Saturday of the week 9th in Ordinary Time Year II

 Biblical Sermon for Saturday of the 9th Week in Ordinary Time (Year II)

Readings: 2 Timothy 4:1–8; Psalm 71; Mark 12:38–44

“God Measures the Heart, Not the Amount”

Today’s readings present two striking examples of authentic discipleship: the steadfast faithfulness of Saint Paul and the quiet generosity of the poor widow.

In the first reading, Paul stands near the end of his earthly life. He tells Timothy:

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Paul's confidence does not come from wealth, status, or worldly success. It comes from a life poured out for Christ. He has given everything he has—his energy, his suffering, his talents, and his future—to the service of the Gospel. 

The Gospel reveals a similar spirit in a very different person. Jesus watches people placing money into the temple treasury. The rich give large sums. Then a poor widow approaches and drops in two small coins. Human eyes see almost nothing. Jesus sees everything.

He declares that she has given more than all the others because they gave from their surplus, while she gave from her poverty—“her whole livelihood.” 

This widow teaches us an important spiritual truth: God looks not at the size of the gift but at the depth of the sacrifice and the love behind it.

The scribes whom Jesus condemns sought recognition, honor, and public admiration. Their religion was outward and self-promoting. The widow's faith was hidden, humble, and sincere. She did not seek attention. She sought God. 

Many Christians feel that what they have to offer is too small:

A few minutes of prayer.

A simple act of kindness.

A modest financial contribution.

Quiet service that no one notices.

Yet the Gospel reminds us that these small offerings become great when they are given with trust and love. God values the heart that gives itself completely.

Like Paul, we are called to persevere faithfully. Like the widow, we are called to offer ourselves generously. The measure of holiness is not how much we possess, but how completely we entrust ourselves to God.

Prayer

Lord Jesus,

teach us to serve You with humble and generous hearts. Help us not to seek recognition or praise, but to offer our lives faithfully each day. May we, like Saint Paul, persevere to the end, and like the poor widow, place all our trust in You. Amen.

Friday of the week 9th in Ordinary Time Year A, II

 Biblical Sermon: “David Himself Calls Him Lord”

Gospel: Mark 12:35–37

“David himself calls him Lord; so how can he be his son?”

In today's Gospel, Jesus poses a question that seems puzzling at first. The scribes taught that the Messiah would be the son of David. This was true because God had promised David that one of his descendants would reign forever. Yet Jesus quotes Psalm 110, where David says:

“The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies under your feet.”

Then Jesus asks: “David himself calls him Lord; in what way then can he be his son?”

To understand this question, we must remember that in Jewish culture a father was always considered greater than his descendants. A king like David would not normally call one of his future descendants “Lord.” Yet David does exactly that. Why?

The answer is that the Messiah is more than merely a human descendant of David. He is both David's Son and David's Lord. As man, Jesus comes from the lineage of David. As God, He existed before David and is Lord over David.

This Gospel reveals the mystery of Christ's identity. Jesus is not simply a great prophet, moral teacher, or political leader. He is the eternal Son of God who took on human nature. He belongs to David's family according to the flesh, yet He is also the divine Lord whom David worships.

The question Jesus asked the crowd is also directed to us: Who is Jesus for you?

Many people admire Jesus. They appreciate His teachings on love, forgiveness, and justice. But admiration alone is not faith. Faith begins when we recognize Jesus as Lord and surrender our lives to Him.

Sometimes we are comfortable with Jesus as a teacher because we can choose which teachings to follow. But if Jesus is Lord, then He has authority over every part of our lives—our thoughts, our decisions, our relationships, and our future.

David recognized this truth centuries before Christ was born. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, he saw that the coming Messiah would be greater than himself. The greatest king of Israel humbled himself before the true King.

There is a lesson here for us. True greatness is found in humility before God. Like David, we must acknowledge that Christ is greater than all human wisdom, power, and achievement. Every authority in this world passes away, but the lordship of Christ endures forever.

Practical Application

Do I treat Jesus merely as a historical figure, or as the living Lord of my life?

Do I submit my plans and desires to His will?

Do I trust His authority even when His teachings challenge me?

Conclusion

Jesus is both the Son of David and the Lord of David. His humanity allows Him to share our life; His divinity enables Him to save us. The One born in Bethlehem is the eternal Lord seated at the right hand of the Father.

May we join David in proclaiming Jesus as Lord and may our lives reflect that confession every day.

Amen.

 Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph

Feast-Cycle-C

1^st Reading: 1 Samuel 1:20-22,24-28: Samuel is made over to the Lord for the whole of his life.

2^nd Reading: 1 John 3:1-2.21-24: We are called God’s children, and that is what we are.

Gospel: Luke 2: 41-52: Jesus is found by his parents sitting among the doctors.

It is called the holy family because God himself made the family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph and they did the will of God according to God’s plan. They never disobeyed God’s command but loved Him with obedience and humility and walked always in His directions.

God established the first human family of Adam and Eve in His own image and likeness and gave them freedom to live as a holy family but they disobeyed Him; whereas the holy family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph always obeyed Him and loved Him.

Today our families are in danger falling apart; divorce, separation, violence, murder, abuse, abortion, injustice, inequality, gay marriage  etc are signs of destruction of family, society and the church. The society or the church will never grow if the true meaning of family values are ruined. Unity and indisobility are the main fundamental character of a married life. Rights, respect, obedience, support and kindness are needed to be a stable and fruitful family life.

The holy family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph is a great example for us today to live according to God’s plan and obedience to God’s command. The holy family played the vital role in the salvation history and continued the work of God. God loved us so much and He has been always faithful to us; so let us love, serve and glorify Him and be faithful to Him at all time.

As God’s chosen race and his saints let us try to live as the body of Jesus Christ and a family of true love, peace, joy, compassion, kindness, generosity, humility, gentleness, patience and forgiveness. We are all the children of one God in His beautiful creation to live joyfully and give life to others as Jesus did.

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 The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ:

 Mass During the Day

1^st Reading: Isaiah 52:7-10: All the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

2^nd Reading: Hebrews 1:1-6: God has spoken to us through his Son.

Gospel: John 1:1-18: The Word was made flesh, and lived among us.

This passage is one the summits of Scripture. In fact, it probably reaches the highest of human thought. What is thought that reaches the height of human concepts? It is this: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is …

·       The Word of God

·       The Creator of Life

·       The Very Being and Essence of Life

These three truths have to be deeply thought about understand their meaning. However, the importance of the truth lie at the very foundation of life. They cannot be overstated for they determine a man’s destiny. If Jesus Christ is the Word of God, then people must hear and understand that Word or else be lost forever in ignorance of God Himself.

1. Christ is eternal (v.1-2)

a. Pre-existent

b. Co-existent

c. Self-existent

2. Christ is the Creator (v.3)

a. Positive statement

b. Absolute statement

3. Christ is Life (v.4-5)

a. The source of light

b. The answer to darkness

          1) Shines in darkness

          2) Conquers darkness

 

Jesus the Light of the World: The Witness of John the Baptist, Jn 1:6-8

John the Baptist was a very special witness to Jesus Christ. John’s sole purpose on earth was to witness and to be testimony to the Light of the world. His purpose stands as dynamic example for every believer. The purpose of the believer is to bear the same witness as John: Jesus Christ is the Light of the world.

1. A man sent from God (v.6)

2. A man with a mission (v.7)

a. To bear witness

b. That men might believe

3. The man who was great, but was not the Light (v.8)

 

Jesus the Light of Men:

The Second Witness of John the Apostles, Jn 1:9-13

The world is in desperate straits. It is full of darkness-the darkness of sin and despair, of sickness and death, of corruption and heal. The darkness looms over the whole world. This is the problem dealt with in the present passage. There is a hope in Jesus Christ, for Christ is the true light, and light dispels darkness.

1. Christ was the Light (v.9)

a. The true Light

b. His mission: To give light to people

2. Christ was tragically rejected by the world (v.10-11)

a. He was in the world, but He was rejected

b. He came to His own people, but they rejected Him

3. Christ was wonderfully received by some (v.12-13)

a. How: By believing

b. Result: Became sons of God

c. The source of becoming a child of God: A new birth

          1) Was not of man

          2) Was of God

 

Jesus the Word Made Flesh:

The Third Witness of John the Apostle, Jn 1:14-18

“The Word became flesh”-God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, was made flesh and blood; He became a man. No greater message could ever be proclaimed to man.

1. Christ became flesh (v.14)

2. Proof 1: Christ dwelt visibly among us (v.14)

a. His glory was seen

b. Full of grace and truth

3. Proof 2: John the Baptist bore witness of the superiority of Christ (v.15)

4. Proof 3: Men have received the fullness and grace of Christ (v.16-17)

a. Not by law

b. By Jesus Christ

5. Proof 4: God’s Son alone has seen God (v.18)

Thought: The Word (logos) is Jesus Christ. John faced a serious problem in writing to the Gentiles, that is, the non-Jewish world. Most Gentiles had never heard of the Messiah or Saviour who was expected by the Jews. The idea was foreign to them. However, the Messiah was the very centre of Christianity. How was John going to present Christ so that a Gentile could understand?

The answer lay in the idea of the Word, for the Word was understood by both Gentiles and Jews.

The Word of God was seen as the creative power of God, the power that made the world and gave light and life to every man/woman (Gen 1:3, 6, 11; Ps 33:6; 107:20; 147:15; Is 55:11).

Wishing you a Blessed Christmas!

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The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Feast of Christmas, Mass at Dawn

1^st Reading: Isaiah 62:11-12: Look your Saviour comes.

2^nd Reading: Titus 3: 4-7: It was for no reason except his own compassion that He saved us.

Gospel: Luke 2: 15-20: The Shepherd found Mary, Joseph and the baby.

The Messiah had been foretold since the world began in Genesis. The prophecy given by Jacob back in the Genesis, the prophecy of Isaiah and other prophets was now being fulfilled in the person of Jesus, the Son of God, the promised Saviour. The birth of Jesus is in the very beginning of Genesis itself to save the humankind from sin and death which shows God’s faithful love, mercy and forgiveness to the humankind in the world.

Let us celebrate with great joy and peace of the newborn Child Jesus at this Christmas who is our light and truth dispelling our darkness and saving us.

1.    God invites Jerusalem to rejoice:

In the first reading of Isaiah, God invites Jerusalem to rejoice with an extraordinary joy. It is obvious that when Scripture speaks of Jerusalem as a Daughter of Zion or a woman or to a mother refers not so much to the city itself but to the people living in it, nay to the whole people of Israel. Yahweh invites Jerusalem to rejoice for two reasons:

i.                First, because her Saviour was about to come to free the people of Israel in exile who had been for years in exiles. So that Yahweh would purify their sins and they would be called “the redeemed ones”, “the people made holy.”

ii.              The second reason for rejoicing would be the extraordinary love that Yahweh would henceforth bestow on Jerusalem. Now on Jerusalem would be called “the one her husband for”, the beloved of Yahweh and they would no longer be called “the abandoned one”, “the one cast away.” This is the language Scripture often uses to express God’s deep love for the people of Israel.

What has all this to do with the Feast of Christmas we are celebrating?

It has much to do. God was announcing the two folds event in Isaiah. Firstly, His coming to free his people from exile and take them back home and secondly, His coming in the person of the Messiah, become man to free humankind from the slavery of sin and death and take us all home with Him.

In fact, we are now the “the new people of new Israel”, and the Church, our Mother, “the new Jerusalem.” This is the reason why God invites us to rejoice at Christmas and at all time rejoice whole heartedly , now we are “the redeemed ones” at the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem (Beth=house, Lehem=bread)=house of bread). Jesus truly becomes our food or bread or life and gives us the salvation, the eternal life to all of us. So we are the privileged people to rejoice always.

2.    Paul explains the great change that the coming of Jesus brought to us all:

In the second reading, Paul writes to his disciple Titus who had been appointed to the lead the Church of an island called Crete. He explains God’s love, forgiveness and freedom for humankind although we are unworthy or sinners. So the church invites the Christians today to rejoice, since at Christmas Jesus repeats his coming in our lives at all times.

3.    Why did Jesus become a man? Do we deserve his coming into this world?

Paul would give the answer to these questions in his letter to Titus. There was nothing in human beings that make him/her deserve being saved by God. Only God’s unconditional love and kindness brought Jesus to save us.

Looking at the Babe Jesus in the manger, with the eyes of faith, we should discover God’s goodness reflected in him. Paul tells us that Jesus is “God’s perfect copy” (Heb 1: 3). Jesus is “the living image of his Father.” He revealed his Father’s love for humankind in his own unique love for us which he showed his love through his death on the cross.

4.    How to respond to God’s love today? Is there any way to respond to it?

In today’s Gospel, the shepherds and Mary show us the way to respond God’s love:

a.    The shepherds: The second reading could tell us that the shepherds were not deserved people to receive the first good news of Jesus’ birth who were known as the despites and thieves in the society. Jesus stared his work of salvation with them precisely because they were the ones who needed him most. The shepherds discovered God’s and responded immediately in a wonderful way:

i.                They believed what the angel said and hurried up to see Jesus.

ii.              They praised God for His love for them, the Redeemer is born.

iii.            They made known to others what had been revealed to them.

b.    Mary: Like says of her: “Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.” She kept a precious treasure what she leant about her Son: she did not give up the Word of God when the Angel announced. She pondered over it time and again, always trying to discover the depth of God’s love shown to her to save the world by Jesus.

On this feast of Christmas, both the shepherds and Mary invite us to discover the precious gifts our Saviour has brought for us. Let us try to discover and experience God’s love, mercy and forgiveness in our lives and believe in the power of Jesus and praise Him always for his salvation and proclaim the Good News of Jesus to all the people in the world as the shepherds did.

Thought: How many missed the first coming of Jesus Christ? How many will miss the second coming of Jesus Christ?

 

Wishing you a Blessed Christmas!

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 Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ

Christmas Vigil Mass

1^st Reading: Isaiah 62:1-5: The Lord takes delight in you.

2^nd Reading: Acts 13:16-17.22-25: Paul’s witness to Christ, the Son of David.

Gospel: Matthew 1:1-25: The ancestry of Jesus Christ, the Son of David.

Jesus’ Divine Birth: Unusual Events (Mt 1:18-25):

The coming of God’s Son into the world was one of the most phenomenal events in all of history. It necessitated and caused some very unusual events.

1.    His birth was of the Spirit.

2.    His birth created a predicament.

a.    Joseph’s predicament: Mary was pregnant before marriage.

b.    Joseph’s character and solution.

i.                Character: A righteous man

ii.              Solution: Not to expose Mary

3.    His birth necessitated a special revelation.

a.    To give assurance

i.                He was chosen

ii.              He was not to be fear

b.    To guide: In taking Mary to be his wife

c.     To explain: the child is of the Spirit

d.    To reveal the child’s destiny

i.                His name Jesus

ii.              His mission to save

4.    His birth was a fulfilment of prophecy

a.    Predicting his virgin birth (Cf. Is 7:14)

b.    Predicting his name: Emmanuel

5.    His birth brought about a great obedience.

 

Thought:

Jesus (iesous): Saviour; He will save. The Hebrew form is Joshua (yasha), meaning, Jehovah is salvation; He is the Saviour. The idea is that of deliverance, of being saved from some terrible disaster that leads to perishing (Jn 3:16; Rom 8:3; Gal 1:4; Heb 2:14-18; 7:25).

Jesus is Immanuel: God is with us, God revealed in human flesh (Is 1:26; 9:6; Jn 1:1, 14; 2Cor 5:19; 1Jn 1:2).

Thought: Joseph acted as God would have a man to act.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas!

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 Fourth Sunday of Advent: Year- A

First Reading: Isaiah 7:10-14: The maiden is with child.

Second Reading: Romans 1:1-7: Jesus Christ, descendant of David, Son of God.

The Gospel: Matthew 1:18-25: Jesus is born of Mary who was betrothed to Joseph, son of David.

Jesus’ Divine Birth: Unusual Events, Mt 1:18-25

The coming of God’s Son into the world was the most phenomenal events in all of history. It necessitated and caused some very unusual events. Joseph was a just and righteous man and accepted Mary through trust and faith in God as his mission to be the foster-father of Jesus the Son of God with humility and doing God’s will with obedience like Mary did in her life.

The Message is like Joseph:

We need to trust in God and listen to him and be faithful to God always.

We need to experience Immanuel in our life and change the world.

Do we have any gift for our Birthday Baby Jesus today?

Let us be a Christmas gift to others with the love of God and his mercy, compassion and forgiveness toward our brothers and sisters around us.

 

1. His birth was of the Spirit (v.18)

2. His birth created a predicament (v.18-19)

a. Joseph’s predicament: Mary was pregnant before marriage

b. Joseph’s character and solution

          1) Character: A righteous man

          2) Solution: Not expose Mary

3. His birth necessitated a special revelation (v.20-21)

a. To give assurance

          1) He was chosen

          2) He was not to fear

b. To guide: In taking Mary to be his wife

c. To explain: The child of the Spirit

d. To reveal the Child’s destiny

          1) His name: Jesus

          2) His mission: To save

4. His birth was a fulfilment of prophecy (v.22-23)

a. Predicting His virgin birth

b. Predicting His name: Immanuel

5. His birth brought about a great obedience (v.24-25)

Thought: God chose the name of His Son, Jesus (iesous): Saviour; He will save. The Hebrew form is Joshua (yasha), meaning Jehova is salvation; He is Saviour. The idea is that of deliverance, of being saved from some terrible disaster that leads to perishing (Jn 3:16; Rom 8:3; Gal 1:4; Heb 2:14-18;7:25). Jesus’ mission was to save and His purpose for living. God gave Him mission-the purpose for every person’s life who looks to God as Jesus looked (Mt 20:28; Lk 19:10; Jn 20:21).

God met Joseph when he took time to get alone and to think. The right frame of mind is essential in order to hear and receive the message of God.

The believer who gets alone with God and think through the trails confronting him will be met by God. God will give assurance and guide the believer (Mt 6:33; Ph 4:6-7; Jn 16:13; Rom 8:13; 13:5).

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