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

1st Reading              Joshua 5: 9a. 10-12 Psalm                        34: 2-3, 4-5, 6-7 (R. 9a) R:// "Taste and see that the Lord is good!" 2nd Reading           2 Corinthians 5: 17-21 Gospel                      Luke 15: 1-3, 11-32 RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP OF GOD'S GIFTS Dear friends, today is the 4th Sunday of Lent (Year C). The 4th Sunday of Lent is called Lætare Sunday (Sunday of Rejoicing), properly because the entrance antiphon starts with "Laetare" (Rejoice). We rejoice because we are very close to Easter. In fact, we are just 2 weeks away from Easter. The character of the Laetare Sunday is expressed explicitly in the liturgical colour, Rose, which is used today. Rose or Pink is nothing other than violet mixed with a little white. The white indicates the Easter joys. We are indeed very near. Additionally,...

1st Reading     Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15 Psalm               103:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8 & 11 (R. 8a) R:// "The Lord is compassionate and gracious" 2nd Reading     1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12 Gospel               Luke 13: 1-9 SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY NOW Beloved, we usher ourselves into the 3rd Week of Lent (Year C) and the 4th Sunday in March. There are 5 Sundays in Lent. Arriving at the 3rd Sunday means that we are practically midway through Lent, and therefore, we need to assess and examine our journey so far. Some will find it tough and difficult, and others will find it easy. Regardless, we need to examine our Lenten journey with the basic question: "How has it been thus far?" because 'the unexamined life is not worth living,' as Socrates wisely puts it. Let us pick two details, one each from the first reading and the Gospel passage for today. The 1st reading is from Exodus 3: 1-8a, 13-15. This is a fam...

1st Reading          Genesis 15: 5-12, 17-18 Psalm                     27:1,7-8b, 8c-9abc, 13-14 (R. 1a) R:// "The Lord is my light and my Salvation" 2nd Reading       Philippians 3:17-4:1 Gospel                  Luke 9: 28b-36 GET YOUR EYES FIXED ON HEAVEN Dear friends, today is the 2nd Sunday of Lent (Year C), and the 3rd Sunday of March. Gradually, we are heading towards the core of Lent. Let us not be weary. For this Sunday, we have our first reading from Genesis 15: 5-12, 17-18, and I suggest that we stay within it.  The first reading is God's covenant with Abram, and it deals with the question of an heir, a successor for Abram. Let's get to the root of the passage by considering the previous narratives. There was a battle between the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah and the king of Elam, called Chedorlaomer. Chedorlaomer won that battle and to...

1st Reading      Deuteronomy 26: 4-10 Psalm                 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15 (R. cf. 15b) R:// "Be with me, O Lord, when I am in distress" 2nd Reading    Romans 10: 8-13 Gospel                Luke 4: 1-13 DO NOT BE TEMPTED TO FORGET Beloved, we are blessed to have been given this gracious season of Lent to journey in penitence and self-introspection to renew our lives, leaning on the Lenten pillars of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. At the infant stages of the 40-day journey, we ask the Lord to lead us by his grace in order to have a fruitful Lenten season. Let us go quickly to the Word of God for this Sunday. The first reading is from Deuteronomy 26: 4-10. It is basically a part of Moses' speech to the Israelites. He is, by now, 120 years and the Israelites are preparing to enter the Promised Land. Possibly, they are in the plains of Moab, and they have only the Jordan t...

1st Reading         Sirach 27: 4-7 Psalm                    92:1-2, 12-13, 14-15 (R. 1a) R:// "It is good to give thanks to you, O Lord" 2nd Reading      1 Corinthians  15: 54-58 Gospel                  Luke 6: 39-45 TRUE COLOURS Beloved, today is the first Sunday of March 2025, and we give thanks to God for ushering us into a new month. March, traditionally in the Catholic Church, is attributed to devotion to St. Joseph. The man Joseph barely spoke in the Bible. I suggest that we imitate his silence and meditative nature, especially this month. Additionally, today is the last Sunday of the first part of Ordinary Time. Lent begins on Wednesday with the imposition of Ashes. We should be preparing to start the 40-day penitential journey. Because the greater part of the Lenten season is in March, I will suggest again that we put the silent character of...

1st Reading           1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23 Psalm                      103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13 (R. 8a) R:// "The Lord is kind and merciful" 2nd Reading         1 Corinthians 15: 45-49 Gospel                    Luke 6: 27-38 ENEMIES NO MORE Beloved, today is the 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) and it doubles as the last Sunday of February 2025. We want to thank God for his mercies and graces throughout the month. Additionally, very soon we shall bring the first part of the Season of Ordinary Time to a close. What it means is that we should start preparing and conditioning ourselves to commence the penitential season of Lent. That said, let us shift to the Word of God for this Sunday. Our first reading is from 1 Samuel 26: 2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23. This is a passage that any reader would read and be disappointed in David for n...

1st Reading           Jeremiah 17: 5-8 Psalm                      Ps. 1: 1-2. 3. 4 & 6 (R. Ps. 40:4ab) R:// "Blessed the man who has placed his trust in the Lord" 2nd Reading        1 Corinthians 15: 12. 16-20. Gospel                   Luke 6: 17, 20-26 BLESSED ASSURANCE Peace and Goodness, Beloved.  Today, the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) and the 3rd Sunday of February 2025, we have a couple of readings to reflect on. Let us take a quick dive into them. The first reading is from Jeremiah 17:5-8, a relatively short but dense text, comparing the Cursed and the Blessed. The text is found within the larger Jeremiah 17, which speaks about sin, judgment, and redemption. However, we need to note that Jeremiah was written around the 7th century BCE. This was a time of great turmoil and spiritual decay in Judah (the southern kingd...