Tuesday, August 6, 2024 - Homily

 

Monday, August 5, 2024 - Homily

 

Tuesday, August 6, 2024 - The Transfiguration of the Lord - If you were on the mountain with Jesus, what would your response to the Transfiguration be? Why?

 To read the texts click on the texts: Dan 7:9-10,13-14; 2 Peter 1:16-19; Mk 9:2-9

The transfiguration is an event, which appears in all the Synoptic Gospels, but each narrates it differently. In Mark, it follows after the instructions that Jesus gives to the disciples at Caesarea Philippi and after six days. The event is a confirmation by God of the fact that Jesus is indeed Messiah, beloved Son. Most think that the reason for the choice of Elijah and Moses is that the Jews considered them as being alive in the presence of God. Jesus is superior even to these figures.

In Mk the order is Elijah and Moses. In Matthew, the order is Moses and Elijah (so Luke) to emphasize the two personalities of the Old Testament who received revelation on Mount Sinai (Ex 19:33-34; 1Kgs 19:9-13) and personify the Law and the prophets. While in Mt Jesus is the New Moses and Luke emphasizes the approaching passion, Mark sees in the transfiguration the glorious manifestation of the hidden Messiah. Briefly the disciples experience the heavenly quality of Jesus. Jesus is no less Messiah when his Messianic glory is hidden in the passion, than he is at the Transfiguration.

Elijah was regarded as the prophet who would come before the Lord (Mal 3:24-25; 4:5) as his messenger. Jesus’ reply in John suggests that Elijah has indeed come in John the Baptist is an indication that he is the Lord.

There are times in our lives when everything goes according to plan and at those times it is easy to see that God is on our side. However, when we are faced with trials and when things do not work out, as we want them to, then the transfiguration is a reminder to us that even when carrying our cross we are still beloved by God.

Monday, August 5, 2024 - Will you like Jesus become bread for at least one person today?

To read the texts click on the Texts: Jeremiah 28:1-17; Mt 14:13-21

The miracle of the feeding of the five thousand with five loaves and two fish in which five baskets are gathered is the only miracle that Jesus worked that is found in all the four Gospels (Mk 6,32-44; Lk 9,10-17; Jn 6,1-15).

In Matthew, Jesus withdraws after hearing about the death of John the Baptist. However, as he did earlier (12,15), the withdrawal is not out of fear, as is clear here from the fact that even in his withdrawal he is able to reach out to the multitudes and satisfy their hunger. The crowds follow Jesus and when Jesus sees them, he reaches out to make them whole. Unlike in Mark where the disciples are shown in a bad light in their sarcastic response to Jesus’ charge to them, “you give them something to eat” (Mk 6,37), in Matthew they are not. In Matthew, it is the disciples’ lack of faith, which is brought to the fore. In Matthew, the words and actions of Jesus here, resemble more closely than in Mark, the words and actions at the scene of the Last supper (26,20-27). The people eat, are satisfied and there is food left over which highlights the abundance and extravagance of the miracle. Matthew adds “besides women and children” (14,21) to Mark’s “five thousand men” (Mk 6,44) in order to expand the numbers and emphasise again the abundance of the miracle.

Many like to see this miracle as one in which selflessness is at the core. Seeing Jesus share his own meal so freely, others were motivated into sharing what they had so that there was more than required. It is in giving that we receive and more than we ever expected.

Sunday, August 4, 2024 - Homily

 

Sunday, August 4, 2024 - Are you still seeking a sign from the Lord?

To read the texts click on the texts: Ex 16:2-4, 12-15; Eph 4:17,20-24; Jn 6:24-35

The first reading and the Gospel of today make clear that bread is only the starting point of all that is to follow. However, the Israelites, in the first reading of today, and those who follow Jesus, in the Gospel text of today, are not able to recognize this and continue to remain at the level of material bread. The question that the Israelites ask of the manna, namely, “What is it?” is an indication that they do not know.

This is similar to the question asked by those who follow Jesus, namely, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing?” The response of Moses and Jesus to the people is similar. It is God alone who gives true bread. However, while these words in the mouth of Moses refer to Yahweh, God, who gives the manna, in the mouth of Jesus, they refer to Jesus. This is because it is on Jesus that God has conferred all authority and it is to Jesus that God has given all power. The misunderstanding of the people continues and they remain at the material level. They still want signs.

This request for a sign is strange, coming as it does immediately after Jesus has fed them – the crowd of five thousand, with only five loaves and two fish. However, though strange, it is not unexpected, since their ancestors in the desert had made a similar request of Moses. In his reference to the story of manna in the desert, Jesus explains that it was not Moses, but God, who gave their ancestors bread. Jesus goes even further and informs them that the bread that their ancestors ate is not something only in the past, but it is available even in the present. This present bread is indeed true bread that has come from heaven. They can receive it if they truly desire it. While Moses could give them only the bread that God gave him to give, Jesus gives them something more, the bread that is his very self. This is bread which, because it is given once for all in the person of Jesus, is also given always.

Jesus intends to move the crowd from the merely material to the spiritual, from the merely physical to the metaphysical, and from the merely external to the internal, that is, from the body to the heart. While there is no doubt that the satisfaction of physical hunger is the basic and even primary need of the human being, precisely because we are human beings, there is more. We do not stop after our physical hunger has been satisfied. The fact is that physical food satisfies only a small part of our needs.

The major component of the satisfaction of the human person is the satisfaction of the heart and mind. This is why most doctors all over the world are agreed that the great majority of our illnesses today are not physical but psychosomatic. That is, they have to do primarily with the mind and heart and only then, with the body. This means that, if our minds and hearts are not at ease, the body is affected. This means that, no matter how much physical food may be available to us, we will still be left unsatisfied. When we fail to nourish our mind, our heart, and our spirit, life lacks meaning. Grief, disappointment, illness, anxiety, overwork, a sense of betrayal, failure, or purposelessness, sets in and it can make it seem that just going on living is an effort scarcely worth making. We may be physically filled, but we still feel depressed, apathetic, and bitter, with no sense of anything better.

That is why, following his plea for unity based on the reality of the Christian community’s identity with Christ, the author of Ephesians here emphasizes that this new identity transforms our very being into a new person. This new person is one who realizes that there is much more to life than merely satisfying carnal desires. This new person, because he/she has experienced Christ, will focus on renewal of mind, spirit, and heart as necessary steps toward that fullness of life which Jesus came to bring by becoming, for all, the bread of life.

Saturday, August 3, 2024 - Homily

 

Saturday, August 3, 2024 - Will you, like John the Baptist point to Jesus through your life today? How?

To read the texts click on the texts: Jer 26:11-16,24; Mt 14:1-12

Herod mentioned at the beginning of this story of the death of John the Baptist (found also in Mark 6:14-29) is Herod Antipas and the son of Herod the Great mentioned in the Infancy narrative of Matthew (2:3).

 Though Matthew has taken this story from Mark, he shortens it considerably. Matthew’s reason for Herod wanting to kill John is the same as Mark. John had objected to Herod having married Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife when his brother was still alive.

In Matthew, unlike in Mark, it is not Herodias who wants to kill John, but Herod himself. When the daughter of Herodias (who is not named) pleases Herod with her dance on his birthday, she asks for the head of John the Baptist. After burying John, his disciples go and tell Jesus about what had happened.

It is not always easy for us to take a stand against injustice. Yet this is what this text is calling us to do. In the process on taking a stand we might become unpopular or sometimes the object of ridicule. The challenge is how much we are willing to risk.

Friday, August 2, 2024 - Homily

 

Friday, August 2, 2024 - Be careful of saying, “I know”, you may miss the Messiah.

To read the texts click on the texts: Jer 26:1-9; Mt 13:54-58

The incident of the rejection of Jesus in his hometown is found also in Mark 6,1-6. Like Mark, Matthew too leaves Jesus’ hometown unnamed. Yet many think that Matthew may have been referring to Nazareth where Jesus grew up (2,23) rather than Capernaum in which Jesus did a lot of his ministry. While the people accepted that Jesus did indeed speak and act with authority, they wondered about the source of this authority. This wonder soon turns to a negative assessment on their part when they take offence at Jesus. Matthew {unlike Mark who identifies Jesus as a carpenter (Mk 6,3)} identifies Jesus as the “carpenter’s son” since he is interested in showing Jesus as Son of Joseph and so Son of David. In response to their negative attitude to him, Jesus speaks of himself as a prophet and identifies himself with the true prophets of Israel. In Matthew {unlike in Mark where the failure on the part of Jesus to work miracles is the result of the unbelief of his townspeople (Mk 6,6)} the initiative rests with Jesus and though able, he does not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

We keep expecting people to behave in a particular manner and sometimes when they do not behave as we expect them to, we tend to get upset. This happens even with parents and children. While it is not a problem to have some reasonable expectations, we must also be open to change and realise that they may not always behave as we expect them to.