Fifth Sunday of Lent
Find today's reflection at this link:
"Neither Do I Condemn You:" A Rereading of the Woman Caught in Adultery.
Fourth Sunday of Lent
We have heard the parable of the prodigal many times. I feel that Jesus left the parable left wide open. For example, did the older son join in the celebration? Did the older son finally see the father’s point of view? Did the two brothers reconcile? What kind of a son was the younger son once he got back? Like a good movie or a novel, this parable cries for a sequence.
Whereas the parable is left open-ended, the introduction to parable is very clear. In fact, the introduction to the parable is as important as the parable itself. Luke introduces the parable in these words, “Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So to them Jesus addressed this parable....” Luke tells us Jesus’ target audience (the Pharisees and the scribes), the problem he was trying to address (the complaint of Pharisees and the scribes that Jesus eats with tax collectors and sinners), and the problem itself (tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus).
Third Sunday of Lent
Over the last couple of years, I have been offering adult faith-formation series based on some of the great saints of the church. Thus far I have reflected on John of the Cross, Thérèse of Lisieux, Oscar Romero, and Francis of Assisi spanning from the 12th Century all the way to the 20th Century. Preparing for each of the series, reflecting on them, and delivering them has not only been a fascinating experience for me, but it has also been life-transforming. There is one thing that is common to every one of these Saint’s lives – a pivotal moment that changed the trajectory of their lives. For John of the Cross, it was his 9 months in prison imprisoned by his own brothers; for Thérèse of Child Jesus it was her ninth Christmas; for Oscar Romero it was the assassination of Fr. Rutillio Grande; and for Francis of Assisi, it was his embrace of the despised leper.
Second Sunday of Lent
There are two supernatural events narrated in today’s scripture readings. The first event concerns Abraham (Gn 15:5-12, 17-18). Abraham heard God speak saying, “I have brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you possession of this land.” But Abraham needed a clarification. “O Lord GOD,” he asked, “how am I to know that I shall possess it?” After God instructs Abraham to prepare various animals for sacrifice and after much patient waiting, a “smoking fire pot and a flaming torch” passed between the pieces of flesh and consumed the sacrifice. If you try to imagine the scene, that must have been a spectacular sight!
The second event is the Transfiguration of Jesus. Once again, the experience is supernatural. There were no animals for sacrifice, a fire pot, or a flaming torch this time, but the scene is not any less spectacular. Peter, James, and John not only got a glimpse of the transfigured Jesusbut like a movie trailer, important figures from salvation history appeared in the scene to join and converse with Jesus.
What goes on your mind as you hear these stories? They seem events in the far distant past, don’t they? Especially since such experiences are uncommon for us, perhaps, there is even an inclination to treat them as unrealistic.
First Sunday of Lent
Scripture Readings
Temptations are real. Temptations are inevitable. Temptations are an everyday affair. Yet, we do not spend too much time reflecting on them. This is because our focus is on avoiding temptations rather than succumbing to them.
The Gospels, however, tell us about the temptations of Jesus. They reflect upon them. They not only tell us what Jesus’ temptations were, but they also tell us what Christ did when he was tempted and how Jesus overcame the temptations. In fact, today’s gospel seems to suggest that Christ’s temptations were not a chance happening. Jesus was “led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted…” (Lk 4:1). In other words, Jesus went into the desert to face his temptations.
Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Words matter. Perhaps you have heard much about the baptism controversy that as gone viral in the Catholic and social media world. Fr. Andre Arango, a priest in Arizona, substituted the word ‘I’ with ‘We’ in the words of baptism. Instead of, “I baptize you…,” over the years at thousands of baptisms he said, “We baptize you…” After much discussion between the diocese and the Vatican, all the baptisms performed by Fr. Arango were declared invalid. People went back and forth about whether a small pronoun can make all the difference. Well, it does. Imagine that at a wedding, instead of, “I do,” one of them said, “We do!” The wedding would be invalid. Small words have huge implications. Similarly, in the Sacrament of Baptism, when a minister baptizes, Catholics believe that it is really Christ who is working through that person. When the word 'we' is used, it means that the community of worshippers is doing the baptism. That is what makes the baptisms done by Fr. Arango invalid. Words matter. Even small words carry big implications.
Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Different elements make what we call religion, faith tradition, Christianity, or Catholicism. A religion compasses many dimensions – revelation, doctrines, traditions, rituals, practices, and ethics. Together, they make a religious tradition, and more specifically for us, Catholicism.
During different days and seasons of the year, the scripture readings at liturgy focus on different dimensions of our faith. Sometimes the focus is on revelation. For instance, God appearing to Moses in the burning bush is an example of divine revelation. Similarly, we consider Jesus’ incarnation to be the climax of divine self-revelation. At other times, the focus is on doctrines. From the creation story, for example, emerge our doctrines about God, human origin, sin, and redemption. In the New Testament Jesus’ teaching on the kingdom of God and the Paraclete are examples of doctrines. Often enough, the focus of the scripture readings is also on rituals. The institution of the Passover in the book of Exodus and the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper are examples of communal ritual celebrations. And finally, there is ethic or morality - the demands that revelation, doctrine, and rituals make on our daily conduct.
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today we hear from the Sermon on the Plain. The Sermon on the Plain is Luke version of Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount. Much of the content between the two versions of the Sermon is very similar, but there are some key differences. I would like focus on just one of them. Unlike Matthew’s Beatitudes which focus on the “Blessed are…”, Luke’s Beatitudes are divided into two sections. The first four Beatitudes promise ‘blessedness’ and the second four declare ‘woes.’ The “blessed” are contrasted from those, against whom, Jesus proclaims “woes”. The contrast is between the ‘poor’ and the ‘rich’, between the ‘hungry’ and those who are ‘filled’, between those who ‘weep’ now and those who ‘laugh’ now, and finally, between those who are ‘hated for the sake of the Son of Man’, and those about whom ‘people speak well’.
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Over the last couple of months, I have been accompanying a very dear friend of mine through his terminal illness. I would describe this friend as “a good man.” He is a really good man - married, faithful to his wife, children and family, God-fearing, and genuinely good to everybody. In more ways than one, he is a model for me. As the end of his life approaches, he shared some of his fears with me. Prominent among them is his fear of standing before God. As a pastor and friend, I know that he has nothing to fear. His life has been right and just. Yet, he says that he is afraid. I have not reached a conclusion whether his fear rises from the religious formation he received as a child, or it is the “Fear of the Lord,” which we know as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps it is the latter. This latter gift is also called “awe of God.” It means a healthy fear of God.
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today’s gospel reading is from the gospel of John. It is important for us to know that John does not have an infancy narrative or the genealogy of Jesus. Instead, John begins his story with the real origin of Jesus – “In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, the Word was God.” John’s Christmas is described in the simple words, “The Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us.” Since John does not have an infancy narrative, he does not have the traditional story of the epiphany with the three magi. Today’s gospel reading of the miracle of turning water into wine is John’s epiphany story. That is why this gospel account ends with the words, “Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.”
The Baptism of the Lord
Of all the events of Christ’s life, the Baptism of Jesus is the most difficult one to wrap our minds around. Jesus’ baptism raises questions. Jesus was baptized at the hands of John the Baptist. But John’s baptism was a baptism for the forgiveness of sins. If Jesus was without sin, then why was he baptized? Second, Jesus is the very source and font of all the effects of a Christian baptism - cleansing from original sin, becoming a temple of God’s glory, and a new life through the Holy Spirit. Does it not seem strange that Jesus should subject himself to the very graces, of which, he himself is the source?
The Epiphany of the Lord
Epiphany – meaning, ‘manifestation’. It is an event as important as Christmas itself. Jesus incarnated at Christmas and Jesus manifested to the world at Epiphany are two sides of the same coin.
We get much of the information about the magi directly from the gospel of Matthew. Matthew tells us that magi from the East arrived in Jerusalem and finally in Bethlehem where they did homage to the Christ-child and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Mt 2:1-12). But there is information we do not have in the gospels that are now part of the tradition. For example, Matthew does not say how many magi were there. That there were three kings is an extra-biblical tradition. There are many interesting developments in the tradition of the magi/three kings, and today I would draw some practical implications from the biblical and extra-biblical texts and traditions.
Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
We have just celebrated Christmas. When we think of God’s plan and all the ways in which God could have come to us, is it not truly amazing that Christ came into a home? I find it fascinating that Christ was born into a family. The implication of this reality is immense. Just as Christ’s incarnation gave new dignity to the human race, Christ’s birth into a family brought new dignity to the human family, to the home.
I offer three practical implications of Christ's birth into a family for our families.
Fourth Sunday of Advent
The Beacons of Light initiative of the Archdiocese has been a needed but complex and challenging process. Personally, having been right in the midst of the process as a parish priest, its impact on what lies ahead is frightening. Considering the humongous task ahead, honestly, I feel very, very small. I wonder if you have felt similarly – where an experience or a life situation makes you feel small.
Third Sunday of Advent
The third Sunday of Advent is always celebrated as “Gaudete Sunday!” Translated as “Rejoice Sunday,” the name comes directly from the scripture readings chosen for the day. “Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!” (Zep 3:14). In today’s second reading from Philippians, Paul says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: Rejoice!” (Phil 4:4). The joy that today’s reading is referring to is the joy of God’s presence – God’s healing, restoring, reconciling, comforting, redeeming presence!
In three points, let us try to understand the joy of Gaudete Sunday.
Second Sunday of Advent
Here is a real-life conversation between a pampering grandmother and a pampered grandchild:
Gigi: “Have you written your letter to Santa?”
Bugaboo: “Why?”
Gigi: “Don’t you want Santa to know what you want as a gift for Christmas?
Bugaboo: “My parents tell me that Santa is watching me all the time. Santa knows what I want!”
Gigi: “I give up!”
First Sunday of Advent
Do you find it strange that as we begin Advent and a new liturgical year, the scripture readings are about the end times? The Church’s wisdom in prescribing these readings is primarily theological. However, let me begin with a very practical human experience. Isn’t it true, that if we are driving to a new destination, the first thing we figure out is where we are going? If we do not have the destination and the directions, how do we begin the journey? We are lost if we begin a journey without the destination. In other words, our common experience is that we always begin a new journey with the end in sight.
The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
The concept of kingship is alien to us. We have never been subjects in a monarchy. We have only heard stories – stories both of benevolent and monstrous monarchs. We may understand the concept of a king or a queen, but we have never experienced monarchy in real life. Hence, the title for today’s celebration, “Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe,” comes with its share of ambiguity.
Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
I have just returned from a 18,000 miles back-and-forth travel from the other side of the globe. Travel used to be fun. Now, there is more to be cautious about than the simple joy of travel. I had to get a negative COVID test report. I then had to upload it on an immigration portal along with a copy of my passport and my vaccination card. Despite all the caution and clear directions, it is hard to believe how many people show up at the airport without having fulfilled the requirements. It is painful to see people being denied boarding on to the flight. People do not follow directions. People do not take the warning and caution seriously. I am the opposite. I am over cautious. I go overboard. On the other hand nobody denied me entry. My travel was smooth. It works.
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Consider this statement - “No involvement , No Commitment.” It was made by Stephen Covey, an educator in organizational leadership in the 1990s. As a newly ordained priest in the late 1990s, I was looking for ways to live out my priesthood effectively. Someone put Stephen Covey’s book, The Seven Habit of Highly Effective People in my hands. I found him very effective. He said, “Without involvement, there is no commitment. Mark it down, asterisk it, circle it, underline it. No involvement, no commitment.”