SUNDAY- 31^st  WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Mark 12:28-34: This is the first commandment. The second is like this.

I Reading: Deuteronomy 6:2-6: Listen, Israel: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart.

II Reading: Hebrews 7:23-28: Because he remains forever, Christ can never lose his priesthood.

The Question about the Greatest Commandment, Mk 12:28-34

Jesus had met his third group of challengers, the Sadducees. In their minds, His threat to their security remained. He had silenced and routed them. 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.

1. A Teacher of the Law approached Jesus (v.28)

a. Observed Jesus’ arguments

b. Posed a test question: Which is the important commandment?

2. The greatest commandment (v.29-31)

a. The Lord our God, The Lord is one

b. The Lord our God is to be loved

c. The Lord our God demands that we love our neighbours as ourselves

3. The great vastness of the commandment (v.32-34)

a. So great it causes honest and thinking men to agree

b. So great it exceeds all offerings and sacrifices

c. So great it almost assurances salvation to those who understand it

Thought:

What is the first and important commandment? Deut 6:5- listen O Israel..

Love with heart, soul, mind and strength or might

Listen the word of God with heart, soul, mind and strength

How many love and listen to the word of God today?

Today’s world many do not love God and do not listen to the word of God and do not obey God’s command. They wonder and live in emptiness, dryness in spiritual life

Our love is vertical and horizontal love. Eg the cross has both vertical and horizontal. They are inseparable and united always. So loving God and loving our neighbour is inseparable and united always as one family. We love neighbour because God loves all and we are the children of the same God.

The creation is the love of God so must love him, serve him, worship him and glorify him is the purpose of our life on this earth to steward the earth and people.

Who can listen?

Those who are humble not the proud or self-righteous people

Those who do the will of God with obedience and dependency and surrendering

The first sin was the sin of disobedience- the first parents did not listen to God

Who is my neighbour? Lev 19:18- love your neighbour as you love yourself

4 kinds of love according to Greek:

Eros = erotic bond or love

Philia = relation bond

Storge = empathy or familiar bond

Agape = unconditional, unlimited, sacrificial and highest love

Jn 3:16- God so loved the world that he gave his only Son to save us..

Jn 15:13- The greatest love is that one who lays down his life for his friend

1Cor 13:8ff- love is patient, kind, no jealousy, no evil or does not hurt, no revenge, forgives, does good ..

Rom 8: - love fulfils the law

James 2:4ff- prayer without good work is dead or futile

I came not to be served but to serve. I lay down my life for my sheep. As I have loved you so you love one another so that they will know that you are my disciples.

People are to love God supremely and love their neighbours selflessly without any discrimination because all are the children of one God.

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 All the Faithful Departed, 2^snd November

Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46

I Reading: Wisdom 3:1-9

II Reading: Romans 6:3-9

The Parable of the Sheep and Goats:

The Final Judgement of Nations, Mt 25:31-46

Jesus taught about the final judgement of nations (all nations of people) which will be the judgement of the world through the parable of the sheep and Goats. He judges two types of beings, sheep and goats, not same type of being. The sheep are faithful whereas goats are not faithful and don’t serve Christ.

The only faith that God knows and accepts is the faith that servers Christ by ministering to people. A man who says he has faith and does not ministering to people is only professing faith in Christ. Scripture says, “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do” (Jas 2:18). God knows no faith apart from good works, that is, apart from ministering to the needs of the people.

1. The Son of Man is coming to judge (v.31-33)

a. coming in glory

b. coming with angels

c. coming to be enthroned

d. coming to gather all nations

e. coming to separate the nations, both sheep and goats

          1) sheep- favoured seat

          2) goats- unfavoured seat

2. The judgement of sheep will occur (v.34-40)

a. the judge: the king

b. the invitation: come

c. the reward: the kingdom

d. the basis of judgement: ministering to Christ

e. the ministry defined

          1) a humble, instinctive ministry: no thought of reward, only of helping people in need

          2) a ministry to the Lord’s brothers and sisters

3. The judgement of goats will occur (v.41-45)

a. the judgement

          1) cut off from God

          2) eternal fire

b. the basis of judgement

          1) a failure to minister

          2) a selfish life

          3) a spiritual blindness

4. The judgement is for eternity (v.46)

Thought: Selfishness, indulgence, extravagance, hoarding-all that leads to and indicates the neglect of others-will visibly condemn a person when he or she stands before Christ (Mt 19:16-22, 23-24,27-30).

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All Saints Day

Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12:

I Reading: Revelation 7:2-4,9-14:

II Reading: 1John 3:1-3:

 

In the year, 609, Pope Boniface IV cleared out the statues of gods and goddesses from the Pantheon (“the house of all the gods) which was propagated by the Roman empire and turned the building into a church which he dedicated to God in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of all saints. This church is still standing.

Famous martyrs and saints were venerated in the church on various dates throughout the world. Today we have millions of saints who are known and unknown to mankind, but well known to God. The number of saints and martyrs goes on increasing day after day, this led the church to establish a feast in their honour on 1^st November around 800 A.D. In this feast we praise God for having accomplished his salvation in so many people.

The Holy Spirit moved the church to establish this feast for a double purpose:

1) To praise God for having completed his salvation in so many of our Christian brothers and sisters throughout world.

2) To encourage those still living on earth to persevere faithful to Christ inspite of human weakness, temptation and persecution.

Their message from heaven today is:

Do not lose discourage; remember that we were just what you are, weak, and sinful people. Yet we were saved by God’s power and love. Keep up the struggle; we are here to lend you a helping hand with our prayer to God. There is a fabulous reward ready for you too here.

1. Every Christian is a saint in the making.

Paul does not hesitate to call his Christians “saints”:

From Paul…to you all, who are God’s beloved in Rome, called to be saints.” (Rom 1, 1.7; 1Cor 1,1.2; 2Cor 13,12).

In today’s second reading, John points out why Christians may rightly be called “saints” while still on earth, inspite of human weakness:

a. We, Christians are truly God’s children at Baptism (1Jn 3:1).

b. We are destined to be with God forever and to be like him (1Jn 3:2-3).

We Christians ought to consider ourselves at all times, “saints in the making” that is, people striving to become holy.

2. Neither human weakness nor suffering nor persecution should discourage Christians from striving after holiness:

The Book of Revelation teaches us about the sacrificial life and witnessing life of the people having faith in Jesus.

a) The first reason why we should not get discouraged is that we have already been chosen to be saved: Ex 39:30- Consecrated to Yahweh. Ez 9:4-T=Greek “Tau”, resemble a cross.

b) Ours is a numerous family; it runs into millions; we should pluck up courage at the thought that so many of our brothers and sisters are ready to give us a helping hand:

The Book of Revelation speaks of 144,000 people assigned by the angel, that is 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel.

We all form part of the new people of Israel; those who will, shall be saved (Rom 11:30-32).

c) Suffering, persecution, difficulties should spur us on to greater faithfulness, not discourage us:

In the first reading of John’s vision- saw a large crowd dressed in white tunics bearing palms in their hands, a symbol of victory during the time of Nero the Roman emperor. The second Baptism is the shedding of his/her blood for Christ which cleanses a person from all sin.

d) The great reward ready for us in heaven ought to encourage us to be faithful to Christ: Revelation, the last verses of the first reading 7: 15, 17 have been left out. They beautifully show what our reward in heaven will be like:

3. Christians are lucky people: Because the kingdom of God belongs to them by their faith and by their witnessing life for Christ and for his church.

Hence our weakness stand in the way of our becoming saints, yet we have very reason to be optimistic that we shall succeed. Suffering, temptation and persecution should not a hindrance to our salvation. All we have to do, is to walk on earth with our eyes fixed on the fabulous reward God has in store for us in heaven.

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The True Disciple: Who He is and His Reward (The Beatitudes), Mt 5:1-12

The Beatitudes of our Lord are powerful, holding before the world a descriptive picture of the true disciple of God. Seldom people have been spoken with so much meaning in the history of the world.

The Beatitudes cover the glorious hope and reward the believer can expect, now as well as in eternity.

1. Jesus saw crowds (v.1-2)

a. Setting: Mountain

b. Posture: Set-Ready

c. Audience: Disciples

d. Purpose: To teach and prepare

e. Blessed

2. The poor in spirit: Given the kingdom of Heaven (v.3)

3. Those who mourn: Comforted

4. The meek: Inherit the earth (v.5)

5. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: Filled (v.6)

6. The merciful: Obtain mercy (v.7)

7. The pure in heart: See God (v. 8)

8. The peacemakers: Called the children of God (v.9)

9. The persecuted: Given the kingdom of Heaven (v.10-12)

a. The persecution

          1) Reviled and insulted

          2) Slandered and lied against

          3) Persecuted and hurt

b. The behaviour expected: Joy

c. The reason for joy

          1) Great reward

          2) Great examples: The prophets

Thought: Being filled means “to be filled with the Spirit” or “to be led by the Spirit” (Eph 5:18). “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…”(Gal 5:22-23).

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 SUNDAY- 30^th WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Mark 10:46-52: Master, let me see again.

I Reading: Jeremiah 31:7-9: I will comfort the blind and the lame as I lead them back.

II Reading: Hebrews 5:1-6: You are a priest of the order of Melchizedek, and forever.

The Steps for Getting Help: Blind Bartimaeus, Mk 10:46-52

Jesus helped the blind man who was desperately in need. The need may be physical, mental, emotional or spiritual; it may be some problem with the mind, some desperate loneliness. This passage spells out the steps for getting help.

1. Jesus in Jericho (v.46)

a. the disciples and the crowd

b. a blind man sat begging

2. Step 1: Believing the reports about Jesus (v.47)

3. Step 2: Acknowledging personal need (v.47)

4. Step 3: Persisting, persevering after Jesus (v.48)

5. Step 4: Eagerly expecting to receive Jesus’ help (v.49-50)

a. Jesus stopped and then he called to the man

b. The man threw aside the impeding cloak

6. Step 5: Requesting precisely what is needed (51-52)

7. Step 6: Following Jesus (v.52)

Thought: A person must go where he/she knows Jesus is, where Jesus “passes by”. A person must go where he/she can hear Jesus, or he/she may miss the chance of eternal life.

Bartimaeus believed in the reports and testimony about Jesus. Perseverance is the answer to desperate need-persevering prayer and persevering faith (Mt 7:7; Lk 11:5-10).

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SUNDAY- 29^th  WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Mark 10:35-45: The Son of Man came to give his life as a ransom for many.

I Reading: Isaiah 53:10-11: If he offers his life in atonement, he shall see his heirs, he shall have a long life.

II Reading: Hebrews 4: 14-16: Let us be confident in approaching the throne of grace.

The Problem of Ambition, Mk 10:35-45

Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem where his death and resurrection were to take place. We, who live today, know what Jesus meant by his death and resurrection. He was to die for our sins and be raised again to impart new life to us. But the disciples did not know this. James and John were assuring themselves of key positions in Jesus’ government. But Jesus taught them how to be a follower to continue his mission not through power or position but through sacrifice/suffering and service.

1. The deceitful of wrong ambition (v.35)

a. a secret approach

b. un unlimited request

2. The possible motives for ambition (v.36-37)

a. favouritism and wealth

b. power and social status

c. love, faith, loyalty

3. The great price of ambition (v.38-39)

a. the cup: sacrifice and suffering

b. the baptism: immersed and submerged

c. the prophecy: the certainty of paying the price

4. the exclusive right of God regarding ambition (v.40)

5. The potential conflict among men with ambition (v.41)

6. The greatness of good ambition (42-44)

a. not to rule, not to exercise authority

b. to be a servant

c. to be a slave, a bond-slave

7. The supreme example of ambition (v.45)

a. supreme humiliation

b. supreme mission

c. supreme price

Thought: Selfish ambition can cause some terrible  things among people. It can cause...jealousy, suffering, sneakiness, bitterness, death, self-centeredness, hatred, envy, divisiveness, conflict, anger, destruction etc.

(Mt 23:12, Prov 17:19).

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SUNDAY- 28^th  WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Mark 10:17-30: Go and sell everything you own and follow me.

I Reading: Wisdom 7:7-11: Compared with wisdom, I held riches as nothing.

II Reading: Hebrews 4:12-13: The word of God can judge secret emotions and thoughts.

The Rich Young Ruler: The Problem of Eternal Life, Mk 10:17-22

This man is known as “the rich young ruler.” He is called because of the combined picture gleaned from all the three gospels.

·       He was rich (Mt 19:22; Mk 10:22; Lk 18:23).

·       He was young (Mt 19:20).

·       He was a ruler (Lk 18:18).

He was a rare young man among the people of his day. He was conscientious, responsible, dependable and placed into a position of leadership. He was eagerly seeking eternal life-a spiritual matter often shunned by young people.

The dominant theme of the young man’s experience is his sincerity, his desperate search for eternal life. Jesus takes the man’s desperation and shocks the world. Desperation, sincerity, eagerness and seeking eternal life are not enough. Man has a problem in seeking eternal life.

1. A rich young man sought Jesus (v.17)

a. Eagerness: ran

b. Humility: fell on knees

c. Respect: good teacher

d. Concern: eternity

2. Fact 1: To praise Jesus Christ is not enough to receive eternal life (v.18)

3. Fact 2: To be respectable is not enough to receive eternal life (v.19-20)

a. Laws of respectability

b. His respectable character

4. Fact 3: To be loved by Jesus is not enough to receive eternal life (v.21)

5. Fact 4: To give everything is required to receive eternal life (v.21-22)

a. The meaning: Total and sacrificial giving: the abandonment of all

b. The result: The requirement is sad news-he goes away

Thought: God expects us to work so that we can have enough to help others (Eph 4:28). We are to help as we are able, but we are to be honest about ability to help the needy and poor in the society. The young man did not believe heaven was glorious enough to merit the giving up of his possessions (Lk 9:23; 19:8).

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SUNDAY- 27^th WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Mark 10:2-16: What God has united, must not divide.

I Reading: Genesis 2:18-24: They become one body.

II Reading: Hebrews 2:9-11: The one who sanctifies, and the one who are sanctified, are of the same stock.

The Problem of Divorce, Mk 10:1-12

Marriage and divorce are always burning questions, extremely controversial within societies heavily influenced by Christian teaching. Jesus gave a complete exposition on marriage and divorce; latter says He gave them guidelines. There is no divorce at all but an annulment of the marriage and separation of the couples are there due to hardness of their hearts and some serious reasons according to the teachings and doctrines of the Church. In Jesus’ day the two schools of thought were the Shammai School (conservative) and the Hillel School (liberal). (Mt. 19:1-12; 5:31-32; 1Cor 7:1-16; Eph 5:22-33; Dt 24:1).

1. Jesus began to minister in Judea (v.1-4)

a. The crowds gathered, and Jesus taught

b. The Pharisees gathered and asked a trick question: Is divorce legal?

          1) Jesus asked what their law said

          2) The Pharisees replied: The law grants divorce

2. Jesus saw divorce as hardness of heart (v.5)

3. Jesus saw marriage as God’s way-since creation (v.6)

4. Jesus saw marriage as the most precious bond that cleaves or unites (v.7)

5. Jesus saw marriage as the closest of human bonds-as two becoming one flesh (v.8)

6. Jesus saw true marriage as a divine, spiritual bond wrought by God (v.9)

7. Jesus saw marriage and remarriage as adultery (v.10-12)

The Problem of Children and the Truth About Children, Mk 10:13-16

Note that this even with children followed right after the matter of divorce (Mt 19:13). The family as whole being discussed: the husband, wife and even children.

Children are a joy to the family and world. But tragically sometimes they are neglected, ignored, oppressed, and even abused. In this passage Jesus became violently angry, filled and moved with indignation. Jesus is the great defender of children and every man and woman must heed His words.

1. The problem with children (v.13)

a. Totally dependent

b. Cause frivolous pride

c. Interference with work

2. The truth about children (v.14-16)

a. They are invited to Jesus

b. They are citizens of God’s kingdom

c. They illustrate how one receives the kingdom

d. They are received and blessed by Jesus

e. They respond to Jesus

Thought: God created the human family out of His love to continue the work of God on this earth.

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