Wednesday, 30 September 2026
Thursday, October 1, 2026 - St. Therese of the Child Jesus - The Little Flower
To read the texts click on the texts: Isa 66:10-14; 1 Cor 13:4-13; Mt 18:1-4
St.
Therese of the Child Jesus is one of my most favourite saints. I admire and am
inspired by her for a number of reasons, but one of the most important reasons
for this is her response to life. She had more challenges than most of us will
ever have, yet her response was always positive no matter what the challenge
she faced. In this regard she teaches us how we too must be able to see the
hand of God in everything that happens to us.
She
was born in 1873 and died very young at the age of 24 (1897). At the age of 14,
she had an experience that transformed her life. She decided to give her whole
life to God and entered the Carmelite convent in Lisieux. Though she was often
sick and often plagued with doubts, she remained faithful and received the
ability to find God in all things and all things in God. Her focus was not on
doing great things but on doing all that she did with unconditional love. She
would do even the most ordinary tasks with extraordinary love.
The
Gospel text for the feast is taken from what is termed by as Matthew’s
“Community Discourse” (18:1-35). It is the fourth of the long discourses in
Matthew. Some see the discourse as divided clearly into two parts (18:1-14 and
18:15-35), with various indications, which point to such a division. Some of
these indications are as follows: Both sections end with a parable (18:12-13
and 18:23-34), after the parable is a concluding statement of Jesus, which
begins with the word “So” (18:14.35), there is also in the sayings, a reference
to the heavenly Father and the saying is about the subject of the preceding
section (“little ones” and “brother/sister”).
The
discourse begins with a question about the disciples regarding greatness. In
his response, Jesus makes clear that being in the kingdom or coming into it, is
not a matter of one’s talents or qualities, but “becoming like a child”. In
first-century Judaism, children were often regarded as inferior and were
treated as property rather than as persons. The point Jesus makes here is that
one must acknowledge dependence on the Father. The reception of a child is an
indication that one has accepted the values of the kingdom and one is no longer
concerned about being greatest.
This
was the attitude of St. Therese to life and she lived as a child of God all through
her life. She inspires and invites us to the same.
Tuesday, 29 September 2026
Wednesday, September 30, 2026 - What is preventing you from following Jesus unconditionally? What will you do about it today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Job 9:1-12,14-16; Lk 9:57-62
While
part of this text is found also in Matthew, the latter part (9,60b-62) is
exclusive to Luke. It concerns the would-be followers of Jesus, and Jesus’
warnings about what discipleship will entail.
To
the first would-be follower who promises to follow Jesus wherever he goes,
Jesus responds by stating clearly that unlike even the foxes that at least have
holes, he does not have anywhere he can call his own. If the would-be follower
is ready for this insecurity, he may follow.
The
second person is called to follow by Jesus, but responds by asking for
permission to bury his father. This was a duty that was binding on all devout
Jews. Jesus’ response is harsh and demands that the disciple be primarily
concerned about the kingdom.
The
third would-be follower puts conditions to his following namely that he wants
to say farewell to his family. However, here too the response of Jesus is
clear. Looking back while ploughing leads to a crooked furrow.
While
it is not necessary to give up the state of life one has chosen in order to
follow Jesus, what is to be understood is that following will necessarily mean
changing one’s style of life. It will mean a move from selfishness to
selflessness, from acquiring material possessions to sharing them with others
and from anything negative to everything that is positive.
Monday, 28 September 2026
Tuesday, September 29, 2026 - STS. MICHAEL, GABRIEL AND RAPHAEL - How often do you realise that God dwells IN you?
To read the texts click on the texts: Dan 7:9-10,13-14; Rev 12:7-12; Jn 1:47-51
The
three Archangels Michael (Who is as God? or Who is like God?), Gabriel
(Strength of God) and Raphael (God heals) are the only angels named in Sacred
Scripture. However, ancient apocryphal literature mentions others beside these
three, but the names are spurious.
Archangel
Michael is invoked for protection against evil and regarded as a Champion of
God’s people. Gabriel is mentioned four times in the Bible. Of these the most
significant are in the New Testament when he makes the announcement of the
birth of john the Baptist and Jesus to Zechariah and Mary respectively. Raphael
is mentioned in the Book of Tobit and is the one who heals Tobias’ blindness.
Raphael is not mentioned in the New Testament, but is invoked for healing and
acts of mercy.
The
choice of the Gospel reading from John is because of the mention of angels in
the last verse of the text. Though having an opinion about where the Messiah
would come from, Nathanael remains open to another revelation. Though sceptical,
he is willing to be convinced. Jesus addresses Nathanael as an “Israelite”
which signifies his faithfulness to the law and is used here in a positive
sense. He is without guile because though he has questions and even doubts, he
is open and receptive and willing to learn. Jesus’ intimate knowledge of
Nathanael and the revelation that he makes to him leads to a transformation in
Nathanael and he comes to faith. He responds to Jesus with a confession and
though he begins with Rabbi, he moves on to recognizing Jesus as Son of God and
King of Israel.
However,
Jesus responds by pointing out to Nathanael that this is only the beginning of
the revelation that Jesus makes. If he continues to remain open he will
experience even greater things. By means of a double “Amen”, Jesus points out
to Nathanael and to others there that he will be the bridge between heaven and
earth. Through the phrase “you will see heaven opened and the angels of God
ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” (Jn 1:51) which combines images
from the descent of the Son of Man as narrated by Daniel (7:13) and the ladder
of Jacob’s dream in Genesis (28:12), Jesus states that Jacob’s ladder is
replaced by the Son of Man. He will be that place and person in whom the
earthly and divine encounter each other. He as Son of man will make God known.
The Son of Man becomes the place where the earthly and the heavenly, divine and
human, temporal and eternal meet.
When
looked at from this angle, the feast of the Archangels seeming to be saying to
us that our God is not merely in the heavens. Our God is not merely a God who
has created the world and left it to its own design. Rather our God is a God
who is intimately connected to the world and present to and in it. Our God is a
God who is concerned about our world and ever willing to lend a hand whenever
any one of us requires it.
Sunday, 27 September 2026
Monday, September 28, 2026 - How will you show through your actions that you belong to the kingdom?
To read the texts click on the texts: Job 1:6-22; Lk 9:46-50
his
scene shows the disciples debating among themselves as to which of them was the
greatest. The fact that this episode occurs immediately after Jesus has
predicted his passion, death and resurrection for the second time, shows that
the disciples have not understood the meaning of Jesus’ predictions. In his
response to their argument, Jesus puts a child by his side as an example of
what it means to be the greatest. The one who like a child acknowledges total
dependence on God, the one who does not have any visible means of support, is
the one who is greatest.
The
second scene in this section is the last one before Jesus turns towards
Jerusalem, and also shows the disciples of Jesus in a poor light. This is the
only scene in which the apostle John appears alone in the Synoptic Gospels.
Here he acts as the spokesman for the group. The reason why they try to stop
the unnamed exorcist is because he does not belong to the “inner circle”. The
irony is that they as disciples were not able earlier to cast out a demon
(9,40), and now someone who is not even part of their group is able to do so.
Jesus’ response calls for openness and tolerance. Jesus also seems to say that
one’s actions will determine who belongs and does not belong to the kingdom.
Even
two thousand years after Jesus, we do not seem to have understood the meaning
of what it takes to belong to the kingdom. We keep associating greatness with possessing
things or having authority to dominate. Authority for anyone who belongs to the
kingdom can only be translated as service.
Though
the Gospels do seem to indicate that Jesus came primarily for the Jews, his was
an inclusive approach. He excluded no one. All who were open to receive his
radical message were welcome to be part of his community. We need to be
constantly aware of this especially when we make such clear distinctions
between those of other faiths and ourselves. They are also called in their own
way.
Saturday, 26 September 2026
Sunday, September 27, 2026 - Not words, but deeds
To read the texts click on the texts: Ez.18:25-28; Phil.2:1-11; Mt 21:28-32
A
priest friend was telling me how during the time of a calamity in his town
because of which many people lost their belongings, he made an appeal during
his Sunday homily for people to come and help him reach out to those who were affected.
When he asked people to raise their hands to indicate if they would come, about
70% of the 500 people present raised their hands. He fixed the following
Saturday as the day on which they would go out to help. When the day came, five
people turned up. They said, but did not do. They had words but no action.
There
is an intimate connection between all three readings of today. In the reading
from Ezekiel, the prophet calls the people to realize that it is not God’s ways
that are unfair but their own. He asks the people to grow up and accept
responsibility for their actions and not lay the blame on God’s door. It is not
God who punishes or condemns, but punishment is the consequence or result of a
person’s wrong doing. The ones who persist in their evil ways condemn
themselves. Ezekiel’s portrayal is of a generous and forgiving God who wants
everyone to come back to him. Anyone who turns back to God will be accepted and
forgiven.
This
theme of acceptance and forgiveness is affirmed by Matthew in the Gospel text.
At the end of the parable of the two sons he says that those who turn to God
after renouncing their former evil ways will indeed be saved. This turning to
God has be a turning that is shown in action and not mere words.
It
is important to understand the immediate context. It is placed in the Gospel
almost immediately after Jesus has entered the temple in Jerusalem and
“cleansed” it. This action leads the chief priests and elders of the people to
question Jesus’ authority. It is in this context that the parable is told and
the audience continues to be the chief priests and the elders. It brings out
powerfully the fact that these who just questioned Jesus’ authority are
themselves rejecting the kingdom.
The
first son initially refuses his father’s request. It was culturally
unacceptable, so afterwards he does go and do what his father asks. Thus his
initial refusal is followed by eventual obedience. The second son not only
agrees to go but also reinforces this agreement by addressing his father as
“Lord”. However, he does not go and his initial agreement is followed by
eventual disobedience. Though the answer to Jesus’ question as to which son did
the will of the father is obvious and the Jewish leaders answer correctly. What
shocks and offends them is the application that Jesus makes. They are compared
with the son who was ready with words and even words of respect, but with what
remained mere empty words. Though God spoke to them through the Law and numerous
prophets, they had merely heard and not obeyed. The tax collectors and
prostitutes on the other hand, who are likened to the first son, are the ones
who are entering the kingdom and receiving salvation because they dared to do
so, even though they may have initially refused to listen.
The
second reading from Philippians provides the Christological foundation of such
conversion. Jesus himself is the model of the truly obedient son, who says yes
to his Father in the most radical and action oriented way. His actions match
his words. There is no dichotomy. In this he goes one better than the first son
in not only doing but also saying. The initial verses of the hymn explode with
verbs of action. Jesus did not grasp at equality with God; he emptied himself; he
took on the form of a slave; he came in human likeness; he was obedient to the
point of enduring the ignominy of death in one of the most shameful of ways: on
a cross. This is the attitude that true followers of Jesus are challenged to
adopt. In the second half of the hymn, the verbs then shift. God becomes now
the actor or doer exalting Jesus and giving him a name above every name. Doing
the will of the Father, for Jesus, was more than simply a matter of words; it
is always a matter of deeds. Appropriate and relevant action, accompanying the
words, is the way of a true disciple of Jesus.
The
repentance that today’s texts call for is a radical change of heart, mind and
vision that is seen in denying self and reaching out to everyone in need. It is
true that there will be times when, like the first son, we may say an initial
“I will not”, but when we dare to look at the example of Christ that continues
to shine brightly before us, we are challenged to imitate him and have that
same mind and heart. We are called to realize, like him, that if we dare to
open ourselves to obedience, even though it might not seen at first glance as
the best option, we too like him will conquer death and be that example which
the world so badly needs today.
Friday, 25 September 2026
Saturday, September 26, 2026 - Does it make sense to proclaim a “Suffering Messiah” today? How will you do it if it does?
To read the texts click on the texts: Eccl 11:9-12:8; Lk 9:43-45
The
second Passion prediction in the Gospel, which is our text for today, follows
immediately after Jesus’ mighty work in exorcising the demon in the previous
scene. It is only in Luke that Jesus announces his passion and death while “all
were marvelling at everything he did.” Only Luke adds the phrase, “Let these
words sink into your ears;” in order to bring out the gravity of the
pronouncement. He abbreviates the Passion prediction of Mark, so that his
passion prediction simply has “the Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands
of men.” Through this shortening, Luke focuses on Jesus’ “being handed over” or
“delivered”, and omits any reference to Jesus’ death and resurrection. Like in
Mark, here too the disciples’ are not able to understand. However, Luke gives a
reason for this, namely “it was concealed from them”, though he does not say by
whom.
It
is not easy for us to give up control. Most of us like to be in control of
every situation so that we do not need to depend on someone else. These verses
are calling us to understand that this is not always possible or even
necessary. There may be times when we need to give up control and especially to
God acting through humans if we are to be faithful to his will
Thursday, 24 September 2026
Friday, September 25, 2026 - Can you identify with a “Suffering Messiah”? Would you have preferred that Jesus not go to the Cross? What kind of death would have preferred Jesus to die?
To read the texts click on the texts: Ecclesiastes 3:1-11; Lk 9:18-22
Though
Luke depends on Mark for this scene of Peter’s confession, he has made some
significant changes in order to bring out his meaning of the text. The first is
that unlike Mark, Luke does not give the geographical location (Caesarea
Philippi), but gives instead the context of the prayer of Jesus. Through this
change, Luke makes the confession a spiritual experience. Luke also changes
Marks, “one of the prophets” to “one of the old prophets has risen.” Though the
difference does not appear to be great, it is for Luke. In the Gospel of Luke,
before Jesus everything is old. Jesus makes all things new. Luke has also
eliminated Peter’s refusal to accept Jesus as the suffering Messiah and the
rebuke of Peter by Jesus. Luke avoids narrating Marcan texts that show Peter
and even the disciples in a bad light.
The
second question to the disciples, “But who do you say that I am?” shows on the
one hand that the answers given of the crowd’s understanding of Jesus are
inadequate, and on the other that Jesus wants to know their understanding of
him. In all the Synoptic Gospels it is Peter who answers, but here too Luke
adds to Mark’s, “You are the Christ”, the words “of God”. The Greek word
“Christos” means in English “the anointed” and this conveys the meaning of royalty.
However, by his addition, Luke also brings in the prophetical dimension of
Jesus’ person and mission. This prophetical dimension is explicated in the
verses, which follow the confession of Peter, in which Jesus explains the kind
of Christ/Messiah/Anointed One that he will be. The reason for the rebuke or
“stern order” not to tell anyone is because Jesus wanted to avoid any
misunderstanding of the term which could be understood only in the glorious
sense. Jesus as “the Christ of God” will come in glory, but only after he has
gone to the cross, died, been buried and then raised.
Who
Jesus is cannot be captured by a title and we must not attempt to do so or
imagine that this is possible. Any title we may use for Jesus will always be
inadequate and this leads us to the realisation that while we may encounter him
in different situations, he will always be bigger than anything we can ever
imagine.
Wednesday, 23 September 2026
Thursday, September 24, 2026 - You know a great deal about Jesus, but do you really know him? When did you last meet him personally?
To read the texts click on the texts: Ecclesiastes 1:2-11; Lk 9:7-9
his
text (9:7-9) forms the meat of the sandwich formed by the sending out of the
Twelve (9:1-6) and their return (9:10-17). In a sandwich construction, an event
is begun, interrupted by another event and the first event is continued and
completed. In this instance, the disciples are sent on mission (9:1-6), the
return is interrupted by the question of Herod (9:7-9) and the event of the
sending out of the disciples is continued and completed by their return
(9:10-17). In such a construction, the first and the third events throw light
on the event in the middle or the meat of the sandwich. The first and third
events narrate the sending and successful return, and it is in this light that
the question of Herod, “Who is this?” which is the second event or in the centre,
must be read. Herod’s desire to see Jesus foreshadows coming events. When Herod
did meet Jesus, his desire to see Jesus was fulfilled, but he wanted only to
see Jesus perform a sign. He never really grasped the answer to his own
question. Though John the Baptist has been beheaded and Jesus will also be
killed, yet the violence of the wicked will be no match for God’s grace. The
success of the disciples’ in mission is only a shadow of the success that Jesus
will experience in mission.
The
intention behind wanting to meet Jesus is extremely important. If one’s
approach is curiosity that will be the level at which one will see him. If
one’s approach is faith, then one will encounter him as he is.
Tuesday, 22 September 2026
Wednesday, September 23, 2026 - What does mission mean for you today? How and where will you proclaim it?
To read the texts click on the texts: Pro 30:5-9; Lk 9:1-6
his
passage may be seen as the culmination of the entire section Lk. 7,1 – 8,56. In
this section, we were shown the nature of Jesus’ Kingdom mission. The Twelve
now share in that same mission. These verses may be termed as the Mission
Discourse according to Luke. Though Luke has taken much material from the
Mission Discourse of Mark (see Mk. 6,6b-13), he has also made changes, which
bring out his meaning of mission more clearly. Before Jesus instructs his
disciples on how they must go about their mission, he gives them not only
authority as in Mark, but power and authority. This power and authority is
given not only over the unclean spirits as in Mark, but over all demons and to
cure diseases. Only in Luke are they also sent to “preach the Kingdom of God”.
This indicates that for Luke, mission is inclusive and includes both doing as
well as saying, both action as well as word.
Besides
power and authority, Jesus also gives the disciples a strategy for mission.
This may be summed up as detachment from things (take nothing for your
journey), persons (stay there and from there depart) and from events (and
wherever they do not receive you, when you leave shake off the dust from your
feet). Dependence ought to be only on the Providence of God. The rejection
shown Jesus is also in store for those sent by Jesus. The last verse in today’s
text, underscores the disciples’ obedience to the commands of Jesus by
reiterating the principal features of mission: preaching the good news and
healing the sick. That mission is universal is made clear in the last word,
“everywhere”.
As
missionaries today, we are called to continue to the Mission inaugurated by
Jesus and put into motion by his first disciples. It is a mission, which
includes every aspect of life and involves all persons. This means that we are
called not to be part-time missionaries or disciples, but on mission always and
everywhere.
Monday, 21 September 2026
Tuesday, September 22, 2026 - Would Jesus point to you as a member of his family? Why?
To read the texts click on the texts: Prov 21:1-6.10-13; Lk 8:19-21
Though
this text, which concerns the mother and brothers of Jesus, is found also in
Mark 3,21-22 and 3,31-35 and Matthew 12,46-50, Luke narrates it quite
differently from both. In Mark 3,33 and Matthew 12,48 Jesus asks who his mother
and brothers are. In Luke, however, Jesus does not ask this question, but says
simply when told that his mother and brothers desire to see him, that his
mother and brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it. Luke thus
gives a positive thrust to the scene unlike Mark and Matthew. It might be said
that while in Mark and Matthew Jesus seems to reject his physical family and
choose instead the crowd (so Mark) or his disciples (so Matthew), in Luke he
does not do so. This means that though family relations with Jesus are not
based on physical relations but on the word of God, his physical family does
indeed hear the word of God and acts on it.
We
might possess the name Christian because of our baptism, but this does not
necessarily mean that we belong to the family of Jesus. In order to belong what
is also necessary is putting into action what Jesus has taught.
Sunday, 20 September 2026
Monday, September 21, 2026 - St. Matthew, Evangelist - Matthew wrote a Gospel to share his experience of the Lord. What will you do to share your experience of Him?
To read the texts click on the texts: Eph 4:1-7,11-13; Mt 9:9-13
Most
scholars hold today that the Gospel of Matthew was written after Mark.
Matthew’s Gospel was the one that was used most often in the early Church and
so it has been placed before Mark in the Bible.
It
is known as the Ecclesial Gospel or the Gospel of the Church. One reason for
this is that Matthew’s thesis seems to be that since Israel for whom Jesus came
rejected Jesus as Messiah, the Church has become now the new and true Israel.
Also Matthew is the only one of the four Evangelists who uses the word
“Ekklesia” translated “Church” in his Gospel (16:18;18:17). There is however,
throughout the Gospel the tension between Particularism on the one hand and
Universalism on the other. The Jesus of the Gospel of Matthew is sent “only to
the lost sheep of Israel” (15:24; see also 10:6) and the same Jesus can tell
Israel “the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation
producing the fruits of it” (21:43).
Matthew’s
Gospel begins with the genealogy of Jesus, which goes back to Abraham. Joseph
is not called the father of Jesus but the husband of Mary (1:16) since Matthew
is clear that Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus. The birth of Jesus
is then narrated, followed by the visit of the wise men to Bethlehem and
Herod’s plan to kill Jesus. This leads the family to go to Egypt where they
remain till Herod’s death and then return to Nazareth. The birth, flight into
Egypt and return to Nazareth all fulfil scripture. Matthew then goes on to
narrate the Baptism of Jesus by John and Jesus’ temptations and his overcoming
them. Jesus then begins his public ministry in Galilee after calling the first
four disciples. Unlike Mark, which is a story, Matthew intersperses his
narrative with long discourses. The first of these is the Sermon on the Mount
(5:1-7,29). There are four other discourses in the Gospel. These are The
Mission Discourse (10:1-11:1), The parable Discourse (13:1-53), The Community
Discourse (18:1-19:1) and the Eschatological Discourse (24:1-26:1). Each of
these discourses ends in a similar manner with the words, “and when Jesus had
finished (7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1; 26:1). This is also Matthew’s way of
focussing on the teaching of Jesus and giving it as much if not more importance
that the deeds of Jesus. Like in Mark, Jesus enters Jerusalem triumphantly, but
soon encounters opposition, which grows and leads to his arrest, passion and
death. The Gospel ends with accounts of the resurrection appearances of Jesus
to his disciples and what is known as the Great Commission, in which the
disciples are commanded to go to all nations and make disciples of them and
assured of the presence of the ever present Lord to whom all authority in
heaven and earth has been given (28:16-20).
The
text chosen for the feast contains the call of Matthew, and Jesus’ fellowship
with tax collectors and sinners. It is only in the Gospel of Matthew that the
tax collector is called Matthew. In Mark and Luke he is called Levi. However,
in the lists of the Twelve in both Mark and Luke, the disciple is named Matthew
and Levi does not appear. It is unlikely that Matthew and Levi refer to the
same person. It was rare for Jews to have two different Jewish names. The
reason for the author choosing the name Matthew remains unknown. However, in
the text what strikes one is that whereas most people who passed by the tax
office would see a corrupt official; Jesus was able to see a potential
disciple. It was Jesus’ way of looking that led to the transformation and the
response of Matthew to the call. In his response to the objection of the
Pharisees, Jesus responds with a common proverb about the sick needing a
doctor, and also quotes from Hoses 6:6, which here is interpreted to mean that
the mercy of God in Jesus is extended to all humanity and takes precedence over
everything else. All else must be understood in this light.
There
are times when we judge people too easily and many of these times our judgement
of them is negative. This is also how we often look at the whole of creation
and because we put labels on things, people and all else in creation, we may
miss out on the uniqueness that each possesses.
Saturday, 19 September 2026
Sunday, September 20, 2026 - Are you good because of fear of punishment or hope of reward or are you good because it is good to be good?
To read the texts click on the texts: Is 55:6-9;Phil 1:20-24,27; Mt 20:1-16
The
parable of the labourers in the vineyard, who are paid the same wages for
unequal work, is exclusive to the Gospel of Matthew. Many are of the opinion
that the original parable ended at 20:13 or 20:14a, and what follows from
20:14b–16 or 20:14-16 are Matthean additions. The parable narrates how the
landowner himself goes to the market to hire labourers at different hours and
even at the eleventh hour. While the first group of workers is told explicitly
that they will be paid the day’s wage which was one denarius, while the others
are told that they would be paid whatever is right. When the time for payment
arrives the focus is on the groups hired first and last, with the last being
paid before all the other. They are paid one denarius, which is the day’s wage.
The last are also paid what the landowner agreed with them. Since the parable
does not speak about the amount work done by each group or say that those who
were hired at the eleventh hour did as much work as those who were hired in the
morning, it leaves the reader stunned. This ending upsets and challenges
conventional values. The point that Jesus seems to make in the parable is that
the tax collectors and sinners will be given the same status as those who have
obeyed the law.
The
additions by Matthew stress the jealousy and envy of those who were hired in
the morning. The objection is not to what they have received but about the fact
that the others have received as much as they, which they regard as unfair. The
difference is that they have received what is theirs through their hard work
and effort; the others have received what they have because of the landowner’s
generosity.
If
one can identify with the group who complains, then it is time that one checks
one’s motivation whenever one does good, because if one does not, one will
continue to get frustrated at what one sees happening around one. Is the work
that you do reward in itself? Or do you expect another reward?
Friday, 18 September 2026
Saturday, September 19, 2026 - Do I usually focus more on the reaping than on the sowing? Do I focus more on the result than on the action? Do I focus more on the future than on the present?
To read the texts click on the texts:1 Cor 15:35-37,42-49; Lk 8:4-15
The
text of today combines both the Parable of the Sower (8:5-8) and the allegory
(8:11-15) {in an allegory, every element in the story is given a meaning. So,
the seed is regarded as the word of God, those along the path are the ones who
hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so
that they may not believe an be saved, and so on}. Though it is true that the
Sower disappears from the scene after he is first mentioned, and the seed takes
centre stage, the parable is really one of contrast between the beginning and
the middle, and the end. Thus, the Sower (whom the end will affect) is still an
important figure in the parable. Since many have confused the allegory with the
Parable, the meaning of the parable may have been missed. In this reflection we
will focus on the Parable.
The
farmer would sow along “the path”, because according to research done on the
agricultural practices in Palestine at the time of Jesus, the practice was to
sow seeds first and then plough it into the ground. Sowing on “rocky ground” is
not surprising because the underlying limestone, thinly covered with soil,
barely showed above the surface until the ploughshare jarred against it. Sowing
among “thorns” is also understandable, because this too will be ploughed up.
Though the ploughing of the three kinds of soil above will be done, it will
result in a loss, because in none of them will the seed grow. It will seem that
seventy-five percent of the effort is lost. While most of the parable focuses
on “sowing”, in the last verse it is already “harvest time”. The abnormal,
exaggerated tripling, of the harvest’s yield (thirty, sixty, a hundredfold)
symbolises the overflowing of divine fullness., surpassing all human measure
and expectations (A tenfold harvest counted as a good harvest and a yield of
seven and a half as an average one).To human eyes much of the labour seems
futile and fruitless, resulting in repeated failure, but Jesus is full of
joyful confidence; he knows that God has made a beginning, bringing with it o
harvest of reward beyond all asking or conceiving. In spite of every failure
and opposition, from hopeless beginnings, God brings forth the triumphant end,
which he has promised.
1. How do I react when most of my effort seems
to be in vain? Do I throw up my hands in despair? Do I give up? Do I get
despondent? Or do I carry on despite all odds? Do I continue to persevere? Do I
keep on keeping on?
2. How attached am I to the result of my action?
Can I plunge into the din of battle and leave my heart at the feet of the Lord?
3. Write down your response to this statement of
St. Ignatius – “WHEN YOU WORK, WORK AS IF EVERYTHING DEPENDS ONLY ON YOU YOY.
WHEN YOU PRAY, PRAY AS IF EVERYTHING DEPENDS ONLY ON GOD.”
4. Do you sometimes act as the “General Manager
of the Universe”? Will you resign from that position today?
Thursday, 17 September 2026
Friday, September 18, 2026 - Does the plight of others affect me at all? What do I do about it?
To read the texts click on the texts: 1 Cor 15:12-20; Lk 8:1-3
This
is a text that is exclusive to the Gospel of Luke and is about the women who
ministered to Jesus during his ministry. It begins by presenting Jesus as an
itinerant preacher going through the cities and villages in order to proclaim
the good news of the kingdom.
Luke
often mentions a corresponding female or group whenever he mentions a male. He
does this first in the example of Zechariah and Elizabeth, and then in the
examples of Joseph and Mary, Simeon and Anna. Here too, after Luke has
mentioned the Twelve, he mentions women. Mary Magdalene is identified at the
one from whom seven demons had gone out and Joanna as the wife of Herod’s
steward Chuza and these two appear also in 24,10 in the episode of the empty
tomb. Susanna the third woman named here does not appear elsewhere in the
Gospel. These and other women provided for Jesus out of their resources.
The
striking point about this text is the fact that the disciples were women. At a
time when a woman was looked down upon and her place in society was
pre-determined, it is quite amazing to note that these became followers of
Jesus and even provided for him. This is an indication of the openness that
Jesus possessed and of his freedom from all kinds of constraints.
Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Thursday, September 17, 2026 - Does love lead to forgiveness or is the ability to love the result of being forgiven?
To read the texts click on the texts: 1 Cor 15:1-11; Lk 7:36-50
This
is a fairly well known story from the Gospel of Luke. However, it is important
to note that though the woman is termed as a “sinner”, she is not named. The
dinner given by the Pharisee would have been much more public than a dinner in
a private home today, so the presence of uninvited persons would not have been
unusual. The guests would have been reclining on pillows, supported by their
left arms and would be eating with their right hands, with their feet away from
the mat on which the food would have been spread before them. Thus the woman
could easily approach Jesus’ feet. The fact that she brought a jar of ointment
shows that she had planned to anoint Jesus – a sign of her love. Though the
woman’s act expresses love and gratitude, it also violated social conventions.
Touching or caressing a man’s feet could have sexual overtones, as did letting
down her hair, so a woman never let down her hair in public. Moreover the woman
was known to be a sinner. Assuming that she was unclean, she would have made
Jesus unclean by touching him. In the Pharisee’s eyes the woman’s act
represents a challenge both to his honour and to Jesus’. In response, Jesus
poses a riddle for Simon to solve, based on patron-client relationships. If a patron
had two debtors, one who owed him much and the other who owed him little and he
cancelled the debts of both, who would love him more? After Simon answers that
it would be the one who had the greater debt cancelled, Jesus exposes the
contrast between Simon’s lack of hospitality and the woman’s selfless adoration
of Jesus. The main point of the story is Jesus’ pronouncement in 7,47. Did the
woman love because her sins were forgiven or was she forgiven because she loved
much? The woman’s loving act is evidence that she has been forgiven. She
recognised her need for forgiveness and therefore received it totally, whereas
the Pharisee did not recognise his need and therefore received less.
This
story seems to make two points that we can reflect on. The first is our
judgement of others without knowing all the facts. Some of us are sometimes
quick to judge from external appearances, only to realise later that we
misjudged. The second point is the acceptance of our need for God’s mercy and
love. Like the Pharisee, there may be some of us who do not consider ourselves
as grave sinners and consequently we may not be open to God’s unconditional
love and grace.
Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Wednesday, September 16, 2026 - Will you dance to the tune of the Lord or are you dancing your own dance?
To read the texts click on the texts: 1 Cor 12:31 – 13:13; Lk 7:31-35
he
point of these sayings of Jesus is to bring out the failure of the crowd to
respond to the invitation of John and Jesus. Though John and Jesus are
different from each other and went about their ministries differently, the
people accepted neither. John lived a very austere life and indulged in no
excesses at all, but he was not accepted. Rather he was labelled as a wild man.
Jesus on the hand lived quite openly and freely due to this was labelled as a
glutton and drunkard.
Many
of us are so concerned about what people say about us that we sometimes live
our lives based on their opinions. The text of today teaches us that you cannot
please everybody every time. There are some who will neither join in the dance
nor in the mourning, but sit on the fence and criticise. It is best to leave
these alone and do what one believes one ought to do.
Monday, 14 September 2026
Tuesday, September 15, 2026 - Our Lady of Sorrows
To read the texts click on the texts: Heb 5:7-9; Jn 19:25-27; Lk 2:33-35
The
title, “Our Lady of Sorrows,” given to our Blessed Mother focuses on her
intense suffering and grief during the passion and death of our Lord.
Traditionally, this suffering was not limited to the passion and death event;
rather, it comprised “the seven dolours” or “seven sorrows” of Mary, which were
foretold by the Simeon who proclaimed to Mary, “This child is destined to be the downfall and the rise
of many in Israel, a sign that will be opposed and you yourself shall be
pierced with a sword so that the thoughts of many hearts may be laid bare”
(Luke 2:34-35). These seven sorrows of our Blessed Mother included the flight
of the Holy Family into Egypt; the loss and finding of the child Jesus in the
Temple; Mary's meeting of Jesus on His way to Calvary; Mary's standing at the
foot of the cross when our Lord was crucified; her holding of Jesus when He was
taken down from the cross; and then our Lord's burial. In all, the prophesy of
Simeon that a sword would pierce our Blessed Mother's heart was fulfilled in
these events. For this reason, Mary is sometimes depicted with her heart
exposed and with seven swords piercing it. More importantly, each new suffering
was received with the courage, love, and trust that echoed her fiat, “let it be
done unto me according to Thy word,” first uttered at the Annunciation.
The
readings chosen for the feast are from Hebrews and a choice of either John or
Luke. All three readings speak about how Jesus and Mary handled suffering in
their lives and how we can learn from them.
The
text from Hebrews speaks about the total humanity of Jesus to make abundantly
clear that the suffering that Jesus went through was an integral part of his
earthly life. Though he was challenged with accepting the Cross and though he
prayed that the Cross be taken away, what was more important than that was
‘doing God’s will’. This led to acceptance of the Cross willingly and
courageously.
The
Gospel text from Luke is Simeon’s second oracle and addressed specifically to
Mary. It prefigures the rejection of
Jesus. Not all will receive the salvation that has been prepared, see the light
of revelation, or recognize the glory of God in the coming of Jesus. The sword
that will pierce Mary’s heart refers to the rejection of her son and to the
final rejection on the Cross. Mary’s response is courageous, because she knows
like Jesus that God’s will for her son is infinitely better than anything she
could hope for.
The
scene in the Gospel of John is where four women are named standing by the Cross
(his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene).
Of these the focus falls on Mary, the mother of Jesus and the beloved disciple
who is given charge of the mother of Jesus. While the beloved disciple is
indeed a historical figure, he/she can also be anyone who loves Jesus. The
command of the Lord to such a disciple, who loves him, is that he/she must also
take his mother into their home because she is an integral part of the family
of Jesus.
The
feast of Our Lady of Sorrows is relevant for each of us today. It shows first
of all that though Jesus and Mary were constantly doing God’s will, they were
not spared from the Cross and the challenges and vicissitudes of life. Second
it shows that even in the midst of these challenges we must always remember
that God walks ahead of us and will never abandon us. This is why we never give
up or give in. Finally, it reminds us that sorrow and the Cross is never the
end, but only a step towards resurrection and the fullness of life.
Sunday, 13 September 2026
Monday, September 14, 2026 - The Exaltation of the Cross - Lifted up and Exalted
To read the texts click on the texts: Num 21:4-9;Phil 2:6-11; Jn 3:13-17
The
Exaltation of the Cross is one of the twelve great feasts in the yearly Church
cycle. Because the cross is at the heart and centre of all that we as
Christians believe, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Exaltation of the
Cross, the triumph of the cross of Christ over the power of sin and death. And
so this feast provides us with another opportunity to reflect on the central
mystery of our faith: that the one who was lifted up on the cross in
crucifixion has triumphed over the power of sin and death because God highly
exalted him.
This
feast commemorates two historical events: first, the finding of what was
considered the Cross of Christ in the year 326 by the mother of Constantine the
Great, St Helen, and second its recovery from Persia in 628.
A
story is told of Emperor Heraclius who in the year 628 after making peace with
the Persians carried what was considered the Cross on which Jesus hung back to
Jerusalem on his shoulders. He was clothed with costly garments and with
ornaments of precious stones. But at the entrance to Mt. Calvary a strange
incident occurred. Try as hard as he would, he could not go forward. Zacharias,
the Bishop of Jerusalem, then said to the astonished monarch: "Consider, O
Emperor, that with these triumphal ornaments you are far from resembling Jesus
carrying His Cross." The Emperor then put on a penitential garb and
continued the journey and carried the Cross into the Church of Holy Wisdom
where it was triumphantly exalted. It was then resolved that the Fest of the
Triumph or Exaltation of the Cross be celebrated by the Church in all parts of
the world.
The
Cross -- because of what it represents -- is the most potent and universal
symbol of the Christian faith. It is a constant reminder -- and witness -- of
Christ's ultimate triumph, His victory over sin and death through His suffering
and dying on the Cross. The cross, once a tool of death, has become a means to
life, an instrument of our salvation; it gives strength to resist temptation,
it gives hope to seek new life and it dispels fear and darkness.
As
Christians, we exalt the Cross of Christ as the instrument of our salvation.
Adoration of the Cross is, thus, adoration of Jesus Christ, the Son of God who
became Man, who suffered and died on the Cross for our redemption from sin and
death. The cross represents the One Sacrifice by which Jesus, obedient even
unto death, accomplished our salvation. The cross is a symbolic summary of the
Passion, Crucifixion, Death and Resurrection of Christ.
In
the first reading of today we read of how Moses lifted up the bronze serpent in
order to heal and bring wholeness to a broken people. This was God’s way of
showing the people that He was primarily a God who wanted to save and redeem
and not condemn and destroy. The Church and especially the evangelist John
interpreted this lifting of the bronze serpent by Moses as a foreshadowing of
the salvation through Jesus when He was lifted up on the Cross. The Triumph of
the Cross is the Triumph of Jesus Christ whose love for us and obedience to his
Father climaxed with his death on the cross. The deeper meaning of the Cross is
presented in The Christological hymn in today's second reading from the Letter
of Paul to the Philippians. Jesus emptied himself completely, not just becoming
a human being but accepting the worst public death of the society he lived in
to demonstrate the extent of the love of God for us. He died making a willing
statement of love, filling the world with the love he had for his Father and
his Father had for him. We are saved from the horrors of evil, from meaningless
lives due to the love of the Lord. Because Jesus died on a cross for us we are
able to proclaim to the world: Jesus is Lord. His love made this possible. When
we venerate and adore the cross we are saying: Jesus is Lord of our lives.
To
the world this act of surrender on the cross was an act of utter humiliation
and subjugation and the height of folly. To the world this death on the cross
was a wasted life. To the world this death on the cross was a sign of utter
defeat. But what the world calls wisdom, God calls foolishness, and what the
world calls strength God call weakness. Therefore God highly exalted the
crucified one by raising him from the dead. God gave Jesus his own name so that
every creature on earth must now call Jesus “Lord.” What human beings did, God
contradicted. And so in the weakness and foolishness of the cross we see the
wisdom and power of God: Christ crucified. In him and his cross, surrender
becomes power, waste becomes gain and death and defeat become victory and new
life.
The
cross is at the centre of our lives every time we face sickness and death. The
cross is at the centre of our lives in frailty and old age. The cross is at the
centre of our lives every time we feel utterly alone and abandoned. The Cross
is at the centre of our lives every time we are tempted to give in and give up.
It is at the centre of our lives every time we are tempted to throw our hands
up in despair. It keeps reminding us that only when we embrace the cross in the
midst of suffering and abandonment can we understand the power of the
resurrection. Only when we have the courage to keep on keeping on can we like
Christ become victorious and conquer. Only when we embrace the cross is it
possible for God to raise us up and give us new life.
Saturday, 12 September 2026
Sunday, September 13, 2026 - Forgive, it is good for your health. What would be your position if God kept a grudge against you for every sin you committed? Will you give up all your un-forgiveness today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Sir 27:30-28:7; Rom 14:7-9; Mt18:21-35
The
readings of today which are from centuries ago are still as relevant today as
they were then. Most doctors today are agreed that harbouring resentment,
unforgiveness and similar negative feelings are largely responsible for the
ailments we suffer today.
Ben
Sirach offers practical wisdom in the first reading of today when he exhorts
his listeners to forgive and not hold anger in their hearts. The reason for
this is that if one holds the negative, there is no room for the forgiving love
of God to enter into one’s heart. When one harbours wrath and anger, one closes
heart to receive the forgiveness and acceptance that God keeps giving.
A
similar point is made in the conclusion of Matthew’s Community Discourse which
is the Gospel text for today. It begins with a question from Peter about the
number of times one is expected to forgive. The sevenfold forgiveness that
Peter suggests is by no means trivial. Seven is the traditional number of
perfection. That Peter suggests forgiving seven times does not mean, therefore,
that he wants to grant his brother or sister only a limited forgiveness. Instead,
the sense of Peter’s question is: “Is perfect forgiveness expected of me?”
Jesus could simply have answered yes, but his answer calls for even more
perfection. The most perfect, boundlessly infinite, countlessly repeated
forgiveness is demanded of Peter. The answer that Matthew attributes to Jesus
cannot be surpassed. In the church Jesus’ rule of radical forgiveness is in
effect. The point therefore is not so much about numbers but about forgiveness
from the heart. If one has to count the number of times one is forgiving, it
means that one is not really forgiving at all.
For
Matthew also it is clear that God’s forgiveness can be lost through human
unkindness so that one’s earlier guilt returns. The story that follows in
18:23-35 about the king who forgave his servant a debt of ten thousand talents
(a talent was more than fifteen years wages of a labourer) and that same
servant who would not forgive another servant who owed him a mere hundred
denarii (a denarius was the usual day’s wage for a labourer) insists that if
one has not genuinely received God’s forgiveness, one cannot forgive others.
The servant, who was forgiven his huge debt, had not interiorised the
forgiveness he received. He did not let the grace of forgiveness seep into his
heart and consequently was not able to appreciate it. This lack of appreciation
of grace, lead to his own unforgiving action toward a fellow servant. The
response of the king is immediate. He asks for no explanation, but simply
labels the forgiven one as evil and treats him as he treated his fellow slave.
The parable ends with the hearers being challenged to reflect on how God will
deal with each one and of the consequences of unforgiveness.
The
model of forgiveness whom Paul asks us to look to is Jesus. It is he who first
showed us the true meaning of forgiveness and also taught us how to forgive in
his ministry and especially when on the cross. It is this Jesus for whom we
live and die and who remains, the only inspiration that we will ever need.
We
expect to be forgiven by others when we do them harm and after we have said
sorry. Sometimes, if they do not forgive us, we get upset with them. We need to
apply the same yardstick to ourselves when others ask for forgiveness from us.
The readings of today are explicit that if we have to truly receive the
unconditional forgiveness of God then we have first to open our hearts wide to
receive this forgiveness. This openness will result in our being able to
forgive others who we think have hurt us.
I
am fond of saying, “Forgive, it is good for your health”.
Friday, 11 September 2026
Saturday, September 12, 2026 - Will your faith show in action today? How?
To read the texts click on the texts: 1 Cor 10:14-22; Lk 6:43-49
In
the last part of the Sermon on The Plain, the Lucan Jesus uses the metaphor of
a tree and its fruit, and through it exhorts the listeners not merely “to say”,
but rather “to do”. The nature of a tree is known by the fruit it produces, and
each tree produces a different kind of fruit. If a person’s heart is good, then
what he/she produces will also be good, whereas if a person’s heart is evil,
then the deeds of that person will also be evil.
Luke
concludes his sermon with an exhortation to do what the Lord says rather then
merely to call him Lord. There is no point in merely saying “I believe” if we
are not going to show that belief in action.
Thursday, 10 September 2026
Friday, September 11, 2026 - Did 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: 1 Cor 9:16-19, 22-27; Lk 6:39-42
The
parable that begins this section is a rhetorical question. The blind who need
someone else to lead them surely cannot lead another who is blind. What is
worse is that if this is attempted both persons will be in trouble. This is why
disciples who intend to lead others must first learn to be like the master. If
they attempt to lead others without first learning from the master, their
teaching will be erroneous.
The
second parable reinforces the point made in 6,37-38 about not judging or
condemning. Before one can point to the faults of others, introspection is
called for. One must realise that often one might be guilty of greater misdeeds
than the person to whom one is pointing.
Wednesday, 9 September 2026
Thursday, September 10, 2026 - When did you last say a positive word to someone? Will you speak a positive word to at least one person today?
To read the texts click on the texts:1 Cor 8:1-7,11-13; Lk 6:27-38
After
pronouncing the beatitudes and woes, the Lucan Jesus goes on to speak of love
of enemies. The disciples are called to be actors rather than reactors. They
are to love their enemies and bless and pray for those who are against them.
How
this is to be done practically is then illustrated. Disciples are to offer no
resistance to the violent and are to be generous in their giving expecting
nothing in return.
The
Golden rule is stated positively here and by placing it in this context, Luke
probably intends that this is how the disciples must respond to those who are
against them.
Our
relationships generally are based on barter exchange. If someone does good to
me then I will be good to that person in turn. However, the Lucan Jesus calls
his disciples to go beyond and to build relationships based on unconditional
love.
The
last two verses of this section deal with not judging and not condemning. These
are followed by two positive prescriptions to forgive and give freely without
measure.
Tuesday, 8 September 2026
Wednesday, September 9, 2026 - When did you last say a positive word to someone? Will you speak a positive word to at least one person today?
To read the texts click on the texts:1 Cor 7:25-31; Lk 6:20-26
The
Sermon on the Plain in the Gospel of Luke is packed into one chapter of 30
verses unlike that of Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount, which extends over three
chapters totalling 109 verses.
Unlike
in Matthew’s, “Sermon on the Mount” (Mt 5,1 – 7,29) where Jesus pronounces only
Beatitudes (Mt 5,3-12), in Luke’s, “Sermon on the Plain”, for each of the four
beatitudes there is a corresponding woe. Also unlike Matthew, Luke speaks in the
second person and not the third person, which has the effect of making the
pronouncements more direct, more personal.
The
first beatitude is addressed to the poor (not “the poor in spirit” Mt 5,3).
This is indeed a scandalous statement because it overturns all conventional
expectations and pronounces a blessing on those who are marginalized. They are
promised the kingdom of God by being released from their marginalisation and
oppression. It brings to light that God is making an option for the poor. The next
two beatitudes concern hunger and mourning and could be addressed to the same
group. The poor because they are poor are also hungry and weep. They are
promised an end of their hunger in the promise that they will be filled and an
end to their weeping and mourning in the promise that they will laugh. The
fourth and final beatitude in Luke speaks about the disciple who will be hated,
excluded, reviled and defamed. These are called to rejoice in their being
reviled and promised a reward in heaven. They are also given as consolation the
example of those who went through similar trails before them.
Corresponding
to each beatitude, Luke has a woe. The first woe is addressed to the rich who
have received their consolation already and so can expect nothing more. Those
who have had their fill now and told that they will go hungry and those who
laugh now will weep. Those of whom people speak well are compared to the false
prophets.
When
we look at the injustice, disharmony and poverty around us it is not easy to
believe that our God is a God who cares for the poor. Yes, this God became poor
in history to show us the way and how we are to live. If we can be a little
less selfish, work in our own situations toward harmony and give a little
something to someone else, we will be bringing God and his word to them.
Monday, 7 September 2026
Tuesday, September 8, 2026 - The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
To read the texts click on the texts: Micah5:1-4; Mt 1:1-16,18-23
The
source for the story of the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the
Protoevangelium of James, an apocryphal gospel written around 150 C.E. From it,
we learn the names of Mary's parents, Joachim and Anna, as well as the
tradition that the couple was childless until an angel appeared to Anna and
told her that she would conceive.
The
traditional date of the feast, September 8, falls exactly nine months after the
feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary.
The
readings clearly indicate that the feast of the nativity of Mary is a
preparation for the feast of the Nativity of Jesus. Mary is that open vessel
who allowed God to work in her and so enabled God to bring to fruition through
her Son Jesus, the salvation of the whole human race.
The
text chosen for the feast is from the Gospel of Matthew and contains the
Genealogy and the story of the birth of Jesus. The Gospel of Matthew begins
with the genealogy of Jesus.
Jesus is, for Matthew, the Messiah who has
descended from David, as foretold by the scriptures. God continues to act in
human history, and that God acts now, in a decisive way, in the sending of
God’s Son. God is not simply a God in the heavens, but a God who is Emmanuel,
God with us.
Matthew’s
genealogy consists of three parts. The first, which begins with Abraham, ends
with the Davidic kingship. The second begins with David and ends with the
deportation or exile to Babylon. The third begins with the exile and ends with
the birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Matthew
calls attention to the number fourteen at the end of the genealogy and, though
a variety of suggestions have been offered as to why he chose fourteen, the
simplest explanation is that the numerical value of “David” in Hebrew (DWD) is
fourteen (d, 4; w, 6; d, 4). By this symbolism, Matthew points out that the
promised "son of David" (1:1), the Messiah, has come. And, if the
third set of fourteen is short one member (to solve this problem some count
Jechoniah twice), perhaps it suggests that, just as God cuts short the time of
distress for the sake of his elect, so also he mercifully shortens the period
from the Exile to Jesus, the Messiah.
Unlike
Luke’s genealogy, which does not name a single woman, Matthew’s genealogy
mentions four women besides Mary. These are Tamar, Ruth, Rahab, and Uriah’s
wife, Bathsheba. Several reasons have been offered as to why Matthew mentioned
these four women. Three of these reasons are widely accepted today: (a) there
was something extraordinary about their union with their partners; (b) they
showed initiative or played an important role in God’s plan and so came to be considered
as instruments of God’s providence or of his Holy Spirit; and (c) all four
women (except Mary) were Gentiles and Matthew wants to show that in God’s plan
of salvation, the Gentiles were included from the beginning.
Through
this, Matthew probably wants to show that God wants all to be saved and that he
uses the unexpected to triumph over human obstacles and that he intervenes on
behalf of his planned Messiah. This combination of scandalous and irregular
union, and divine intervention, explains Matthew’s choice of the four women.
What
are the points that Matthew makes in his genealogy and what does he want to
achieve by it? Matthew clearly wants to show that Jesus is the fulfilment of
all Israel’s hopes. The story of Jesus is part of the story of God’s constant
saving acts throughout the history of Israel. God involves himself in the
nitty-gritty of life. Despite the constant infidelity of Israel, God remained
faithful and, in a definitive way, directed its history towards its fulfilment
in Jesus Christ.
Matthew
is also interested in affirming that the plan of God has often been fulfilled
in history in unanticipated and “irregular” ways, as was the case in the birth
of Jesus from Mary, and that Matthew is interested in showing that God worked
through irregular, even scandalous ways, and through women who took initiative,
like Tamar and Ruth. Yet the main reason for Matthew’s inclusion of these women
corresponds to one of the Gospel’s primary themes: the inclusion of the
Gentiles in the plan of God from the beginning. All of the men in Jesus’
genealogy are necessarily Jewish. But the four women mentioned, with the
exception of Mary, are Gentiles, “outsiders,” or considered to be such in
Jewish tradition. Just as the following story shows Jesus to be the fulfilment
of both Jewish and Gentile hopes, so also the genealogy shows that the Messiah
comes from a Jewish line that already includes Gentiles.
By
showing Jesus as descended from David, Matthew wants to explicate that Jesus is
the royal heir to the throne. Jesus, however, thorough his life, cross, death
and resurrection will redefine the meaning of Kingship as never before.
Finally,
Matthew wants to stress that God is active constantly in history and involved
in the lives of his people. He works not only miraculously but also ordinarily
in human effort, pain, and struggle to bring people to the kingdom.
The
genealogy is followed by the story of the birth of Jesus. Since Mary and Joseph
were engaged, they were legally considered husband and wife. Thus, infidelity
in this case would also be considered adultery. Their union could only be
dissolved by divorce or death. Though Joseph is righteous or just, he decides
not to go by the letter of the law and publicly disgrace Mary, but he chooses a
quieter way of divorcing her. God, however, has other plans for both Joseph and
Mary and intervenes in a dream. Joseph is addressed by the angel as “Son of
David” reiterating, once again after the genealogy, the Davidic origin of
Jesus. He is asked to take Mary as his wife and also informed that is the
Spirit’s action that is responsible for her pregnancy. He is told that he is to
give the child the name “Jesus". Jesus (Iesous) is the Greek form of
"Joshua" which, whether in the long form yehosua, ("Yahweh is
salvation") or in one of the short forms, yesua, ("Yahweh saves”),
identifies the son, in the womb of Mary, as the one who brings God’s promised
eschatological salvation. The angel explains what the name means by referring
to Ps 130:8. The name “Jesus” was a popular and common name in the first century. By the choice of such a name, Matthew shows
that the Saviour receives a common human name, a sign that unites him with the
human beings of this world rather than separating him from them.
Matthew
then inserts into the text the first of ten formula or fulfilment quotations
that are found in his Gospel. This means that Matthew quotes a text from the
Old Testament to show that it was fulfilled in the life and mission of Jesus.
Here, the text is from Isa 7:14 which, in its original context, referred to the
promise that Judah would be delivered from the threat of the Syro-Ephraimitic
War before the child of a young woman, who was already pregnant, would reach
the age of moral discernment. The child would be given a symbolic name, a short
Hebrew sentence “God is with us” (Emmanu‘el) corresponding to other symbolic
names in the Isaiah story. Though this text was directed to Isaiah’s time,
Matthew understands it as text about Jesus, and fulfilled perfectly in him,
here in his birth and naming.
This
birth narrative of Matthew invites us to reflect on a number of points. Of
these, two are significant. First, many
of us are often caught in the dilemma of doing the right thing which might not
always be the loving thing. If we follow
only the letter of the law, we may be doing the right thing but not the most
loving thing. However, if we focus every
time on the most loving thing, like Joseph, it is surely also the right thing.
Though Joseph could have done the right thing and shamed Mary by publicly
divorcing her, he decides to go beyond the letter of the law and do the loving
thing, which in his case was also the right thing.
Second,
the story also shows us who our God is.
Our God is God with us. Our God is one who always takes the initiative,
who always invites, and who always wants all of humanity to draw closer to him
and to each other. This God does not come in power, might, and glory, but as a
helpless child. As a child, God is vulnerable. He is fully human and in his
humanity, is subject to all the limitations that humanity imposes on us. Yet,
he will do even that, if only humans respond to the unconditional love that he
shows.
Sunday, 6 September 2026
Saturday, 5 September 2026
Sunday, September 6, 2026 - Together, Not alone
To read the texts click on the texts: Ezek33:7-9;Rom13:8-10; Mt 18:15-20
As
a child in school I learnt a poem which had great rhyme and meter and which when
recited aloud with actions that accompanied it sounded good to the ear. It went
like this:
I
had a little tea party
This
afternoon at three
It
was very small
Three
guests in all
Just
I, myself and me.
Myself
ate up all the sandwiches
While
I drank up the tea
It
was also "I" who ate the pie
And
passed the cakes to me.
It
was only many years later that I realized that it was one of the most selfish
poems that one could recite. The focus in the poem was on one individual and
one individual alone; I, myself and Me. This is surely not the Christian way of
proceeding. In Christianity we are individuals but in and within a community.
In
the Bible we come across certain passages that are as relevant and practical in
our lives today as they were thousands of years ago when they were first
written. Today’s readings are good examples of such passages. Together they
reminds us that as faithful Christians it is our responsibility to reach out to
the errant members of the community and bring them back into the fold.
Christianity, is both an individual and communitarian religion and every one of
us are our brother’s and sister’s keepers. They even go on to recommend
practical steps on how to go about doing this. They invite us to review our
‘I-don’t-care’ attitude toward fallen and lax members of the Church, reminding
us that it is our business to reach out to them.
As
members of the Church, we are not just a priestly people who offer sacrifice;
we are also a prophetic people, which means that we are God’s spokespersons. We
speak on behalf of God. Today’s first reading is, in fact, a compact job
description that God gave to the prophet Ezekiel on what it means to be a
prophetic person. As sentinel or watchman, Ezekiel places himself as an
intermediary between God and the people. He realizes that it is his
responsibility as a member of the community to ensure that all in the community
are saved from sin. He cannot be merely content with his own salvation. He must
do whatever it takes to bring those who stray back to the fold.
The
Gospel text from Matthew deals with discipline, reconciliation and the presence
of the Lord. This text is part of the fourth discourse in the Gospel commonly
known as the “Community Discourse”. The concern in these verses is with
community or congregational life and not primarily about personal relations.
Like Ezekiel, every Christian is also called to be concerned about other
members of the community, since ours is a faith of a community and never of
merely individuals. We act together, so we can help one another and so we can
work to God’s name, thereby multiplying our resources and ability to do what
God calls us to do. Our community is the lifeline to the experience of God and
an example of the power of God moving among God’s people.
The
procedures that Matthew suggests for bringing back an errant member of the
community may seem stringent. However, when we realize that the point is one of
radical care and concern and not self righteousness or vindictiveness, then
they take on a new meaning. The errant member, the leaders of the community and
the community are all protected from arbitrariness and self-centered actions.
While
a private spiritual and prayer life is essential for each of us and we need to
spend time alone with God, it is likely to become dry and turn inward, if it is
not infused with regular doses of shared worship and prayer with others,
gathered in the Lord’s name. The gathering together also signifies how
important we are to each other and how much we depend on each other. Through
our link to one another through Christ, there is a power in our community,
uniting the values of God to our values on earth. This is how Jesus enables us
to use God’s power for healing and life-giving love effectively among God’s people.We
come together, we stay together, we work together in our Lord’s name, bringing
to focus the presence of God and unleashing the power of the Spirit to
transform our lives and the lives of all God’s children.
In
the second reading of today Paul, speaking in a similar vein, challenges the
community at Rome to show their love for one another in action. It is love
which characterizes the Christian community and it is love which will sustain
and nourish it. This love must also show itself as a commitment to justice – a
love that never does any wrong to anyone. To be Christian thus means to be one
who not only loves, but also one led by love to reach out to anyone who is in
need. It is to be conscious of the fact that even if one member of the
community does not feel part of the community, the community is not whole.
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