Category: Year B

NINETEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B) 2 Kings 19:4-8; Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 (R.v.9a); Eph 4:30 – 5:2; John 6:41-51 Last Sunday, when we began our reflection on Jesus, the bread of life, we noted that “the bread is first of all, the Word of God (cf. John 1:1)”. That reference to the Word of God should not be misconstrued to mean the mere spoken word; that is, if one makes effort to consider it from the point of view of John 1:1. It means the totality of the person of Jesus. Hence, it will not be equivocal...

⏰EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B) 📕Exod 16:2-4, 12-15; Ps 78:3 and 4bc, 23-24, 25 and 54 (R.v.24b); Eph 4:17, 20-24; John 6:24-35 The miracles of Jesus in the Gospel of John are called signs. The reason is because the miracles ought not to be ends in themselves but means to an end. The end is the belief in God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent (John 6:29, 17:3). Like sign posts that direct one to a place, miracles ought to direct us to that belief in God. Unfortunately, the people in the Gospel of today believed in...

SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B) 2 Kings 4:42-44; Ps 145:10-11,15-16,17-18(R.v.16); Eph 4:1-6; John 6:1-15 All the readings that we have in our liturgy today make reference to what we must do to make our society a better place, beginning with making efforts to see that we take care of the needs of those around us in best way that we can. Have you paid attention to some of the other options for the conclusion of the Holy Mass? Some of them tells us outrightly what we are commanded to do. One of them say, “Go forth, the Mass...

⏰SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B) 📕Jer 23:1-6; Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 (R.v.1); Eph 2:13-18; Mark 6:30-34 Last Sunday, we reflected on the difference between the true and false prophets. That distinction continues today in our liturgy with a wider perspective to also include all the leaders in the society. The attention is on their role as the shepherds of the people. The Book of Jeremiah dwelt so much on the prophets and prophecy, and denounced the false prophets in many ways and places. It considers the problem of the land as having a lot to do with...

⏰FIFTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B) 📕Amos 7:12-15; Ps 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14 (R.v.8); Eph 1:3-14; Mark 6:7-13 Today, all the readings that we have in our liturgy give us one important message an invitation to share in the ministry of evangelization as God would want us to do and not as we would want it. Reflecting on this, the character of Moses as the ideal prophet in Israel comes to mind: 👉Moses was called by God; he did not call himself (cf. Exod 3); 👉He was selfless and an intercessor (cf. Exod 32:11-14); 👉He encouraged people to...

⏰FOURTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B) 📑Ezek 2:2-5; Ps 123:1-2a, 2bc, 3-4 (R.v.2ef); 2 Cor 12:7-10; Mark 6:1-6 We are obviously aware of that saying that over-familiarity breeds contempt. The kind of reception that Jesus got from his kinsmen in the Gospel today explains that well. For some weeks before now, we have been seeing, from the Gospel of Mark, the divine power at work in Jesus. And the result has mostly been reverence for him and for God through him in the foreign nations and surrounding villages (cf. Mark 1:28, 45; 2:12; 4:41; 5:20). But now, he came...

⏰THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B) 📕Wis 1:13-15, 2:23-24; Ps 30:2 and 4, 5-6, 11-12a and 13b (R.v.2a); 2 Cor 8:7, 9, 13-15; Mark 5:21-43 The Liturgy of today continues to reveal the power of Jesus over all things, an indication of his divine power. Both the healing of the woman with a haemorrhage and that of the raising of the daughter of Jairus from death defied earthly powers, and the Gospel writer acknowledged this (cf. Marks26, 29:35, 42). While the supremacy of Jesus over all power is the most essential thing that the Liturgy points to, the themes...

⏰Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) 📕Ezek 17:22-24; Ps 92:1-2, 12-13, 14-15 (R.v.1a); 2 Cor 5:6-10; Mark 4:26-34 The theme of today’s liturgical celebration finds its summary in the words of the prophet Habakkuk, “For this is a vision for the appointed time; it concerns the end and will not fail. If it lingers, wait for it, for it will surely come and will not be delayed” (Hab 2:3). In both the First Reading and the Gospel, the kingdom of God was compared to a growing shoot that continues steadily until it becomes a very big shrub that provides...

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) Gen 3:9-15; Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7b-8 (R.v.7bc); 2 Cor 4:13 – 5:1; Mark 3:20-35 There is something I have come to know and appreciate about Jesus, he never stops working for our good and he is never tired of doing good. Even when he comes home to rest, he never does so once he sees any face that is in need. That is a good news my dear. It means that he is working now for my good; he is equally working for your good. And no opposition or power can stop...