December 26, 2024 - Homily

 

Thursday, December 26, 2024 - St. Stephen, Martyr - St. Stephen dared to die for his Lord. Will you dare to live for him?

To read the texts click on the texts: Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59; Mt 10:17-22

St Stephen is regarded as the first Christian martyr. He was one of the seven deacons appointed by the Apostles when there was dissatisfaction about the distribution of alms. In the first reading of today, the Acts of the Apostles tells the story of how Stephen was tried by the Sanhedrin for blasphemy against Moses and God and also of speaking against the Temple and the Law. He was tried, found guilty and stoned to death.

The Gospel text for the feast of today is part of the Mission Discourse of Matthew. The sayings found in Matthew’s Mission Discourse here are found in the Eschatological Discourse of Mark (Mk 13:9-13). This is an indication that for Matthew, Mission is already eschatological and this is proved through the life and death of Stephen. The punishment, which is referred to here, is not random, but official punishment from members of organised authority. Even in this difficult situation the disciples are offered encouragement. They will depend not on their own strength, but on the Holy Spirit. They are to be missionaries even in the courtroom. Their imprisonment and trial must be regarded as an opportunity to make mission known. Mission takes priority even over family ties and if family ties have to be broken because of mission then so be it. The affirmation of the coming of the Son of Man is probably meant to provide succour to the missionaries in their distress.

Stephen had not read the Mission Discourse and yet had been influenced by the life, Mission and Death of his Master Jesus Christ. He was also confident of the resurrection and of victory even in the face of defeat and death. He knew that if he continued to stand for the truth, he would indeed be victorious.

It is important to note that Stephen did not go around looking for trouble nor did he desire martyrdom for the sake of dying for Jesus. However, he was unafraid to stand for the truth even if it meant giving up his life.

The Jesus who challenged Stephen is the same Jesus who challenges us today. He is not calling us here to be sadists and look for suffering, persecution and pain. Rather he is challenging us to go about doing what we have to do, to be as prudent as possible about it and if despite that persecution, suffering and pain come, to be prepared and ready for it and not to be afraid.

The Season of Christmas

The season of Christmas begins on the day after Christmas and continues till the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. However, every year, the fist day after Christmas (except if it is a Sunday) is celebrated as the feast of St. Stephen the first martyr of the Church. The second day after Christmas is the feast of St. John the Evangelist and the day after that is the feast of the Holy Innocents. This is why the weekday readings during the season of Christmas begin from December 29.

The revelation of Jesus as a child begins in the Temple during the event of his presentation by his parents and through the mouths of Simeon and Anna. Jesus is indeed the Word made flesh and splendour of the Father. Before Jesus can begin his public ministry, John the Baptist bears witness to him and points him out as the Lamb of God. This identification by John, results in his own disciples going after Jesus, because they realize that while they did receive a great deal as disciples of John, they will receive the completeness of revelation in Jesus. The first words that Jesus utters in his public ministry are words that invite people to a change of mind and heart because they have been forgiven and loved unconditionally. The change is not a condition, but a consequence of having received unconditional love from God. Since his mission is a tangible mission, he shows this by feeding five thousand and satisfying them completely. He also walks on the water to show that he has subdued evil and that he is indeed Son of God. His Mission is to be available to all but very especially the poorest of the poor, the outcasts, the marginalized and lepers. He has come to heal and make whole those who need his healing touch.

Christmas - December 25, 2024

 

Christmas - December 25, 2024

December 25, 2024 - Christmas - You can be more

The Introduction and the Entrance Antiphon of today’s liturgy makes clear that for those who celebrate Christmas the word of God is no longer merely the message spoken by the prophets, but the messenger of God in person. The Word of God is a child born for us on whose shoulder dominion will be laid. This is seen clearly in the readings that have been chosen for today.

In the first reading from the Second Book of Isaiah which is a prophetic oracle of salvation, the prophet announces through a messenger the return of the exiles to Jerusalem. Jerusalem which had experienced war, destruction and sorrow will now experience peace, unity and happiness. This is the good news that is proclaimed.

The letter to the Hebrews takes up the theme of the good news spoken through God’s word in a variety of ways. In the old days, this was spoken through the prophets, but in the now, the new days God will not content himself with merely speaking through intermediaries but speaks through a part of himself when he speaks through his son. His speaking is definitive not because God will not speak again, but because in Jesus, God has said all that he would want to say. God will not need to speak like this anymore.

This is also the theme of the prologue of the Gospel of John. However, John puts it even more elaborately than Hebrews does. Jesus is here described as the one who was with God from all eternity, who was, is and will be divine.  This Word “became flesh and dwelt among us.”  But again this totally other "Word" has a history and a purpose.  He comes into the world as life and light.  He asks to be accepted in faith.  His own did not accept him; throughout history he offers himself to all of good will.  Those who do accept him he empowers to become children of God, to have a new birth, to be born of God in the new birth of the Spirit.

The impossible has become possible, the totally incomprehensible has become somewhat comprehensible and our humanity is never again to be seen as a limitation but as an advantage. We have been blessed with a new and radiant vision. God could not be seen, but now in Jesus he is visible. Our God is not a God out there or up there, but a God who is with us and for us and showed us this in the unique and astounding way of becoming like us. We share through the Incarnation in the very life of God. Our cry after the Incarnation is not a plaintive “I’m only human”, but an exuberant, “I’m human”. This is what Christmas means and this is what the birth of the Christ child is saying. Before the Incarnation of Jesus, we human beings thought we could be only this brave, but the Incarnation has shown that we can be braver. Before the Incarnation we thought we could only love so much, but the Incarnation has shown that we can love even more and to the very end. Before Jesus’ incarnation we human beings thought we could be only so much, but the Incarnation of God shows us that we can be more. We have become through the incarnation, children, women and men of the Magis, the greater, the more. The Incarnation has made each of us aware of the immense potential that exists in us because we have been graced through the humanity of the divinity. Christ became human to show us that even in our humanity we can become divine. The Incarnation does not simply invite us to be good men and women, rather through the Incarnation; Jesus makes us into people who can use all their strengths and defects to the service and the glory of God. This is the proof to us that it is not by our own will power that we are able to become children of God. It is by God's grace, by God's unmerited and unconditional love of us.

Thus, Christmas is not merely the celebration of a historical birth or a birth that took place over two thousand years ago. It is about becoming conscious of who we really are as human beings. It is the celebration of life in all its fullness. It is the celebration of the transformation of limit to limitlessness, of selfishness to selflessness, of bondage and fear to freedom and unconditional love.

Christmas belongs not only to a few who call themselves Christians but to the entire earth. The lowly animals, birds, plants, trees indeed the whole of nature participates in this nativity of the divine light at Christmas. Our compassion for our human brothers and sisters is increased when we realize that the animals, birds, plants, trees and the rest of nature is also made up of wondrous beings in even more humble, limited and unrecognizable form than ourselves.

As the Logos (Word) descends into the earth and becomes sarx (flesh) to bring Light to the world, we realize that it is in and through this Light that we have life.

Peace and love are other names for God

 

Tuesday, December 24, 2024 - Does fear still rule the larger majority of your actions? What will you do about it today?

To read the texts click on the texts: 2 Sam 7:1-5, 8-12.14.16; Lk 1:67-79

Zechariah’s song, which is traditionally called “The Benedictus” (Blessed), is the text which the Church reads on the day before Christmas. It may be seen to be divided into two parts. The first part praises God for his messianic deliverance and the second speaks of John the Baptist’s role in this deliverance.  The progression of thought in the Benedictus shows that the true end of God’s redemption is not merely deliverance from political domination, but the creation of conditions in which God’s people can worship and serve God without fear. When people are released from external domination, they can worship in peace. The people of God are a covenant people, saved and rescued by the hand of God.  God has thereby fulfilled the promises to Abraham and to David. Holiness and righteousness are to mark God’s people “all the days of our life”. The hymn comes to a climax as it describes the place of John in God’s redemptive work. John’s birth announced God’s new deliverance. John would be a prophet who would go before the Lord.  Four infinitives outline the progress of God’s redemptive work. The first two describe the role of John the Baptist. The last two allude to the inauguration of the kingdom, “when the day shall dawn upon us from on high”.

The mark of the redeemed is that they live out of the knowledge of God that has been given to them. Darkness is dispelled by the revelation of God’s being and God’s grace toward us. Finally, through John’s call for justice and righteousness, and far more through Jesus’ unique ministry, God would “guide our feet into the way of peace”

The Benedictus links the promise of salvation and redemption inseparably to the achievement of peace. God’s people cannot have redemption without peace, for each is necessary for the realization of the other. It affirms that God’s purposes are being fulfilled in the delivering of his people from the hands of their oppressors. Their feet are being guided in the way of peace so that they may worship without fear.

Monday, December 23, 2024 - Homily

 

Monday, December 23, 2024 - Will you speak God’s word to at least one person today?

To read the texts click on the texts: Mal3:1-4, 23-24; Lk 1:57-66

Two days before the birth of the Messiah, the Church invites us to reflect on the birth, naming, and circumcision of his precursor or forerunner, John the Baptist.

Luke does not give us too many details about the birth of John, and he narrates it with a short sentence. He focuses more on the events that follow the birth and, through them, show that God’s word spoken through the angel, Gabriel, is being fulfilled. Elizabeth does bear a son and the people rejoice at the birth because of the great mercy shown by God.

Circumcision of the child on the eight day was in accord with Gen 17:9-14 where God makes circumcision on the eight day a sign of the covenant with Abraham. It was the father who normally named the child and, in doing so, recognized the child as his own. Sometimes, the child was named after the father, especially if the father was a person who was highly esteemed. Objections were raised to the name “John” (“God had been gracious”), chosen by Elizabeth. That the people made signs to Zechariah to ask him what he wanted to name the child indicates that, besides being dumb, he was also deaf. The moment Zechariah writes the name “John” on a writing tablet, Zechariah regains his speech. Once again, God’s word comes to pass. The fear and amazement with which the people respond to these happenings is an indication that they experienced God’s awesome power. The question that the people ask, about what the child would turn out to be, is answered in summary form by Luke when he ends this narrative by stating that “the hand of the Lord was with him.”

God’s word is a word of power and will come to pass, no matter how many obstacles we may put in its way. It is a word that enhances and builds up, a word that gives life. To be sure, we may not always be able to understand and accept it for what it is, but in the final analysis, it is always a word that is for our good and for his glory.

Sunday, December 22, 2024 - Believe that you have received it and it will be yours.

To read the texts click on the texts: Mic 5:1-4; Heb10:5-10; Lk 1:39-44

The visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is often interpreted as Mary’s concern for Elizabeth. Mary had heard from the angel that Elizabeth was in her six month and so rushes to her aid. This is true but only at the very superficial level. If this were the only point, then it would seem strange that Mary who rushed to Elizabeth’s aid would leave after three months of her arrival there i.e. soon after Elizabeth’s delivery of John – a time when she should  really get all the help that she would need. Thus Luke makes a deeper point when he narrates the incidents of the visitation. It is that Mary was so full of the ‘good news’ that she could not contain it within herself but had to share it. It was ‘good news’ not only for her but for the whole world.

This good news is what Micah speaks about in the first reading of today. The ruler of Israel is struck upon the cheek with a rod, things seem to be totally out of control and there is a feeling of being closed in all sides and defeat is staring us in the face. Yet, there shall come forth one who is to rule and take control over the most distressing situation. This movement from suffering to hope reminds us that God is at work to see that our individual life-pilgrimage will move in the same direction. Micah’s words repeat again and again the liberating intention of God not to let people remain trapped in their experience of exile. It is important to note that these hopeful words from Micah do not belittle the reality of suffering. Pain is taken seriously and is part of the human condition. However, the point is that even in the midst of pain there is hope. God is working to make all things well. The mention of both Bethlehem and Ephrathah makes a double connection with David, including both geographic location and family identification. The small size of Bethlehem, which is one of the little clans of Judah, is of no consequence to God, When God is about to do something great, human estimates of status, size, power, and influence are completely irrelevant. In fact, God often deliberately chooses someone whom we would probably dismiss as the most unlikely candidate for carrying out God’s mission.

This is evident in the choice of Mary chosen by God to bring Jesus into the world. She was from Nazareth, an obscure village, from which the Messiah was not expected. She was a simple village girl. Yet, it was she who was chosen, to be part of the earth shattering event that would change the course of history forever. The Incarnation occurred within a very real world, a limited world, a broken world, a world that was very much in need of healing.

Mary’s visit to Elizabeth was done in haste or urgency. Mary wanted to share such wonderful news. Elizabeth responds to Mary’s visit with four oracles. The first declares the blessedness of Mary. Elizabeth recognizes that Mary is blessed by God because of her openness and generosity. The second oracle discloses the identity of the child in Mary’s womb. The child is indeed the Lord. The third explains the leap that the child in Elizabeth’s womb gives. It is a leap of joy. Even in the womb of his mother, John the Baptist begins his role as the precursor or pointer to Jesus. The fourth and final oracle speaks of unconditional faith and trust. It speaks of the courage to believe even when things are in the future. It speaks of total confidence in God’s word, knowing fully well that even if all evidence seems to point to the contrary, God will fulfill what is promised. This is the confidence of Mary. It is the confidence with which she dared not merely to say Yes to God but to add that it be done to her according to God’s will. This was because she knew that what God could do in her would be infinitely greater than when she could ever do, even with God’s help. This attitude of Mary resulted in her womb becoming the location in which the greatest of all events would take place. Her womb became the place in which all expectations would be exceeded. Her womb became that place in which not merely would a ruler be born, but in which the king of all kings would take residence. Her womb became God’s first home on earth.

The letter to the Hebrews confirms Mary’s disposition and attitude when it speaks about the disposition and attitude of Jesus. His focus was to do God’s will and to let it be done to him. Like Mary, Jesus too knew that what God could accomplish in him would be infinitely greater than anything else.

 

As we stand at the threshold of Christmas, we are invited to adopt the attitude of Mary. It is true that even today things are not as they ought to be. It is true that injustice, prejudice, disharmony, intolerance and fanaticism still raise their ugly heads. It is true that the poor are becoming poorer today than they were some years ago and the rich have only gotten richer and often at the expense of the poor. Like Mary we are challenged to believe that if we let it be done to us, Christ will be born in our minds and hearts and the vision of Micah for a just world will be fulfilled because our God lives in our world.

Saturday, December 21, 2024 - Are you generally a happy person, or do you go about life as if the burden of the whole world is on your shoulders? Will you give up that burden today?

To read the texts click on the texts: Song 2:8-14; Lk 1:39-45

The text of today, which concerns Mary’s visit to Elizabeth, is also the scriptural basis for the second Joyful mystery of the Rosary.

Since the angel does not ask Mary to visit Elizabeth, or even suggest it, the alacrity with which Mary goes to visit Elizabeth expresses clearly that Mary trusted the angel’s word. Mary’s greeting of Elizabeth results in a sign which is that the baby in Elizabeth’s womb leaps and Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit. This could also indicate that the announcement of the angel to Zechariah that their child would be filled with the Holy Spirit is being fulfilled. Being filled with the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth is also able to utter an oracle which seems to have as its source, the Spirit of God. She recognizes Mary and the child in her womb as blessed. Not only has Elizabeth been blessed, because God answered her prayer for the gift of a child, she has also been blessed by a visit from the one who is called to be the mother of her Lord. The leap of the babe in Elizabeth’s womb was a leap of joy. John has already begun to fulfill his calling as one who would declare the Lord’s coming and prepare the way for him. Mary is blessed because she dared to believe in God’s word.

When joy or happiness is shared it is doubled; when sorrow or sadness is shared it is halved. The joy of Elizabeth and Mary on their respective vocations is shared by the other and hence, both experience a doubling of their joy. This joy is experienced by even the child in Elizabeth’s womb, because it is a genuine joy felt by its mother.

Life is too short to cry or be sad. Life is too short not to be happy or not to share in the joy of others.

 

Will you say YES to all that God wants to do through you today even when you fully cannot understand why?

 

Friday, December 20, 2024 - Do you believe that God can do the impossible in your life? How will you show this belief?

To read the texts click on the texts: Isa 7:10-14; Lk 1:26-38

The text of today’s Gospel relates a scene immediately after the announcement of the birth of John the Baptist and contains the announcement of the birth of Jesus. There are many similarities in the annunciations to Mary and to Zechariah. The angel Gabriel is the one who makes both announcements. Both Zechariah and Mary are called by name and exhorted not to be afraid. Both ask a question of the angel, and it is the angel who tells them what name each child is to be given.  It is the angel who predicts what each child will turn out to be. However, even as there are similarities, there are differences in the narratives. While the announcement to Zechariah comes in the Temple and as a result of his fervent prayer, the announcement to Mary comes (apparently) when she is in her home and it is unanticipated. While Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth are advanced in age, Mary has not yet stayed with her husband, and so is a virgin. The birth of John to parents who are past the age of child bearing is a miracle, but even greater is the miracle of the birth of Jesus, who would be born through the Holy Spirit, and to a virgin. Even as John the Baptist goes with the spirit and power of Elijah, Jesus will be called “Son of God”. Luke clearly wants to show John as great, but only the forerunner of the Messiah, Jesus, who is greater.

Here, too, like in the case of the announcement of the birth of John the Baptist, God intervenes in human history.  Mary though betrothed or engaged to Joseph, who was of David’s family, had not yet lived with him. This she would do only after marriage, which would be one year after the betrothal. The angel greets Mary as the recipient of God’s grace. She has opened herself to the promptings of God’s Spirit. While Zechariah was gripped with fear at the very appearance of the angel, in the case of Mary, it is the angel’s greeting that perplexed her. The angel reassures Mary and makes the announcement, not only of Jesus’ birth, but of who he will be and all that he will accomplish. In response to this announcement Mary, like Zechariah, asks a question. While both questions seem similar, it is clear that Zechariah’s question expressed doubt and asked for a sign, as is evident in the angel’s words before Zechariah is struck dumb. Mary’s question, on the other hand, is a question asked in faith. Mary did not question the truth of the revelation like Zechariah did. She asked only for enlightenment on how God would accomplish this wonderful deed. This will be accomplished in Mary through the work of God’s spirit. This is why the child will be called holy. Luke probably also intends to convey here that it is not merit on Mary’s part that obtained for her what she received, but God’s generous gift in the Spirit.

The evidence that what the angel has announced will indeed take place is the pregnancy of Elizabeth, for nothing is impossible for God. Mary responds, not merely with a Yes, but by asking that the Lord work in her to accomplish all that he wants. The annunciation would not have been complete without Mary’s trusting, obedient response.

Today, many assume that those whom God favors will enjoy the things we equate with a good life: social standing, wealth, and good health. Yet Mary, God’s favored one, was blessed with having a child out of wedlock who would later be executed as a criminal. Acceptability, prosperity, and comfort have never been the essence of God’s blessing. The story is so familiar that we let its familiarity mask its scandal. Mary had been chosen, “favored,” to have an important part in God’s plan to bring salvation to God’s people, but it is unthinkable that God would have forced Mary to have the child against her will. Mary is an important example, therefore, of one who is obedient to God even at great risk to self.

When we think of or reflect on Mary, the one word that comes to mind to describe her whole life is the word, AMEN, a word which may be translated, “so be it”, “your will be done”, “do whatever you want to do in my life”. This was, indeed, Mary’s constant response to every situation in her life, especially when she could not understand why things were happening the way they were. The text of today is, then, a call and challenge to each one of us, that we, too, like Mary, might be able to say YES to all that God wants to do in our lives. It is a challenge to be open and receptive to the Spirit of God, so that we, too, might be able to give birth to the Saviour in our hearts. 

 

Thursday, December 19, 2024 - Do you believe that God can do the impossible in your life? How will you show this belief?

To read the texts click on the texts: Judges 13:2-7, 24-25; Lk 1:5-25

The text of today is unique to Luke and is about the foretelling or annunciation of the birth of John the Baptist. It begins by introducing Zechariah and Elizabeth and then moves to the temple where the announcement of the birth is made by an angel.  Zechariah responds to this announcement in disbelief and leaves the Temple after being struck dumb. The announced child is conceived in Elizabeth’s womb fulfilling the angelic announcement.

In the first verses of today’s text, Zechariah and Elizabeth are introduced. Zechariah means “God has remembered,” and Elizabeth means something like “My God’s oath.” While Zechariah is a priest, Elizabeth is from a priestly family. By stating that they were childless (when barrenness was regarded as a tragedy, a disgrace, and even a sign of God’s punishment), despite the fact they were righteous and blameless, Luke probably wants to indicate that there is no connection between sin and punishment. That they were advanced in age, and so may have lost all hope of having a child, is to show the wondrous nature of the angelic announcement.

The priests were divided into 24 groups, and each group served twice a year for a week at a time in the Temple. On this occasion, Zechariah was chosen to enter the sanctuary and offer the incense. A sacrifice was offered twice a day, both on the outer altar and on the inner altar, inside the sanctuary. A list was compiled of those priests who had never been chosen to enter the sanctuary, and then lots were cast to determine the priests who would bring the sacrifice to the altar and clean the ashes off of it. This honour normally came only once in a lifetime. This was perhaps the most dramatic moment in Zechariah’s life as a priest. It was thus a significant moment for God to break into human history.

Zechariah’s immediate response to the angels’ appearance was one of fear and terror. The first words spoke by a character in the Gospel of Luke are by the angel and are an exhortation not to be afraid. The angel then announces, not only the birth of a son to Zechariah and Elizabeth, but also the greatness of the child. The name of the child is to be John, a name which means “God has shown favour” or “God is gracious”. Zechariah’s response is a direct quotation of Gen 15:8, “How will I know that this is so?” To Zechariah’s emphatic “I am an old man.”, the angel responds with an even more emphatic, “I am Gabriel.” Gabriel was sent to speak for God, but because Zechariah did not receive the good news, he would not be able to speak until the annunciation was fulfilled and the child was born. Though Zechariah was to pronounce a blessing on the people after he came out of the sanctuary, he could not do so since he had lost the power of speech.

The angel’s announcement comes to pass and Elizabeth conceives. She praises God for his graciousness to her.

There are numerous occasions in our lives when things do not go the way we want them to go. We try everything and nothing seems to work. We begin to think that God does not care for us or that he is punishing us for some wrong that we or our forefathers did. We might even stop praying at these times and lose faith. The text of today calls for exactly opposite attitudes to these and challenges us to cultivate them.

First, if things are not going the way we want them to go, it does not mean that God is punishing us for some past sins. There is very clearly no connection between sin and God’s punishment. To be sure, any kind of negative feelings that we harbor, any resentment that we hold on to, any sediments of anger residing in our hearts, can lead to blocks in our minds and bodies and can affect our health. Giving in to despair and desperation and losing hope can also lead to ill health.

The call is a call to hope. It is a call to continue to petition God, and to keep asking him for what we need, with confidence and courage. It is a call to continue to believe that God can do what is impossible and that nothing and no one is outside the scope of God’s power. He can, with a word, make all things whole.

God can make all things whole with only a word

 

When in a dilemma do you usually do the right thing or the loving thing?

 

Wednesday, December 18, 2024 - What name do you use to address Jesus? Why?

To read the texts click on the texts: Isa 45: 6-8, 18, 21-26; Lk 7:19-23

Though Luke has mentioned earlier in his Gospel (3:20) that John was in prison, there is nothing to suggest that he is still in prison when he asks the question about Jesus’ identity. Here, the question is asked after John receives a report from two of his disciples about the things that Jesus was doing. Thus, a number of explanations have been offered as to why John asked this question of Jesus. One reason is that John, after hearing the report from his disciples, was troubled by uncertainty. If he was still in prison (as Matthew clearly states he was when he sent his disciples to ask the question) then this uncertainty would have been greater. Another reason is that John expected the Messiah to come with spewing fire and venom, but Jesus was reaching out to people in unconditional love. This surprised John since Jesus was not the kind of Messiah he had expected. Another reason is that John, though not sure, was hopeful that The Messiah, whose coming he had announced, had indeed come in Jesus and that would vindicate his own proclamation.  Or, John thought that, by asking such a question of Jesus, he could encourage him to make a public announcement so that all would know that the Messianic age had arrived.

The disciples sent by John repeat the question of John to Jesus. In his response to them, who had probably seen, just then, the healings performed by him, Jesus lists six prophetic actions. These actions are works which both Elijah and Elisha had accomplished, as well as others mentioned in the book of Isaiah. Jesus was not merely a prophet, like Elijah or Elisha; he was the fulfillment of all the prophets. Besides healing those in need of it, the poor were also promised redemption through the preaching of Jesus. Jesus’ answer ends with a challenge not to have a stereotypical view of him or a preconceived notion that will prevent one from encountering Jesus as he is. A blessing is pronounced on those who will not reject him even though he turns out to be different from what they expected, imagined, or hoped he would be.

Jesus cannot be captured in an image, or picture, or put in a box. He remains bigger than anything we can ever imagine. Thus, what is required if one is to encounter him is to get rid of any categories that we may have used to define him.  Jesus fits no specific category and yet, belongs to all of them. We sometimes think we know who Jesus is, what he stands for, and what he is doing, and then he surprises us and does something quite contrary to our expectations. Many scholars and holy men and women have proposed first one understanding of who Jesus is, and then another. They are all correct and all incorrect. Thus, the best response to Jesus is to be constantly open to whatever revelation he decides to make and to keep our whole being open in the hope that we will encounter him.

It is only important for us to constantly realize that God has acted in Jesus, and has been revealed as a God of the poor, a God who wants all people to be whole, a God who reaches out to the lame, the blind, the deaf, the mute, and the scum of society.  God reaches out to tell them that they are loved and honoured because they, too, are created in the image and likeness of God.  The ones who accept this Jesus, will also accept that the mission he inaugurated is now their own, and they are called to join him in continuing it as he would have done.

Tuesday, December 17, 2024 Homily

Our God is with us and in us.

 

Tuesday, December 17, 2024 - Are you a person who says but does not do? Do you say YES but mean NO?

To read the texts click on the texts: Zeph 3:1-2, 9-13; Mt 21:28-32

The parable, which is the text of today, is exclusive to Matthew and contains the first of three parables.  These parables are all addressed to the chief priests and elders of the people, as a continuation of Jesus’ response to their challenge of his authority. Since they remained silent to his earlier question about John the Baptist, the Matthean Jesus begins this parable by forcing them to answer. He does this through the question, “What do you think?” The older son is first asked to go and work in the vineyard. He initially refuses, but afterwards, relents and goes. Since the older son refused him at first, the father then goes to the younger son and asks that he go and work in the vineyard. This son replied that would certainly go, but did not do so. Without any doubt, the one who did the will of the Father was the older son who was asked first.

The Parable does not seem to be so much about Jew and gentile as it is about religious leader and public sinner. Thus, Jesus is saying that the scum of society, though it says no to God, repents, performs the Father's will, and enters the kingdom, whereas the religious authorities loudly say yes to God but never do what he says, and therefore they fail to enter.

Both religious leaders and public sinners had John as a pointer of the way to Jesus and the kingdom. Yet, of these, while the sinners repented and believed, the religious did not, even after seeing sinners repent.

Lip service is easy. It does not require any action on the part of the person who gives it. This kind of person merely says, but will not do. Committed service is more difficult, because this calls for action and putting oneself out for the sake of another. It is not those who say “Lord, Lord”, but those who DO what God wants, who will gain entry into the kingdom.

Do you mean what you say?

 

Monday, December 16, 2024 - Do you usually mean what you say?

To read the texts click on the texts: Num 24:2-7, 15-17; Mt 21:23-27

In these verses, in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus enters the Temple for the last time.  Even while he teaches, the chief priests and elders of the people challenge his authority. The context in Matthew for this challenge seems to include Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple, his miraculous healing, and also, perhaps, his teaching in the Temple. In his response to this challenge, Jesus mentions John the Baptist and his entire ministry, including his baptism. In doing so, Jesus is not being evasive.  He is trying to get the chief priests and elders to recognize that John was, indeed, sent by God, so that they will then be able to recognize Jesus as the Messiah, about whom John prophesied. If they gave the correct answer to the question that Jesus asked, they would know from where Jesus’ authority comes.

The answer of the chief priests and elders that they did not know is loaded with meaning. This is evident in the way they argued among themselves how they must respond. Thus, what they were in effect saying was that they knew, but did not want to say it aloud because that would lead to their being trapped in their own net. If they answered that John was from God, they would have to also answer why they did not accept him and his baptism. However, even more than that, they would have to answer why they are not accepting Jesus to whom John pointed. They could answer that John was not from God, or of human origin, since they were afraid of the people who regarded John as a prophet from God. This leads them to realize that it better not to answer at all. Jesus responds by refusing to answer their question, since they have shown that they do not have the authority to ask it. Since they have not opted for John, they have not opted for Jesus.

While it is true that a person will not know the answer to all questions and “I do not know” is an accepted and legitimate response because of the fragmentary nature of human knowledge, we must be careful in using “I do not know” when we really mean that we do not want to know or do not want to say. We may not want to know because the knowledge that we profess to have will demand a response from us.  We may not be ready for this response and, thus, hide our closed minds under the words “I do not know”. We may not want to say because we are afraid of the consequences that our views will have, on us and, on others.  We may prefer to let things be as they are rather than rock the boat and topple over ourselves.

Sunday, December 15, 2024 - Homily

 

Sunday, December 15, 2024 - What must we do to receive his gift of peace?

To read the texts click on the texts: Zeph3:14-18; Phil4:4-7; Lk 3:10-18

The Third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is Latin for ‘rejoice.’ Rejoice is the first word of the Entrance Antiphon of today’s liturgy. It is also a call found in the first and second readings of today. In the first reading, the whole of Jerusalem is invited to rejoice because the Lord has taken away all judgements and turned away all enemies. In the second reading, Paul invites the community, at Philippi, to rejoice in the Lord because the Lord is near. It is a positive command and one that Paul repeats so as to make the call to rejoice emphatic.

We realise that the Lord is near and that we must, indeed, rejoice because that is true. We also realize that, in order that this rejoicing is genuine and authentic. We must ask, like the groups in the Gospel text of today asked: “What should we do?”

This is the question that is asked of John the Baptist three times in the Gospel text of today by three different groups of people. It is significant that the question is not “How should we pray?” or “How often must we fast?” but “What should we do?” It is an action-oriented question that has to do, not with inward looking act of repentance but, with outward looking acts of justice and mercy. It has to do, not with a withdrawal into the desert but, with an immersion into the market place which is where true repentance is done.

Though the content of John’s response to each group is different, because it is specific to that group, the core is the same. Thus, repentance for the crowds means not to put on sackcloth and ashes or even to offer sacrifices of burnt offerings. Repentance means outward action. It is a willingness to share with the less fortunate what one has. It is to realize that one has no right to hoard and keep for oneself any extra and this is especially so when there are so many who do not have even the bare minimum. The tax collectors and soldiers are challenged to refrain from exploiting their positions for personal gain at the expense of others. They were not to extort, but to be content with their due. All of John’s responses call for an end to a self-centred and selfish life, a life based on greed, self-satisfaction, and accumulation of material possessions. John’s responses call for the beginning of a life that will show actions of concern for one’s neighbour. Our change of heart will change the attitude towards the poor.

This change of heart and mind, as Zephaniah points out, is not the condition but the consequence of the Lord’s coming in the midst of his people. In the ninth and concluding oracle of the book, the people of Israel are called to witness the presence of the Lord. This presence is one of unconditional and eternal love. It is a presence in which, not only will the people rejoice over God but, God will also rejoice over his people. The strife is ended, the discord is no more, and the conflicts and disagreements are a thing of the past. Now, what matters is that the judgement has been taken away and the reproach has been removed.

 

The consequence of the Lord’s coming is, according to Paul, the gift of peace which does not mean merely the absence of strife or conflict but the total well-being of the person. It touches every aspect of a person’s life. It is a peace which means both wholeness and oneness. It is not given to the individual alone but also to all members of the community as a community.

In order to receive this peace, it is necessary to rid our hearts and minds of anything that might prevent it from entering our hearts and our world. As long as we continue to be self centred and focused only on how much we can accumulate for ourselves, this peace cannot be known. As long as we continue to do injustice and not give others their just due, this peace cannot be known. As long as we close our hearts and minds and ears to the cries of the millions of our brothers and sisters who have never known or experienced love, this peace cannot be known.

The message of John the Baptist to the groups he addressed 2000 years ago still finds an echo, even today. It is a message which asks us to eliminate greed and voracity from our hearts because our greed deprives others of what they must have. It is a message that challenges us never to be unjust and unfair to others and give up the attitude of selfishness that turns us inward to dwell on our concerns alone. John invites us to this other way of living which is a far better way than the one we have been used to till now. We have not experienced it because we have been too afraid to try it. The challenge, then, is not to ask “What should we do?” The challenge for us is to do it.                                       

 

Preconceived notions are dangerous

 

Saturday, December 14, 2024 - Are you still waiting for the Messiah? How will you show that he is present in your midst today?

To read the texts click on the texts: Sir 48:1-4, 9-11; Mt 17:10-13

The text of today is immediately after the Transfiguration and concerns the question that the disciples ask about the coming of Elijah. This question is extremely important because it concerns the authenticity of the Messiah. There are three views regarding the “WHY” of the disciples’ question. The first is: If the scribes say that Elijah must come before the Messiah comes, and if Elijah has not yet come, then can Jesus be the Messiah? The second view is that the disciples’ question was prompted by their assumption that Elijah’s appearance at the Transfiguration was itself his coming again, as prophesied by the prophet Malachi, and so the question of the disciples’ is: Why did Jesus (if he is the Messiah) appear before Elijah did, when the scribes say the order should be reversed. The third view is that Elijah was expected to come again and restore justice and teach people the meaning of true worship. If this is so, then how could the Messiah, who would come after this restoration by Elijah, be killed in the violent manner that Jesus had predicted?

The third view seems to fit the context best, since Jesus’ answer to the disciples’ question confirms this. Elijah has indeed returned and he has returned in the person of John the Baptist. His attempt to restore all things was rejected by the majority. Indeed, he was killed violently. The Messiah, who has come in Jesus, (and who comes after John) will thus suffer the same fate. It is therefore not surprising that the Messiah will be treated shamefully, rejected by the people, and killed violently. Though Jesus had not explicitly identified John the Baptist with Elijah, the disciples understood that he was speaking of John the Baptist when he spoke of Elijah having come.

Preconceived notions that we may have prevent us from seeing things as they are. We often see things, not as they are, but as we are. This is why we miss out on so much that life has to offer. What is required, in order to be able to see, is an openness and receptivity which are gifts that God gives us, if we but ask. This openness and receptivity allows us a new vision, a new insight, and a new way of seeing.

How to love those who are ungrateful

 

Friday, December 13, 2024 - Do you regard yourself as a contented person or are you a constant complainer?

To read the texts click on the texts: Isa 48:17-19; Mt 11:16-19

In the text of today, Jesus uses an analogy to show his view of the present generation. One group wants to play a happy game, a game of joy, a game of a wedding celebration, but the other group will not join. The first group then agrees to change the game to a game of mourning, a game of sorrow, a game of funerals, but even with this change, the other group will not participate.

The latter option corresponds to the gaunt and ascetic figure of John, whose message of coming judgment was too threatening, and whose life-style was too unworldly for the sophisticates of “this generation.” But when Jesus came in meekness, announcing the peaceable kingdom of unconditional love and forgiveness and celebrating the goodness of life with all, he was rejected as not “spiritual” enough. “This generation’s” description of Jesus as a glutton and a drunkard is reminiscent of Deut 21:20, suggesting more than merely an insult: Jesus is a rebellious Israelite worthy of stoning, one who should be executed in order to purge evil from the midst of the covenant community. For you, “the Baptist is a madman because he fasts, while you want to make merry; me you reproach because I eat with publicans, while you insist on strict separation from sinners”. You hate the preaching of repentance, and you hate the proclamation of the Gospel. The change of “all her children” found in Luke, to “her actions” in Matthew is probably because Matthew wants to identify Jesus as Wisdom incarnate and not merely as one of Wisdom’s messengers. Wisdom is proved right by her actions since they are the actions of Jesus himself.

The mother of a young boy of 10 was at her wits end when it came to dealing with him. Nothing she did would please him and he would always complain about something or other. If she fried an egg for him at breakfast, he would refuse to eat it and ask for a boiled one instead. If she boiled one the next day, he would ask for a fried egg. This went on and she had reached the end of her tether. One morning before breakfast, she thought she would be able to win and so fried one egg and boiled another. The boy came to the breakfast table, looked at both eggs, and said to his mother; “You fried the wrong one”.

God is love and the one who loves, knows God

 

Thursday, December 12, 2024 - What one action will you perform today to make Jesus known to someone who has not encountered him?

To read the texts click on the texts: Isa 41:13-20; Mt 11:11-15

John the Baptist is clearly a precursor in the Synoptic Gospels. He is the one who goes before the Lord to prepare his way. In Matthew, John has a borderline role. John is the last and greatest of all prophets until the time of Jesus. He is indeed the one who, alone among the prophets of the Old Testament, was the forerunner of the Messiah and this is what makes him the greatest human being. 

Even so, John does not belong to the new era of God’s rule inaugurated by Jesus. While on the one hand, the content of his proclamation about the kingdom is the same as that of Jesus; on the other hand, even the least in the kingdom is greater than John. 

The “least” in the kingdom, who is greater than John, while it may refer to Jesus (who came after John and was “younger” than him), here seems to refer to the disciples. These are greater than John because they have the privilege of seeing the inauguration of the kingdom which John was not privileged to see. They are also the ones who recognize the Messiah and point to him more clearly than John could hope to do.

From the beginning of Jesus' ministry, the kingdom has been forcefully advancing. The Prophets and the Law prophesied until then and, implicitly, prophesied this new era. And from that time on, the fulfillment of the prophecy, the kingdom itself has been forcefully advancing. This advancement cannot be seen by those who have closed themselves to this kind of revelation and thus, the text ends with the invitation to hear.

The kingdom that Jesus inaugurated continues to advance today despite many setbacks. It is not a kingdom that advances by force or by any kind of pressure.  It is a kingdom that wins over opponents by that unconditional love with which Jesus began it. We in the present generation are the fortunate ones who have been privileged to witness the kingdom. Now, it is our responsibility to point to him and make him known to those who have not yet had the privilege of encountering him as we have done.

 

Wednesday, December 11, 2024 - Homily

 

Wednesday, December 11, 2024 - Are you carrying the burden of unforgiveness, guilt, resentment, jealousy, or anger in your heart? Will you lay down that burden on Jesus’ shoulders today?

To read the texts click on the texts: Isa 40:25-31; Mt 11:28-30

The verses that make up the text of today are exclusive to Matthew. They are an invitation from Jesus to all those who are burdened. The burden referred to here is most likely the burden of religious obligation. This often became an obstacle in one’s path to God. While “yoke” generally meant obedience or even servitude, here the yoke is Jesus’ own yoke. Thus, this is not the yoke of the law; rather, it is the yoke that will deliver one from the artificial burdens of human religion. The “easy yoke” of Jesus is not an invitation to a life of ease but to a life of freedom. This is why it is important to “learn” from Jesus as a disciple learns from his/her teacher. This learning is not imitation but is learning from the revelation of God made visible in Jesus. When one recognizes who God really is, after learning from Jesus, one realizes that God is indeed a God who desires that all men and women be free and serve him only in freedom rather than from any external compulsion.

 Jesus invites anyone who wishes to come to him to do so. No one is excluded. What are required are openness and a desire to see a new revelation of God. It is a revelation that only Jesus is competent to make because he alone knows the Father, as father, and reveals him as such. This revelation is of a God who will not burden people with sets of rules and regulations. It is a revelation of a God who is unconditional love and who can be recognized only when love abounds.

Tuesday, December 10, 2024 - Homily

 

Tuesday, December 10, 2024 - How will you show practical concern for at least one person today?

To read the texts click on the texts: Isa 40:1-11; Mt 18:12-14

The Gospel text of today is taken from the fourth discourse in the Gospel of Matthew, known as “The Community Discourse”. It is addressed primarily to members of Matthew’s community and not to outsiders.

The parable of the lost sheep is found also in the Gospel of Luke. The context in Luke, however, is quite different from that in Matthew. While in Luke, it is told as a response to the murmurings of the Pharisees because Jesus was eating with tax collectors and sinners, in Matthew, it is part of the Community Discourse.

Thus, the concern in these verses in Matthew is clearly for members of the community who stray. The point is pastoral care and sanctification rather than evangelism and justification. The sheep that is lost is not more valuable than others, but has strayed and needs to be brought back. The finding and the return of the lost sheep cause joy. Every individual in the community is important and it is the responsibility of the community to seek out those who stray and bring them back into the fold. Mature disciples are to live their lives with the spiritual welfare of others in view. There is no such thing as an individual Christian. Every Christian is a Christian within community.

In a world in which individualism seems to be the order of the day, and when each is concerned only about him/herself, the parable of the lost sheep comes as a breath of fresh air. It challenges us to get out of our comfort zones and our selfish ways of living and live instead, lives that are other centered. It informs us that we are, each of us, our brother’s and sister’s keepers; each of us must accept responsibility for them. We are not individuals but one community that must be a community of concern for the other and a community showing this concern by reaching out in love. 

Monday, December 9, 2024 - How God graces humans

 

Monday, December 9, 2024- The Immaculate Conception - Will you say YES to all that God wants to do through you today even when you fully cannot understand why?

To read the texts click on the texts: Gen 3:9-15,20; Eph 1:3-6,11-12; Lk 1:26-38

The feast of the Immaculate Conception, celebrated on December 8, was established as a universal feast in 1476 by Pope Sixtus IV. He did not define the doctrine as a dogma, thus leaving Roman Catholics free to believe in it or not without being accused of heresy; this freedom was reiterated by the Council of Trent. The existence of the feast was a strong indication of the Church's belief in the Immaculate Conception, even before its 19th century definition as a dogma.

The Immaculate Conception was solemnly defined as a dogma by Pope Pius IX in his constitution Ineffabilis Deus on December 8, 1854. The Catholic Church believes that the dogma is supported by Scripture (e.g., Mary's being greeted by the Angel Gabriel as "full of grace") as well as either directly or indirectly by the writings of Church Fathers such as Irenaeus of Lyons and Ambrose of Milan. Catholic theology maintains that since Jesus became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, it was fitting that she be completely free of sin for expressing her fiat. In 1904 Pope Saint Pius X also addressed the issue in his Marian encyclical Ad Diem Illum on the Immaculate Conception.

In the Constitution Ineffabilis Deus of 8 December, 1854, Pius IX pronounced and defined that the Blessed Virgin Mary "in the first instance of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the human race, was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin."

The Gospel text chosen for the feast of today relates a scene immediately after the announcement of the birth of John the Baptist and contains the announcement of the birth of Jesus. There are many similarities in the annunciations to Mary and to Zechariah. The angel Gabriel is the one who makes both announcements. Both Zechariah and Mary are called by name and exhorted not to be afraid. Both ask a question of the angel, and it is the angel who tells them what name each child is to be given.  It is the angel who predicts what each child will turn out to be. However, even as there are similarities, there are differences in the narratives. While the announcement to Zechariah comes in the Temple and as a result of his fervent prayer, the announcement to Mary comes (apparently) when she is in her home and it is unanticipated. While Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth are advanced in age, Mary has not yet stayed with her husband, and so is a virgin. The birth of John to parents who are past the age of child bearing is a miracle, but even greater is the miracle of the birth of Jesus, who would be born through the Holy Spirit, and to a virgin. Even as John the Baptist goes with the spirit and power of Elijah, Jesus will be called “Son of God”. Luke clearly wants to show John as great, but only the forerunner of the Messiah, Jesus, who is greater.

In response to the announcement of the angel, Mary, like Zechariah, asks a question. While both questions seem similar, it is clear that Zechariah’s question expressed doubt and asked for a sign, as is evident in the angel’s words before Zechariah is struck dumb. Mary’s question, on the other hand, is a question asked in faith. Mary did not question the truth of the revelation like Zechariah did.

 

 

 

The evidence that what the angel has announced will indeed take place is the pregnancy of Elizabeth, for nothing is impossible for God. Mary responds, not merely with a Yes, but by asking that the Lord work in her to accomplish all that he wants

The annunciation would not have been complete without Mary’s trusting, obedient response.

Today, many assume that those whom God favours will enjoy the things we equate with a good life: social standing, wealth, and good health. Yet Mary, God’s favoured one, was blessed with having a child out of wedlock who would later be executed as a criminal. Acceptability, prosperity, and comfort have never been the essence of God’s blessing. The story is so familiar that we let its familiarity mask its scandal. Mary had been chosen, “favoured,” to have an important part in God’s plan to bring salvation to God’s people, but it is unthinkable that God would have forced Mary to have the child against her will. Mary is an important example, therefore, of one who is obedient to God even at great risk to self.

When we think of or reflect on Mary, the one word that comes to mind to describe her whole life is the word, AMEN, a word which may be translated, “so be it”, “your will be done”, “do whatever you want to do in my life”. This was, indeed, Mary’s constant response to every situation in her life, especially when she could not understand why things were happening the way they were. The text of today is, then, a call and challenge to each one of us, that we, too, like Mary, might be able to say YES to all that God wants to do in our lives. It is a challenge to be open and receptive to the Spirit of God, so that we, too, might be able to give birth to the Saviour in our hearts.

Sunday, December 8, 2024 - Homily

 

Sunday, December 8, 2024 - A voice in the wilderness

To read the texts click on the texts: Bar 5:1-9; Phil 1:3-6, 8-11; Lk 3:1-6

The Gospel text of today begins with a number of chronological references. These are not merely historical but theological. The chronological references are of two kinds: political and religious or even, secular and religious. By such a strategy, Luke has succeeded, not only in situating the preaching of John the Baptist in history but also, in stating that God works through Jesus in every sphere of human life. No area is beyond the purview of God’s influence. However, as true as this is, it is also true that God’s word regarding his Son and his coming is not revealed, not to the high priest, but to a prophet in the wilderness. He will be the one who will prepare the way of the One who is to come.

The preaching of John the Baptist is extensive. It extends, not only to a few people or even to one category of people but, to all peoples everywhere. It breaks all barriers and boundaries. In his preaching, John issues a summons, to all who are willing to listen, to “repent”. This summons is issued in order that everyone might prepare their minds and hearts for the coming of the Lord. If all of nature, the valleys, the mountains, and the hills, respond to this call, then, the least humans can do is to also respond.

This call to respond to what God is doing for his people is also part of the theme of the First reading of today. God, in his mercy and infinite love, has visited his people and brought them salvation. Even in the most miserable conditions, even when all seems lost, even when it does not seem worthwhile to carry on, perseverance is indeed, the key. The misery and desolation will not continue forever. Things will change. This means that his people must constantly engage with human life in all its complexity, ambiguity, and incomprehension. They do not deny the sufferings and pains. They do not deny that there are challenges ahead. Rather, despite their awareness of these things, they plod on. What will sustain them on the path is the confidence that the Lord will guarantee a just future.

Even as we want to believe this, a brief look around us today belies this guarantee. Injustice and oppression seem to continue unabated and unchecked. The oppressors are seen to get away with even the most violent of crimes. The cries of the poor and marginalized seem to fall on deaf ears. Where is the God of hope? Where is the God of consolation? Where is the God of justice and righteousness? Why does he not answer?

The truth is that he is here and that he does answer. He keeps speaking his word at every moment but, his word will not be heard as long as we close our ears, our eyes, and our hearts. It is not God, but we, as humans, who are responsible for the depressing situation in which we find ourselves today. However, even in this depression, there is a ray of hope and Paul provides it in the Second reading of today. Writing to the Philippians from prison, he exudes confidence, courage, and joy. His first words to them are words of thankfulness and joy. Though he had a capital sentence hanging over him, Paul will not let something as “minor” as that affects his disposition and attitude. He will continue to be hopeful. He will continue to believe. The source of his faith is based on what God has already done in Christ and, what God will do in all who believe. The Philippians, on their part have let nothing come in the way of their confidence in God. They have shown this by proclaiming, through their sharing in the good news, that God, in Christ, is reconciling the world to himself. Thus, despite all evidence to the contrary, the readings of today converge on one main point: hope. This hope is not illusive or deceptive, but real and reliable. God has given grounds for this hope by bringing back his people from exile into freedom, as Baruch had prophesied. The whole of nature has been transformed by what God has done for his people. God has given further grounds for this hope through the proclamation of John the Baptist who announced, not only what God has already done but also, what he is still in the process of doing. Paul and the Philippians lived out this hope even in the most trying circumstances. They continued to believe, even when things seemed totally out of control. They believed because they were confident that God, who began the good work, would bring it to completion.

The readings of today pose two related challenges to us who profess to be disciples of Jesus. The first challenge is that we continue to proclaim, even when things do not go the way we want, that God is still in charge. This proclamation cannot remain at the verbal level but has to be translated into action. The Church is called to be that “voice in the wilderness” which proclaims that injustice is at an end and that the poor will be given their just due. We have to proclaim this message to everyone. It is an inclusive message and thus, includes the whole of humanity and nature as well.

Baruch and John the Baptist dared to proclaim the message. Paul and the Philippians lived it. Will we?         

 

 

Sent on Mission

 

Saturday, December 7, 2024 - Will you speak an enhancing word today? Will you perform a healing action today?

To read the texts click on the texts: Isa 30:19-21, 23-26; Mt 9:35-10:1,6-8

The text of today begins with what is known as a Summary statement. It states succinctly the ministry of Jesus which is both word and action. It forms an inclusion with a similar summary in 4:23 and thus brackets what comes between, namely the Sermon on the Mount (Chapters 5-7) and the Miracle Cycle (Chapters 8-9). Through this Summary, Jesus is portrayed as Messiah in words and deeds. This Summary statement and Jesus’ observation of the crowd, who appear to him as harassed and helpless sheep without a shepherd, serves also as an Introduction to the Mission Discourse in Matthew (10:1-42) which is the second Discourse in the Gospel of Matthew. By placing this Introduction at the beginning of the Mission Discourse, Matthew succeeds in conveying that the Mission of the Disciples is at one with, is continuous with, the Mission of Jesus. Like Jesus, they, too, are called to say and do.  They, too, are called to word and action. They, too, are called, like Jesus, to make the Kingdom that they proclaim a tangible reality.

The disciples’ mission is not voluntary activity initiated by them; rather, they are chosen, authorized, and sent by God through Christ. It is his authority with which they are sent. They are to speak and act in Jesus’ name. The content of their missionary proclamation is that the kingdom of heaven has indeed come. This is a kingdom that is not theoretical but extremely practical and down-to-earth. This is why the verbal proclamation has to be accompanied by action. The actions they perform are actions of healing, of making whole. Since the kingdom of heaven is given by God freely and gratuitously, their proclamation and actions must also be done freely and without charge. God’s kingdom cannot be purchased and need not be purchased, since it is God’s free gift.

The mission that Jesus inaugurated continues even today. It is, even now, a mission that must consist of both word and action. The word that is spoken must be a word that enhances and builds up.  The action that is performed must be an action that heals and makes whole.