For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:
14 Aug 2016 – 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
15 Aug 2016 – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
16 Aug 2016 – Tuesday of Week 20 Year 2
17 Aug 2016 – Wednesday of Week 20 Year 2
18 Aug 2016 – Thursday of Week 20 Year 2
19 Aug 2016 – Friday of Week 20 Year 2
There are several words that we use which could form a sentence in itself. Among these, one word which is quite significant is “why.” When we use the word “why,” we could be using it as a sentence to question, to interrogate, to wonder, or even to reflect on something. When we use “why” to reflect on something, we come to a deeper understanding of why we do what we do.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus responded to the Pharisees question about which is the greatest commandment of the Law: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets also.” Have you ever reflected on why these two commandments are the greatest? These two commandments actually are the very essence of being human, of being who we really are, and the meaning of our human existence. If we are to abandon or ignore these two commandments, we are actually ignoring our humanity, and by doing so, we become like the dry bones as mentioned in the first reading. We become dead, though we appear to be alive.
Thus, let us learn to love God and neighbour just like God loves all of us equally. Let us not harden our hearts, but let God be our help and guide, so that through our love and example, others would know what it means to be followers of Jesus.
For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:
7 Aug 2016 – 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
8 Aug 2016 – Monday of Week 19 Year 2
9 Aug 2016 – Tuesday of Week 19 Year 2
10 Aug 2016 – Saint Laurence, Deacon, Martyr – Feast
11 Aug 2016 – Thursday of Week 19 Year 2
12 Aug 2016 – Friday of Week 19 Year 2
Some of us sometimes forget who we are and where we come from. Some of us become easily upset or angry when someone has hurt us and some of us even begin to curse such persons, or even plot revenge. How many of us have truly learnt to be forgiving, to reconcile, and to move on? Sometimes it is due to our pride, prejudice and ego that makes it difficult for us to forgive, reconcile and move on. That is why we need to learn to have patience and humility, so that we would learn to forgive others their trespasses just as God forgives us our trespasses.
In today’s reading, we are reminded of how loving and forgiving God is: “The Lord says this: ‘Jerusalem, I will treat you as you deserve, you who have despised your oath even to the extent of breaking a covenant, but I will remember the covenant that I made with you when you were a girl, and I will conclude a covenant with you that shall last for ever… I am going to renew my covenant with you; and you will learn that I am the Lord, and so so remember and be covered with shame, and in your confusion be reduced to silence, when I have pardoned you for all that you have done – it is the Lord who speaks.'” Despite the many sins Jerusalem had committed, God was still willing to be merciful, loving and forgiving. What about us? Are we willing and able to follow God’s example and do the same?
For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:
31 July 2016 – 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
1 Aug 2016 – Monday of Week 18 Year 2
2 Aug 2016 – Tuesday of Week 18 Year 2
3 Aug 2016 – Wednesday of Week 18 Year 2
4 Aug 2016 – Thursday of Week 18 Year 2
5 Aug 2016 – Friday of Week 18 Year 2
How persistent and consistent are we in asking God for help? Do we ask God with hope or perseverance, or do we so easily give up when help does not seem to come? Are we patient enough to let God do what is best for us? Or do we expect God to cure us immediately, and when He does not submit to our demands, we begin to go for other sources, hoping and expecting these to help us, only to end up being disappointed? Sometimes, such other sources may not only be unable to help us, but may cause us even more problems. Then what happens? What would we do?
In today’s Gospel, we come across a Canaanite woman whose daughter is tormented by a devil. Jesus seemed reluctant to help her, since Jews generally do not have anything to do with Canaanites, and Jesus was a Jew “sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.’ But the Canaanite woman was persistent, patient and being humble enough to continuously call out to Jesus and seek His help. In the end, Jesus gave the woman what she wanted, saying: “Woman, you have great faith. Let your wish be granted.”
What about us? Are we going to grumble and pout when Jesus does not seem to be helping us? Or are we going to follow the example of the Canaanite woman, who showed us what it means to be persistent, patient and humble? May we let Jesus do what is best for us, in His time and for His glory.
Every once in a while, we come across difficulties and challenges in life. Sometimes we feel as if such difficulties and troubles are too overwhelming, so much so that we may be tempted to give up. Instead of continuing to fervently pray and depend on God’s help, some may have doubted in God’s providence and turned to other forms of help thinking that these would really help them, only to later find that they are of no help.
In today’s Gospel, the disciples were battling with a heavy sea, and they doubted when Jesus came towards them, thinking that He was a ghost. Peter also doubted when he felt the force of the wind, took fright and began to sink, and Jesus put out his hand at once and held him. When we doubt, we begin to question whether God is able to help us. We fail to realise that God can help us, but according to His time. When we ask God for help, we cannot expect or demand that He will help us immediately according to our terms. Are we trying to control God? Let us be patient and persistent in prayer, knowing that God can and will help us. When and how? Trust and pray, go do your best today, and leave it in the hands of the Lord.
Every once in a while, we come across people who claim to be some sort of prophet of God. They start to tell others all sorts of messages, and sometimes people can be so easily duped by such so-called prophets. The fact is, being a prophet is not something which one takes upon himself or herself, and the message to be delivered is to be from God, not some message which sounds good or pleasing to others. Sometimes, the motivation behind such so-called prophets is to curry-favour or win over people who crave for good news, with the intention of gaining popularity, wealth and fame. Such so-called prophets are what we call false prophets, misusing the word “prophet” for their own ends and purposes.
In today’s reading, we come across an example of a false prophet named Hananiah. The reading warns us of the consequences of being a false prophet: “The prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah, ‘Listen carefully, Hananiah: the Lord has not sent you; and thanks to you this people are now relying on what is false. Hence – the Lord says this, “I am going to throw you off the face of the earth: you are going to die this year since you have preached apostasy from the Lord.”‘ The prophet Hananiah died the same year, in the seventh month.” As we can see, a false prophet is asking for trouble, since such persons are not only deceiving others, but they would also face the wrath of God.
If any among us are behaving like a false prophet, let us take heed of the warning the reading gives us. Let us not think that God is not watching or ignoring our deeds, but stop our false ways and the nonsense we have been saying and doing. Let us repent and return to God’s ways, before it is too late.
For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:
24 July 2016 – 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
25 July 2016 – St. James, Apostle – Feast
26 July 2016 – Tuesday of Week 17 Year 2
27 July 2016 – Wednesday of Week 17 Year 2
28 July 2016 – Thursday of Week 17 Year 2
29 July 2016 – St. Matha, Memorial
Each and every one of us are given choices throughout our lives here on earth. We can choose good things, or we can choose not so good or bad things. Some of you may be wondering: “This padre is crazy. Of course we would choose good things. Who in their right mind would choose bad things?” But the funny thing about life is that, there are people who do choose bad things, whether they are aware of it or not. For example, we can choose to eat healthily most of the time, or we could choose to eat junk food or rubbish (in other words, food which may not be good or may be damaging for our health). We could choose to live a life free of addiction and intoxicants, or we could become addicted and dependent on tobacco, liquor, or even drugs. We could choose to speak politely and humbly, or we could choose to use vulgar words or speak in a disgusting tone. Ultimately, our choices could lead to different consequences, some good, some bad.
In the same way, our spiritual life are also full of choices. We could choose to grow faithfully, consistently and humbly closer to God, or we could choose to avoid God. When we are making effort to grow in relationship with God, we are allowing the good seed to be sown into our soul, as mentioned in today’s Gospel. When we sin and neglect or refuse to seek forgiveness through the Sacrament of Confession, we may be sowing darnel into our soul. At the end, there would be wheat or darnel in our soul, and what would happen to us would depend on what we sow. Do we wish to be counted among the subjects of the kingdom, or do we rather end up as subjects of the evil one? It may seem strange or odd, but ultimately, we choose what the outcome would be, depending on the way we lived our lives.
Today, may we be prudent and make a choice. We call such a choice a fundamental option, where we choose to live a life with God, or away from God. May we choose wisely, since our eternal future is at stake.
