son of David. In connecting Jesus to the line of David, Matthew wants to underline the fact that Jesus is fully human and is also the fulfillment of God’s promises to David. Jesus is also “Son of God”, a point explained by Paul in the second reading. The Gospel also gives us a model to follow in Mary and Joseph. Both faced a tremendous challenge to their faith when God asked them to open their hearts to welcome Jesus into their lives. So what message do we take home this Sunday? 1) Just as Mary and Joseph accepted to welcome Jesus into their lives with deep faith and trust, we too are challenged to do no less; 2) As we get to Christmas in a few days, let us open our hearts so that in doing God’s will like Mary and Joseph, Christ may be born in our lives this Christmas. 3) Both Mary and Joseph remind us that doing God’s will at times may lead us into the messiness of life; into situations or even countries we never dreamed of.

Third Sunday of Advent Year A

2019-12-12T11:32:00.001-08:00

Readings: Isaiah 35:1-6, 10; James 5:7-10; Mt. 11:2-11

Signs of hope, joy, new life and fulfillment of promise characterize the message of this Sunday. Last Sunday the readings focused on a peaceful kingdom in the future, when the wolf and the lamb would lie down beside each other. This Third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete Sunday – Rejoice Sunday. We are invited to pause and rejoice. We are told that salvation is near; the Messiah is in our midst. The Sunday takes its name from the opening words of the Entrance Antiphon of this Sunday taken from Paul’s Letter to the Philippians which begins with Gaudete in Domino semper (“Rejoice in the Lord always”). That is why today we light a desert rose candle symbolizing joy, because our salvation is already here in our midst. In the first reading, the prophet Isaiah announces to the people in exile that the Messiah will come; their situation is about to change; they will soon be free to go back home. Isaiah shows the people a poetic picture of how the desert will become fertile and all the foliage will sing out the goodness and glory of God. Then in the final section, the reading recounts how the change will affect those who long for salvation; those who look for real joy and happiness. There would be nothing as joyful as a blind person seeing, nothing as beautiful as a deaf person hearing; nothing as uplifting as a lame person walking and a mute speaking. The reading therefore invites us to rejoice because the promised Messiah is coming soon to make that vision a reality; to bring real joy and happiness into our lives. In the Second reading from the Letter of James, we hear the same message: “Make your hearts firm, because the coming of the Lord is at hand.”

The Gospel starts with John the Baptist in prison. John sends his disciples to ask Jesus whether he is really the Messiah or would there be another to come. Jesus refers to what Isaiah had prophesied in today’s First Reading, and says that there is no need to keep waiting for salvation. It is already in our midst. There are already clear signs of joy, hope and new life. Jesus tells the messengers: "Go back and tell John what you hear and see; the blind see again, the lame walk, and the Good News is proclaimed to the poor". That is why we need not wait. That is why we need to rejoice and be happy. The deeper question we need to ask on this Sunday is what constitutes real joy and happiness in our lives? I am a lover of high tech and cool gadgets, but once I have them, I enjoy using them, but at the end of the day, they do not give me real joy and happiness. The joy and excitement that many had in having the latest cool gadgets on Black Friday is already over. In other words, material possessions, no matter how cool, never give lasting satisfaction and joy. That is why St. Augustine once said: Our heart is restless until it rests in God. This Sunday, the readings help to see what Christ is already accomplishing in our midst, through the Church and through our own witness that makes the blind see, the deaf hear and the lame walk! Miracles do happen in our parish: just open your eyes and ears! Let me sum up in a few points. 1) The readings proclaim joy because our salvation is closer than when we began this season. The air of Christmas is all around us. 2) The readings draw our attention to the Messiah who is already in our midst. There are many signs of hope: the saving action of Christ is present in our parish. 3) The readings lead us to rejoice as we encounter the hidden “miracles” of today. Yes, “the blind see, the lame walk, and the Good News is proclaimed to the poor.” 4) Let us pray that the Lord may open our eyes and ears of faith to see and hear what Jesus is already doing in our midst; that we may go and tell others what we have seen and heard.

Second Sunday of Advent Year A

2019-12-05T18:19:00.001-08:00

Readings: Is 11:1-10; Rm 15:4-9; Mt 3:1-12

The readings this Sunday are quite similar to last Sunday in that they focus our attention on two key Advent themes: 1) the call to prepare ourselves through conversion, and 2) the call to wait in hope for a kingdom of peace. Obviously, both themes are interrelated. In the Gospel, John the Baptist announces a message of repentance "for the Kingdom of Heaven is close at hand". John is the prophet Isaiah spoke of saying, "Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight". This is the real meaning of Advent, preparing ourselves for the Saviour who comes to bring the gift of peace for the world. The Liturgy of the Word therefore invites us to prepare ourselves spiritually, by being reconciled with God and with one another. That inner conversion should be so real that we are led to action; that we open our eyes to see the plight of the poor around us and to do something about it. The lesson we learn from the encounter between John the Baptist and some Jewish religious leaders is important. John underlines the importance of authentic spiritual reform – conversion. Genuine spiritual reform is always accompanied by action as evidence that we have truly been transformed by the Lord. That is why John the Baptist tells the Pharisee and the Sadducees to “Produce good fruit as evidence” of repentance. In other words, the sign of our inner transformation shows itself in the life we live. It is not enough to be baptized. For John the Baptist, conversion literary meant turning around from the direction one is going.

The second theme, waiting in hope and trust for a kingdom of peace is found in the both the first and second readings. Isaiah prophesies that out of the line of David would come a king who would be a different kind of king. “Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.” That king would be nothing but just, for He will establish justice and peace. That peace would be so great and genuine that natural enemies in animal kingdom like the wolf and the lamb would lie down next to one another, a beautiful image of harmony among God’s creation. That is the kingdom of peace John the Baptist was preparing the people for when he said, “prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” Paul in the Second Reading reminds us that our God is a God of endurance and encouragement and as people of hope we must never give up until all is realized in Christ. The message of this Sunday may be summed up in 3 points: 1) The readings highlight the meaning behind the lighting of the Second Candle on the Advent Wreath, signifying our need for repentance and calling us to reform our lives. 2) We are called to be reconciled with God and with one another; to live in genuine peace and harmony; 3) That reconciliation and acceptance of God’s mercy will certainly lead to the kingdom of peace we all await when Christ comes; the kingdom of peace starts with me when I am humble enough to be totally reconciled with God and with others.

First Sunday of Advent Year A

2019-11-26T17:55:00.001-08:00

Readings: Isaiah 2:1-5; Romans 13:11-14; Mt. 24:37-44

Waiting, watching and preparing: are the three key words that sum up best, the Advent Season that we begin today. A true story is told about Colonel Abraham Davenport, Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives back in 1780. One day, while the House was in session, the sky of Hartford suddenly grew dark and gloomy. Some of the representatives looked out and thought that was a sign that the end of the world had come. Uproar ensued with the representatives calling for immediate adjournment. But Davenport rose and said, “Gentlemen, the Day of Judgment is either approaching or it is not. If it is not, there is no cause for adjournment. If it is, I choose to be found doing my duty. Therefore, I wish that candles be brought.” Candles were brought and the session continued. We too need to choose to be found doing our duty as Christian when the Lord comes, watching and waiting. Advent is about waiting for fulfilment of Isaiah’s vision of all the nations transforming their weapons of war into tools of cultivation and harvesting for their people; a time anticipating peace and joy.

The Gospel reading urges us to stay awake and to be ready "because the Son of Man is coming at an hour" we least expect. Paul in the second reading suggests that we prepare ourselves through conversion: throwing “off the works of darkness and putting on the armor of light;” putting “on the Lord Jesus Christ, and making no provision for the desires of the flesh”. The readings underline two basic Advent themes: 1) anticipation and hope for the second coming of our Lord and Savoir, who brings peace into our hearts and in the world, symbolized by the green circular wreath. The circle points to the promise of eternal life. The 5 candles: three purple, one rose and one white in the canter are lit progressively on each Sunday, with the white one being lit on Christmas Day. The lighting of the candles reminds us that Jesus is the light of the world that dispels the darkness of our lives and brings us newness, life and hope. 2) The second theme symbolized by the colour purple is conversion and renewalin preparing a suitable place to welcome our Savoir in our hearts. Conversion is a call to be instruments of peace in the world, so that a kingdom of peace may come about; so that nations may no longer engage in wars; so that neighbours may talk of peace and not of war; so that God’s reconciling love may become a reality.

Briefly we may sum up the message of this Sunday in three points: 1) Advent is a season of watching and waiting with hope for Christ, who brings peace into our hearts and in the world; 2) Advent is a time of looking forward with eagerness and anticipation for the joy of salvation that Christmas brings. 1) But above all it is a season of spiritual preparation to receive Christ in our hearts by receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Solemnity of Jesus Christ the King Year C

2019-11-21T14:05:00.001-08:00

Readings: 2 Sam 5:1-3; Col 1:12-20; Lk 23:35-43

Some of you might recall the movie, For Greater Glory, a true story on the Cristeros War (1926-1929) between the people of Mexico and the atheistic Mexican government. In that movie, our Mexican brothers and sisters go to their death with these words, "Viva Cristo el Rey." Long live Christ the King! The movie features a young man named Luis Magaña, a teenage boy, Jose Sanchez and a priest in his mid-thirties, Fr. Miguel. When asked to bow before the government, they all say: I am a loyal son of Mexico, but I belong first to Jesus. Viva Cristo el Rey! These three – Blessed Luis Magaña, Blessed Jose Luis Sanchez del Rio and St. Miguel Pro represent hundreds who gave their lives for Christ in the late 1920s. These witnesses were totally committed to Jesus Christ their king. You and I are challenged by two basic questions. Who is your king? What kingdom do you serve? The account of David’s anointing in the first reading speaks of his closeness to the people and his future role as a shepherd-king. David is the deliverer and shepherd of his people, thus pre-figuring the mystery of Christ, who is King, Shepherd and at the same time the lamb slain on the cross for his sheep. That is the point of Luke’s crucifixion narrative, in which everything said about Jesus comes to be true: the “chosen one”, the “Messiah”, the “Saviour of all”; the one who saves himself by surrendering his own life. Indeed the readings lead us to meet Christ, who, in Paul’s Letter to the Colossians, "is the image of the unseen God and the first born of all creation, for in him were created all things in heaven and on earth: everything visible and everything invisible...everything was created through him and for him"(Col. 1. 15-16). In this beautiful hymn that is highly poetic, St. Paul gives us a glimpse of the Father, who sums up all creation in Christ.

St. Paul's meditation on the Father summing up and reconciling all things in and through Christ, is one of the most beautiful prayers of thanksgiving to the Father. We are invited to offer our gratitude to the Father for all that he has done for us throughout the Liturgical Year that comes to an end this Sunday. Thus in the Eucharist, we offer to the Father a sacrifice of thanksgiving through Christ, the King, who by his death and resurrection enters into an eternal and universal kingdom: a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace. The prayer after Communion beautifully sums up the mystery of Christ we celebrate this Sunday: “Lord, you give us Christ, the King of all creation, as food for everlasting life. Help us to live by his Gospel and bring us to the joy of his kingdom”. This last Sunday of the Liturgical Year challenges us to be more determined to live by the values and principles of Christ our King, and to be willing to sacrifice ourselves for those values. Our baptism into the life of Christ was and continues to be a bold statement to the world: Jesus is Lord and King of our lives. We dream His dreams. We share His hopes. We believe that nothing, not even death, can take away the dream of His Kingdom from us. The Solemnity of Christ the King is not just a conclusion of the church year. It takes us to the beginning: ushering in the King who is, who reigns in our hearts, and who is yet to come, a new Advent. So what message do we take home this Sunday? 1) We are invited to live by the Gospel Christ preached; by His values of peace, Justice and love that Christ shared; and by rules that govern His Kingdom –the Commandments. 2) The readings exhort us to let Christ reign in our lives, so we may be truly united with him, and thus be effective witness in Christ’s kingdom. 3) As we conclude the Liturgical Year, let us pray that you and I continue to be faithful servants of our King; that we may continue to bear good fruit for the growth of his Kingdom.

Thirty Third Sunday Ordinary Time Year C

2019-11-14T13:40:00.001-08:00

Readings: Mal 3:19-20; 2 Thess 3:7-12; Lk 21:5-19 [2 Thess 3:10] about not eating if

Signs of the end and readiness to meet the Lord are some of the phrases that help us to focus on the central message of this Sunday. The readings draw our attention to the urgency of being ready for Christ’s triumph over the enemy in a battle that is already taking place. In the first reading from the prophet Malachi, we hear that the day is coming when those who do not listen to the Lord will be burnt up, while those who listen and dance God’s melody will leap like calves going to pasture. Paul in the Second Reading deals with the question of the Second Coming of the Lord, because some faithful in Thessalonica believed that Christ was about to return soon, and therefore there was no need to work. Paul corrects that misunderstanding. As we draw close to the end of the liturgical year, the readings turn our attention to the end times, symbolized in the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem and the apocalyptic events before the end.

Jesus in the Gospel teaches us that before the events of the end take place, we too must undergo persecution, but by our perseverance, we will secure our lives. Jesus also cautions against the danger of false prophets, who try to announce the end of the world. Christians from the very beginning have always been curious about the meaning of today’s readings, and some would want to ask the same question the disciples asked: “Teacher, when will this happen?” They want know when exactly the end-times will be. Jesus confirms that the end times will certainly come, and warns against false prophets. “Take care not to be deceived…because many will come using my name and saying ‘I am he’ and ‘the time is near at hand’... And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened, for this is something that must happen, but the end is not so soon” (Lk. 21:8). Because those are only signs, do not listen to anyone telling you when the end of the world is coming: whether they be priests or televangelists or self-proclaimed prophets or spiritual writers. As soon as you hear any preachers say they know when the end will come, be sure to avoid them like the plague. Jesus in the Gospel does not tell us when the end times will come. He only speaks about signs of the end: wars, earthquakes, insurrections, famines and plagues; “and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven." The point Jesus makes is that we should not be concerned about when the end will be. Rather we should be concerned about our readiness at all times. The Gospel therefore underlines that aspect of readiness: our growth in faith and hope, and gearing ourselves for Christ’s victory, which is also our victory. In the face of suffering and persecution, through perseverance, we will triumph. “You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair of your head will be destroyed.” The message this Sunday may be summed up in three points. 1) The readings draw our attention to the urgency of our readiness at all times for Christ’s triumph over the enemy. The battle is already taking place. 2) We must not live in fear, but in faith and hope, prepared to stand up for the truth; prepared to suffer persecution; ready to meet the Lord. 3) The bottom line is whether you and I will secure our lives; whether we will triumph in the end; whether that day will find us ready, in God’s grace. The choice is yours.

Thirty Second Sunday Ordinary Time Year C

2019-11-07T12:57:00.001-08:00

Readings: 2 Mac 7:1-2, 9-14; 2 Thess 2:16-3:5; Lk 20:27-38

The resurrection, life after death and the immortality of the soul, are some of the words that help us to focus on the message of this Sunday. The readings help us to affirm our faith in the resurrection, and to capture a glimpse of what life after death beyond this world might be. The first reading from the Second Book of Maccabees is an account of Jews who remained faithful even in the face of persecution as they believed they would rise into new life. The point of the reading is that even though the body may die, the soul is immortal; our life here on earth has a purpose; God created us with our destiny in heaven hereafter. That is why the seven sons and their mother display such an incredible faith in the face of death and torture. They are so convinced of life after death. The first reading therefore underlines the foundations of belief and hope in the life hereafter. All seven sons die for their faith, each in turn professing his faith before death. Their faith hinges on their belief in the resurrection; that there is life after death. They believed that the King of the world would raise them up to live again forever. That promise would be fulfilled in Jesus Christ in His resurrection giving new life to all who believe in Him.

The Gospel from Luke is another reminder of the immortality of the human soul. But just as in the first reading, the Gospel reaffirms our faith in the resurrection, and reminds us that our faith witness is bound to be met with opposition and cynicism. In the Gospel, Sadducees are making fun of Jesus. “So, there is life after death? Well, prove it for us? Suppose a woman had seven husbands, and they all died before her, whose wife would she be at the resurrection?” The issue is, if there is life after death, will there be marriage in heaven? So they thought they had outsmarted Jesus; they had Him backed into a corner. Doesn’t that method of opposition sound familiar? Jesus in His response helps us to understand that our risen bodies will be different from what they are now. Our bodies now are mortal and vulnerable to all sorts of viruses. In the resurrection we will be like the angels. In other words, we will be so transformed by immortality that we will not need to eat; no going to the grocery store; no health care insurance; no need to continue the human species. Therefore, there will be no need for marriage. This faith is founded on our hope in the resurrection, because as Jesus tells us, our God is not a God of the dead but of the living. The resurrection will transform our mortal lives into a life of eternal love of God and one another far more exciting than we have ever experienced on earth. So what message do we take home this Sunday? 1) The readings challenge us to live in the light of the resurrection, full of hope that indeed there is life after this present earthly life. 2) That is why we confess in the Creed that “I believe in the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.” The resurrection is the center-piece of our faith and Christians have shed their blood because of that faith. 3) Just as the Jewish family in the first reading endured suffering because of their faith in the resurrection, we too must be prepared to defend and to live our faith in the light of resurrection.

Thirty First Sunday Ordinary Time Year C

2019-10-31T17:34:00.002-07:00

Readings: Wis 11:22-12:1; 2 Thess 1:11-2-22; Lk 19:1-10

Curiosity, a merciful God, who seeks and finds the lost, leading us to conversion, are the key words that unlock the message of this Sunday. The readings reveal to us a merciful God who seeks out and saves the sinner. The first reading from the Book of Wisdom leads us to meet a God who is merciful to all, who forgives and spares all things, because God is a lover of life. He does not want the sinner to perish, but to be saved at any cost.

The story of Zacchaeus in the Gospel reveals God who seeks out and saves sinners. Zacchaeus has heard that Jesus is coming, and out of curiosity, he wants to see Him. Zacchaeus is small in stature and, because of the crowd blocking his vision, he cannot see Jesus. Determined and curious to see Jesus, Zacchaeus first runs ahead and discovers that he is still lost in the crowd. Then he decides to climb a sycamore tree. In spite of being a rich and important man, he does not hesitate to climb a tree to see Jesus. By so doing, Zacchaeus in fact risks public ridicule because no adult ever ran in public and certainly no respectable person would ever climb a tree in public. Zacchaeus knows that he is not very welcome among the crowds anyway. He knows that many citizens might take the chance to give him a kick or a push and he would probably wind up bruised. Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector in Jericho and a wealthy person because he extorted money from people for Roman taxes. He was therefore considered a traitor and a sinner and so people avoided associating with him publicly. Jesus refuses to conform to the expectations of his society and seeks to meet Zacchaeus who is anxious to see Jesus. On reaching the spot, Jesus calls him: "Zacchaeus, come down because I must stay at your house today". Jesus did this because "the Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost". Although Jesus says nothing about conversion or about Zacchaeus leaving his job of collecting taxes, we notice that Zacchaeus in meeting Jesus becomes a totally changed person. He experiences a radical conversion of heart and Jesus acknowledges what has taken place in Zacchaeus. "Today salvation has come to this house". The story of Zacchaeus is our story too, because God searches out anyone who strays away from grace. But like Zacchaeus, we too must accept to come down and confess our sinfulness so that Christ may bring salvation into our lives. It requires our ability to open our hearts so we may hear Jesus inviting us to come down from our tree, so that Jesus may enter into our lives. So what message do we take home this Sunday? 1) The story of Zacchaeus helps us to understand the mystery of God who seeks out and finds us when we are lost; 2) As in the case of Zacchaeus, God often uses curiosity and attraction to the Church as well as the sinfulness of her members to touch others; 3) Like Zacchaeus, we must risk our reputation and be determined to embrace God’s grace leading us to conversion.

Thirtieth Sunday Ordinary Time Year C

2019-10-27T13:58:00.001-07:00

Readings: Sir 35:12-14, 16-19; 2 Tim 4:6-8, 16-18; Lk 18: 9-14

Humility, total dependence and our need for God’s mercy are some of the phrases that help us to focus on the central message of this Sunday. The readings once again return to the theme of prayer, drawing our attention to the need for humility and total dependence on God. In the first reading we hear that God listens to the cry of the poor, precisely because of their total dependence on God. The responsorial psalm highlights that point. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; those who are crushed in spirit He saves”. I once heard the story of a priest who shortly before starting Mass, noticed that the front pews were empty (very Catholic) and so urged those at the back to come forward. All moved forward except one woman who remained at the back throughout the Mass. After Mass, as the priest was greeting parishioners on their way out, that woman told the priest: “Father, I just recently returned to church. I’ve made the big step to walk through the door, but you’ve got to let me ease my way up into the middle of the congregation. I have a lot of things that the Lord and I need to deal with first.” That is a wonderful example of real humility before God.

In the Gospel reading, Jesus confronts us with the familiar and challenging parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. This parable is addressed to us and is like a mirror that enables us to see clearly who we are. The central message of the parable is that God listens and favors those who humble themselves, and rejects the hypocrite; those who refuse to face the truth about their need for God’s mercy. The story is simple. "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector”. The Pharisee did not even need to pray, nor did he need God! He took up his position and spoke the prayer to himself. In the parable Jesus urges us to imitate the attitude of the tax collector, who is deeply aware of his sinfulness, and in need of God’s loving mercy and forgiveness; empty and in need of being filled with God’s life and grace in Christ. The tax collector is repentant – moving toward conversion. That’s why he was at the back of the temple. He had made the big step to enter the temple door. He didn’t feel that it was right for him to come any closer because of his unworthiness. He and God had things he needed to work out. He needed God’s mercy; God’s forgiveness. For that reason the tax collector is favored by God, and goes away more justified; more transformed than the Pharisee. So what message do we take home this Sunday? 1) The readings draw our attention to the need for humility and total dependence on God in every prayer. 2) Jesus in the parable reminds us that religious practices are only blessed when they flow from an authentic interior life of true humility. 3) That is why the tax collector was filled with God’s life, while the Pharisee returned home unchanged, without being touched by God’s life. Am I going to return home today touched by God’s grace or simply unchanged? The choice is yours.

Twenty Ninth Sunday Ordinary Time Year C

2019-10-16T12:33:00.001-07:00

Readings: Ex 17:8-13; 2 Tim 3:14-4:2; Lk 18: 1-8

Persistence, determination and fighting Amalek, are some of the phrases that sum up the message of this Sunday. The readings focus on the power of persistent prayer. Such persistence is the determination to continue in prayer particularly the highest form prayer of thanksgiving – the Eucharist, every Sunday and even every day. Being at Mass Sunday after Sunday or even daily may be compared to Moses keeping his arms upraised - a gesture of prayer, in order to assure the Lord’s continuous protection and help as we hear in the first reading. “As long as Moses kept his arms raised, Israel had the advantage” in battle against one of the most feared fighters Israel ever confronted. No nation on earth could ever defeat the Amalekites. But with Moses’ arms raised in prayer to the God of Israel, with Aaron and Hur holding Moses’ hands up high in a posture of prayer, with the forces of God on the side of Israel, not only was Amalek defeated, this fierce nation was totally destroyed. Paul’s second letter to Timothy also sees the apostolic ministry in terms of persistence. “Be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient...through all patience and teaching.”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells “his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.” Jesus is aware that his disciples and us tend to give up too soon, and therefore tells them the parable of a widow who kept going to a judge until he finally accepted to intervene for her. The point of the parable is clear: There is nothing impossible with God just as there were no enemies too strong for the forces of Israel with God on their side. When God fights with us against the forces of evil, we will win the battle. So what message do we take home this Sunday? 1) Just as Israel had fierce battles with Amalek, you and I have our own Amalek to fight – our vices and weaknesses. Whether we fight our sinful habits: explosive temper, anger or whatever vice like alcoholism or drug addiction, don’t ever give up. 2) The power of persistent prayer is exemplified best by going to Mass Sunday after Sunday or even daily and in all humility believing that in the end, being on God’s side, you will win the battle. 3) The readings remind us of our own fierce battles with our own Amalek of anger and sloth and gossip. We must never to give up, because with the persistent power of prayer, even the fiercest enemy – the devil will fall. Think about your own Amalek today and be determined to go into battle fighting on God’s side.