SATURDAY-1^st Week of Advent:Year- C

First Reading: Isaiah 30: 19-21. 23-26-He will be gracious to you when he hears your cry.

Gospel: Matthew 9: 35-10: 1. 6-8-: When he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them.

The Mission of Jesus as the Messiah, His Call & Commission to His Disciples.

1.     The mission of Jesus Christ was to minister. Four things are covered about his ministry in verse 35.

a.     Method: Went forth: He went through all the towns and villages.

b.    Place: Everywhere: all the cities, villages and countryside.

c.      Work: Teaching, Preaching and Healing ministry.

d.    Message: The Good News of the Kingdom. He/she has to proclaim only the message of Jesus and not the message of his/her own.

2.     The Twelve Disciples were called to Him (Verse 1): The twelve were called earlier to be “fishers of men” to give life to lifeless (Mt 4 18-22; 9: 9; Jn 1:35-51). Christ was now calling the twelve to go forth in the fulfilment of their first call. In a sense, we may say they were called twice (Mk 3: 14; Jn 12: 26). They received their commitment call for formal training for three years to be with him, learning how to become “fishers of men.” They received their commissioning call for practical training to be sent to cast out demons with authority...; actually go out to “fish for men.” 

There are three steps in the call of the disciples to the ministry.

a.     The discipleship call: The divine call and initiative takes place first and they followed him. Cf. Jn 1: 35.

b.    The commitment call: Although there were so many people, only twelve committed people were chosen for his work with enthusiasm.

c.      The commissioning call: Jesus commissioned them to go forth with the message of salvation.

3.     Jesus’ commission to His Disciples: it was the very first expedition they had been sent out on all alone. Jesus carefully instructed them for his mission work.

a.     First, go to Israel, to the lost of one’s own house.

b.    Second, preach the kingdom of heaven is near.

c.      Third, minister, sharing freely.

Thought: A person is sent forth by Jesus and the ministry is not a profession; it is commission. Christ calls and commissions. The kingdom of heaven necessitates repentance. The apostles preached repentance (Mk 6:12). Ministering to the needs of people shows God loves and cares for people and the minister is a minister of love and care.

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FRIDAY-1^st Week of Advent:Year- C

I Reading: Isaiah 29:17-27: That day the eyes of the blind will see.

Gospel: Matthew 9:27-31: The blind men who believe in Jesus are cured.

This passage includes the example of two blind men who had desperate and hopeless needs. God wants from people is the very same thing a parent wants from a child-faith and trust, love and dependence. God wants a person to believe and trust Him to love and depend upon Him. This is clearly seen throughout his passage.

1.     The unceasing cry for sight:

There was the unceasing cry for sight. This cry came from two blind men who were apparently sitting beside the road begging. They began to follow after Jesus, crying out as fast as they could shout, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” They took the very steps necessary to have their needs met.

a.     The blind men followed Jesus.

1.     They acknowledged his Messiahship.

2.     They cried for mercy

3.     They sought after him

b.    Jesus’ response: A readiness to help because of his compassion and love.

1.     His question. “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” “Yes Lord, they replied.” They recognised Jesus as their Messiah, the Saviour of the world. This is seen in saying “Son of David” the Messianic title used for Jesus by these simple and desperate blind men.

2.     His touch- cured them

3.     His power based on faith

c.      Jesus’ instruction: Focus on me, not on the miracle or on self. “Be Humble”. Jesus wanted these men to set a dynamic example in humility. Apparently they had a heart that would tend toward boasting in their miracle and in the change wrought in their lives.

Thought: The men persisted and kept after Jesus. They followed him right up to his house. The point is they would not give up until he helped them. Persistence, a true cry for help, is not rudeness to Jesus. The two men helped each other and fought together to get to Jesus.

“And without faith, it is impossible to please God...” (Heb 11: 6).

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Jesus Christ. (Rom 10: 17).

For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. (Mt 7: 8).

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THURSDAY-1^st Week of Advent:Year- C

Gospel: Matthew 7:21.24-27: The person who does the will of my Father will enter the kingdom of heaven.

I Reading: Isaiah 26:1-6: Let the upright nation come in, she, the faithful one.

The Wise and  Foolish Builder, Mt 7:24-27

Several applications are clearly seen this picture of house building. Jesus teaches us how to build a life like a house.

1. A wise builder: Hears the instructions and obeys them

a. He builds a house

b. he builds upon a rock

c. He faces a storm

d. He built wisely: The difference is the foundation

2. A foolish builder: hears the instructions and does not obey them

a. He builds a house

b. He builds upon the sand

c. He faces a storm

d. He built foolishly: suffers great destruction-the difference is the foundation.

Thought: The wise in heart shall receive more and more instructions from the Lord. His/her life will be directed by God. Building upon the rock takes time and commitment and energy.

A hearer only deceives himself or herself. The doer is the person who is to be blessed. He/she will withstand the storms of life. Jesus Christ is the only one foundation for every life (1Cor 3:11).

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WEDNESDAY-1^st Week of Advent: Year- A

Gospel: Matthew 15:29-37: Jesus cures many and multiplies the loaves.

I Reading: Isaiah 25:6-10: The Lord invites us to his banquet and wipes away the tears from every cheek.

The Messiah’s Compassion for Man’s Physical Need:

How to Minister, Mt 15:29-37

Jesus did two things in this passage.

i. He demonstrated His Messiahship in order to drive the truth more and more deeply into the disciples’ hearts.

ii. He taught His disciples that they were to minister to the needy no matter who they were whether they were outcasts or gentles. Jesus saves all therefore no prejudice against Gentiles.

Jesus showed his disciples step by step how they were to minister to the lost, to the outcast, and to the needy of the society.

1. Jesus left Tyre by way of Sidon (v.29)

a. Went through Decapolis

b. To the sea of Galilee

2. Step 1: Making oneself available to the needy (v.30-31)

a. Being among them

b. Allowing them to bring their needs

c. Meeting their needs: Healing them

d. Result: They praised “the God of Israel”

3. Step 2: Having compassion for their very need (v.32)

a. By observing what they do and have

b. By being concerned over their fainting

c. By being determined to help

4. Step 3: Being willing to use what one has to meet the need at hand (v.33-34)

a. By not offering objections

b. By taking inventory

5. Step 4: Ministering to the needs at hand (v.35-36)

a. Preparing them

b. giving thanks to God

c. Ministering to them

6. Step 5: Witnessing the Lord’s power and provision (v.37-39)

a. His provision satisfies all

b. His provision meets the need and more

Thought: Something always needs to be remembered: the people who are most needful are neglected by men everywhere. When resources are mentioned, many object. Few are willing to give what they have, especially to those who are thought to be outcasts.

These people were so hungry for God’s Word that they spent three days with Jesus. These were hungering after righteousness; therefore Jesus meets their physical need at hand (Mt 5:6;6:33). How many of us esteem the Word of God more highly than food? There is a great reward in bringing the needy to Jesus Christ.

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TUESDAY- First Week of Advent: Year- C

Gospel: Luke 10:21-24: Jesus is filled with joy by the Holy Spirit.

I Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10: On Him the Spirit of the Lord rests.

The Seventy return: Great Privileges, Lk 10:21-24

The Christian labourer had three great privileges. Jesus was filled with such a joy over these privileges that He broke forth in praise to God. He longs to share these privileges with everyone of us today.

1. Jesus rejoiced (v.21)

2. Privilege 1: The spiritual insight into truth (v.21)

a. Into “these things”

b. God hides truth from the wise and learned

c. God reveals truth to babes

d. such action is well pleasing to God

3. Privilege 2: The knowledge of God and of His only Son (v.22)

a. God and the Son alone know one another

b. The Son reveals God to some

4. Privilege 3: The insight and privilege of learning God’s full revelation (v.23-24)

Thought: The disciples of Jesus were highly privileged to know Him, to see and hear Him and the truth which He revealed.

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MONDAY- First Week of Advent: Year- C

Gospel: Matthew 8:5-11: Many will come from east and west to take their places in the kingdom of heaven.

I Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5: The Lord draws all nations together into the eternal peace of God’s kingdom.

Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant: Receiving and Rejecting Men, 8:5-13

Jesus had the  messianic power to receive any person, regardless of barrier and also he had the power to reject anyone, even though who professed to be the children of the kingdom, that is, the religious.

Jesus receives anyone who truly believes and rejects those who do not believe, no matter who they are. The ideological, physical and spiritual barriers are broken down healing a centurion’s servant. The great faith of the centurion is demonstrated and appreciated here.

1. Jesus’ great power was aroused to receive the rejected (v.5-9)

a. By the centurion’s humility

          1) begged a Jew

          2) called Jesus Lord

          3) Jesus’ response: “I will”

b. By the centurion’s sense of unworthiness

c. By the centurion’s love for a slave

d. By the centurion’s great faith

          1) In Jesus’ supreme authority and power

          2) In Jesus’ sovereign Lord

2. Jesus’ great power was aroused to embrace believers of every nationality (v.10-11)

a. The Roman centurion

b. The “many” from every place, from all nations

3. Jesus’ great power shall reject the unbelieving (v.12)

4. Jesus’ great power proved His Messiahship.

Thought: What a lesson for us! The great need is for intercessory prayer and love for all, no matter who they are and what others may think.

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First Sunday of Advent: Year- C

First Reading: Jeremiah 33:14-16: I will make a virtuous Branch  grow for David.

Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:2: Coming of Jesus.

The Gospel: Luke 21:25-28. 34-36: Your liberation is near at hand.

We are starting today a New Year of Worship. We shall go again through the various times of the Year of the Church:

Advent

Christmas

Lent

Easter

Pentecost

Ordinary time of the Year.

We do not notice the growth of our children, plants, flowers, trees etc every day. Yet there is a growth and development each moment of our lives.

The church wants us to grow, day after day, year after year and through the various times in the Year of Worship.

We don’t grow by just remembering in the Year of the Church, we can grow spiritually:

·        By re-living them within us year after year

·        By really getting ready for the coming of Christ at Advent time

·        By really having Christ born in our souls at Christmas

·        By really suffering and dying to sin with Christ during Lent time

·        By really rising to a new life with the Risen Jesus at Easter

·        By really receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost

·        By actively and joyfully waiting for the final coming of Christ during the ordinary time of the year.

In a way, Christians ought to live these various times of the year of Worship at one and the same time throughout their life.

We should always be ready to welcome Christ since Christ keeps on coming to us in various ways day after day.

So we must live with Christ, walk with Christ, suffer with Christ, die with Christ and rise with Christ on the last day and every day of our life.

1.     The time of Advent:

There are two types of time in Greek: 1. Chronos (calendar time) 2.kairos (the fullness or grace filled time).

The word “Advent” means “coming” –who is coming? Not the historical Jesus as physical body, but the transformed Christ at the last day for judgement.

2.     There is no salvation apart from Jesus Christ:

We can see God and reach God through Jesus Christ the mediator between God and the people. Jesus saved us by his just living life, dying to sin, death, resurrection and ascension into heaven.

At the beginning of this season of Advent, we should make ours the prayer which the Prophet puts in the lips of the people of Israel in today’s first reading:

a.     We must acknowledge our own sinfulness

b.    We must get convinced that sin is at the root of all our miseries

c.      There is nothing in us to make us deserve salvation

d.    The sad state to which our sins have reduced us came about because we neglected prayer

e.      Fallen as we find ourselves, we are tempted, like the Jews to complain to God

We are wrong. It is not God who abandoned us but we who abandoned God. His invitation to repent during this time of Advent is a fresh proof of his concern for us.

3.     Having acknowledged our sins, we should take a second step: confidently ask our redeemer to come to our rescue:

There is no way for a person to go back to God by himself or herself. So we must implore him to come and save us.  Isaiah expresses this beautifully when speaking to God on behalf of his people.

Is. 64, 8- “We are the clay, you are the potter; we are the work of your hands.”

Is. 63, 16- “You, O Lord, our Father; our Redeemer is your ancient name.”

Is. 63, 17- “Return for the sake of your servant, the tribes of your inheritance.”

Is. 64, 1- “Oh that you would tear the heavens open and come down.”

4.     While waiting for Jesus’ coming, we must praise him for all that he has already done to save us:

5.     We must never grow discouraged in our waiting for Christ’s coming:

Paul gives us the reason why: Because God will never fail us. (1 Cor. 1, 8).

6.     In our waiting for Christ, we must keep both: Watchful and Active:

This is the message of Luke in the passage of the Gospel we have read. In carrying out our task, Jesus warns us to be watchful, since the devil is at all times trying to convince us that there is yet ample time left in life to prepare for Jesus’ coming. eg. The parable of the ten virgins: The five wise virgins were watchful and the other five were foolish without watchfulness and preparation.

Thought: Advent means “coming”: We await the first coming of Jesus for which is continuously His saving deeds or works carried out till the end and the second coming of Christ at the end of our lives (death) for the salvation of our souls.

The presence of Jesus Christ will be found in three ways: When we are gathered as a community to pray, to listen or hear to the Word of God and to take  part in the Eucharist.

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SATURDAY- LAST  WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Luke 21:34-36: Stay awake, praying for the strength to survive all that is going to happen.

I Reading: Daniel 7:15-27: Sovereignty and kingship will be given to the people of the saints of the Most High.

The Warning: Watch and Pray for the Day of Jesus’ Return, 21:34-36

The world is to going to suffer and will experience disasters and calamities due to lack of faith in God, injustice, corruption, violence, inequality, oppression etc.; therefore the believers must watch and pray always.

1. It demands taking care (v.34-35)

a. By not engaging in worldliness

          1) partying and drunkenness

          2) anxieties of life

b. Reason: Lest the believer be caught unaware-snared-trapped

2. It demands watching and praying always (v.36)

a. To be counted worthy

b. To escape the things coming to earth

c. To stand justified

Thought: The believer to be careful, to guard him/herself against these things because the day of the Lord’s return, can catch him unexpectedly and unprepared. (Mt 24:38-39; Eccl 9:12)

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FRIDAY- LAST  WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Luke 21:29-33: When you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.

I Reading: Daniel 7:2-14: I saw, coming on the clouds of heaven, one like a son of man.

The Parable of the Fig Tree: The Signs are Clearly Seen, Lk 21:29-33

When will Christ return to earth? The day and hour are known only by God, but believers are to be ready and watchful always like the five wise virgins with oil in their lamps and the other five virgins were foolish without watchfulness.

1. The signs can be seen are discernable (v.29-31)

a. will be seen just as the leaves of a fig tree are seen when they first appear

b. will show the kingdom of God is near

2. The sings will occur within one generation (v.32)

3. The signs are sure eternally set (v.33)

Thought: Looking, observing, studying, thinking about the fact is essential in order to see the truth.

Three things are certain to happen in human history:

i. “The beginning of birth pains (sorrows)” (Mt 24:8).

ii. “The great distress (tribulation), unequalled from the beginning of the world” (Mt 24:21).

iii. “The Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (Lk 21:27).

Heaven and earth shall pass away but not the words of Jesus (2Pet 3:10; Rev 21:1; 1Jn 2:17; Is 34:4; 51:6; Lk 12:19-20).

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THURSDAY- LAST  WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Luke 21:20-28: Jerusalem will be trampled down by the pagans until the age of the pagans is completely over.

I Reading: Daniel 6:12-28: God sent his angel who sealed the lion’s jaws.

The Destruction of Jerusalem, Lk 21:20-24

This passage is definitely dealing with the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and with the Jewish nation throughout history (v.24). The fall of Jerusalem is judgement upon sin, not the abomination that causes desolation (that is, the antichrist spoken of by Matthew and Mark, Mt 24:15;Mk 13:14). The fall of the world will be also judgement upon sin. Jesus did not give the exact time of the fall of Jerusalem and the world, but he indeed said about the signs of the end of world. Let us be vigilant and watchful always and trust in the power of God.

1. A sign for which to look: Jerusalem surrendered by armies (v.20)

2. A time to flee (v.21)

3. A time of punishment (v.22)

4. A time of owe: Distress and wrath, death and captivity (v.23)

5. A time numbered by the Gentiles (v.24)

The Coming of Jesus: The Son of Man, Lk 21:25-28

In this passage we see the Lord’s personal return to earth (Lk 21:27,35) at the end of the world.

1. The signs of astronomical happenings and their results (v.25-26)

a. anguish of nations

b. oceans affected

c. men faint from terror and fearing

d. reason re-emphasized: heavenly body shaken

2. The actual coming of Jesus, the Son of Man (v.27)

3. The great encouragement to the believer: Look up your redemption is near (v.28)

Thought: We are to be prepared for the coming judgement of the end time by watchfulness and believing in true God. Believers are not to be discouraged, but encouraged hoping in the Lord.

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WEDNESDAY- LAST  WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Luke 21:12-19: You shall be hated by all men on account of my name, but not a hair of your head will be lost.

I Reading: Daniel 5:1-6.13-14.16-17.23-28: The fingers of a human hand appeared and began to write.

The Tragic Sign Prior to the End: Persecution, Lk 21:12-19

This passage talks about the sign of persecution applied to all believers in every generation. Jesus assures and promises to his disciples to gain life during the time of persecution and not a hair of their head will perish which shows Jesus’ constant protection for the followers.

1. The persecution of believers (v.12-15)

a. The persecutors: religious and civil authorities

b. The reason: believers are followers of Jesus Christ

c. The result: a glorious testimony

d. The preparation

          1) Do not prepare a defence

          2) A supernatural answer will be given

2. The betrayers of believers (v.16-17)

a. Relatives

b. All men

3. The promise to believers (v.18-19)

a. God is in control

b. Eternal security: if endure

Thought: God holds the believers in His hands. The promise is the eternal security of the believers’ soul. God turns the suffering into “an eternal glory (and reward) that far overweighs them all” (2Cor 4:17).

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TUESDAY- LAST  WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Luke 21:5-11: Not a single stone will be left on another.

I Reading: Daniel 2:31-45: God will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; it will absorb all kingdoms.

The Predicted Signs of the Present Age, Lk 21:5-11

This chapter is known as the Olivet Discourse. It deals with three great subjects that lay out in the future when they were predicted by Jesus.

1. The destruction of Jerusalem Temple: The disciples admired  the temple’s beauty (v.6-7; cp. Mt 25:2-3)

a. Jesus predicted the temple’s utter destruction

b. The disciples asked two questions        

          1) when was it to be destroyed: Jesus did not answer this question

          2) what were signs

Sign 1: False christs

Sign 2: Conflict of nations

Sign 3: Natural disasters

c. The warning: be not deceived

2. The Lord’s return (v.7; cp. Mt 24:3):

3. The end of the world (v.7; cp. Mt 24: 3).

Matthew and Mark’s account of what happens in this passage should be read along with Luke for a clearer understanding.

Thought: Jesus said, “The end will not come right away,” not yet. “Watch out that you are not deceived.” (2Chr 15:6-7; Jer 51:45-46; Lk 21:34; Phil 4:6; 1Pet 5:7)

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