22^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time-A

I Reading: Jeremiah 20:7-9: The word of the Lord has meant insult for me. The Lord is much stronger than us and will always triumph.

II Reading: Romans 12:1-2: Offer your body as a living sacrifice. Our lives are to be changed, but not by the world around us.

Gospel: Matthew 16:21-27: If anyone wants to be a follower of me, let him renounce himself. Jesus’ rebuke to Peter shows that our thoughts are not always in line with God’s way.

The Messiah Foretells His Death and Future Glory( 1^st Time):

 Total Commitment

What has a man to offer in exchange for his life?

In this gospel reading, Jesus taught the hardest lesson. We also see the lesson on suffering provided by Jeremiah. A lesson which Peter and the apostles  failed to understand. The Christian communities of all times must learn on the saving act of suffering of Jesus,  plan and will of God for humanity.

Paul explained the lesson of Jesus as understood:

1) They should give themselves totally to God. Their whole life should become an offering to him:

i.  a living offering, different from the animals offered/killed in the temple of Jerusalem.

ii. a holy offering,   a Christian led by the Holy Spirit as a holy and moral life.

iii. an offering pleasing to God, God delights in seeing us living the way Jesus live.

2) In order to do so, we should guide ourselves by the Gospel and not by what people who do not know Christ say or do. To do God’s will entails suffering, just as it cost Christ to suffer and die to obey his Father.

This what to renounce ourselves, to take up our cross, and to follow Jesus till the end of life really mean.

Jesus taught the final lesson: joy is never far from suffering. A joy which nothing and no one can take away. We have his promise for it: “your sorrow will turn to joy.” (Jn 16:20)

Jesus revealed that the Son of the living God was going to be killed and raised again from the dead. Jerusalem … that killed the prophets was going to commit the ultimate crime –going to kill God’s own Son (Mt 23:29-31). The disciples could not understand the reasons for their blindness. First the idea of a suffering Messiah differed radically from their own idea of the conquering Messiah (Mt 1:1, 2-1:18, 3-3:11, 11:1-6; Mk 8:27; Lk 7:21), and second, the revelation had been hidden in pictures and symbols.

1. His death required total commitment on his part (v.21-23)

a. His death was necessary: He “must go” to suffer

          1) In Jerusalem

          2) To suffer

          3) To be killed

          4) To be raised

b. His death arouses natural man

c. His death shows man to be an adversary of God

d. His death reveals man’s true nature

2. His death demands total commitment from a man (v.24)

a. Must will to follow

b. Must deny self

c. Must take up the cross

d. Must follow Jesus

3. His death offers four arguments for total commitment (v.25-28)

a. An abandonment of this of this life saves a man

b. A man’s soul is worth more than the whole world

c. A day of judgement is coming

d. A promise is given-the promise of never having to taste death

Thought: Suffering will always remain a lesson difficult to understand. eg. The life of Job. Suffering is a mystery in life. only the Spirit can make its meaning clear to us. We must go on learning the lesson why suffering in life? but Christ will never deceive us. 

A true Christian is the one who daily renounces, take up his/her cross with determination and joyfully follows Jesus Christ offering his/her life to God daily. Jesus shared his suffering with us and rewarding his true joy in our suffering life and even in death.

Jesus spoke of his resurrection when he spoke of his death which encourages us to bear our cross while here on earth (Lk 9:23).

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Saturday: 21^st Week in Ordinary Time-A

I Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12: Young have learnt from God yourselves to love one another.

Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30: You have shown you can be faithful in small things, come and join in your master’s happiness.

The Parable of the Talents: The Believer’s Duty to Work

Jesus was teaching a much needed lesson: we must be faithful and diligent.

1. The Lord went on a journey (v.14)

2. The Lord entrusted his property to his servants (v.14-15)

a. Called his servant

b. Gave each servant a different portion

c. Gave each servant according to his ability

3. The servants treated the Lord’s goods differently (v.16-18)

a. Two were responsible: Immediately worked

          1) Were faithful and diligent

          2) Were successful

b. One was irresponsible: Did not try

4. The day of settling accounts came (v.19)

a. After a long time

b. The Lord returned

5. The reward for work well done: More work to do (v.20-23)

a. The first servant

          1) Acknowledged God’s gifts and grace

          2) Laboured 100% for the Lord

          3) Was commended and given a great reward: Rulership and joy

b. The second servant

          1) Acknowledged God’s gifts and grace

          2) Laboured 100% for the Lord

          3) Was commended and given a great reward: Rulership and joy

6. The punishment for work not done: Stripping and separation (v.24-30)

a. The servant’s reasons for not working

          1) He misunderstood God: Thought God was too demanding

          2) He feared loss while on earth

b. God’s reasons for condemning the servant

          1) He was wicket and lazy

          2) He was inconsistent

          3) He failed to use his gift

c. The judgement

          1) He was stripped of what he had

          2) He was thrown into the darkness

Thought: Every person or believer has at least one gift (1Cor 12:11; Rom 12:4-9; 1Cor 12:4-30). We must always remember this and must work hard faithfully and diligently.

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Friday: 21^st Week in Ordinary Time-A

I Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8: What God wants is for you all to be holy.

Gospel: Matthew 25:1-13: The Bridegroom is here! Go out and meet him.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins: The Warning to Watch

The believer must watch for the Lord’s return, and he/she must be wise and not foolish in watching (Mt 24:42). This is the point of Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins, five foolish and five wise.

·        The bridegroom is Jesus Christ himself

·        The virgins are believers, all professors of religions

·        The five wise virgins are genuine believers

·        The five foolish virgins are false believers, those who have false profession

·        The lamps represent the lives, that is, the testimony, the witness, the heart, and the profession of the virgins (professing believers)

·        The oil is the provision of righteousness, the supply of the Holy Spirit that is to fill the lamps (lives) of the professing believers

The parable is the dramatic picture of all professing believers, both the wise and the foolish, when the Lord returns.

1. Describes the kingdom of heaven (v.1)

2. There are wise and foolish virgins (believers) who attend a wedding (v.1-4)

a. Five are wise: Five are foolish

b. The foolish take no oil for their lamps: Provision and supply

c. The wise take oil for their lamps: Provision and supply

3. There is a long delay waiting for the bridegroom: All are drowsy and sleep (v.5)

4. There is a great summons When he comes (v.6-9)

a. A surprise: Midnight

b. A cry: Come-meet him

c. The awakening: Prepare their lamps

d. The foolish discover their lamps are out: Frantic-beg for oil

e. The wise scarcely have enough for themselves

5. There is the bridegroom’s return and the gathering of the wise (v.10)

6. There is a shut door to the foolish (v.10-12)

a. The door was shut

b. The foolish cry for entry

c. The foolish will be rejected

7. The point: We must watch and expect the Lord’s return at any moment (v.13)

Thought: Wise is the correct word to call the person who secures additional oil (righteousness=one who always depends on God) to enter into heaven (2Cor 5:21; Eph 4:24).

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Thursday: 21^st Week in Ordinary Time-A

I Reading: 1 Thessalonians 3:7-13: May the Lord be generous in increasing your love and make you love one another and the whole human race.

Gospel: Matthew 24:42-51: Stand ready.

The Lord’s Return and the Believer’s Duty:

Watch-Be Ready-Be Faithful and Wise, Mt 24:42-51

This was Jesus’ last week on earth so he taught his disciples and people with regard to the Lord’s return and believers’ watchfulness and faithfulness till the end of life. When will be the temple (Jerusalem) be destroyed? (v.3) (see Mt 24:1-25:46)

Jesus had just answered the disciples’ questions. Since he would be returning to earth and God wanted the hour to be kept secret, what was the believer to do? How was the believer to live? What was the believer’s duty? Jesus answered these questions in one forceful warning: “Keep watch!” then he shared three parables to explain what he meant by the strong exhortation, “Keep watch!”

1. The believer’s duty: Watch (v.42)

a. The Lord does return

b. Exact time unknown

2. Parable 1: The owner of the house (a professing believer) (v.43-44)

a. He had a house to look after

b. He lived without watchfulness

c. He suffered disaster

d. The point: Readiness is essential, for Christ

3. Parable 2: A faithful and wise servant (a genuine believer) (v.45-47)

a. His responsibility: To oversee and feed

b. His accountability: Is faithful

c. His reward: Put in charge

4. Parable 3: A wicket servant (v.48-51)

a. His attitude: Plenty of time

b. His behaviour: Acts unjustly worldly

c. His judgement: He is doomed

          1) The Lord catches him unexpectedly

          2) The condemns him to death-with the hypocrites

Thought: The Lord’s return is imminent. This is the point. We must stay alert and be diligent in looking his return-today! Every person is responsible for his or her life.

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Wednesday: 21^st Week in Ordinary Time-A

I Reading: 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13: Slaving night and day, we were proclaiming the Good News to you.

Gospel: Matthew 23:27-32: You are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.

The Eight Accusations against False Religionists, Mt 23:13-36

Jesus attacked and denounced the false religionists frankly and openly. He exposed their hypocrisy and inner hearts and minds which were corrupted and doomed to hell. Jesus levelled eight accusations against the religionists.

1. False religionists disguise inner decay (v.27-28)

a. Illustration: They are like white tombs

          1) Outward: appear clean and beautiful

          2) Inward: full of death and uncleanness

b. Their wrong

          1) Outward: appear righteous

          2) Inward: full of hypocrisy and wickedness

2. False religionists pride themselves in a godly heritage (v.29-33)

a. Honour the relics of the past

b. Denounce the former abuses

c. Pride themselves in being better: would not have committed such sins

d. Testify against themselves (by rejecting Christ)

          1) Show themselves to be descendants of murderers

          2) Fill up the father’s cup of murder

e. Result: have become snakes, vipers-doomed to hell

Thought: False religion is the most beautiful and deadly tomb among people. It leads to the eternal death of people’s spirits. God shall judge the sinful hearts those who reject the prophets and the teachings of God.

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Tuesday: 21^st Week in Ordinary Time-A

I Reading: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8: We were eager to hand over to you not only the Good News but our whole lives as well.

Gospel: Matthew 23:23-26: You should have practised these matters of the Law, without neglecting the others!

The Eight Accusations against False Religionists, Mt 23:13-36

Jesus attacked and denounced the false religionists (The Scribes and the Pharisees) frankly and openly. He exposed their hypocrisy and inner hearts and minds which were corrupted and doomed to hell. Jesus levelled eight accusations against the religionists.

1. False religionists stress the lighter commandments and neglect the important ones (v.23-24)

a. They stress the lighter duties and neglect the more important duties

b. They avoid the lesser sins and commit the greater sins

2. False religionists are blind to real cleanness (v.25-26)

a. Their outside appears clean

b. Their insides are full of greed and self-indulgence

c. Their need: First clean the inside; then the outside will be clean

Thought: The false religionists (The Scribes and the Pharisees) fail at justice, mercy and good faith.

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Monday: 21^st Week in Ordinary Time-A

I Reading: 1 Thessalonians 1:2-5.8-10: You broke with idolatry when you were converted to God and you are waiting for his Son, whom he raised from the dead.

Gospel: Matthew 23:13-22: Alas for you, blind guides!

The Eight Accusations against False Religionists, Mt 23:13-36

Jesus attacked and denounced the false religionists frankly and openly. He exposed their hypocrisy and inner hearts and minds which were corrupted and doomed to hell. Jesus levelled eight accusations against the religionists.

1. False religionists shut the door to heaven against seekers (v.13)

a. They do not enter themselves

b. They do not allow seekers to enter

2. False religionists are missionaries who double the corruption of new followers (15)

3. False religionists mislead others: They are blind guides in oaths and commitments (v.16-22)

a. Their blindness: They stress the secondary over the primary (two examples)

1) They stress the temple gold over temple

2) They stress the gift over the altar

b. Their folly: They try to evade commitments and responsibility, v.17,19

c. The raw facts

1) All commitments and oaths are heard by God-there is no evasion

2) All commitments and oaths are binding and are accountable to God

4. False religionists stress the lighter commandments and neglect the important ones (v.23-24)

a. They stress the lighter duties and neglect the more important duties

b. They avoid the lesser sins and commit the greater sins

5. False religionists are blind to real cleanness (v.25-26)

a. Their outside appears clean

b. Their insides are full of greed and self-indulgence

c. Their need: First clean the inside; then the outside will be clean

6. False religionists disguise inner decay (v.27-28)

a. Illustration: They are like white tombs

          1) Outward: appear clean and beautiful

          2) Inward: full of death and uncleanness

b. Their wrong

          1) Outward: appear righteous

          2) Inward: full of hypocrisy and wickedness

7. False religionists pride themselves in a godly heritage (v.29-33)

a. Honour the relics of the past

b. Denounce the former abuses

c. Pride themselves in being better: would not have committed such sins

d. Testify against themselves (by rejecting Christ)

          1) Show themselves to be descendants of murderers

          2) Fill up the father’s cup of murder

e. Result: have become snakes, vipers-doomed to hell

8. False religionists reject and abuse many of God’s present day messengers (v.34-36)

a. Their abuse: they persecute and kill

b. Their judgement

          1) They shall have imputed to them the sins of all the righteous bloodshed throughout history

          2) All these things shall come upon this generation

Thought: The false religionist fails at both points of sin. He sins both by omission and commission. He neglects the more  important duties, and he commits the greater sins.

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21^st Sunday in Ordinary Time-A

I Reading: Isaiah 22:19-23: I place the key the House of David on his shoulder.

II Reading: Romans 11:33-36: All that exists come from him; all is by him and for him.

Gospel: Matthew 16:13-23: You are Peter, and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.

The Messiah’s Dramatic Revelation of Himself and His Church:

Peter’s Great Confession, Mt 16:13-20

Jesus reveals his Divine revelation and teaches his disciples and builds His Church on Peter’s great confession of faith that Jesus as the Messiah or Christ, the Son of the living God as against the false gods and goddesses. 

Peter received a new name, as Abram became Abraham, no longer Simon bar Jonah, but Peter the Rock, for such was the meaning of his new name. Isaiah placed the “key of the House of David” on the shoulder of his appointee; in a similar way our Lord denoted Peter’s future authority.

1. Jesus Christ was in the area of Caesarea Philippi (v.13)

2. This confession is not the confession of the world (v.13-14)

a. The first critical question

b. The false confessions

3. This confession declares one’s trust in Christ (v.15-16)

a. The second critical question, v.15

b. The true confession: a person confession in Jesus Christ

4. This confession is revealed by God alone (v.17)

5. This confession is the foundation of the Church (v.18)

a. Fact 1: His Church

b. Fact 2: He builds

c. Fact 3: He protects

6. This confession assigns great responsibility to believers for the Church (v.19)

a. A resp. to use the keys to the kingdom of heaven

b. A resp. to bind and loose on earth

7. This confession must be understood before being shared with others (v.20)

Thought: The church is the church of Jesus Christ and he said, “I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Then he gave the keys of the kingdom of heaven to bind or loose on earth will be bound or loosed in heaven which means the authority and power was given to Peter to forgive or pardon others when the people come to him.

Note the exact words spoken by Jesus Chirst:

1. “My church.” The church is Christ’s not man’s.

2. “I will build.” Christ builds the church.

3. “The gates of Hades will not cover come it.” Christ himself protects the church.

The true church is universal. It is made up of all who genuinely confess Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of the living God. If God is living, then Christ is living. He is therefore, “My God and my Lord.”

Two things are essential before a believer can effectively proclaim the gospel.

1. He/she must understand the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1Cor 15:1-4).

2. He must be indwelt and in filled with the Spirit of God (Acts 1:8).

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Saturday: 20^th Week in Ordinary Time-A

I Reading: Ruth 2:1-3.8-11; 4:13-17: The Lord has not left the dead man without next of kin to perpetuate his name. This was the father of David’s father, Jesse.

Gospel: Matthew 23:1-12: They do not practise what they preach.

The Warning against False Religion

In the minds of the leaders, Christ was a threat to their position, power, wealth, security and nation (Mt 12:1-8, 10;15:1-20). They were forced to discredit Jesus before the people and wanted to kill him. This background lies behind the present chapter-the most sever attack Jesus Christ ever spoke against the scribes and the Pharisees because of hypocrisy of their lives and religion-a religion which stands as a symbol of the false religions of the world (cf. Rom 2:17-29). The false religion is a man made religion.

1.     Jesus spoke to the crowds and to the disciples (v.1)

2.     False religion is a religion that claims to “sit” in the truth, Moses’ seat (2)

3.     False religion is a religion of hypocrisy (3)

a.     It is good to obey their preaching

b.    It is not good to follow their practice

4.     False religion is a religion of heavy burdens (4)

a.     Leaders imposed heavy burdens upon others

b.    Leaders did not imposed the burdens upon themselves

5.     False religion is a religion of show, of display (5-7)

a.     A religion of appearance: Dress, clothing

b.    A religion of position: position that honour and exalt people

c.      A religion of titles: Titles that honour and exalt people

6.     False religion is a religion to be guarded against (8-12)

a.     Because position and relationships are already established

1.     God is your Father

2.     Christ is your Teacher

3.     You are brothers and sisters

4.     Because greatness is measured by SERVICE

5.     Because judgement is coming

Thought: God has no favourites among people. Why should we seek to appear as a favourite? Why should we seek appearance, positions and titles and honour that point toward him/her instead of his/her Lord?

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Friday: 20^th Week in Ordinary Time-A

I Reading: Ruth 1:1.3-6.14-16.22: Noami came back with Ruth the Moabites and came to Bethlehem.

Gospel: Matthew 22:34-40: You must love the Lord your God, and your neighbour as yourself.

The Question about the Great Commandment: A Study of Love

Jesus used the occasion to teach man the greatest provision and duty of human life: love. Love will provide for every need man has; therefore, love is the greatest duty of man/woman.

1. The Pharisees plotted (v.34-36)

a. They gathered together

b. They appointed a brilliant lawyer, an expert in the law, to challenge Jesus

c. The question: Which is the greatest commandment?

2. First: Love God (v.37-39)

a. Love as your own God

b. Love with all your being: Your heart, soul and mind

c. Love is man/woman’s chief duty

3. Second: Love your neighbour (v.39)

a. Love self

b. Love neighbour as self

4. The conclusion: Love includes and embraces all the commandments (v.40)

Thought: A man loves God when he loves his neighbour. In fact, a man loves God only if he truly loves his neighbour (1Jn 4:20-21; Jn 13:34-35; Rom 13:10; 1Tim 1:5; Mt 7:12; 23:11-12; Phil 2:2-3)

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