Homilies (Page 12)

 Congruity of Lifestyle and Doctrine Malachi 1:14b-2:2b, 8-10; 1 Thessalonians 2:7b-9, 13; Matthew 23:1-12 On a face value, our gospel reading appears to be focused on the scribes and the Pharisees. In fact, most titles of today’s gospel reading in many Bible versions read “The seven woes of the Pharisees” or something close to that. This reading of the gospel is not going to be our guide for this Sunday. I think there is a deeper meaning and significance to today’s gospel message, which will become apparent when we ask a simple question: to whom was Jesus addressing the gospel of today? What is clearRead More →

Justice Sunday! Exodus 22:20-26; 1 Thessalonians 1:5c-10; Matthew 22:34-40 Going by happenings around the world—the wars and killings— there is a clear proof of anthropological poverty. The human person is left behind through human greed and debasement. The needless deaths, hunger, and impunity oppressors visit on the poor are crying out to heaven for redress. Church, synagogue, and mosque attendances have become camouflages for religious piety, without social justice and equality to back it up. All these scenarios make this Sunday “Justice Sunday”! Our first reading puts social justice on the front burner of today’s readings. Exodus 22:20-26 situates the meaning of the law ofRead More →

Make it Evident, the Image of God in You Isaiah 45:1, 4-6; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5b; Matthew 22:15-21 It is always nice to know when to change one’s game or strategy, especially when it fails to yield the desired result. Having used so many parables to talk to the chief priests and the Pharisees to no avail, Jesus now changes tactics to straight talk with the Pharisees. How does Jesus go about doing that – his straight talk? A bit of background check on the adversaries of Jesus is in order today. In their plot to eliminate Jesus, there is a new alliance formed, there isRead More →

“Moral Yes” to God, Our Uniform to Heaven Isaiah 25:6-10a; Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20; Matthew 22:1-14 On reading today’s gospel, my mind remains glued to how one individual could sneak into the wedding banquet of God without a garment! Does it mean that God’s security is porous and can be beaten? Yet, this fellow was fished out and thrown into hell or outer darkness among those to weep and gnash their teeth. What is happening here? Two realizations will help our comprehension, 1) that Jesus continues to address the chief priests and Pharisees (again) in another parable (Matt 22:1), and 2) that the chief priests andRead More →

Change is possible Isaiah 5:1-7; Philippians 4:6-9; Matthew 21:33-43 Let us situate our parable today in its proper context. The beginning of Matthew 21 helps us to do this. It starts out with the journey of Jesus to Jerusalem; which means that our gospel today is part of Jesus’ teachings to his disciples, indeed, all of humanity, about the importance of journeys of faith and the role of Jerusalem in such journeys. Other elements to help our analysis are the companions of Jesus’ journey and what he says to them and them to him. Jerusalem, the city towards which Jesus journeys, means and can meanRead More →

Second Chance Sunday: The Power of Grace! Ezekiel  18:25-28; Philippians 2:1-11; Matthew 21:28-32 “Justice” is a tricky concept in at least three counts. First, when pushed to its logical conclusion, justice negates or precludes mercy and compassion. Second, the power of justice is so linked up with the law that it forgets the lawmaker/lawgiver. Finally, when justice is misconstrued, the application of justice forgets that human beings are weak, fallen, and imperfect. Today, God reminds us of “second chances” for every sinner, who recognizes his weaknesses and imperfections. This is what “Second Chance Sunday” speaks to, and it reorients the Christian mind to the “PowerRead More →

All is Grace! Isaiah 55:6-9; Phil 1:20c-24, 27a; Matthew 20:1-16a Today, the prophecy of Isaiah about a Messianic age, where everything is gratuitously given, no payment, no credit card necessary, is being liturgically fulfilled. For all those who doubt for their salvation because they considered themselves sinners, for those who still wonder how God will save a sinful world, you have your answer today: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts.” According toRead More →

Relationship Sunday: God at the Heart of our Relationships Sirach 27:30-28:7; Romans 14:7-9; Matthew 18:21-35 “You do good, you do for yourself; you do bad, you do for yourself!” This is the summary of our readings this Sunday, from the story of Mr. Do-good. That is not his true name, but children gave him that name. As a beggar, he never said “thank you” when he was offered anything; instead, he said: “you do good, you do for yourself; you do bad, you do for yourself”. How does that formula of Mr. Do-good apply to our lives on earth as Christians? When we look atRead More →

We need one another Ezekiel 33:7-9; Romans 13:8-10; Matthew 18:15-20 What an indictment from our first reading: “[if] you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way, the wicked shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death” (Ezekiel 33:6). There was a story told of a group of people on a voyage to heaven. They set sail in a gigantic ship to cross the oceans to meet God. Few meters away from shore, with their gaze already seeing heaven, suddenly, they were shipwrecked. Those who could swim began to swim to the safety of heaven. ThereRead More →