Cycle [C] 27th Sunday In Ordinary Time

 Hab. 1:2-3; 2:2-4; 2 Tim 1:6-8, 13-14; Lk. 17:5-10

During today's First Reading, we heard the prophet Habakkuk calling out to the Lord. Around 626 B.C., Habakkuk called out to the Lord because of the violence that surrounded him. Destruction, violence, strife, contention, these had become the norm of the day. Habakkuk was frustrated because the Lord was not taking control of the situation. He complained that the Lord God would not save the people.  This sounds familiar for us too. Everywhere we come across violence and bloodshed strife, war and massacre. This generation also goes through a crisis of faith. The permanent vitality of religion has been lost, the mass of the people have become either superstitious or indifferent to religion; the youth are in open conflict with established society and with the authority of the past; people are experimenting with various techniques.

During today's Gospel Reading, we heard the apostles ask Jesus, "Increase our faith!" Jesus spoke to the Apostles about the power of faith that could move the mulberry tree.” Jesus then spoke of the slave.  Our faith increases when we grow in servitude. Because in serving others, we become more in the likeness of Jesus who served when He washed the feet of His apostles. 

Cycle [C] 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Amos 6:1a, 4-7; 1 Tim. 6:11-16; Lk. 16:19-31

Today's message from the first and last readings is that the rich were self-centered, enjoying a life of luxury and insensitivity while the poor suffered around them. The First Reading from the Book of Amos is the last of three afflictions that the Lord God promised to inflict upon Judah and Israel because of their evil deeds. These nations had rulers who were idle, insensitive to the need of the poor and lived in luxury. Accordingly, God said that they would be taken into exile.

History tells us that the rulers slept on extravagant beds that were inlaid with ivory panels. They ate the most costly food. During meals, they listened to idle songs to the sound of the harp. In this environment of indolence (avoiding work), never mind drinking wine out of cup, they drank it out of bowls. Over and above all this, they anointed themselves with the finest oils.

Because of such unacceptable behaviour, the rulers were going to be captured and taken into exile. Their days of enjoyment were coming to an end.

Cycle [C] 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 Amos 8:4-7; 1 Tim. 2:1-7; Lk. 16:1-13

Today's First Reading from the Book of Amos speaks against greed. The Israelites were waiting impatiently for the end of the holy days and Sabbaths so that they could proceed with their dishonest practices. There were a couple of things that the Israelites were doing that was drawing the condemnation of the Lord God. 

First of all, during their trading, the merchants used a dishonest ephah measure to cheat and oppress the poor. The second transgression of the Israelites was that they were "selling the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals." The dishonest Israelites chose to serve the master of wealth, ignoring the righteousness of God.

Today's reading from the Gospel of Luke draws our attention to the parable of the dishonest manager. The parable concerns a rich man and a manager. In those days, as a general rule, the manager was a slave who had been born in the household. The rich man gave the slave great liberty and full responsibility regarding the management of his personal property. The parable tells us that the rich man had