The Eucharist at Emmaus (Lk 24:13-35)
As is the case often, there are several possible reflections on the gospel text of today. I would like to suggest that Lk 24:13-35 bears resemblance to the Eucharistic liturgy that we celebrate in the Roman Rite.
Allow me to begin with a story, adapted from Margaret Silf’s Wayfarer:
Nicholas had worked for twenty-six years for the same company. Then he was made redundant. By the time his day of departure arrived, most of his immediate colleagues had gone ahead of him into the streets of uncertainty. The smell of redundancy is a bit like the smell of death. No one wants to get too close to it. Perhaps we are afraid that it may be contagious. On his last working day, Nicholas was alone in the office. […]
Author: selvam
Sermon for 2nd Sunday of Easter – Homily
From a Communitarian faith to a Personal Experience of Jesus
Today, as we conclude the octave of Easter – eight day celebration of this great feast – the Gospel passage of today concludes the series of events that we heard read on the morning of Easter, eight days ago. John 20: 1-10 was the Gospel of the liturgy of the Easter morning. It narrated to us how Mary Magdalene went to the tomb, found it empty and came to tell the apostles. On hearing this Peter and the Beloved disciple ran to the tomb, they saw the empty tomb and the linen; and the Beloved Disciple believed in the resurrection. The following section of the gospel of John (20:11-18), the one about Jesus’ appearance to Mary Magdalene was read during liturgy on Tuesday. Today we heard read the remaining sections of […]
Easter Homily: an Event or an Experience
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia!
‘Alleluia’ is one expression that we hear so often during Easter. And when we hear a Catholic shouting out ‘Alleluia’ we think, they have become a Pentacostal. What does ‘alleluia’ mean? It simply means, ‘Praise the Lord’! But this praise is also filled with thanksgiving, joy and triumph. Several psalms begin and end with this expression. This is one of those expressions that has come to be used in Christian tradition in its original Hebrew expression, like ‘Amen’ and ‘Hosanna’. ‘Alleluia’ is an apt expression in the context of what we celebrate during Easter – it is simply to praise the lord for his triumph over death.
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia!
The celebration of Resurrection is the first feast that early Christians ever celebrated. In fact it was such a powerful event that […]
Sermon for 5th Sunday in Lent – Year A Homily
Lazarus, Come Out!
Today, the 5th Sunday in Lent, we conclude the trilogy of instructions taken from the Gospel of John for Catechumens. The gospel readings of the previous two Sundays focused on water (Jn 4) and light (Jn 9). Today our focus is on life (Jn 11). These three narratives, centring on the three primordial elements, are a build up to the Easter vigil which will also revolve around water, light and new life. These three elements simply point to Christ, the source of life.
The gospel narrative of today is a sign performed by Jesus in order to reveal his identity: “I am the Resurrection and the Life” (Jn 11: 25). It is also an invitation to participate in the promise of Jesus: “I came that they may have life, […]
Sermon for 4th Sunday in Lent – Year A Homily
Coming to see Jesus, the Light of the World
The gospel reading of this Sunday (the 2nd in the sequel) invites us to reflect on the story of the encounter between Jesus, the man born blind, his parents, and the Pharisees, so that we may experience Jesus as the Light of the World. What does light do? It dispels darkness; it makes us recognise possibilities. In the context of the gospel of today, the light helps us recognise God in person of Jesus.
The gospel text of today offers us three possible attitudes: (a) indifference towards Jesus – the position of the parents of the blind man; (b) blatant denial of the true nature of Jesus – the position of the Pharisees because they are caught up in the web of their Sabbath laws; and […]