Sunday, June 14, 2026 - Nothing is impossible for God

 

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.

 

Saturday, June 13, 2026 - The Immaculate Heart of Mary - Mary's response was to LET GOD do in and through her.

 

Friday, June 12, 2026 - Sacred Heart of Jesus - The feast of the Sacred Heart reminds us that the love of Jesus is not a private possession for a select few, but is shared with all.

 

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.

 

Thursday, June 11, 2026 - Barnabas celebrated his encounter with the Lord by encouraging others. How will you celebrate your encounter with the Lord?

 

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.

Wednesday, June 10, 2026 - When was the last time you did an action with no expectation whatsoever? Will you attempt one today?

 

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.

Tuesday, June 9, 2026 - The intrinsic quality of salt is saltiness and the intrinsic quality of light is light. It is in this sense that we are called to be salt and light. The intrinsic quality of a Christian is to be like Christ.