"STAY WITH US, LORD" (Luke 24:29)

1st Reading        Numbers 6: 22-27 Psalm                  Ps. 67: 2-3.5.6 and 8 (R. 2a) 2nd Reading      Galatians 4: 4-7 Gospel                 Luke 2: 16-21 THREEFOLD BLESSING FOR THE NEW YEAR Dear people of God, we are delighted to see a new year dawning on us. The first day of the year is a Sunday, which makes us think of Sunday as "the first day of the Week" (Jn. 20:1; Acts 20: 7; 1 Cor. 16: 2; Rev. 1:10). Although the year is not a week, we still have this idea because Sunday is the beginning of the year.  On a more solemn note, today we celebrate the SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD . A good understanding of Jesus as God, when we understand the Triune God, helps us to appreciate the fact that Mary is the Mother of God. Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity is God, and this affirms that Mary is a THEOTOKOS (God-bearer). Even as we celebrate on...

1st Reading         Isaiah 52: 7-10 Psalm                    Ps. 98:1-6 (R. 3cd) 2nd Reading       Hebrew 1:1-6 Gospel                  John 1: 1-18 GOD DOES NOT ABANDON HIS OWN Dear friends, today is Christmas and we recall the birth of Christ, the Word made flesh (Jn. 1: 14). Today's readings focus on the Birth of Christ and how God graciously intervenes in human affairs. We rejoice because our darkness has seen the light of day and hope has been assured a hopeless people labouring under the pains of the exiles of sin and death. The first reading is from Isaiah 52: 7-10 and, from our knowledge of the book of Isaiah so far, it falls within the second part of Isaiah, called Deutero-Isaiah (Ch. 40-55). This is the Book of Consolation; consolation for an oppressed people languishing in exile. A section of this book has been carved out for us to indica...

1st Reading     Isaiah 7: 10-14 Psalm               Ps. 24:1-6 (R. cf. 7c. 10c) 2nd Reading   Romans 1:1-7 Gospel              Matthew 1:18-24 HE IS WITH US Dear friends, today is the last Sunday of Advent, and the implication is that Christmas is near and our joy is almost full. God will become like us in all things but sin. With this in mind, the readings for this Sunday turn our focus toward the birth of the Messiah and on the personality of the mother of this Messiah.  The first reading (Isaiah 7:10-14) forms part of the first part of the book of Isaiah (Chap. 1-39) and is an event dating to the 8th century BCE. The preceding narrative helps us to appreciate the perspective of the author and the message he wants to put across.  The context of the first reading is an alliance between Syria and Israel (Ephraim) to attack Judah so that, in doing so, Judah will be forced by conq...

1st Reading       Isaiah 35: 1-6a, 10 Psalm                  Ps. 146: 1-10 (R . cf. Isa. 35:4) 2nd Reading     James 5: 7-10 Gospel                Matthew 11:2-11 WAITING IN JOYFUL HOPE Dear friends, today is the 2nd Sunday in the month of December. This gives us an indication that we are gradually bringing the year 2022 to a close. This comes with lots of smiles and rejoicing, especially for those who have to surmount the difficult hurdles in the course of the year. In particular, today is the 3rd Sunday of Advent. This 3rd Sunday is very special as we are made to have a foretaste of the white we long to showcase at Christmas. It is called GAUDETE SUNDAY because the first words in the Entrance Antiphon say "rejoice in the Lord always". Gaudete means ' rejoice !' The first reading for this Sunday (Isaiah 35:1-6, 10) falls within the larger scope of the first part of t...

1st Reading       Isaiah 2:1-5 Psalm                  Ps.122:1-9 (R. cf. 1) 2nd Reading     Romans 13: 11-14a Gospel                Matthew 24:37-44 BE THE CARETAKER OF YOUR SPIRITUAL HOME Today is the last Sunday of November, the 1st Sunday in the Liturgical year (Year A), and 1st Sunday of Advent. What comes to light is newness, a fresh start; for this reason, we take time to thank God for how far he has brought us. We also entrust our faith journey into his care in this new liturgical year.  Dear Friends, the recent past Sundays have delved into the theme of being watchful because of the imminent end of things. Now, the end of the Liturgical year has come, and we usher in another one. What is even special about this Liturgical Year is that we shall occupy ourselves with the Gospel according to Matthew. In the order as presented in the Bible, the Gospel accordin...

1st Reading      Isaiah 66:18-21 Resp. Psalm     Ps. 117:1.2 (R. Mk. 16:15) 2nd Reading     Heb. 12:5-7.11-13 Gospel               Luke 13: 22-30 MADE PRIESTS, PROPHETS AND KINGS This 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, the first reading is from Isaiah 66:18-21. It is found in Third Isaiah (Isaiah 56-66), i.e. Trito-Isaiah. We are reading from the last sections of this Trito-Isaiah, and there is divine initiative to "gather all nations and tongues" (v. 18). Trito-Isaiah is believed to have been written by a disciple of the author of Deutero-Isaiah (Isaiah 40-55). The author of Trito-Isaiah sets his writing after the Babylonian exile, and hence, focuses on the post-exilic times. The passage in view, I believe, is set within an Old Testament missionary framework. God takes the initiative to gather all nations and tongues as a result of the dispersion brought by the Babylonian exile (c.598 BC - c.538 BC).  ...

  1st Reading          Jer. 38:4-6.8-10 Resp. Psalm         Ps. 40:2.3.4.18 (R.14b) 2nd Reading       Heb. 12: 1-4 Gospel                  Luke 12:49-53 WHO IS THE TRUE AND CREDIBLE WITNESS? Today is the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, and the Gospel passage from Luke 12:49-53 is one of the often disturbing utterances of Jesus which should not be taken literally. We shall attempt to decipher and unpack the meaning of those words. Before we delve into it, we need to be aware that the passage has a parallel in Matthew 10:34-36, with few textual differences.  The context within which Luke presents the narrative is the readiness of the servant. The preceding narrative (Lk. 12:35-48) and the succeeding narrative (Lk. 12: 54-59) set the tone for today's passage to be located within the context of the call to be ready. For Jesus to say that he has come to establish divisio...