DAILY HOMILIES

Anyone who does what is right in a world that does not know God cannot escape enemies. (John 15:18-20) How can we survive in a world that hates us so much? Jesus said: “Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” (Matthew 10:16). At the heart of this wisdom is Discernment.

Every year, on the day just after Pentecost Sunday, the church celebrates a very special memorial called Mary, the Mother of the Church. Having completed the seven weeks of Easter, today is a day for us to pause a while and remember the special role of Mary in the course of the whole Easter festivities and in particular, to examine the full weight of the words Jesus spoke the foot of the cross: “Behold, Your Mother.”

Interestingly, like the children of Israel received the tablet of the Law on Mount Sinai, marking a totally new dispensation for them – freedom from the captivity of the Egyptians, the coming of the Holy Spirit became the beginning of a new era for God’s children; the birth of the Church and the writing of the Law in our hearts.

Peter asked Jesus: “What about this man?” Sometimes, we behave like Peter; we compare and contrast with others as though life is a competition. Jesus answered: “Even if I say he will remain till I come, what is that to you? Just follow me.” God calls us individually to different tasks. Just as our gifts and abilities are different, our sufferings for the sake of God are never the same.

Very often, you hear people say: “Love is blind.” The meaning of this is that when we are in love, we become blind to the limitations of the other person or better put, we are able to bear with whatever pain or suffering the person brings to us. Love is like the energy that keeps us going. When you love what you do, you do not see it as work anymore; you just apply yourself to it. This is the reason Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him three times?

At the beginning of Christianity, Israel was just a colony of Rome. Paul who once fought Christianity became its great evangelist. Even Paul did not find it easy but God was with him through his trials and tribulations. Once, God miraculously freed Paul and Silas from prison, this time, God spoke to him in captivity: “Take courage, you will bear witness at Rome.” Paul went to Rome as a prisoner but fast forward two thousand years, Rome has become the headquarters of the Church

The prayer of Jesus in today’s Gospel passage carries a lot of deep-seated messages. In fact, this prayer is both prophetic and instructive. Firstly, Jesus highlights the hatred of the world. St. Paul in today’s first reading mentions the fact that “fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock…” (Acts 20:29)

As a minister, a father, a mentor, a teacher etc., can I say like St. Paul that I am innocent of the blood of my congregation, my children, my employees, or those under my care? Can I beat my chest to say that I never led any one of these little ones astray?

It is not God’s will that we should be sad and miserable in life. In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus says to us: “Cheer up, I have overcome the world.” In other words, tribulations may come, but victory is assured. As children of God, the battles we fight have already been won on the Cross of Calvary. So we fight not as victims but as victors.

Our first reading today sets the tone for our liturgy today. It tells the story of the Upper Room; the place where the apostles gathered immediately after the Ascension of Jesus Christ and dedicated themselves to prayer in the company of Mary the Mother of Jesus. What was so special about this upper room? Where can we find our own Upper Room today? What lessons do we learn from life in the Upper Room?

23rd May, 2020. It is one thing to pray but a different thing to have confidence in God. Think of this, almost everybody you know prays. If there is a church close to your house, they are probably at prayer right now. People have no problem praying, but the real question is: “How many of us believe in the power of prayers?”

Our short time on earth is like the nine-month period of carrying a pregnancy. It always tough for any woman but the joy of eventually carrying her child relieves all the pain. The joy of joining in the heavenly banquet after our short time on earth will be so much that would forget whatever pain we have to go through for the sake of God at this moment.