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 recognized 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 are 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 ideas of evil and wrongdoing. Jesus is making people totally dependent 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 center of all religions. 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 neighbor 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 for 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 symbolized 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 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 Schechem 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 that nourishes us and becomes 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 gives a new life.

It is our duty and responsibility to be faithful to Him always by choosing the 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, the 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 forever.

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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 The Assumption of Mary into Heaven

I Reading: Apocalypse 11,19;12,1-6.10: Christ triumphs over the power of evil and is a sign of hope for all people.

II Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:20-26: All people will be brought to new life in Christ.

Gospel: Luke 1:39-56: The power of God shines through the humility and steadfast faithfulness of Mary.

The meaning of today’s feast is to share God’s divine life and we become the children of God. The first parents Adam and Eve lost the divine life by committing the sin of disobedience to God; as a result, God promised to redeem the fallen human race by His beloved Son Jesus Christ through the mother of God, Mary our heavenly mother.

The taking up of Mary, body and soul to heaven, was the crowning gift of God bestowed on the Mother of His Son. There are three privileges granted by God and Mary received the favour as the Mother of the redeemer.

1. The first, that of her immaculate conception.

We all are born deprived of the Life in the Spirit; divine life is granted to us only on receiving Baptism; whereas Mary had the privilege to have the divine life from the beginning of her conception.

2. The second privilege is that of her sinlessness.

God granted Mary for being Mother of the sinless One, that is Jesus.

3. The third privilege or gift of Jesus to his Mother was her Assumption, her being taken up to  heaven, body and soul, the moment she died.

If we die in God’s friendship, our soul will share God’s life and joy after death; our body however will turn to dust in the tomb and share God’s life only after its final resurrection.

Why should God have acted with Mary so exceptionally?

Because of her total faithfulness throughout life and total obedience to the will of God. Thus God granted her the divine life and joy and finally she was taken into heaven with her body and soul for being the Mother of the redeemer.

Elizabeth’s Supernatural Proclamation: A Very Unusual Testimony

In this passage God sees to it that a supernatural confession is proclaimed by Elizabeth. This is the very first testimony ever given by human lips about Jesus. The Baby conceived in Mary was of critical importance. Why? Because the Baby was: Jesus, the Son of the Most High, the Son of David, the Ruler over the house of Jacob forever, the Ruler whose kingdom will never end, the One born of the Holy Spirit and Son of God Himself.

1. Mary visited Elizabeth (v.39-42)

a. went in a hurry

b. went to the town of Juda

c. entered Elizabeth’s home and greeted her

d. was welcomed by Elizabeth’s proclamation

          1) heard Mary’s greeting

          2) felt the baby leap

          3) was instantly filled with the Spirit

          4) spoke loudly

2. She proclaimed a uniqueness about Mary and her child (v.42)

3. She proclaimed the child to be her Lord (v.43-44)

a. the great confession

b. the clear sign

4. she proclaimed that Mary’s faith would receive the promise (v.45)

Thought: We must believe the Word of God sent to us as Mary and Elizabeth did.

Luke 1:46-56: Mary’s role in the economy of salvation: union with God in Jesus Christ

Mary’s Magnificent Song About God:

God’s Glorious Mercy and Deliverance, Lk 1:46-56

Mary’s song is known as the Magnificat. It has come similarity to the Song of Hannah (1Sam 2:1-10).  However, there is a striking difference between the two songs. Hannah proclaimed  a triumph over her enemies; Mary proclaimed God and His glorious mercy to man. Mary was proclaiming the salvation of God, a salvation wrought through the promised Messiah, her Saviour. She predicted that the Saviour would be welcomed by those who reverenced Him (v.50); but He would be rejected by the proud, the powerful and the rich (v.51-53).

1. God was the subject of her song (v.46)

2. God was her Saviour (v.47-48)

a. had considered her low estate

b. causes her to be remembered

3. God was to be proclaimed (v.49-50)

a. His power

b. His holiness

c. His mercy

4. God had reversed the order of things on earth (v.51-53)

a. had scattered the proud

b. had dethroned the mighty and exacted the humble

c. he filled the hungry and emptied the rich

5. God had helped His people (v.54-55)

a. Remembered His mercy

b. remembered the promise to send the Messiah

6. conclusion: Mary visited Elizabeth for about three months (v.56)

 

Thought: Mary was an ordinary woman, the least was chosen and greatly blessed by God, yet she did not slip into the sin of pride, nor did she think that she was a favourite of God. We must learn to live praising God more and more when God blesses us always.

Thought: The believer is to love God first and foremost then his/her family or friends.

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 19^th Sunday in Ordinary Time-B

I Reading: 1Kings 19:4-8: “Lord,” Elijah said, “I have had enough. Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”

II Reading: Ephesians 4:30-5:2: Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God…Never have grudges against others, or lose your temper or raise your voice to anybody…Be friends with one another and kind, forgiving each other as readily as God forgave you in Christ. Imitate God that He loves you and follow Christ by loving as He loved you, place as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God.

Gospel: John 6: 41-51: Jesus said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”

God has been kind to speak to human beings: He spoke first to the Patriarchs, through prophets, through many and various ways and finally through Jesus Christ revealed to us his Father’s love and his plans to save us (Heb 1:1).

God continues to speak to us whenever we read the Scriptures or listen to God’s Word being explained to us.

We should listen to God’s Word with a humble and grateful heart; Jesus is the Word of God(John 1:1f) becomes our spiritual nourishment. God’s Word is creative, alive and active always as our spiritual food. There is nothing more pleasing to God than a family gathering daily prayer and listening to the Word of God or reading the Scriptures where God speaks to us. The Holy Spirit helps us to understand God’s Word(Jn 14:26). We must be fed with God’s Word daily to know Him, love Him, and understand His plan in our lives.

The Way a Person Partakes of the Bread of Life, Jn 6:41-51

How can a person partake in the Bread of Life? How does a person come to know Jesus personally? Let us focus on this passage.

1. The religionists rebelled against the claims of Jesus (v. 41-43)

          a) They questioned Jesus’ origin

          b) They misunderstood the incarnation

          c) Jesus appealed: stop grumbling

2. A person must be drawn by God (v. 44-46)

          a) The result: He/she will be raised up at the last day

          b) He/she must be taught by God

          c) He/she must hear and learn from Christ

                    1) Because no one has seen God

                    2) Because Christ is from God and has seen God

3. A person must believe in Christ (v. 47-51)

          a) Believe He is the Bread of Life

          b) Believe He has come down from heaven to deliver humankind from sin and death

          c) Believe He is the living bread-the One who gives life to all forever

          d) Believe He gives His flesh for the life of the world

Thought: A person must open his or her heart and mind to listen to God’s Word to understand His plan or will.

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 TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD- FEAST, 6 AUGUST

 

I Reading: Daniel 7:9-10.13-14

II Reading: 2 Peter 1:16-19

Gospel: Mark 9:2-10

The Transfiguration: A Glimpse of Heaven’s Glory, Mk 9:2-13

Suffering is a lesson we all find hard to understand and harder to accept. But Jesus gives the true meaning of suffering in the reading of today. Jesus saved us and entered his glory through his death and resurrection. We all have to suffer if we want to enter heaven; there is no other way to be saved. The church invites us to reflect on the wonderful outcome of the sufferings of Jesus and of our own sufferings.

Christians have good reasons to feel encouraged in the times of trial:

i.                Like Jesus, we too are assured of our Father’s love.

ii.              A great good derives from suffering patiently borne.

iii.            Suffering brings us closer to God.

iv.            Just as Jesus’ suffering brought salvation to humankind, our own suffering too helps us and helps others to be saved.

v.              What Jesus said of his own suffering applies also to ours: “I tell you most solemnly: unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies, it remains a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest.” (Jn 12:24)

vi.            Our suffering prepares our own transfiguration.

vii.          The transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain preceded his passion and death. His real transfiguration took place on the day of his resurrection when his risen body shone brighter than the sun, and his soul was filled with infinite joy. A similar change will take place in us as we die. This transfiguration is hastened for us when we suffer for his sake.

viii.        Whenever we suffer, Christ is by our side to sustain us.

ix.            Abraham never regretted whatever he had to suffer to remain faithful to God. Neither did Jesus Christ.

x.              At heaven we shall rejoice at having suffered; let us not regret having to suffer while we live on earth. At our death, we shall be rewarded with our own transfiguration and our glory will last, not for time, but forever.

The purpose of the transfiguration was to reveal heaven’s glory would strengthen Jesus to bear the cross and strengthen the disciples in their belief that Jesus was God’s Messiah (Mt 17:1-13; Lk 9:28-36). A close study of the transfiguration will strengthen the faith of any believer in his Lord. A Strengthened faith will enable the believer to bear the cross of his own call.

1.    Jesus took three disciples all alone up a high mountain (v.2)

2.    The transfiguration strengthened Jesus (2-4)

a.    His transfiguration: his clothing began to shine

b.    His companions: talked with Jesus

i.                The Great Prophet

ii.              The Great of Lawgiver

3.    The transfiguration strengthened the disciples (5-7)

a.    Helped their shattered faith

b.    Gave them a taste of glory

c.     Struck them with awesome fear

d.    Made them witnesses of God’s approval

4.    The transfiguration gave a unique opportunity to discuss God’s Messiahship (8-13)

a.    Jesus charged the disciples to tell no man about the experience until after his resurrection

b.    The disciples discussed the resurrection: Why must Elijah come first?

c.     Jesus corrected the disciples

i.                Elijah was to come first

ii.              Scriptures also said that Messiah was to die

iii.               Elijah had already come: He was John the Baptist

 

Thought: The believer must often get alone with Christ in order to have his strength renewed. Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Son of God. Belief in Him is absolutely essential (1Jn 5:1).

1. Faith in Christ is a source of strength in our Christian life.

2. Faith in Christ is the light of our life.

3. Faith in Christ brings joy to our life.

We receive strength from God during the time of suffering, temptations, persecution and rejection when we pray daily like Jesus prayed on the mountain.

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