Sunday, 21 June 2026
Monday, June 22, 2026 - Do you know that when you point a finger at someone there are three fingers pointing back at you?
To read the texts click on the texts: 2 Kgs 17:5-8,13-15,18; Mt 7:1-5
The
absolute prohibition of judgement found in 7,1 is unparalleled in Jewish
tradition. When the individual comes to stand before God for judgement, he/she
will be judged according to the measure that he/she has used for others. Those
who have been merciful will receive mercy. One must be aware that one is not in
any superior position, which gives one the right to judge others. If one is
aware of one’s own weakness and frailty then one will be careful of pointing
out the faults of others.
Judging
others comes too easily to some and often we judge only by externals. It is
important to realise that it is possible that we might not be aware of all the
reasons why a person behaves in a particular manner and so mistaken in our
judgement. If we can give the benefit of the doubt to the person concerned and
find reasons for his/her behaviour we will have done well.
Saturday, 20 June 2026
Sunday, June 21, 2026 - Do not be afraid
To read the texts click on the texts: Jer 20:10-13; Rom 5:12-15; Mt 10:26-33
During
his years as premier of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev denounced many of
the policies and atrocities of Joseph Stalin. Once, as he censured Stalin in a
public meeting, Khrushchev was interrupted by a shout from a heckler in the
audience. “You were one of Stalin’s colleagues. Why didn’t you stop him?” “Who
said that?” roared Khrushchev. An agonizing silence followed as nobody in the
room dared move a muscle. Then Khrushchev replied quietly, “Now you know why.”
It is not always easy to stand up and be counted.
The
Gospel text of today deals with what it takes to stand up and be counted. It is
part of Matthew’s Mission Discourse in which Jesus, after commissioning his
disciples, gives them both instruction for and exhortation in Mission. Today’s
reading deals with exhortation. The words “Do not be afraid” appear three
times. ‘Do not be afraid to be open about faith, do not be afraid of powerful
opponents, and do not be afraid about what future holds in store. All three lay
in God’s hands.’ The message therefore is this: Confidence in God’s presence
and promise even in the midst of persecution. The message is: ‘Do not be afraid
to stand up and be counted because God is on the side of those who fight for
justice and the truth.’
It
is possible that fear might lead to the disciples remaining silent and not
communicating the message of Jesus, which is a message of the Kingdom. While
the disciples should expect persecution, they should not be paralyzed by fear.
They must continue to give bold witness to the message entrusted to them that
in Jesus and his words and works, the Kingdom of heaven has indeed come. The
disciples will be tempted to give up when things get difficult, but they are
called to persevere till the end with the witness that they must give. The
ideas expressed in this part of the Gospel are similar to the first reading
from Jeremiah
After
castigating the leaders for not obeying God’s word and warning them that
therefore they would be conquered by Babylon, Jeremiah is scourged and put in
stocks by Passhur, the head of the temple police. The text of today, spoken
after his release, includes Jeremiah’s sixth lament, in which he begins by
railing at God for “enticing” him into proclaiming God’s message and then
allowing him to be mocked and shamed. Though he is tempted to give up his
vocation of being a prophet (and so speaking God’s word on behalf of God)
because he is aware that people are plotting against him, he perseveres. This
perseverance results from his confidence in the fact that God will come to his
aid and deliver him from his enemies.
These
enemies cannot do real harm, because though physical death is indeed a
possibility for a disciple of Jesus, it will only be a transition, says Jesus.
God’s power is much more than even death. All that happens to the disciple is
known by God. As surely as God knows the comings and goings of even the
littlest bird, so he knows everything that happens to the disciple. He is
always the one who is in charge. He is “father” to the disciples and so the
disciples are related to Jesus as brothers and sisters. This relationship
between the Father, Jesus and the disciples must lead to witnessing to Jesus
and all that he stands for including justice and truth and to hope for the
future.
The
best example of this confidence according to the reading from Romans is Jesus
himself. He was obedient unlike Adam; he remained sinless and faithful unlike
Adam and thus made grace reign freely where there would have been universal
condemnation. He dared to stand up and be counted. He was unafraid even in the
face of ignominy, persecution and death. Thus through his life, mission, death
and resurrection Jesus has given his disciples the example they must follow,
the path they must take and the way they must walk.
To
walk this way continues to be difficult especially today when fears of all
kinds continue to dominate our lives and take control of us, not allowing us to
be the kind of persons we are meant to be. There are numerous people who will
try their best to stifle the message of justice and peace; simply because it is
beneficial to them do so. There are many who will try to shut down the voices
of those who protest against discrimination and violence.
By
looking to Jesus we see that the trials and sufferings of this life, especially
what we face as we try to live out and share our faith, are short-lived. We
should, therefore, not give in to fear; knowing that in the end truth will
triumph over untruth, justice over injustice, and eternal life over death, as
we are able to see already in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
Friday, 19 June 2026
Saturday, June 20, 2026 - How often do I try to be in two places at the same time or at two times in the same place?
To read the texts click on the texts: 2 Chronicles 24:17-25; Mt 6:24-34
The
text of today begins by stating a general rule that undivided attention can be
given to one person alone at a time. If there is more than one, then the
disciple’s loyalty is certainly split. One must decide whether one will allow
oneself to be controlled by wealth and the things of this world, or whether one
will realise that they cannot bring true happiness. The prohibition, “Do not
worry” dominates the rest of this pericope and is used six times in it. The
call to look at nature (the birds of the air and the lilies of the field) is a
call to learn how God in his providence provides for them. This does not mean
that human beings do not have to work for their living, rather it means that
even after working as hard as they can, humans must realise the life is much
more than simply work and earning a living. It has also to do with being.
There
are indeed many distractions in life, which sometimes can take us away from
where we ought to look and focus. While planning is good and desirable, what is
undesirable is useless worry or anxiety. When we stir the sugar in our coffee
or tea every morning we are already thinking of drinking it. When we are drinking
our coffee or tea, we are already thinking of washing the cup. When we are
washing our cup, we are already thinking or drying it When we are drying it, we
are already thinking of placing it on the rack and when we are placing it on
the rack we are already thinking of what we have to do next. We have not
stirred the sugar, nor have we have drunk the coffee, nor have we washed it nor
placed it on the rack. If one takes one moment of one day at a time and gives
of one’s best to that moment, life will be well lived
Thursday, 18 June 2026
Friday, June 19, 2026 - If you were given the chance to take just ONE THING with you when you die, what would it be?
To read the texts click on the texts: 2 Kings 11:1-4,9-18,20; Mt 6:19-23
The
section that begins in 6,19 concerns knowing where one’s priorities lie.
Treasure stored on earth is of not much use because it is temporary and passing
and gathers rust and also can be stolen. Rather heavenly treasure is permanent
and eternal. A person’s attention will be concentrated on where his/her
treasure is. Thus instead of concentrating on the temporary it is better to
concentrate on the eternal, the impermanent. If one does not perceive
correctly, one’s whole orientation will be incorrect and one will live a life
of futility, concentrating on what is really not essential.
Sometimes
we lose focus in our lives and waste so much time on trifles. We are so
concentrated on gathering up for tomorrow and the next day, that the present
day passes us by and we find that we have live it unaware. An occasional
examination of our priorities is required to bring back our focus on what is
really necessary.
Wednesday, 17 June 2026
Thursday, June 18, 2026- Is there someone who you think has hurt you whom you have not yet forgiven? Will you forgive that person today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Sir 48:1-14; Mt 6:7-15
In
the text of today, we read what is commonly known as the "Our
Father". However, a better term for this would be "The Lord's
Prayer". The reason for this is because there are two versions of the same
prayer. The other is found in Lk. 11:2-4. There, the pronoun "Our" is
missing and the prayer begins simply with "Father". Also the context
of the prayer in Matthew and Luke is different. While in Matthew the prayer is
told in the context of the Sermon of the Mount, in Luke it is told in response
to the disciples’ request to Jesus to teach them how to pray (Lk 11:1).
Be
that as it may, in both Matthew and Luke the point is clear that the prayer is
primarily a prayer of dependence on God who is Father. This dependence is for
something as dramatic and magnificent as the Kingdom and also for something as
routine and regular as bread. Both prayers have also the theme of forgiveness,
which is received from God and given to others.
The
Lord’s Prayer is not just a prayer; it is also a way of life. The words of the
prayer communicate the attitude that one must have toward God and others. While
we must acknowledge our dependence on God for everything that we need and
regard him always as the primary cause, our attitude to others must be one of
acceptance and forgiveness.
Tuesday, 16 June 2026
Wednesday, June 17, 2026 - How often have you made “means” ends in themselves?
To read the texts click on the texts:2 Kings 2: 1,6-14; Mt 6:1-6,16-18
Immediately
after the six antitheses (5:21-48) in the Sermon on the Mount, there follows
instructions on three practices that were common among the Pharisees as a sign
of closeness to God namely almsgiving, prayer and fasting. All three though
only a means to reach God can be made ends in themselves. Almsgiving can be
ostentatious, prayer can be used to show-off and fasting can be used to point
to one’s self. Jesus cautions the listeners about these dangers and challenges
them to make them all internal activities that will lead the way to God rather
than being made ends in themselves.
For
us as Christians, Jesus has simplified matters. There is absolutely no
obligation in the Christian way of life except the obligation to love. When
there is love then all our actions come from our hearts and spontaneously
without counting the cost. Almsgiving becomes generous and spontaneous, prayer
becomes union with God and leads to action and fasting is done in order to show
our dependence on God and not on earthly things.
Monday, 15 June 2026
Tuesday, June 16, 2026 - How often has the expectation of some “reward” been your motivation for “doing good”? Will you “do good” without any expectation of reward today?
To read the texts click on the texts:1 Kings 21:17-29; Mt 5:43-48
In
the last of the six antitheses, Matthew focuses on the love command. . While
there is no command to hate the enemy in the Old Testament, yet, there are
statements that God hates all evildoers and statements that imply that others
do or should do the same. Jesus, makes explicit here the command to love
enemies. The conduct of the disciples of Jesus must reveal who they are really
are, namely “sons and daughters of God”.
The
command to “be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” does not mean to be
without faults, but means to be undivided in love as God is undivided in love.
The
love we have for others is more often than not a conditional love. We indulge
in barter exchange and term it love. We are willing to do something for someone
and expect that they do the same or something else in return. It is a matter of
“give”, but also a matter of “take”. When Jesus asks us to be like the heavenly
Father, he is calling us to unconditional love.
Sunday, 14 June 2026
Monday, June 15, 2026 - How often have you gone beyond the call of duty? Will you do so today?
To read the texts click on the texts: 1 Kgs 21:1-16; Mt 5:38-42
The
text of today contains the fifth antithesis. In it, Jesus not only affirms the
thrust of the Law in opposing unlimited revenge, but also calls for a rejection
of the principle of retaliatory violence as well. In the five examples that
follow (being struck in the face, being sued in court, being requisitioned into
short-term compulsory service, giving to beggars and lending to borrowers) the
one point being made is to place the needs of others before one’s own needs.
The disciple of Jesus is called to go beyond the call of the Law and do more
than it requires.
It
is so easy for us to be reactors. If someone does something to hurt us, we
think that it is “natural” for us to want to do something to hurt him or her in
return. In the text of today, Jesus is calling us to be actors and not reactors
and to do what we do because we think it is right and just and not as a
reaction to someone else’s action.
Saturday, 13 June 2026
Sunday, June 14, 2026 - How will you continue to proclaim God's kingdom?
To read the texts click on the texts: Exod 19:2-6; Rom 5:6-11; Mt 9:35-10:8
The
themes which stand out in the readings of today are obedience, love and
wholeness.
In
the reading from the Book of Exodus we are made privy to a theophany. God
speaks with Moses and promises that he is a God of justice and mercy. He will
continue to bestow his love on the people. The experience of this love must
move the people to respond. The manner in which they show that they have
received God's love and mercy is if they love others and are merciful to them.
This will mean professing their faith in action and not only in words.
Paul
speaks of this faith which he says is what justifies us. We are not justified
by any merit on our part simply because Jesus has obtained all the graces that
we need through his death on the cross. This death was not because we were
righteous or worthy in any way. It was because of the gratuity of God in Jesus
who died for us even when we were sinners. This is proof (if proof were
required) of God’s immeasurable and unconditional love made visible and
tangible in Jesus.
The
love that we receive from Jesus is a love that must be shared with all those we
meet. This is why the Gospel text begins with a summary of the activities of
Jesus. This includes word and action, saying and doing. The Mission of Jesus to
make people whole is not a restricted, but a universal mission. It is to all
and for all. In this mission, every person is made well, every disease is cured
and every infirmity is healed
The
trust that Jesus places in his disciples is evident when he gives his disciples
the same mission given to him by God. The disciples will speak and act like
Jesus did. They will make people well, cure diseases and heal infirmities like
Jesus did. Jesus holds nothing back. He gives his disciples the same authority
that God gave him. It is with his authority that his disciples will have
authority over unclean spirits and over every disease and infirmity. In a word,
they will have authority over all the negatives that do not allow people to be
whole.
The
mission on which Jesus sends his disciples is directed primarily to the poor
and downtrodden. It is the marginalized and forgotten that the missionaries are
to reach first. They are to give with no expectation of return. Since they have
received everything as grace they must impart to others whatever they do with
the same grace. Just as the immediate response of Jesus on seeing the crowds
was compassion, so must the missionaries be compassionate to everyone they
meet.
It
must be noted that when Jesus summons the twelve, they are termed disciples.
This is from the Greek μαθηταί, and means someone who sits at the feet of the
master and learns from him. The reason for the use of this term here is to
indicate that the Mission belongs to Jesus and it is with his authority that
the disciples are sent out. It is only after they have learned from him that
they can become ἀπόστολοι (apostles) or those who are sent out. it is Jesus’
message (“gospel of the kingdom”) that the disciples proclaim, his miracles
that they continue, and his presence that defines them.
The
list of the names of the twelve is instructive. The first four were fishermen,
Matthew was a tax-collector, not much is known about the others, but in the
group, there is also a betrayer. We also know that of these chosen twelve,
there was not one who remained in Gethsemane when Jesus was arrested. In other
words, Jesus did not choose heroes. He chose weak, vulnerable and sinful men
and hoped that through them he would continue the Mission given to him by God.
His
hope was not belied. Even if immediately
after the death and burial of Jesus, the disciples were a frightened lot, there
is no doubt that with the coming of the Spirit which Jesus promised, they
became fearless and courageous men. They became men who would keep spreading
the message of love no matter what the consequences. They continued the mission
of Jesus as he wanted them to continue it, remembering at all times, that the
mission was the mission of the Lord.
What
message do the readings offer us? The love of God manifested in Jesus is a love
that is unconditional. In his letter to the Romans, Paul explains how this is
so when he states that Jesus died for us even when we were ungodly and sinners.
He did not wait for humanity to become godly and obedient to God. He accepted
the whole of humanity as it was with all its weaknesses and sinfulness with no
expectation in return. His death to save was an act done gratuitously and
without reserve. It was done because of unconditional love.
If
we have experienced this love, the only proper response is that we love in
return. As the disciples learned from Jesus, we too must sit at his feet and
learn from him. It is with his authority that we too like the apostles will
them go out to everyone we meet proclaiming God’s kingdom of justice, peace and
love. It is then that like the disciples we too will make people whole.
There
may be times when our efforts will not bear the fruit that we want. At times
like these we keep reminding ourselves that the Mission is not ours but the
Lord’s and that in his time and in his way, he will make the whole of humanity
whole. If God could make the Universe out of nothing, we know and will remember
that nothing is impossible for God.
Friday, 12 June 2026
Thursday, 11 June 2026
Friday, June 12, 2026 - The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus - Has pride come in the way of your encountering Jesus? What will you do about it today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Dt 7:6-11; 1 Jn 4:7-16; Mt 11:25-30
The
feast of the Most Sacred Heart is a movable feast, but is always celebrated on
the third Friday after Pentecost. Ever since the seventeenth century when St.
Margaret Mary Alacoque was granted visions of the Sacred Heart and asked to
spread this devotion, the Jesuits represented by her confessor St. Claude de la
Colombière, played a fundamental role in spreading this devotion. Colombière,
spoke with Margaret Mary a number of times and after much prayer, discernment
and reflection became convinced of the validity of her visions.
In
recent times, one of the most loved and admired Generals of the Society of
Jesus Fr. Pedro Arrupe was instrumental in reviving this devotion and placing
Jesuits once again at the forefront of spreading this devotion. This devotion according to Arrupe was “the
centre of the Ignatian experience”. It is an “extraordinarily effective means
as much for gaining personal perfection as for apostolic success”.
The
feast of the Sacred Heart is to be celebrated as a privilege and grace.
However, it is also a responsibility.
First,
the love that we receive from the Sacred Heart of Jesus is not a private
possession, but one that must be shared with all. Just as the Father makes no
distinction and makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good (Mt 5:45), so
must we in our sharing of the love of Christ.
Second,
the concern that God has for us and our Universe must be a concern which we
must show to our world. The wanton destruction of nature, excessive and abusive
use of scarce resources like water, indiscriminate cutting of trees for selfish
gain, unlawful and criminal killing of wild animals are signs that we are
working against God’s concern. If God cares for us so much, must we not care
for our world?
Third,
the intimate connection of the Sacred Heart and Eucharist reminds us that just
as Christ is so easily available to us, we must also be to each other. The
Eucharist and the feast of the Sacred Heart ought not to be private and passive
devotions, but celebrations that make us ready to reach out in service and
availability to anyone who needs us.
The
text for the feast is from the Gospel of Matthew. To understand it fully, two
points must be kept in mind. The first is that it is placed by Matthew after
three “negative” passages which begin at 11:2. These are the response of Jesus
to the disciples of John the Baptist to their question whether Jesus was the
Messiah, the exasperation with the crowd who do not recognize John nor Jesus,
and the denunciation of the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum.
Indeed, this entire section of Matthew’s Gospel seems to lean on a sense of
apparent “failure” on the part of Jesus to measure up to the expectations that
all around him had in terms of what a “Messiah” would look like or act like.
The
second point is that this text is clearly a Matthean composition and is made of
three elements. The first two of these are found in Luke but in different
contexts and the third is exclusive to Matthew. In Matthew the audience is
clearly the crowds and so the words of Jesus here are meant for all.
The
passage appearing as it does in this context seeks to state that despite so
much of doubt and negativity, that despite so much of blindness and closed
attitudes, this is not the last word. Despite the fact that Jesus’ message has
been questioned by John the Baptist, rejected by many and especially the wise
and understanding and not paid heed to by the cities, yet the invitation and
message will find acceptance among the open and receptive of which there are
still some left. There is no arbitrariness in this. Rather, it is simply true
that for the most part the wise tend to become proud and self-sufficient in
their wisdom and particularly unreceptive regarding the new and the unexpected.
This is because they have already made up their minds about what kind of
Messiah is to come.
On
the other hand the childlike are most often unself-conscious, open, dependent,
and receptive. They are willing to let God work in their lives. They have not
decided in advance how God must act and are willing to let God be God. Thus
everything comes down finally to the person of Jesus and the nature of the
fulfilment he brings. He cannot be understood if he is restricted to
preconceived categories; he will not conform to human conceptual frameworks. He
must be understood as God knows him, as the one who on behalf of the Father
always does his will.
Wednesday, 10 June 2026
Thursday, June 11, 2026 - St. Barnabas - Is there a person, thing or event which controls you and does not allow you to be free? Try to give it up through the intercession of St. Barnabas.
To read the texts click on then texts: Acts 10:21-26;13:1-3; Mt 10:7-13
Barnabas
was originally Joseph and was named Barnabas by the Apostles probably because
of his success as a Preacher. The name was interpreted to mean “son of
exhortation or consolation”, though this interpretation is disputed by some.
According
to Acts 4:36-37, it seems that he was a convert to Christianity shortly after
Pentecost in around 29 or 30 C.E. and immediately sold his property and donated
the proceeds of the sale to the Church
Though
nothing is recorded of Barnabas for some years, he evidently acquired during
this period a high position in the Church.
The
Gospel text for the feast is from the Mission Discourse of Matthew which
contains the instructions for Mission.
Three
points may be noticed. The first is that mission is not only words but also
action. Jesus sends the disciples not only to preach but also to heal. The
second is that Jesus provides a strategy for mission which may be summarised in
one word namely, DETACHMENT. The call is to detachment from anything, which
will hold a person up or prevent him or her from engaging in mission. The third
is that Jesus calls the disciples from a detachment even from the outcome of
mission. They must not be concerned about the results or the fruits, but simply
do what needs to be done.
Often,
too much of focus on the results of our actions do not allow us to focus on the
action itself. Consequently, our action is neither effective nor efficacious.
If we continue to keep in mind that the Kingdom is not ours but His and we are
only called to do our best in striving to make this kingdom a reality in the
lives of others, then our action will be both effective and efficacious.
Detachment even from the results of our action is an indication that we are
aware that God is always in control.
Tuesday, 9 June 2026
Wednesday, June 10, 2026 - When was the last time you performed an action without any expectation of reward? Will you perform one today?
To read the texts click on the texts:1Kings 18:20-39; Mt 5:17-19
These verses contain what
are commonly known as the “theme” of the Sermon on the Mount. In these verses,
the Matthean Jesus makes explicit that he is a law abiding Jew. His attitude
towards the Jewish law is fundamentally positive. However, Jesus also makes
explicit here, that he has come not merely to confirm or establish the law, but
to fulfil or complete it. This means that he will go beyond a purely legal
interpretation to a broader perspective. He will remove the focus from the mere
external and concentrate on the internal. The focus will be more on the
attitude than merely on the action.
While laws, rules and
regulations are necessary and help towards order, it is also possible that they
can become ends in themselves and not as they are meant to be, means to an end.
We might follow in some cases the letter of the law, but miss out on its
spirit. We might even follow the rule or law only because we are afraid of
getting caught and punished and not because we are convinced of it.
Monday, 8 June 2026
Tuesday, June 9, 2026 - How will you as a disciple of Jesus be salt and light today?
To read the texts click on the texts: 1 Kgs 17:7-16; Mt 5:13-16
The text of today is
somewhat of a link text, which joins the beatitudes (5:3-12) to the theme of
the Sermon (5:17-20). These verses point out the effect that living the Sermon
will have on the liberation of the world. The text makes two assertions about
the followers of Jesus. The first is that they are the salt of the earth and
the second is that they are the light of the world.
Both these symbols seem
to point to the indispensable role that the disciples of Jesus are to play in
the liberation of the world. It is through the lives of the disciples of Jesus
that the world will be moved to glorify God. This is indeed a great privilege,
but also a great responsibility.
Salt is an ingredient
that adds flavour or taste to that to which it is added. It makes the insipid
tasty, edible and enjoyable. Disciples of Jesus are called to add taste and
flavour to the lives of others. Light enables one to see correctly and results
in removing darkness. This is what the disciples of Jesus must do if they are
to be true disciples: remove the darkness from the lives of others.
Sunday, 7 June 2026
Monday, June 8, 2026 - Do any of the beatitudes apply to you? Will you strive to make at least two applicable to yourself today?
To read the texts click on the texts: 1 Kgs 17:1-6; Mt 5:1-12
Beginning today, the
gospel reading will be from the Gospel of Matthew except on feasts or special
occasions. The Church begins from Chapter 5 of Matthew. The three chapters
beginning from 5:1 and ending at 7:29 contain one of the most famous discourses
of Matthew known as “The Sermon on the Mount”.
Since we will be reading
this Sermon for almost three whole weeks on weekdays, it is important to have
some background of what the Sermon is about.
The first point that we
note is that this is the first of the five great discourses in the Gospel of
Matthew. Each of these five ends with the phrase, “and when Jesus had
finished…” (7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1; 26:1). It begins by showing Jesus as a
Rabbi teaching ex-cathedra (5:1) and ends by showing Jesus as the Messianic
prophet addressing the crowds (7:28).
The second point that
must be kept in mind is that the Sermon is a composition of Matthew. An
analysis of similar texts in the Gospels of Mark and Luke indicate that many
verses found here in Matthew are found in Mark and Luke in different contexts.
This does not mean that Jesus did not say these words. It means that Matthew
has put them together in this manner
The third point is the
theme, which will determine how one will interpret the Sermon as a whole. Most
are agreed that the theme of the Sermon is found in 5:17-20, in which Jesus
speaks about having come not to abolish but to fulfil the Law and Prophets, and
issues a challenge to those listening to let their “righteousness” be greater
than that of the scribes and Pharisees in order to enter the kingdom.
Today’s text contains
what is commonly known as the “Introduction” to the Sermon and contains the
Beatitudes, which are the communication of a blessing. The mountain is a
“theological topos” in the Gospel of Matthew (Luke’s Sermon is from “a level
place cf Lk 6:17) and therefore means much more than simply a geographical
location. Matthew does not name the mountain, but by choosing it as the place
from where Jesus delivers the Sermon, he probably wants to portray Jesus as the
New Moses delivering the New Law from a New Mountain. While Jesus in the Gospel
of Luke “stands” and delivers the Sermon (Lk 6:17), in Matthew, Jesus sits
down. This is the posture that the Jewish Rabbis adopted when communicating a
teaching of importance or connected with the Law. In Luke the crowd is
addressed from the beginning of the Sermon and addressed directly, “Blessed are
you poor…” (Lk 6:20), but in Matthew, it is the “disciples” who come to Jesus
and whom he begins to teach. The address is indirect, “Blessed are the poor in
spirit” (5:3). While Luke has four beatitudes with four corresponding “Woes”;
Matthew has seven plus an additional beatitude, with no corresponding woes. The
reason why the “eight” is called an additional beatitude is because the first
and the seventh both end with the phrase “theirs is the kingdom of heaven”
forming what is known as an inclusion. Beatitude is an expression of
congratulations, which recognises an existing state of happiness. While the
rewards described in the first and seventh beatitudes are in the present tense,
they are in the future tense in the other five beatitudes. The sense is that it
is God himself who will do all of this for them. By choosing to bless the
disadvantaged, the Matthean Jesus indicates the thrust of his mission, which is
primarily a mission to the disadvantaged.
Saturday, 6 June 2026
Sunday, June 7, 2026 - The Feast of Corpus Christi - The Body and Blood of Christ
To read the texts click on the texts: Deut 8:2-3, 14-16; 1 Cor 10:16-17; Jn6:51-58
A
team of Russians and Americans were on a common expedition. Among their cabin
foodstuff was Russian black bread. It was tasty but hard on the teeth. During a
meal an American bit into a piece and snapped a tooth. He threw the bread
overboard and growled: “Lousy Communist bread.” The Russian countered: “It is
not lousy communist bread, but a shaky capitalist tooth.” Some of us may
complain in a similar manner about the Eucharist being useless. However, if we
do not experience the transforming power of the Eucharist it is not on account
of the Eucharist but on account of our shaky faith and lack of understanding of
what the Eucharist really means
The
feast of Corpus Christi is usually thought to be the feast of the Eucharist and
while this is certainly true, it would be a mistake to restrict the
understanding of the feast to the ritual of the Eucharist. The feast goes
beyond the ritual to life itself, just as the Eucharist does.
The
Eucharist is both a sacrament and a sacrifice. The Eucharist is a sacrament, an
outward sign in and through which we meet Christ who shares his life of grace
with us. Through signs of bread and wine he nourishes and strengthens us for
our journey through life. We see with human eyes what looks like bread and
wine. We see with eyes of faith, not bread and wine, but the risen, living Lord
Jesus.
The
Eucharist is a sacrifice, the representation or reliving of Christ’s
sacrificial death on Good Friday and of his Resurrection on Easter Sunday.
The
scripture readings today stress how God made a covenant with His people, first
through Moses and then, finally and forever, through Christ, a covenant sealed
and ratified by his blood. This covenant or bond of love between God and us is
renewed and deepened through and in every Eucharist or Mass.
The
second reading today, from Paul, is the earliest recorded story of anything
Jesus did. And that earliest story is about a meal, the Last Supper, which
Jesus shared with his disciples. In a very particular way, he made that meal a
way to remember him. It brings forward his sacrifice and death and
resurrection, his fellowship and unity with us, and everything he taught us.
And he did not want his followers to eat it just once that night but to do it
again and again, so that we continue to remember.
St
Augustine often stressed to his parishioners a unique quality of the
Eucharistic food. The ordinary food we eat, he says, becomes part of us. We are
what we eat. But partaking of the Eucharist, we become part of Jesus, We become
more Christ like, more patient and kind, more forgiving and understanding. We
still live our ordinary daily lives, but it is Our Lord who inspires our
attitudes and actions. We begin to see
people and events through his eyes, to think as he did. When Jesus was on this
earth, he used his own hands to reach out to people, but when he wants to feed
the poor today, he uses my hands, your hands to do this.
Surely,
we hunger and thirst for something new, when we share in the grief, anger,
misery and neglect of the impoverished, the unjustly accused, and victims of
violence caused by religious intolerance, ethnic hatred, terrorism and racism.
We are hungry indeed for peace and thirsty for reconciliation in this our
troubled world. We are hungry and thirsty for a new world, a world where we
will look one another in the eye and recognize the kinship of sisters and
brothers who are all children of God. The promise of this new world is set
forth in the strongest possible terms when Jesus declares, “Those who eat my
flesh and drink my blood abide in me and I in them…”
This
feast, then, of the Body of Christ, sums up three important confessions of our
faith. First, and most important, God became physically present in the person
of Christ – true God and true Man. Secondly; God continues to be present in His
people as they form the Mystical Body of Christ in his Church. And, thirdly,
God becomes present in the form of bread and wine on the altar at Mass.
Eucharist, then, should not remain simply a “going to” or “taking of” that
begins and ends in the sanctuary. It should become the deepest expression of
our communion with Christ.
Friday, 5 June 2026
Saturday, June 6, 2026 - How often in a day do you let the opinion of others affect your behaviour? What will you do about it today?
To read the texts click on the texts:Tobit 12:1,5-15,20; Mk 12:38-44
There
are two parts to the text of today. The first deals with the condemnation of
the scribes (12,38-40) and the second the commendation of a widow (12,41-44).
The
charge against the scribes is that they have no concern for anyone except
themselves. This lack of concern is shown in the behaviour they exhibited.
Their words do not correspond to their actions and they do what they do only
for external show.
Since
one of the charges against the scribes was that they devour widows’ houses, the
second part of the text speaks about a poor widow. The widow unlike the scribes
has no concern for self and this is shown in her willingness to give everything
to God. She is what she does.
So
many of us live our lives based on the opinion of others. We want others to
think well of us and will often act in such a way that meets their approval.
There are also times when we may not be convinced of something and yet would do
it only because we want to show externally that we are “part of the crowd”.
When we behave in this manner we are imitating the scribes.
Thursday, 4 June 2026
Friday, June 5, 2026 - How do you usually address Jesus? Why do you use this title?
To read the texts click on the texts:Tobit 11:5-17; Mk 12:35-37
Since
Mark ended the previous episode by stating that after the scribes question and
Jesus’ response no one dared to ask Jesus any question, he has Jesus himself
ask the question about the Messiah as Son of David. In his interpretation of Ps
110,1 attributed to David, the Messiah is called Lord. If this is what David
says, then the Messiah cannot be also his son. Mark’s point is that the title
son of David is an inadequate title to describe who the Messiah really is.
Jesus
cannot be captured by titles or names. He is much bigger than any name that we
might use for him. And while we may know many things about him, his life and
mission, we need to make every attempt to KNOW him.
Wednesday, 3 June 2026
Thursday, June 4, 2026 - Will your love for God show in your love for at least one person today?
To read the texts click on the texts: 2 Timothy 2:8-15; Mk 12:28-34
While in Matthew 22,35,
the lawyer asks Jesus the question about the great commandment in order to test
Jesus; in Mark he is not hostile. As a matter of fact Mark mentions at the
beginning of the incident that he thought that Jesus had answered the Sadducees
well and at the end he commends Jesus for his answer. Jesus responds in the
words of the “Shema”, which speaks of love of God (Deut 6,5-6), but adds also
the love of neighbour (Lev 19,18). The scribe’s response to this is to
acknowledge Jesus’ answer as correct and to add that following these
commandments is greater than sacrifices and burnt offerings. Jesus concludes
the dialogue by stating that because the scribe has recognised what his
priorities are, he is not far from the kingdom of God.
Love of God cannot really
be separated from love of neighbour. The two go together. Our love for God is
made manifest and tangible only when we reach out in love to someone else.
While Paul gives a beautiful description of what love is and what it is not in
1 Corinthians 13, my own definition of love is that in love there is no “I”.
Tuesday, 2 June 2026
Wednesday, June 3, 2026 - To believe in the resurrection means to live each day as if were your last. Do you live in this way?
To read the texts click on the texts: 2 Timothy 1:1-3,6-12; Mk 12:18-27
Though belief in the
resurrection had developed around two centuries prior to the birth of Jesus,
there were many Jews who did not accept it. The Sadducees, especially, were
known to regard belief in the resurrection as not justified by the scriptures
or mentioned in them (Acts 23,8). In their question to Jesus to point out the
absurdity of the resurrection, they use the custom of Levirate marriage
mentioned in Deuteronomy 25,5 which states that the wife of a dead brother
shall not be married outside the family to a stranger, but by her husband’s
brother (Genesis 38,8). Their question is that if there were seven brothers and
all seven had the same woman as wife, whose wife would she be in the
resurrection. In his response Jesus first corrects their misunderstanding about
what the resurrection means and implies. In the resurrection there will no
longer be human institutions like marriage and so the question of being given
in and taken in marriage does not arise. Humans in the resurrected life will no
longer be constrained by the limits or relationships of their earthly bodies.
He then uses scripture to establish that resurrection is indeed mentioned in
the scripture and is about God’s revelation to Moses in Exodus 3,6-16 as the
God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and if these are mentioned though they are
dead, then he must be the God of the living, since they live in him. God is not
God of the dead but the living.
Too much of concern with
the afterlife or heaven and hell may lead to our not living fully this life on
earth. Our heaven at this moment is here on earth and we must strive towards
making it as enjoyable as possible not only for ourselves but also for those
around us.
Monday, 1 June 2026
Tuesday, June 2, 2026 - Does God have priority in your life? How does this show?
To read the texts click on the texts: 2 Peter 3:11-15,17-18; Mk 12:13-17
The Pharisees
theoretically accepted the position of the Zealots who refused to admit the
subjection of God’s people to a foreign power but they would not use force. The
question of the Pharisees and Herodians is asked to trap Jesus and so the
praise of Jesus is ironic and implies that Jesus is being asked to decide the
question because his impartiality mirrors that of God. They think they can trap
Jesus because if he said yes or No, he was bound to alienate one group or
another. If he supported the payment, he would make himself unpopular with the
people and if he said No, he would be politically suspect to the Roman
authorities. The tax was to be paid in Roman coinage and instead of answering
the question, Jesus first calls for the denarius. The denarius would bear a
portrait of the emperor Tiberius (14 - 37 C.E.). Jesus forces them to look at
the coin which would have been offensive to them, because having the Emperor’s
portrait on the coin violated Jewish rules of making images and worshipping
idols. As soon as they identify the head on the coin, Jesus points to them what
they already say, namely that the coin since it bears Caesar’s head belongs to
Caesar.
Jesus rejects the
position of the Zealots without accepting that of the Herodians who would be
willing to pay the tax.
By adding “and to God the
things that are God’s.” Jesus turns the pronouncement of paying taxes into a
spiritual challenge to meet ones obligations to God as conscientiously as one
meets the obligations of the state.
How often we too are so
conscientious in fulfilling our state duties because we are afraid of being
caught, but are lax with God.
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