31. II SUN of Apostles- Holy Trinity & Visitation of Bl.V.Mary

Lk. 7: 36-50 Simeon’s reception of Jesus was without any love in his heart. But the sinful woman’s was a service of love by washing his feet with pure nard oil while Simeon did not even wash his feet. Jesus loves sinners, outcastes which Simeon criticizes. It is love that forgives sin and when sins are forgiven that love grows. Jesus teaches all those assembled there this great lesson. He also teaches us that the real knowledge is to recognize that we are sinners. God’s love follow us to redeem us. 

30. I SAT of Apostles

Jn. 6: 25-29: Jesus is sealed by God, he is God’s truth incarnate and God alone can truly satisfy the eternal hunger of the soul which he created. For this Jesus offers us a relationship of service, purity and trust in God. When we do that, Jesus satisfies us from our eternal thirst and hunger. 

29. I FRI of Apostles

Lk. 7: 11-23: We, the ministers of the church are called to summon all who are spiritually, ecclesiastically, canonically, intellectually dying people to new life. The church should be a place not where people come to die but where they can come to receive new vigor and life. 

28. I THU of Apostles

Jn. 2: 13-25: With the trade and the entire ritualism in the temple what happens in the temple was a mere ritualistic worship while the hearts of the people are far from God. So Jesus reacts and cleanses the temple like that of the Old Testament prophets. Unless there is a connection between our piety and our everyday living, our devotions and liturgical services are pure hypocrisy which God rejects. 

27. I WED of Apostles

Mt. 13: 31-35:  Small beginnings lead to mighty end. The parable of the ‘Yeast’ also brings out the same message. With the added insight or faith, Christianity spreads as it were by infection from persons caught up by the new experience of God and who communicate it spontaneously to others. Thus the end result is big enough to be seen.  

26. I TUE of Apostles

Mt. 20: 29-34: Many people get material and spiritual benefits from God through Jesus, but forget to say thanks to him. Ingratitude is the ugliest sin of all. Here we find these two blind men after receiving sight give due loyalty to him. We can never repay God for what he has done for us but we can be grateful to him. 

25. I MON of Apostles

Mt. 11: 25-30 It is the Christian conviction that in Jesus Christ alone we see what God is like and Jesus can give that knowledge to anyone who is humble enough and trustful enough to receive it. Jesus is compassionate to those people trying to find God to be good and doing so, driven to weariness and despair. 

24. I SUN of Apostles-Feast of Pentecost

Jn. 16: 5-15 Holy Spirit gives freedom and sanctifies our souls. Moses received the message of freedom in the presence of fire that doesn’t consume the plant on mount Horeb (Ex. 3:2; 9-10). The pillar of fire travelled at night in front of the Israelites (Ex. 13:21). It is the tongues of fire (Holy Spirit) that guided and inspired the disciples. Fire has always been symbolical to the Holy Spirit both in OT and NT. The Holy Spirit is seen empowering the disciples in the Gospels. Holy Spirit teaches about sin, justice and last judgment as found in the Gospel of today. 

23. VII SAT of Resurrection

Mt. 18: 23-35: Readiness to forgive those who injured us is demanded for a Christian living. Jesus not only urges us to forgive without limit (v.21-22) but shows us how our forgiveness is always related to God’s forgiveness (v.23-34)

22. VII FRI of Resurrection

Mt. 24: 7-14 A true missionary and disciple of Jesus will be hated by the people, will be handed over for suffering by the people and Jesus says that the one who endures till the end will be saved. It is not about the time of suffering that Jesus speaks about but the fullness of suffering.

21. VII THU of Resurrection

Lk. 14: 25-35 The man who follows him should not be on the way to worldly power and glory, but must be ready for loyalty which would sacrifice the dearest things in life and for a suffering which would be like the agony of a man upon a cross. It is the Christian way to salvation. But he won’t be alone. He who called him to the steep road will walk with him every step of the way and be there at the end to meet him.

20. VII WED of Resurrection

Jn. 17: 1-5 For Jesus life had a climax and that was the cross. To him the cross was the glory of life and the way to the glory of eternity. Facts from the history shows that how they died showed people what and who they really were. Fro Jesus, the cross was the glory as it was the completion of his work. “I have accomplished the work” he says.

19. VII TUE of Resurrection

Lk. 12: 13-21: Professional success is what one gets rich to oneself while spiritual success as one grows rich in the sight of God. Wealth is not a thing that we can rely upon. As it disappears we become more relying upon God – that is what we mean ‘growing spiritually rich’. Trust in God orients one’s attitude toward the world. It determines whether we see the world as an essentially hostile place to live in for our spiritual life.   

18. VII MON of Resurrection

Jn. 4: 3-15 Jesus, overcoming racial and social prejudices, begins to talk with a Samaritan woman with the intention of bringing her to salvation. Her immediate concern was to quench the thirst with water from the well of stagnant water. But Jesus promises her of the living water which is the word of God as wisdom and the Holy Spirit who give eternal life. Once one possesses it as a reality within one’s heart, all thirst for happiness will be satisfied. 

17. VII SUN of Resurrection

Mk. 16: 14-20: The church has a healing task and a source of power. The church is never left alone to work. Always Christ works with it, in it and through it. The Lord of the church is still in the church and is still the lord of power. The Gospel of Mark ends here with this message of presence of this power of Christ. 

16. VI SAT of Resurrection

Mt. 3: 7-12: The coming of Jesus Christ necessarily involves separation for Christ or against him according to the response one makes and this choice cannot be avoided. The one who is for Christ will be illuminated warmly, protected and purified as fire does to anyone – the one who is baptized with the holy spirit and fire.

15. VI FRI of Resurrection

Jn 3: 31-36: If anyone wants to be saved from divine rejection and be able to see God’s face of merciful love, he or she must believe in Jesus and live according to his teachings. The one who lives likewise will find inner peace and tranquility in his or her heart. 

14. VI THU of Resurrection – Ascension of our Lord

Lk. 24: 44-53: The disciples are instructed to continue his message and his presence. They are to proclaim his name everywhere and be witnesses of the Christ-event to others. Having said this in his last instruction, Jesus ascends to his Father. Luke’s gospel ends where it began in the house of God, where the disciples spend their times in prayer in order to be strengthened by the Holy Spirit. 

13. VI WED of Resurrection – St. Mathias the apostle

Mt. 11: 25-30 It is the Christian conviction that in Jesus Christ alone we see what God is like and Jesus can give that knowledge to anyone who is humble enough and trustful enough to receive it. Jesus is compassionate to those people trying to find God to be good and doing so, driven to weariness and despair. 

12. VI TUE of Resurrection

Mk. 13: 32-37: Jesus prophesies about his second coming. He exhorts us by saying that we must be like men who know that their master coming but do not know when. We live in the shadow of eternity. We must complete our work every day in a way fit for him to see and being at any moment ready to meet him face to face. All our life becomes then a preparation to meet the King. 

11. VI MON of Resurrection

Mt. 23: 23-28: Jesus criticizes the scribes and Pharisees for their lack of authenticity. There is no compassion and love in their hearts. From outside they seem to b e ‘honorable’ or show themselves to be so but inside of them are full of extortion and rapacity. So they are compared to a cup or plate that is washed from outside and white washed tombs. 

10. VI SUN of Resurrection

Jn. 17: 20-26: Jesus prays for all his followers. He prays for unity among them as he experiences the unity with the Father. This unity that he has with the Father and reflected among his followers will always remain a ‘challenge’ to this divided world. This unity which is established on love and understanding will be the conscience of the world. This must be the thrust and endeavor of the church always.

9. V SAT of Resurrection

Jn. 15: 26-16: 4:  Love is the characteristic of a Christian and hatred of those who persecute the Christians. Thus if we decide to have an authentic Christian life, Jesus says, be prepared to suffer for him as well, since the persecutors opposed God and his revelation. The persecution of Christians in these times, explains clearly the above message.  

8. V FRI of Resurrection

Mt. 15: 10-20: No man can call himself good because he observes rules and regulations. He can call himself good only when his heart is pure. It will come to an end to all our pride and make us to say to God “God be merciful to me a sinner”.

7. V THU of Resurrection

Jn. 5: 24-29: The passage invites one to a close relationship with God in which fear is banished. One has to accept the way of life that Jesus offers us though difficult with sacrifices but bring peace and happiness. By accepting the Risen Lord means to welcome the guidance of the Holy Spirit which will strengthen each follower of Jesus. To be dead (spiritually dead) means to have stopped feeling and thinking that one may have eternal life. 

6. V WED of Resurrection- St. Dominic Savio

Jn. 3: 1-8: To be born again is a change that comes when we love Jesus and allow him into our hearts. We are forgiven for our past and live armed with the Holy Spirit for the future. It is this process by which we accept the will of God and thereby become citizens of the kingdom of God and sons of God - a life in the eternal which is the very life of God. 

5. V TUE of Resurrection

Mt. 21: 18-22: The fig tree symbolizes the people of Israel and grew with plenty of leaves. They were nurtured and cared by God. The fig tree in the passage was there tempting the passerby…. God’s care could be seen but no fruit found. The Israelites were proud of their origin like that of the fig tree but they were not doing acts of fruition as wanted by God. So Jesus by cursing the tree was using a prophetic method to the give the message to the disciples that likewise this fig tree…. Be cursed if not fruit were seen.

4. V MON of Resurrection

Lk. 11: 29-32: Jesus speaks about the sign of Jonah at which the Ninevites repented. The word of god is given to all people in many ways. Some receive it more clearly than others. All receive it as the silent movements of their conscience. We are accountable to it in our responses towards it. God is not silent in any individual’s life. Very often, we fail to tune in. 

3. V SUN of Resurrection

Jn. 21: 1-14: The disciples toiled alone all throughout the night. At day break Jesus joins with them. They catch a great haul of fishes as Jesus directed them. Because Jesus is the vine and they are the branches and those who remain with the vine (Jesus) produce fruit.’ The  mission work also must be done with Jesus and they would find success on their way. 

2. IV SAT of Resurrection

Mk. 6: 1-6: The people of Jesus’ home town were too familiar to Jesus. They regarded him to be a teacher or rabbi but not as Lord. The same can happen in our faith in Jesus. Jesus is very familiar to us may be physically or humanely but the divinity is often not seen in him. In such circumstances a crisis of faith happens but can generate a fresh start to our faith again.

1. IV FRI of Resurrection – St. Joseph, the patron of the working class

Mt. 13: 53-58: The way to the cross starts with the rejection by Christ’s own people. His glorious works and teachings ceases in the heart of his own people because of their familiarity with him in their daily life with him just as the proverb says ‘familiarity breeds contempt’. Christ’s own people’s inferiority complex too closes the route of salvation in their hearts. If Christ’s own people’s condition is this, what about us, who follow him closely?