Category: Ordinary Time

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BY THEIR FRUITS YOU SHALL KNOW THEM (Matt 7:20)

⏰Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) 📖Ezek 18:25-28; Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 (R.6a); Phil 2:1-11; Matt 21:28-32 🎤BY THEIR FRUITS YOU SHALL KNOW THEM (Matt 7:20) It is said that actions speaks louder than voice. That is the major focus of our Liturgy today. The Gospel brings out this point clearer in that parable of the two sons of a man, both of whom he asked to go into his vineyard to work. While the Gospel seems to pay more attention on the action, the First and Second Readings help us to understand that the action that is meant...

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I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS!

⏰Friday of the Twenty-fourth Week of Ordinary Time 2 (18 Sept. 2020) 📖1Cor 15:12-20; Ps 16:1, 6-8, 15 (R.v.15); Luke 8:1-3 🎤I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS! It is important to note that one of the problems of the Church in Corinth is on the nature of the resurrection. They were expecting an imminent parousia but it was not forthcoming. So many of them began to question some of their articles of faith including the resurrection of the dead. Besides, there was a group, the Sadducees who taught that there is nothing like the resurrection of the dead (cf. Acts...

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TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, MUCH IS EXPECTED

⏰Thursday of the Twenty-fourth Week of Ordinary Time 2 (17 Sept. 2020) 📖1 Cor 15:1-11; Ps 118:1-2, 15c-17, 28 (R.v.1a); Luke 7:36-50 🎤TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, MUCH IS EXPECTED There are striking similarities between St Paul and the woman in Luke 7:36-50 – they received tremendous mercy from God and they responded with great devotion and dedication. Jesus observed this fact in his dialogue with Simon, his host, while St Paul confirmed this himself (cf. 1Cor 15:8-10; Luke 7:40-47). The truth is that since God does show any partiality (cf. Acts 10:34; Rom 2:11), it means that everyone of...

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BE WEARY OF SCANDAL!

⏰Thursday of the Twenty-Third Week of Ordinary Time 2 (10 September 2020) 📖1 Cor 8:1b-7, 11-13; Ps 139:1-3, 13-14ab, 23-24 (R.v.24b); Luke 6:27-38 🎤BE WEARY OF SCANDAL! May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit dwell and abide with you. Amen. Do you remember that saying that, “A clear conscience fears no accusation?” It is still very much valid. But now, that clear conscience must also embrace the virtue of PRUDENCE in order not to be deceitful. In Matt 18:6, Jesus warned, “If anyone should cause one of these...

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I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST, THE CRUCIFIED

⏰Monday of the Twenty-Second Week of Ordinary Time 2 (31 August 2020) 📖1 Cor 2:1-5; Ps 119:97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102 (R.v.97a); Luke 4:16-30 🎤I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST, THE CRUCIFIED Congratulations as you made it to the end of this month, and warming up to embrace the new month. May this month end also bring to an end, all your worries and troubles so that the new month will usher in spiritual, economic and health renewal in your life. Amen. In 1 Cor 2:1-5, St Paul tells us that our success in life and salvation do not depend...

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TALKING ABOUT TRADITION…

⏰Wednesday of the Twenty-First Week of Ordinary Time 2 (26 August 2020) 📖2 Thess 3:6-10, 16-18; Ps 128:1-2, 4-5 (R.v.1a); Matt 23:27-32 🎤TALKING ABOUT TRADITION… At a stage in his life, Jesus stopped to ask his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of man is?” (Matt 16:13). The responses he got from this question were conditioned by what people saw him doing. St Paul, an exemplary Christian, would always tell his followers, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ” (1 Cor 11:1; 4:6). That is because the examples he gives them are very good ones. In 2 Thess 3:6-10, 16-18,...

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“LET NO ONE DECEIVE YOU!” (2 Thess 2:3)

⏰Tuesday of the Twenty-First Week of Ordinary Time 2 (25 August 2020) 📖2 Thess 2:1-3a, 14-17; Ps 96:10, 11-12ab, 12b-13 (R.v.13b); Matt 23:23-26 🎤”LET NO ONE DECEIVE YOU!” (2 Thess 2:3) One of the signs of the end time that Jesus enlisted when he was asked by his disciples is this: “Many will come using my name, and saying: ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will mislead many people” (Matt 24:5). Hence he warned them, “Be on your guard and let no one mislead you” (Matt 24:4). St. Paul repeated the same warning to us today just as he did...

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“I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT WITHIN YOU, AND YOU SHALL LIVE” (Ezek 37:14)

⏰Friday of the Twentieth Week of Ordinary Time 2 (21 August 2020 – Memorial of St. Pius Xth) 📖Ezek 37:1-14; Ps 107:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 (R.v.1); Matt 22:34-40 🎤”I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT WITHIN YOU, AND YOU SHALL LIVE” (Ezek 37:14) In continuation of the theme of yesterday, God continues to promise us his spirit. This Spirit will help us to achieve all things we need. After the people of Israel had spent a very long time in exile with accompanying disgrace and oppression, they became totally depressed and lost hope of survival or being restored back to their land....

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LEADERSHIP IN IMITATION OF CHRIST THE GOOD SHEPHERD

⏰Wednesday of the Twentieth Week of Ordinary Time 2 (19 August 2020) 📖Ezek 34:1-11; Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 (R.v.1); Matt 20:1-16a 🎤LEADERSHIP IN IMITATION OF CHRIST THE GOOD SHEPHERD The Gospels often present Jesus as a humble servant, who came not to be served but to serve (Matt 20:28). His generosity too cannot be equated by any. It is a kind of generosity that throws others into confusion. Consider this in line with the story of the workers in the vineyard (Matt 20:1-16). Among other things, that story tells us that Jesus does not demand so much of us....

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BE HUMAN! BE HUMBLE! BE HOLY!

⏰Tuesday of the Twentieth Week of Ordinary Time 2 (18 August 2020) 📖Ezek 28:1-10; Deut 32:26-27ab, 27cd-28, 30, 35cd-36ab; Matt 19:23-30 🎤BE HUMAN! BE HUMBLE! BE HOLY! Yesterday, we talked about the need to set our values right. In actual fact, we do not recommend an extraordinary attitude. Being yourself would be enough. The problems we normally have arises from our quest to answer what we are not. This reaches to the extreme when we try to play God. Even when you seem to have an extraordinary gift, try and remain human. It is in that state that God wishes...