When Jesus goes to dine at the house of the Pharisee, He notices how all the other guests have made sure of their own positions. The atmosphere of the evening is not relaxed. Everyone there is scrutinising this young preacher. What will He do? What will He say? Jesus decides to not disappoint them. He […]
Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time – “C†– September 1, 2013 Read More »
In the eyes of Jesus, every person is of infinite worth whatever his or her ethnicity, culture or religion. The beautiful prophetic imagery of Isaiah in the first reading, proclaiming that people from every language and nation will be brought to God’s holy mountain in Jerusalem, finds fulfilment in the Gospel when Jesus declares that
Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time – “C†– August 25, 2013 Read More »
In the lead-up to the Olympic Games held in London last year, a flame was kindled at Olympia, the site of the original games in ancient Greece. This flame was then transported to Britain where it was carried in a relay, which brought that flame within 10 miles of every inhabitant of the UK, before
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time – “C†– August 18, 2013 Read More »
“Here he lies where he longed to be; Home is the sailor, home from the sea, And the hunter home from the hill.†These verse was written by Robert Louis Stevenson, the man who wrote Treasure Island. It was intended by the author that it should be inscribed on his own tomb. It brings to
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – “C†– August 11, 2013 Read More »
Today’s readings offer us a glimpse of Middle Eastern hospitality. Abraham and Sarah offer food, drink and shade to their visitors, unknowingly entertaining three angels of the Lord, who in return promise them the blessing of a child. In today’s reading we do not hear the ending of the story – that Sarah laughed at
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – “C†– July 21, 2013 Read More »
How do we overcome hatred, dislike and prejudice? How do we manage to love the unlovable? How can we reach the point of seeing all human beings, even our enemies, as neighbors we can love? How do we become like Jesus who prayed for His enemies, forgave those who crucified Him, and tells us to
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – “C†– July 14, 2013 Read More »
In the following Jesus, some teachings are harder than others to put into practice. “Love your enemies and do good to those who treat you badly,†comes to mind, as the supreme example. And here in the Gospel today we find another of those hard sayings. The Lord is giving His instructions to His disciples
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – “C†– July 7, 2013 Read More »
In many ways we cannot apply the realities of our Gospel reading to our everyday lives. To begin with, this unique and unrepeatable event, Jesus going up to His passion in Jerusalem. The majority of us cannot simply drop everything and follow Christ. Those who have families and responsibilities already have a vocation and a
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – June 30, 2013 Read More »
Fathers must make sure their wives and children are fed—before they take any food. Fathers must go without so that their wives and families can survive. This at least is the ideal and what fathers and their families must strive for. Our fathers need to be pious. They need to know they cannot do it
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time – June 16, 2013 – Father’s Day Read More »
The Lord whom we meet is a Lord of life, not death. As Jesus walks into the village of Nain, a procession of death is coming out. These two processions cannot be allowed to bypass one another. Compassion for a widowed, grieving mother causes Jesus to go up to her and to touch the bier
Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – June 9, 2013 Read More »