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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SUNDAY- 26^th WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

I Reading: Number 11:25-29: Moses elects the seventy elders

II Reading: James 5:1-6: James condemns the oppressive rich

Gospel: Mark 9:38-43,45,47-48: “You must not stop him…anyone who is not against us is for us.”

There are different types of histories. Today’s first reading and the gospel talk about the salvation history of the humankind. God saved the Israelites through patriarchs, his messengers like Moses and the seventy elders, prophets, kings so on in the Old Testament.

Jesus being the New Moses in the New Testament appointed the twelve disciples to be with him and to be sent out to proclaim the good news and gave them his power and authority to cast out devils, and sent out the seventy others and many followers to continue his mission to establish the kingdom of God to save the humankind.

The salvation history of Jesus still carries on through the succession of the Pope, bishops, priests, and the catechists and the believers. The spirit of God can be given to anyone apart from his disciples or followers; so let us not feel jealousy of others’ inspiring work whereas Joshua in the first reading and John in the gospel were not able to accept the power and spirit of God working through other people. So the power of God is not only in the church but also to anyone whom God endows him/her.

God wants everyone to be saved so He sent His own beloved Son Jesus Christ to save us all from sin and death. St James warns against the rich for their greediness which becomes the obstacle to enter the kingdom of God.  Jesus is very harsh to the sinful acts in today’s gospel which prevent a person to enter into heaven. Being the baptised Christians, believers and followers of Jesus Christ let us try to commit ourselves totally for the salvation of humankind doing good works and glorification of God on this earth.

Thought: Joshua was jealous about Eldad and Medad who were given the spirit of God and they were prophesying in the camp as an ordinary peron and John was also jealous about the outside person who was casting out devils in the name of Jesus. The second sin in the Bible was the sin of jealousy; Cain killed his brother Abel. John the Baptist was not jealous about Jesus rather he said, let him increase and let me decrease and I am not worthy to untie his sandals. We need humility and total commitment and obedience to the commandments of God and try to do God’s plan and mission with his spirit and power.

God can choose anyone from any walk of life or place and can give His power and spirit to carry out his work. Thus the spirit of the Lord is not only based on with the religious or appointed or consecrated persons or chosen ones or baptised Christians or in the church alone but to all whom God wants.

we should not abuse the power, authority, position, wisdom, wealth and riches for our selfishness and worldly life. God endows us with His power and wisdom to save the people of God.

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SUNDAY- 24^th WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Mark 8:27-35: You are the Christ. The Son of Man is destined to suffer grievously.

I Reading: Isaiah 50:5-9: I offered my back to those who struck me.

II Reading: James 2:14-18: If good works do not go with faith, it is quite dead.

The Great Confession of Peter: Who Jesus is, Mk 8:27-30

The first reading and the gospel explain about the suffering servant. In the second reading St James assets that faith without works is dead. In the gospel Jesus predicts about his suffering, passion, death and resurrection; and he encourages his disciples or followers to follow his way by renouncing oneself and taking up his own cross. The passage further discovers the identity of Jesus. Who is Jesus? Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God, the suffering servant and the saviour of the world.

Jesus deliberately set out to make sure that the disciples saw Him as God’s Messiah and not man’s Messiah and a way of power and pleasure. He had to make sure they understood God’s way of salvation and plan that God was after victory over death and a life that lasted eternally, not just for seventy or so many years.

The present passage is one of the most dramatic revelations ever made and the most demanding questions ever asked. The answer given determines one’s eternal destiny and requires a single answer: “You are the Christ.”

1. Jesus in Caesarea Philipi (v.27):

The Greek God of nature is PAN, the God being called PANIAS. Herod the great had built the temple in worship of Caesar. Herod’s son Philip who adorned the temple with the magnificence for which it was known world-wide. It was Philip who changed the name of the city from Panias to Caesarea and added his own name calling the city Caesarea Philipi. It was against this background of religion Jesus asked the question, “who do people say I am? Who do you say I am?” and Peter made is great discovery and confession: Jesus is the Christ, the real Messiah.

a. He visited the village

b. He questioned the people’s belief about himself

2. The confession of people: He is a great man like: John the Baptist, Elijah and one of the prophets (v.28)

3. The confession of his disciples: He is the Christ, the true Messiah, Son of the living God (v.29)

4. The need: To learn about God’s Messiah (v.30)

Thought: Confession is just the beginning of our spiritual journey. We must be accurate in what we study and we must we accurate in what we share, making certain that we share the truth.

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 23^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time-B

I Reading: Isaiah 35:4-7: Isaiah rejoices in the hope of Israel’s return from exile. Among the first to enjoy the blessings of restoration will be those who are deaf or dumb, blind or lame.

II Reading: James 2:1-5: James points out the contradiction of believing in Christ yet treating those who are poor as inferior.

Gospel: Mark 7:31-37: The miracle reflects the first reading and is a sign that Jesus fulfils the Old Testament prophesies about the coming of the Messiah.

Today’s three reading express the messianic act of Jesus as the Son of God.

Let us reflect upon two questions:

Why is God so attached to the needy, poor and suffering people? Because of their strong faith in God and total dependency upon God’s providence and blessings.

What must we do to follow Jesus Christ or the message of the gospel? We must love Jesus with our whole heart, mind and strength and love our neighbours as ourselves. Preferential option for the poor, sinners, and outcastes or marginalised in the society.

The Verdict Sought for One’s Service: Doing Everything Well, Mk 7:31-37

The verdict Christ wants pronounced upon every man is, “He has done everything well” (Mk 7:37). “Well done you good and faithful servant” (Mt 25:21). How can we be assured of such a verdict by God? Jesus shows us how in this passage.

1. He looks after his own personal needs and the needs of his loved ones (the disciples (v.31)

2. He listened to the pleas of the people for help (v.32)

3. He was considerate of the feelings and conditions of others (v.33)

4. He trusted God for power (v.34-35)

5. He sought no personal applause or praise of people (v.36)

6. He demanded a verdict: “He has done everything well” (v.37)

 

Thought: The source of the man’s healing was Jesus. Therefore believers must use everything at their disposal to proclaim Jesus as the source of People’s deliverance (salvation).

The miracle was two things:

1) It was proof that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God himself. Isaiah had predicted such miracles of the Messiah (Is 35:5-6; Lk 4:18-19,21; Acts 10:38).

2) It was demonstration of tender consideration for the needs and feelings of others-a strong lesson for every believer (Mt 20:28; Jn 20:21; Heb 13:3).

We cannot understand God’s plan unless He reveals to us. Only the Spirit can help us to understand God’s plans of love for us; only He can give us the strength to follow Christ.

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22^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time-B

I Reading: Deuteronomy 4:1-2.6-8: Moses urges the people to observe God’s commandments if they wish to have life and be recognised by the world as wise and prudent.

II Reading: James 1:17-18: We are the children of God, blessed with God’s word and called to submit to it, in particular by caring for those who are poor.

Gospel: Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23: it is a tragedy to follow human traditions rather than the laws of God and to be unaware that evil comes from the heart, not from the failures to observe ritual washings.

The Emptiness of (Man-Made) Tradition, Ritual, Ceremony, Works:

Mk 7:1-3

Who is a true and good Christian or human?

One who listens attentively to God’s Word and acts accordingly, keep his/her heart clean and helps his/her brothers and sisters in need.

This passage is based and focused upon institutionalized religion, tradition, ritual, ceremony and works.

A true religion is to give one’s own heart to God; external rules may help, but they do not make a person truly religious just by themselves.

People may survive only when they accept each other and reconciled to God in Christ and live-in peace and love and experience the joy and hope of Christ and walk humbly and live a life of service.

1. The religionists found fault with Jesus’ disciples (v.1-5)

          a. A fact finding commission from Jerusalem

          b. The fault: Eating with unwashed and unclean hands

                    i. The tradition of cleanliness explained

                    ii. The tradition illustrated

          c. The charge against the disciples was brought to Jesus

2. Tradition can be hypocritical honor (v.6)

3. Tradition can be empty, worthless worship (v.7)

4. Tradition can be man-made commandments (v.8)

5. Tradition can be kept before the commandments of God (v.9-12)

          a. They twisted God’s commands

          b. They insisted on obedience to tradition

6. Tradition can nullify the Word of God or make the Word of God ineffective (v.13)

The Things That Defile, That Make a Person Unclean: Mk 7:14-23

Jesus shook the world and revolutionized people’s idea of evil and wrong doing. Jesus is making people totally depend upon God for salvation and life.

1. Jesus called the crowd to him (v.14-17)

          a. The importance stressed: Listen and understand

          b. The point stated

          c. The disciples’ dullness

2. Explanation 1: The thing that enters the body does not defile nor make unclean (v.18-19)

          a. It does not enter the heart

          b. it enters the digestive tract

3. Explanation 2: The thing that comes out from the heart does defile (v.20-22)

          a. The sins

4. Explanation 3: The source of evil is the heart (v.23)

Thought: Love must be at the centre of all religion. The Pharisees added hundreds of rules to the ten commandments; Jesus instead, reduced the ten commandments to a single rule: “Love one another as I have loved you.” (Jn 13:34)

James repeats Jesus’ commandment in another form: Do not boast of just believing in Christ; your faith is of no use unless you are concerned about the poor. (James 3:14-16)

Love for our neighbour will show what our religion really is, whether fake or genuine.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up (James 4:10). Humility is a problem to most people. Why? Because the world looks upon humility as a sign of weakness and cowardice.

St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta/Kolkata Said, “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.”

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21^st Sunday in Ordinary Time-B

I Reading: Joshua 24:1-2,15-18: Joshua gives the people of Israel the opportunity to choose between Yahweh and idols (the pagan gods).

II Reading: Ephesians 5:21-32: The relationship between Christ and the Church is symbolised by that between a loving husband and wife.

Gospel: John 6:60-69: Jesus is rejected by many of his early followers who are unable to accept the challenge of his words on his body and blood as the eternal life.

 

In today’s three readings we find God’s covenantal love and faithfulness. Joshua summoned the leaders of all tribes and whole people of Israel at Shechem and raised a stone as a witness to God and made a covenant with God. Joshua gave them a choice where to follow God or idols. Joshua said, “whatever your choice be, I and my family will serve no other god, but our God.” The whole assembly shouted after hearing Joshua; we will also serve Yahweh, is our God.  

In the second reading, Paul talks about the relationship between Jesus and the Church and the husbands and wives as a covenantal love, faithfulness and unity.

John’s gospel chapter 6 deals with the Bread of Life. Jesus said, unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood will not have eternal life. The leaders, scribes and Pharisees and many of his followers did not understand his doctrine and teachings of Jesus and finally they left him.

In today’s gospel Jesus challenged his twelve disciples and today he is challenging us and asking these questions “What about you? Do you want to go away too?” (Jn 6:67). “Have I not chosen you, twelve you? Yet one of you is a devil.” (Jn 6:70). Judas Iscariot was chosen and near very close with Jesus but he was too far and miles away from Jesus because he did not accept and love Jesus or true living God.

Our response should be in the words of Simon Peter during the time of temptation: “Master to whom shall we go? You alone have the words of eternal life” (Jn 6:68?).

Jesus established the Eucharist as a covenant which nourishes us and become our spiritual food. Jesus wants us to renew our covenant with God during Baptism and in the Eucharist where Jesus loves us continuously and gives his life for us in the form of bread and wine.

Jesus becomes our real spiritual food and nourishment through our faith in Christ, the Word of God which is creative, active and alive. The words of Jesus are the Spirit which gives the new life.

It is our duty and responsibility to be faithful to Him always by choosing a right decision to love and serve the true living God and His people.

Let us be united and come back to the Lord as a repentant believer and experience God’s love, joy, peace, happiness and forgiveness…in our lives.

The Reason Some People are Offended by Christ,

The Bread of Life, Jn 6:59-71

People are often offended by Jesus Christ. Four things in particular offend them:

1. Jesus’ message was to the synagogue crowd in Capernaum (v.59-60)

          a. Many disciples were present

          b. They had difficulty accepting his message

2. There is the idea of eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking his blood (v.51-56, 61)

3. There is the ascension and exaltation of Christ (v.62)

4. There is the teaching that the Spirit quickens, gives life and the flesh commits for nothing (v.63-64)

5. There is the fact that God saves human, human does not save him/herself (v.65)

6. The conclusion: There were three responses (v.66-71)

          a. The disciples who turned back

          b. The disciples who believed Jesus was the Christ

          c. The disciples who betrayed Christ

To be “saved” means “to be with God in our present and future life” to see Him, to share His life and joy and peace. To be “lost” means not to be admitted into God’s presence and to be deprived of God’s life, joy and peace for ever.

When we speak of “heaven” and “hell”, we are not speaking about places but of “states” (ways) of being: “heaven” means “to be with God”, while “hell” means to be deprived of Him. God wants and longs that everyone may be saved in heaven with Him and forever. It is up to each one of us to decide or choose whether to be saved or to be lost. We need to try to enter by the narrow door with humility and obedience to God’s teachings and commandments. We cannot enter into heaven with pride, Selfishness, self-righteousness, disobedience to God’s will and teachings, jealousy, envy, hatred and all evil actions.

Thought: It is our own free will to choose the true living God to receive the eternal life from Jesus Christ than the devils or idols who perish our lives and lead into hell. 

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