FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT STAY AWAKE: This Sunday we begin the new Liturgical Year and the Season of Advent in preparation for the great feast of Christmas. Advent is a penitential time, though not so severe as Lent. The colour of the priest’s vestments this time is purple, reminding us of the purple worn in… Continue reading »
Synopsis: Advent I Sunday [B] Homily on Mark 13:33-37 Introduction: The central theme of today’s readings is Jesus’ warning to us to be alert, watchful and prepared because Christ’s Second Coming, coinciding with the end of the world, can occur at any time. People, in general, used to have a paranoid fear about the end… Continue reading »
O.T. 34 Christ the King (Nov 22) – Dn 7:13-14; Rv 1:5-8; Jn 18:33b-37(L/15) Introduction: This Sunday, at the end of Church’s liturgical year, the readings describe the enthronement of the victorious Christ as King in Heaven in all his glory. Instituting this Feast of Christ the King, Pope Pius XI proclaimed: “Pax Christi in… Continue reading »
SYNOPSIS OF OT XXXIII [B] HOMILY ON Mk 13:24-32 (L/15) Introduction: Today’s readings give us the assurance that our God will be with us all the days of our lives and that we will have the ongoing presence of the Holy Spirit in our midst, guiding, protecting and strengthening us in spite of our necessary… Continue reading »
Introduction: Today’s readings invite us to live out a total commitment to God’s service with a humble and generous heart, free from pride and prejudice. Scripture lessons: The first reading and the Gospel today present poor widows who sacrificially gave their whole lives and means of livelihood to God, symbolizing the supreme sacrifice Jesus would… Continue reading »
Introduction: The central theme of today’s readings is the overflowing mercy and kindness of a loving, healing and forgiving God for His children. Scripture lessons: The first reading tells us how a forgiving and compassionate God has been healing the spiritual blindness of His Chosen People by subjecting them to captivity in Babylon and now… Continue reading »
OCT 18: WORLD MISSION SUNDAY – 2015 Anecdote: # 1: “I have no other plan.” S.D. Gordon has a beautiful story about the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven. When the grand welcome ceremony was over, the Archangel Gabriel approached Jesus to resolve his doubts. He said, “I know that only very few in Palestine are… Continue reading »
SUNDAY XXIX [B] (Oct 18): IS 53: 10-11; HEB 4: 14-16; MK 10: 35-45 (LP) World Mission Sunday homily is attached: Introduction: Today’s Scripture readings describe leadership as the sacrificial service done to others and offer Jesus as the best example. They also explain the servant leadership of Jesus, pinpointing service and sacrifice as the criteria… Continue reading »
XXVIII Sunday (Oct 11) homily on Mk 10: 17-31(L/15) Introduction: Today’s readings remind us that we do not possess anything in our life that we refuse to surrender to the Lord. In reality these things often possess us, and we become the prisoners of our possessions. What we have really done is to give our “things”… Continue reading »
OT XXVII [B] (Oct 4) Homily on Mark 10: 2-16 (L-15) Introduction: Today’s Scripture readings are about the bond of love that marriage creates between a man and a woman, a bond that God wishes to be permanent. These readings challenge the spouses to practice the fidelity of their ever-faithful God, honoring their holy covenant commitment… Continue reading »