Waiting for the Lord: from rigidity and chaos to integration
1st Sunday of Advent – Year B
In some of our institutions in Asia and Africa we have watchmen or security personnel. I am talking about the day-watchmen particularly those who mind the gates, not the night-watchmen, who are actually paid to sleep in our properties! (The only night-watchman I have ever come across who we knew was not sleeping at night actually went mad after doing his job so conscientiously for three months.) In any case, I think, there are three types of watchmen – sorry for not being gender-sensitive here, since I have also come across security women these days! There are the rigid ones; there are the chaotic ones; and then the integrated ones. The rigid ones prefer to stand or sit […]
Year B
Year B Sunday Sermons
Sermon for Divine Mercy Sunday – 2nd Sunday of Easter Homily
2nd Sunday of Easter
The Divine Mercy
(FOR ANOTHER SERMON ON ST THOMAS – CLICK HERE)
Happy feast of Easter! Easter is the prototype of all Christian feasts. It is such a great event that one day of celebration does not suffice. We needed eight days of liturgical celebrations. Yes, today we conclude the Octave of Easter.
On this 2nd Sunday of Easter, every year, we have the same gospel reading, though the other two readings vary. The gospel passage of today from John begins with the narration of the first appearance of the Risen Lord to his apostles on the day of Easter, it goes on then to narrate the appearance of the Risen Lord to Thomas who was absent on the day of the Easter. The latter incident takes place on the eighth day of Easter (like today). Thus the gospel text […]
Reflections for the Holy Week
(First click on “Continue Reading”. Then click on links)
Palm Sunday (Passion Sunday)
Sermon 1: The mystery of suffering and resurrection
Sermon 2: The day of contradictions
Maundy Thursday
1. The Sacrificial Meal
2. The Mystery of the Eucharist
Good Friday
Commentary for the Liturgy of Good Friday
Homily1. Why did Jesus have to die?
Homily 2. The Mystery of Suffering
VIA CRUCIS by Selvam
Easter Sunday
Commentary on the Liturgy of Easter Vigil
1. Easter: an Event or an Experience
2. The Resurrection – a meditation
3. Resurrection – Selvam’s Video Reflection
Via Lucis
Like the Way of the Cross, there is a devotion approved by the Church for use during Eastertide. See the links below for three versions of the Via Lucis.
1. Via Lucis 1 – with hymns and readings
2. Via Lucis 2 – with short reflections
3. Via Lucis 3 – with Scripture Reading
Sermon for Baptism of the Lord
Baptism of the Lord:
Called to be Active Participants
As a priest while administering the sacrament of baptism to groups of infants, I have often noted with much curiosity the variety of infant-reaction to the ceremony of the baptism itself. There are basically three types of behaviour as infants react to, the priest, the water, the oil, the white cloth, the light, and the crowd itself that is around during the celebration of the sacrament of baptism:
There are the sharp-eyed infants, who watch every movement with keen curiosity. They are like the spectators at the tennis court, moving their head towards every stimulus. They are generally quiet but active. When the parents and god-parents are presented with the candle, for instance, these infants would also try to reach out and insist on holding […]
Sermon for New Year – Year A, B, C – Homily
New Year – Mary, Mother of God
“May the Lord Bless you” (Num 6:24)
Today is a day of blessing. In this New Year, God has blessed us with another opportunity to grow in love, to come closer to Him, and to experience Him in the person of Jesus.
Today is a day of blessing. We honour Mary – she who was blessed among women – as the mother of God. “When the appointed time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman…” (Gal 4:4).
Today is a day of blessing. On this eighth day after Christmas we remember the naming ceremony of Jesus. We bless and honour the holy name of Jesus. We acknowledge that there is power and blessing in the name of Jesus. As St Paul tells us in Phil 2:9, 10: “And for this God raised him high, […]