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

1st Reading         Ecclesiastes 1:2, 2:21-23 Psalm                    90: 3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17 (R. 1) R:// "O Lord, you have been our refuge from generation to generation" 2nd Reading       Colossians 3: 1-5, 9-11 Gospel                  Luke 12: 13-21 THE PITFALLS OF MATERIALISM Friends, Peace and Goodness! Today is the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). It is also the first Sunday of the month of August, the 8th month of the year. Mathematically, the number 8 is 4 multiplied by 2, and the number 4 is the number of the earth for which we have East, West, North, and South. What it means is that, by arriving in the 8th month, we have gone around the earth twice. The number 8 is also 1 above 7, the number of perfection. In this month, we pray that the Lord himself will perfect in us Graces necessary to walk through this earth. Finally, the month of A...

1st Reading              Genesis 18: 20-32 Psalm                         138:1-2, 2-3, 6-7, 7-8 (R. 3a) R://"Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me" 2nd Reading            Colossians 2:12-14 Gospel                        Luke 11: 1-13 PRAYER MOVES GOD Friends, Peace and Goodness! Today is the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). Today, we draw the curtain down on the month of July. Let us take a quick dive into the readings for today.  Our first reading is from Genesis 18: 20-32, and the Gospel is from Luke 11: 1-13. What becomes very clear from these two passages is that the theme of persistency in prayer is very explicit. The technique used is the "principle of harmonization". In Ordinary Time, especially, the first reading and the Gospel have the same theme. The fuller understanding...

1st Reading              Genesis 18: 1-10a Psalm                         15: 2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5 (R. 1a) R:// "Lord, who may abide in your tent" 2nd Reading            Colossians 1: 24-28 Gospel                       Luke 10: 38-42 WELCOME CHRIST WITHOUT MISSING HIM Beloved, Peace and Goodness! Today is the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). The Word of God today dwells heavily on the theme of hospitality. However, let us focus on a certain close portion of the grand or broad theme of hospitality. The first reading is from Genesis 18: 1-10a, and the Gospel is from Luke 10: 38-42. I suggest we look at the Gospel passage closely.  The first preliminary observation we should make is that today's Gospel is a continuation from last week's Gospel. This technique is " lectio continua " (continuous reading). The...

1st Reading          Deuteronomy 30: 10-14 Psalm                     69: 13 & 16, 29-30, 32-33, 35ab & 36 (R. 32) R:// "You who are poor, seek God, and your hearts will revive" 2nd Reading        Colossians 1: 15-20 Gospel                   Luke 10: 25-37 LIVE THE LAW Beloved, today is the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), and the second Sunday of the month of July. Let us see what the Word of God has for us. Our first reading is from Deuteronomy 30: 10-14, and the Gospel is from Luke 10: 25-37. Let us spend some time with the Gospel passage.  The Gospel passage has parallels in Matthew 22: 34-40 and Mark 12: 28-34, but with textual differences. While Luke has the parable, Matthew and Mark do not. Also, in Matthew and Luke, the Lawyer asks the question to test Jesus, but Mark presents him as one who genuinely wants to know. In addi...

1st Reading                   Isaiah 66: 10-14c Psalm                             66:1-3a, 4-5, 6-7a, 16 and 20 (R. 1) R:// "Cry out with joy to God, all the earth" 2nd Reading               Galatians 6: 14-18 Gospel                          Luke 10:1-12,17-20 SENT TO COMFORT Peace and Goodness!  After celebrating the Solemnities that follow the Easter Season, we usher ourselves to the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). Today is also the first Sunday of the new month of July. July begins the second half of the year. In the Catholic Church, July is traditionally dedicated to devotion to the Most Precious Blood of Christ. Let us derive some thought from the readings of today. Our first reading is from Isaiah 66:10-14. It is noteworthy that we are reading from the last ...

1st Reading              Acts 12: 1-11 Psalm                         34: 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 (R. cf 5b) R:// "From all my terrors, the Lord set me free" 2nd Reading           2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18 Gospel                      Matthew 16: 13-19 THE CHRIST BEYOND NEEDS AND WANTS Peace and Goodness, friends! Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, two great apostles. Today is also the last Sunday in the month of June. We thank God for his graces and providence. Let us look at the readings, especially the Gospel passage from Matthew 16:13-19. The Gospel passage has parallels to Mark 8: 27-29 and Luke 9: 18-20.  The passage can be seen in the light of various themes. It could be seen as Peter's declaration of faith or the identity of Jesus. Regardless, I suggest we consider a few points from the na...

1st Reading               Genesis 14: 18-20 Psalm                          110: 1, 2, 3, 4 (R. 4cd) R:// "You are a priest forever, in the line of Melchizedek" 2nd Reading            1 Corinthians 11: 23-26 Gospel                      Luke 9: 11b-17 GIFT OF SELF Peace and Goodness, friends! We celebrate today the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Year C) — Corpus Christi. This is the second of the Solemnities of the Lord during Ordinary Time. Today's celebration has to do with the Holy Eucharist, the source and summit of the Christian life. Let us quickly dive into the readings.  Our first reading is from Genesis 14: 18-20. This is a relatively short passage but dense from all perspectives. Suddenly, we hear of a mysterious person, Melchizedek. He met Abram when Abram was returning...