Year of Mercy – Reflection for 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time (31 Jan 2016)
(Disclaimer: The following lines are product of pure imagination!)
Mr Pius is a good Christian.
He goes to church even on week days.
He reads the Bible very regularly.
He says all his long prayers very diligently –
even if often he would say them rather hurriedly.
He is an educated man, and he reads even the documents of the Church.
He is aware of the current debates that are going on in the Church.
He is in-charge of the formation of laity in his parish.
He has his positions clear:
The interpretation of the traditional teaching of the Church should not be watered down –
Not even in the name of mercy!
He believes that God is a just judge.
He will punish the wicked in time.
They will be condemned […]
Sunday Sermons
Sunday Sermons and Homilies
Year of Mercy – Reflection for 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (24 Jan 2015)
For a previous reflection of mine on the gospel of text of today: <<CLICK HERE>>. What follows is as reflection on the gospel of today in the context of the Year of Mercy, which is also the Jubilee year.
The Jubilee Year
It is so meaningful that in this “Year of Mercy”, as we begin to listen to the Gospel of Luke during this Ordinary Time in the liturgical calendar of Year C, we hear Jesus proclaiming “a year of favour from the Lord” (Lk 4:19; Is 61:2).
The connotation to the Year of the Lord in Isaiah is inspired by what is found in the Book of Leviticus (25:10-17):
You will declare this fiftieth year to be sacred and proclaim the liberation of all the country’s inhabitants. You will keep this as a jubilee… in it […]
Sermon for the Feast of All Saints
The Saints Inspire, and we can Imitate them
All Saints Day (Nov 1, 2015)
Why Saints? Because they inspire us
In 2009, when the relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux were being taken around the UK, the euphoria of the people who went to pay homage took the sceptics by surprise. In the secular Britain, an estimated 290,000 people paid their respects to St Thérèse, in 20 churches. However, I must say, I heard the most cynical remarks about the relics only from my fellow priests. In any case, one of those nights I was called to help out with confessions at the Westminster Cathedral. As I sat at St George’s chapel, hearing the sincere confessions of some pilgrims, I watched the others file by the relics. But what touched me most was the crowds of people who sat at various positions in […]
Sermon for 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year B Homily – I wonder
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year B
Who do you say I am?
Jerome W. Berryman is known for his “Godly Play” method of reflecting on a gospel story. One of the techniques used in Godly Play is the use of “wondering questions”. I would like to use the method of wondering questions to reflect/pray with the gospel text of today.
For a full sermon on this passage (Mk 8:27-35): CLICK HERE
For a sermon on the Matthean version of the story: CLICK HERE
I wonder if Jesus’ question: “Who do people say I am” is part of a search for his own identity?
I wonder why people would relate Jesus to John the Baptist and Elijah?
I wonder if Jesus’ question: “who do you say I am” is addressed to me?
I wonder what would be […]
4th Sunday in Ordinary Time Sermon – Year B homily: Meaning of Celibacy
You give your undivided attention to the Lord (1Cor 7:35)
Note: This reflection is based on the second reading of this Sunday. If you wish to have a sermon on the gospel reading of today, click here.
There are some people who argue that priestly celibacy has no Biblical basis. According to them celibacy is merely a later invention of the Catholic Church. It might be an historical fact that Catholic priesthood being compulsorily associated with celibacy would have evolved through the centuries. At the same time it is not fair to deny the Biblical basis of celibacy.
In the first reading of today, once again we hear Paul evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of marriage and celibacy in the context of one’s undivided intimacy with the Lord. Paying some attention to what […]