Welcome
my brothers and sisters to today's celebration of the Feast of Mary, the
Mother of God. I take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy New Year.
I pray that the Lord Jesus fills your lives during the year 2019
Year C The Holy Family
Si 3:2-6. 12-14; Col 3:12-21; Luke 2:4-52
We celebrate today the feast of Holy Family.
The feast was established in 1921 by Pope Benedict XV. This feast is
meant to be “a day for Christian families to examine themselves by comparing
their way of life with that of
Year C Christmas Day
Is 52:7-10; Heb 1:1-6; John 1:1-18
About a week before Christmas a family bought a new nativity scene. When
they unpacked it they found 2 figures of the Baby Jesus. "Someone must
have packed this wrong," the mother said, counting out the figures.
"We have one Joseph,
Year C Advent 4th Sunday
Micah 5:1-4; Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-45
Repeated prophecies about the coming of a messiah abound in the sacred writings. But these prophesies were shrouded in obscurity. A clear picture of the messiah is given in about 700BC by prophet Mica. We listened to his
Year C Advent 3rd Sunday
Zeph 3:14-18; Phil 4:1-7; Luke 3:10-18
In
today’s Gospel John the Baptist tells his listeners that “His
winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to
gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will
burn in a fire that will never go out.”
Lost Sheep
Everything
has its own proper place. when they are in wrong place, they are lost. If the
pen is not in my pocket and it is on the road or in someone’s bag, it is lost.
If my child is found street children instead of at home, he is lost.
Year C Advent 2nd Sunday
Bar 5:1-9; Phil 1:4-6, 8-11; Luke 3:1-6
In 539 BC the streets
of Babylon were echoed with a great declaration from Cyrus, the
king of Persia. It announced freedom to Jews, allowing Jews to
return home. In 586 BC, Nebuchadnezzar II destroyed the Kingdom
Year C Advent 1st Sunday
Jer 33:14-16; 1 Thess
3:12-4:2; Luke 21:25-28, 34-36
History of salvation has
been very dynamic. It has moved forward with a promise and the consequent hope,
and the fulfillment of the promise.
Today we begin the season
of advent. The reminder of the greatest promise in the history of salvation -
The promise of a Saviour.
Year B Christ the King
Dan 7:13-14;
Rev 1:5-8; Jn 18:3-37
The contemporaries of Jesus grew up hearing
the stories of the cruelty of the ancient kings and rulers. Biblical Accounts
give vivid descriptions of the cruelty of the Assyrians. In 722 BC Assyrian armies swept through the Near East. They became
notorious for their cruelty.
Become a Relative of Jesus
Jesus tells that by listening to the word of God one becomes His relative. Mother Mary came to see Jesus and the disciples told that his mother, brothers and sisters were waiting to see him. Jesus asked, "Who are my mother? Who are my brothers?" Then he turned
Year B 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dan 12:1-3; Heb 10:11-14, 18; Mk13:24-32
In today's gospel, Jesus speaks about the displacement of celestial
bodies at the end of the world, followed by the appearance of the Son of Man in
glory to establish the Reign of God. The coming of the Son of Man, "in
clouds with great power and glory," echoes
Year B 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
[1 Kings
17:10-16; Heb 9:24-28; Mk 12:38-44]
In the temple of Jerusalem there were thirteen
collecting boxes. They were for the contributions for the sacrifices and daily
expenses of the temple. Many people threw in quite considerable contributions.
Then came a widow. She flung in two mites. It was the
Year B 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Deut 6:2-6; Heb 7:22-28; Mk 12:28-34.
The central message of today's readings is the most fundamental
principle of all religions. It is to love God in loving others and to love
others in loving God.
In history we find thousands of people who have manifested
their love for God even by sacrificing their lives.
Year B 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jer 31:7-9; Heb 5:1-6; Mk 10:46-52
Today's Gospel describes Jesus' final journey to
Jerusalem through Jericho, an ancient city, fifteen miles away from Jerusalem.
Jericho was the first city conquered by the Israelites when they entered
Palestine. It was a city of great wealth and remarkable
Year B 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Is 53:10-11;
Heb 4:14-16; Mk 10:35-45
Todays Gospel places before us two
beautiful themes. The trust and confidence of James and John, the sons of
Zabedee, in the glory of Jesus and the teaching of Jesus to be practiced in his
kingdom to attain glory.
Year B 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Wis 7:7-11; Heb 4:12-13; Mk 10:17-30
There is an old story about an 18th century
man who was moving overseas. His life's savings of gold and silver coins were
carried in a big money belt he wore around his waist. The ship hit an iceberg
and started to go down. It was sinking so fast that many
Listen to God
Prayer is listening to God.
Martha was busy working for Jesus but while working
she could listen. Normally woman can be listening and following conversations
while in kitchen. She was not listening to the conversations of Jesus rather thinking of why Mary is not
helping her. That is why
Year B 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Gen 2:18-24; Heb
2:9-11; Mk 10:2-16
Marriage has been a mystery throughout human history. From the time immemorial philosophers have reflected on this mystery, poets have sung about it, and religious men have glorified it. They realized that marriage is a union of man and woman in physical,
Year B 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Numb. 11:25-29; Jas. 5:1-6; Mk. 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
The conflict between good and evil is one of the precepts of the Zoroastrial
faith, first enshrined by Zarathustra over 3000 years ago. It is also one
of the most common conventional themes in literature, and is sometimes
considered to be a universal part of the
Year B 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Wis 2:12,17-20; Jm 3:16-4:3; Mk 9:30-37
Haroun-al-Raschid (Aaron the Just) was
the greatest of all the caliphs of Bagdad. In a wonderful book, called
"The Arabian Nights," there are many interesting stories about him.
One day the caliph, Haroun-al-Raschid,
made a great feast. The feast was
Year B 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Is 50:5-9; Jas 2:14-18; Mk 8:27-35
We are all familiar with the term identity
crisis. It is a modern phenomenon that man tries to find his own identity.
Many today ask the question who they are?
In today's
Gospel Jesus confronts his disciples with a very difficult question. The
opinion of people about him, and their personal opinion about him. It
is of the most dramatic
Year B 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Is
35:4-7; James 2:1-5; Mark 7:31-37
"The
Country of the Blind" is a Short
story written by H.G Wells. While attempting to summit the unconquered crest of
Parascotopetl, a fictitious mountain in Ecudor, a mountaineer named Nunez slips
and falls down the far side of the mountain. At the end
Year B 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Deut 4:1-2,6-8; Js
1:17-18,21-22,27; Mk 7:1-8,14-15,21-23
For the
Jews the holiest part of the Bible was the "Pentateuch" or the
first five books, which they thought had been personally written by Moses,
and which they reverently called the "Law." The Pentateuch contained Sacred
Laws such as the "Ten Commandments"
Fearless Life
Fearless life is the best. One can live fearlessly only when one does everything correctly with fear of God like John the Baptist. If I do everything rightly with fear of God and society, I can live fearlessly. Most of the time we are fearful because we fail to do the right thing.
Year B 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jos
24:1-2, 15-18; Eph 5:21-32; Jn 6:60-69
In today's
first reading we see the challenge that Joshua set before his people. He
assembled all the people at Shechem and threw a challenge before them: to
follow Yahweh or to choose the gods they liked. Shechem has been a holy place
for the
Year B 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Prov 9:1-6; Eph 5:15-20; Jn
6:51-58
The desire of man to feel and experience God
is as old as man himself. Only a few individuals had that opportunity. Moses
met God on mount Horeb. Then people saw that God was within him. The prophets
encountered God, and people experienced
Year B 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
1King 19:4-8;
Eph 4:30 – 5:2; Jn 6:41-51.
In history we find many famous people who made
certain predictions which were proved wrong shortly after that. Lee DeForest,
American radio pioneer and inventor of the vacuum tube, said about
rockets: "To place a man in a multi-stage rocket and project him
Year B 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Ex.16:2-4, 12-15; Eph 4:17, 20-24; John 6:24-35
Once there was a young hermit who lived as an ascetic in a
forest. He owned nothing except a pair of loincloths. One morning,
to his great disappointment, he found that mice had destroyed one of the
loincloths. He brought a cat to kill the mice and then a cow
Motherliness
The cry of a baby during baptism is very common. Once a baptism was going on. The started sucking the hand and crying severely. We were concentrating on the ceremony. The mother was just looking at the baby with lots of love and concern.
Year B 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
2 Kg 4:42-44; Eph 4:1-6;
Jn 6:1-15
There were times when Jesus desired to withdraw from the crowds.
When the disciples returned from their first mission Jesus withdrew with
them into privacy. Jesus went up into the hill behind the plain and he was
sitting there with his disciples. Then the crowd
Desire the Best Possible
The mother of Zebedee’s sons (Mt 20:20-28) came
with her sons to make a request of Jesus;'Promise that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your kingdom.'
My Missionary Life in Africa
Year B 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jer 23:1-6; Eph 2:13-18; Mk 6:30-34
Jesus sent out his disciples with the mission of
bringing God's message to the people. When they came back from their
mission they reported to Jesus all that they had done. The demanding
crowds were so insistent that they had no time even to eat;
Year B 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Amos 7:12-15; Eph 1:3-14;
Mk 6:7-13
Today's gospel, tells the story of Jesus'
commissioning of the twelve apostles to preach the "good news". Jesus
gave clear instructions to his disciples for their first mission. They should
be walking illustrations of God's love and providence in action.
Year B 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Ez 2:2-5; 2Cor 12:7-10;
Mk 6:1-6
Today’s readings introduce Jesus as a prophet and
explain how prophets and other messengers from God inevitably suffer rejection.
Most of the famous men have experienced rejection not once, but many times.
Colonel Sanders is the founder of KFC.
Year B 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Wis 1:13-15, 2:23-24; 2 Cor 8:7,9,13-15; Mk 5:21-43
On 20th June (2012) a 4-year-old
little girl, Mahi slipped into a borewell. Mahi was stuck at a level of 60 feet (20 meters).
The operation — launched soon after Mahi fell
into the bore-well on Wednesday night during her birthday celebrations and was
prolonged by almost 85 hours
Year B 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Job 3:1, 8-11; 2
Cor 5:14-17; Mk 4:35-41
Once a man approached a Guru, and
said that he wanted to be his disciple and learn from him. The Guru asked him,
"Who are you?" He replied, "I am Peter." The Guru
said, "That is your name. But who are you?" He said, "I am an
engineer." The Guru said,
Year B 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Ez 17:22-24; 2Cor 5:6-10; Mk 4:26-34
The nature is full of mysteries, and man stands helpless before them.
The 'Taos Hum' is a low-pitched sound heard in numerous places
worldwide, especially in the USA, UK, and Northern Europe. It is usually heard
only in quiet environments,
Family and Sacred Heart of Jesus
The picture of Sacred Heart of Jesus in our home speaks a lot to us. It tells us to have a heart of Jesus.
Year B The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
The heart is one of the most important organs in the entire human body.
It is really nothing more than a pump, composed of muscle which pumps blood
throughout the body, beating approximately 72 times per minute of our lives.
But it is the powerhouse
Year B Corpus Christi
Ex 24:3-8; Hb 9:11-15; Mk
14:12-16, 22-26
The
Pelican is excessively dedicated to its young one. The pelican
collects small fish and stores in the pouch at its neck. In the process of
feeding them the bird presses the pouch against its neck. There is a
reddish tinge at its breast plumage and redness
Year B Feast of Holy Trinity
Deut 4:32-34, 39-40; Rom 8:14-17; Mt 28:16-20
One day St Augustine of Hippo was walking
along the sea shore and reflecting on the doctrine of the Trinity. He suddenly
saw a little child all alone on the shore. The child made a hole in the sand,
ran to the sea with a little cup, filled her cup, came and poured it into
Year B Feast of Pentecost
Acts
2:1-11; Gal 5:16-25; John 15:26-27; 16:12-15
One of the popular
plays of William Shakespeare is "The Merchant of Venice."
Antonio, a successful merchant of Venice got into trouble because of his
generosity. His friend Bassanio requested him to lend him some
money. Antonio agreed,
Year B Feast of Ascension of the Lord
Acts 1:1-11; Eph 1:17-23; Mk 16:15-20
There is an interesting Zen story.
Two monks were washing their bowls in the river when they noticed a
scorpion that was drowning. One monk immediately scooped it up and set it upon
the bank. In the process he was stung. He went back to washing his bowl and
again the scorpion fell in.
Year B 6th Sunday in Easter
Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48; 1 Jn 4:7-10 ; Jn
15:9-17
In 1941, the German Army began to round up Jewish people in Lithuania.
Thousands of Jews were murdered. But one German soldier objected to their
murder. He was Sergeant Anton Schmid. Through his assistance, the lives of at
least 250 Jews were spared.
Year B 5th Sunday in Easter
Acts
9:26-31; 1 Jn 3:18-24; Jn 15:1-8
The
Nightingale and the Rose" by Oscar Wilde is a touching short story. The
first character is a boy. This boy is sad because a girl promised to dance
with him on condition that he brought her red roses, but he did not find any
red rose; there were white roses and
Maintain Relationship
Jesus chose twelve to carry out his works. Unfortunately one of them betrayed him with a kiss which is a sign of love. But Jesus did not feel that he was a failure. He continued caring the other twelve disciples and led to their goal.
Year B 4th Sunday in Easter
Acts
4:8-12; 1 Jn 3:1-2; Jn 10:11-18
There is the story of a particular
census taker who went to a poor home in the mountains of West Virginia to
gather information. He asked the mother how many children she had. The woman
began, "Well, there is Rosie, and Billy, and Lewella, Susie, Harry,
Right to Live
Everybody has a right to live. Even a criminal has a right to live. Let us respect life, the life of ours as well as others. Life is a gift from God.
Year B 3rd Sunday in Easter
Acts 3:13-15,
17-19; 1 Jn 2:1-5; Lk 24:35-48
There is a beautiful story concerning the
love of Paul Tournier, one of the world's most beloved and respected Christian
doctors, for his wife Nelly. Nelly used to talk about death after her first
serious bout with coronary thrombosis while they were in Greece.
Year B 2nd Sunday in Easter
Acts 4:32-35; 1 Jn 5:1-6; Jn 20:19-31
After the death of Jesus, for fear of
the Jews the Apostles confined themselves to a closed room. They received the
news of the resurrection of Jesus from many sources. He was seen by the women
who visited the tomb. Peter saw the empty tomb.
Resurrection requires completion
A debtor is never happy. He is always worried as he owes many. Spiritually most of us are debtors as we have lot of incomplete actions especially in our love relationships. For example: in a morning your child is about to go to school. You did not goodbye the child
Year B Easter
Alexander the great went to Corinth, to see the great philosopher, Diogenes of Sinope. Alexander was thrilled to meet him. He wished to do him some favour. But Diogenes replied, "Give me a little of immortality."
Year B Good Friday
Evil can
never be conquered by evil; but only by goodness, violence by non-violence; and
hatred by love for the enemy. That is the message of Good Friday.
French Revolution broke out with the noble aim of freedom
Year B Maundy Thursday
Many people desired to leave behind them a concrete symbol
for the posterity to remember them. The Pharaohs of Egypt had thus built the
great pyramids of Egypt. It stands high, embraced by the heavenly clouds,
still bearing witness to the memories
Year B Palm Sunday
The royal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem
echoes many details from the life of the ancient kings of Israel and contemporary
history.
The crowd around Jesus was aware of King
Solomon's royal procession on David's royal mule as he was taken to be anointed
as king.
Year B 5h Sunday in Lent
Jer 31: 31-34; Heb 6: 7-9; Jn 12:
20-33
As human beings, we are naturally drawn to nature. A beautiful vista evokes in us a sense of wonder and awe. Earth's splendour captivates us; its oceans, mountains, deserts, plains and forests help us to find within its quiet places a guiding force, a unity and
Lenten Season
Lenten is a season to renew our spiritual life.
Many of our sins will be washed away and one is made more acceptable to heaven.
Through fasting, abstinence, sacrifices each purifies one spiritually. God takes away many of our sins in this Lenten season.
Many of our sins will be washed away and one is made more acceptable to heaven.
Through fasting, abstinence, sacrifices each purifies one spiritually. God takes away many of our sins in this Lenten season.
Year B 4th Sunday in Lent
2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23; Eph 2: 4-10; Jn 3:
14-21
Tiny subterranean
termites are daylight avoiding pests that are literally causing billions of
dollars in property damage around the world. They are virtually impossible to
control with any approved pesticide. An interesting fact about them is that
they
Year B 3rd Sunday in Lent
Ex. 20:1-17; 1 Cor. 1:18,
22-25; Jn. 2:13-25
George Wythe was an American lawyer, a judge, a
prominent law professor and "Virginia's foremost classical scholar."
Wythe was a planter and slave holder. He became an abolitionist after the
Revolutionary War. After his second wife's death,
Year B 2nd Sunday in Lent
Gen 22: 1-18; Romans 8: 31-34; Mk 9: 2-10
A man and a woman had a little daughter. They lived for her. They were
shocked when they discovered that she became chronically ill and her illness
resisted the efforts of the best doctors, they became totally discouraged and
inconsolable.
Year B 1st Lent
Gen 9:8-15;
1 Peter 3: 18-22; Mk 1:12-15
There are
many famous treaties made between the countries. The Treaty of Verdun, ( August 843) was a treaty between the three
surviving sons of Louis the Pious, the son and successor of Charlemagne, which
divided the Carlingian Empire into
Year B Ash Wednesday
Jo. 2:12-18; 2 Cor.
5:20-6:2; Mt. 6:1-6, 16-18
My brothers and sisters today we are entering a new Season, one of
penance and sacrifices. Together, we have gathered here to celebrate "Ash
Wednesday," the first of forty days of the Lenten Season. On this special
occasion, we are called to be reconciled to God.
Year B 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lev
13:1-2, 44-46; 1 Cor 10:31 – 11:1; Mk 1:40-45
The novel "Untouchable"
written by Mulk Raj Anand gives a touching account of the plight of the
untouchables in India. The story is narrated by Bakha who is a hard working boy
who never disobeys his father despite his repugnance for him and his lifestyle.
Year B 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Job 7:1-4, 6-7; I Cor 9:16-19, 22-23; Mk
1:29-39
The 14th century speaks of catastrophes. Some of
them man-made, such as the Hundred Years' War, the Great Famine and the Black
Death. All caused millions of deaths. Together they subjected the population of
medieval Europe to tremendous strains,
Year B 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Deut.
18:15-20; 1 Cor. 7:32-35; Mk. 1:21-28
In the ancient world it was customary
that when a king conquered a kingdom, he rebuilt the city as he wanted.
Alexander the great conquered Egypt and resolved to leave behind a populous and
large Greek City which would bear his name. Thus the world
Year B 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jon. 3:1-5, 10; 1 Cor.
7:29-31; Mk. 1:14-20
The
story of Jonah and the Whale is one of the oddest accounts in the Bible. God
commanded Jonah to preach repentance to the city of Nineveh.
Jonah found this order unbearable. Nineveh was
known for its wickedness.
Year B 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 Samuel 3: 3-10, 19; 1 Corinthians
6: 13-20; John 1: 35-42
When it comes to rags to riches stories, there are
no rags lowlier than those worn by American slaves. Rising from the shackles of
slavery to extraordinary success required monumental amounts of hard work,
tenacity, and passion, and Frederick Douglass
Year B The Epiphany of the Lord
Is 60:1-6; Eph 2:2-3, 5-6; Mt 2:1-12
Some events and happenings are powerful enough to upset
the life of an individual, or even to change the course of history. In
the play “Macbeth” Shakespeare shows how Macbeth’s life was
influenced by the prophecy of the three witches. Macbeth was returning
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