Fifth Sunday of the Year Gospel A

Jesus said to his disciples: "You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

   • Jesus uses two ordinary household items to teach about discipleship and what does God expect of us.

   • Today, salt does not have the same preciousness and uniqueness that it had at the time of Jesus. But in Jesus’ day salt was used as payment for work. The word salary comes from salt. 

   • It was used to p reserve food and give it a more pleasing taste.

   • Newborn babies were rubbed with salt for medicinal purposes.

   • Salt was added to clay pottery and tiles in the firing phase would provide the glaze. 

   • Agreements of friendships were sealed by taking salt together.

   • Salt that remains in a box doesn’t do any good.

   • Salt used moderately is beneficial; too much salt is toxic and potentially fatal.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lamp stand, where it gives light to all in the house. 

   • The symbol is a candle or a torch, which dispels darkness; gives warmth; gives a sense of direction; draws people together around it.

   • The light of a candle gives of itself; it burns itself out. If it is never lit, it doesn’t fulfill its purpose.

   • To think that being a Christian is to focus only on God is like hiding once light (life). We are called to love God and others, to serve God and others, to be a light to others for the sake of God.

Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father."

   • Both salt and light have a mission. So to do we. 

   • Just as salt and light do not focus on themselves but have a purpose outside, so we are called as disciples to bring the good news of Jesus love and life to others. We are called to make a difference in the life of others.

   • What kind of a disciple am I? Am I using the gifts God has given me to make a difference in my life and in the life of others?

 In the Letter to the Hebrews we read: "Keep your eyes on Jesus." How often we need to be reminded of this truth. It goes on to say that "Jesus is the perfecter of our faith."  Many years ago, someone had a vision. In it he say a large crowd following Jesus on a highway. Then he saw Jesus exit, but the crowd kept going on, no longer following Jesus. If we don't keep our eyes on Jesus, it will be so easy for us to follow something or someone else. But if we keep our eyes on the Lord, then he will lead  us to his Father and the fullness of life promised those who are truly faith-filled. There are many things seeking our attention, but only one person can fulfill our deepest desires. Keep your eyes on Jesus.

 "Jesus’ response to our worry-filled lives is quite different. He asks us to shift the point of gravity, to relocate the center of our attention, to change our priorities. Jesus wants us to move from the “many things” to the “one necessary thing.” It is important for us to realize that Jesus in no way wants us to leave our many-faceted world. Rather, he wants us to live in it, but firmly rooted in the center of all things. Jesus does not speak about a change of activities, a change of contacts, or even a change of pace. He speaks about a change of heart. This change of heart makes everything different, even while everything appears to remain the same. This is the meaning of “Set your hearts on his kingdom first . . . and all these other things will be given you as well.” What counts is where our hearts are. When we worry, we have our hearts in the wrong place. Jesus asks us to move our hearts to the center, where all other things fall into place." Henri Nouwen

As disciple/witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ, our center of gravity is to be himself. Where our heart is, there is our treasure. If our heart is centered in Jesus, as the Lord of our lives, then our treasure is found in shared life with him. But if our heart is centered in other things, there is our treasure, which is susceptible to lost. Where our heart is, there will be the focus of our life. It sets the priorities for us. Because we are weak and tend to fall short of our life in Christ, we need regularly to choose the most important thing and realign our sights on our eternal inheritance. Otherwise, we may find ourselves far from the mark. If Jesus is not the center of our life now, how can we expect him to be later, when it counts? 

 St. Francis of Assisi appeared to be unable to think of anything but the passion of Jesus Christ; and, in thinking of it, he continually shed tears, so that by his constant weeping he became nearly blind. Being found one day weeping and groaning at the foot of the crucifix, he was asked the cause of his tears and lamentations. He replied: ”I weep over the sorrows and ignominies of my Lord. And what makes me weep still more is, that the men for whom he has suffered so much live in forgetfulness of him."

Unfortunately, this is all so true. It is sad that so many, who claim to be atheists and non believers, are ignorant of the depth of God's love for them. But it is sadder that so many, who have been baptized and confirmed, are living in a way that is an affront to the sufferings of Jesus for their sins. Each time we sin we added to the sufferings of Jesus, which he endured for our sake. He gave his life so that we would not have to suffer eternal alienation from God. And yet we refuse to change our ways.  Still, Jesus embraced the suffering of the cross, knowing that we will still choose sin over him. Rightly should we weep over our sins and the sins of all those who choose not to be transformed by the death and resurrection of Jesus.

 "The measure you measure will be measured back to you." This is a sober thought Jesus teaches us in the scriptures.  He is reminding us that God will use the same measure that we use to return to us. So if we want God to be merciful to us, then we have to show mercy to others. We can't have it both ways: we treat others with severe judgement but want God to show us only his mercy. The same is true across the board. If we want God's love, then show love; if we want God's forgiveness, then show forgiveness; if we want God's providential care, then show the same to others. How different would our life be if we saw and approach it with the lens of one measure. This is another way of saying treat others as you would want to be treated.  Basic principle of life.

Homily Fourth Sunday Year A

Reading 1: Zephaniah continued the prophetic ministry to Israel. He was a number of prophets were raised up by the Lord to call the Chosen People back to justice and truth. But the people did not always heed the warning of a time of chastisement from God. Yet, there were those who were faithful to the Lord. To these he urged that they continue to seek the Lord.

The connection between the first reading and the Gospel is the remnant of the Lord, who were poor in spirit, humble, seeking what is right and just, depending on the Lord, keeping the commands of the Lord.

The Lord wants us to seek him, to desire to be in his presence. Life is a journey from God to God. Our life begins with God creating us in his own image and likeness. He created us that we may share his life forever in glory. He is our beginning and our end.

St. Augustine said that during this journey our hearts are restless until they rest in God. Seeking the Lord is part of this journey, in fact it is the most essential part. The message of Zephaniah is just as relevant today as it was when he first uttered it

Gospel: Jesus draws a blueprint for true and lasting happiness. This plan of life is contrary to the human standards of behavior. Natural human wisdom of the world would not agree with Jesus. It would say blessed are the strong; blessed are those who hunger and thirst for power; blessed are those who get what they want no matter the cost to others; blessed are those righteous in their own eyes; blessed are those who divide and conquer.

Jesus is counter cultural. The focus for Jesus is right relationship with God. He begins with the premise that human beings are created in the image and likeness of God. In spite of the fact of weakness of human nature because of sin, man is fully alive only to the extent he is in relationship with God. His true happiness is not in material wealth or possessions, but in his depending upon God, recognizing that all belongs and come from God. Man is a steward of God’s goods.

Each of the beatitudes reflect a conscious choice to be dependent on God and to follow the way of God. Each reflect an attitude of the heart, a reference in life.

Reading 2 Paul speaks about the importance of a right self-understanding. This understanding is based on the reality that we have been called by God by name. He has written our name of the palm of his hand, as the psalmist says. We have been called not only to be creatures of God but sons and daughters of God. God calls us not because we are special, better than others, due to our wealth or popularity. God called us because he saw us alienated from him, living in darkness and sin.

He called us when we were weak and despised, having no worth on our own. We are who we are because of the grace of God. Without God I am nothing and I have nothing of lasting value. But because of God, whether I have much in this world or less, I am a son or daughter of God. St. Francis once said: I am who I am in the eyes of God and nothing else. My good fortune and popularity of physical blessings do not make me who I truly am. With Paul, I proclaim: “Let no one boast except in the Lord.”

 For many it is easier to love someone else, but harder to receive love from another, as much as we want to be loved. Why is that? It could be the result of some inner wound we experienced from the past. As a result we are afraid of being vulnerable again, of getting hurt again. And yet without that part of me being fulfilled, there will always be a void in my life. Just as to love is a risk, so allowing ourselves to be loved is a risk. But the risk is worth it. I may be rejected or I may be embraced. The rejection will be painful but the embrace healing. As much as this is true with our relationship with others, it is also true with our relationship with God. We want God in our life, but at a distance. He desires to embrace us in his love, but respects us. Pray for the grace to trust in the love of God.

Fourth Sunday Ordinary Gospel A

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.

· Matthew lists nine “beatitudes”; Luke only includes four.

He began to teach them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

· Luke says: "Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours” What is the difference between the two statements?  The “poor in spirit” includes anyone who totally depend upon the Lord for their sustenance, whether they have or do not have. Luke seems to focus on the materially disposed.

 Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. 

· Luke states: “Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh.” What is the difference between the two statements?

· The mourning Matthew is referring to is not physical sadness but sadness over the effects of sin in one’s life and in the world. They are blessed because such mourning leads to repentance and return to the Lord.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. 

· Jesus said that he was meek and humble of heart and that we are to learn to imitate him.  Meekness is not weakness but an attitude of humility instead of pride or self-righteousness. Meekness sees oneself as one is before God.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

· Luke states: “Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied.” Luke talks about a physical hunger, while Matthew, a spiritual hunger for God’s will. “Righteousness” is another word for the will of God.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 

· Another way of saying this is—the measure by which you measure to others will be the measure that will be used by which you will be measured or treated.

· If we wish God to be merciful to us, then we need to be merciful to others.

Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. 

· Another way of saying this is “pure of heart” or “single hearted.”  To be clean of heart is have God as one’s focus and to choose to remain at one with God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 

· These are the ones who seek to reconcile people, who seek unity rather than division among people. It is not peace at all cost. But it is the willingness to pay the cost of lasting peace, which includes forgives and healing.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

· We can be persecuted for a variety of reasons. Here the reason for the blessedness is that the person is persecuted because they are following the will of God.

Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.

· Luke states: “Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man.”

· The reason for the persecution in both statements is their relationship with and commitment to Jesus.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.”

· Make personal each beatitude and see how many reflect your life.

· What response do you want to make as a result of your reflections? 

 "Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow; the same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow and every day. Either He will shield you from suffering, or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace, then, put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations, and say continually: 'The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart has trusted in Him and I am helped. He is not only with me but in me and I in Him.'" St. Francis de Sales

Fear of tomorrow's unknown prevents us from being attentive to the grace given to us in the now to deal with the present moment. The God who cares for me now will the same God who will care for me in the present moment of tomorrow. My role is to rely upon him more than on my own abilities. When I am weak, he is my strength. When I am alone, he is my comfort. When I don't know the way, he shows me. 

  “Every child who, rather than being born, is condemned unjustly to being aborted, bears the face of Jesus Christ, bears the face of the Lord, who even before he was born, and then just after birth, experienced the world’s rejection. And every elderly person…even if he is ill or at the end of his days, bears the face of Christ. They cannot be discarded, as the ‘culture of waste’ suggests!” Pope Francis

You and I, indeed every human being bears the face of Christ. We are created in his own image and likeness. We are meant to share life with him forever. Life as a gift is sacred to God. How do I show respect to the life of each person I come into contact with? To that extent I am showing respect to the face of Christ, etched on the heart the person. Take notice of Christ in each person you meet today. Honor that person who bears the image of Christ. "For what  you do to the least, you do to me."

 "Most of us distrust God. Most of us think of God as a fearful, punitive authority or as an empty, powerless nothing. Jesus’ core message was that God is neither a powerless weakling nor a powerful boss, but a lover, whose only desire is to give us what our hearts most desire.

"That is what makes joy different from happiness or pleasure or fun. All of the others depend on certain conditions – good health, a good job, a happy family, lots of toys and possessions. The only condition for joy is the presence of God. And so joy can break forth in a depressed economy, in the middle of a war, in an intensive care waiting room, or in the slums. The joy of the Lord and in the Lord is contagious. Elizabeth’s excitement ignited Mary’s, and Mary started singing the praises of God. Joy is an inner sense of God’s presence and God’s abiding love for us. It is a profound belief that God will have the last word; it is a still point in the storm of life. As St. Paul writes, “Rejoice…. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything… the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:4-7). Why were these two women rejoicing and singing?  What is the cause of all of this singing? The answer is the Spirit. The Holy Spirit hovers over this new creation, these new children within the wombs of two cousins, just as the Spirit hovered over the world at creation." 

Homily: Third Sunday Year A

Reading 1: The Church continues its reflection on Isaiah with a familiar theme we have seen during the Christmas season. There is darkness in the world and a light shines forth to dispel the darkness. The darkness is sin and the light is the person of Christ. Darkness is the absence of light. It is hard to see in total darkness, but with light we have some visibility.

The land of Zebulum and Neptalie were in gloom and distress because of the law of sin, which existed in the lives of the people. But when the light comes, which is the forgiveness of Christ—grace--, anguish gives way and distressed is lifted. Joy returns for the yoke of sin has been destroyed by the death and resurrection of Jesus.

How aware are we of the prevailing darkness as a result of sin. Life is not is sacred. But in today’s world it is treated less than sarcred. Abortion, murders, violence, bombings, lawlessness happen regularly. Darkness engenders fear and insecurity and revenge and retaliation. Only forgiveness and hope, love and trust in the Lord brings light into our heart and lives.

Gospel: Matthew ties us to the first reading indicating that Jesus is the light prophesied by Isaiah in his Galilean ministry. To respond to Jesus is first to repent of sin, recognizing that the life Jesus gives us will enable us to live now and forever in the kingdom of God, if we remain in the light and not live in darkness.

The second step is to follow him, to make and live a daily decision to follow him, to be discipled by him, to stay in the light. We have been baptized in Christ. Are we now children of the light or have we returned to darkness of sin and remained there? In that state we cannot freely follow Jesus.

We can become overwhelmed by the social darkness all around us that seeks to extinguish the light of the truth revealed by Jesus. That darkness is like a fog, slowly creeping in and enveloping us in it, unless we choose to stay in the light, which is Jesus.

Are we more moral or as moral or less moral as a nation today in comparison to fifty years ago? Sexual darkness is in our face twenty-four seven. Twenty years ago the media industry leaders made a public commitment to change the morals of this country and they are succeeding unfortunately.

The good news is that Jesus has defeated the power of darkness and his light will not be extinguished. We are called to choose each day to live in the light of Christ, so that the darkness cannot permanently overtake us.

Reading 2: Paul identifies one of the effects of the darkness of sin in the life of the Corinthian community. Though they had received the light of the message of the Gospel through Paul’s preaching and ministry, they allowed darkness to come back—the darkness that comes from division and separation, of pride and self-importance.

Paul reminds them that they were baptized by and in Jesus, not by the human instrument used by Jesus. Jesus is the one who set them free and united them to himself and to the community of believers. By their division and disunity they were not living in full relationship with Jesus, whose prayer is for unity among his followers.

St. Francis de Sales in his Spiritual Diary said “the worst things that can befall persons who have good will is to want to be what they cannot be and not want to be what they necessarily must be. They conceive desires to do great things which perhaps will never be expected of them; in the meantime, they neglect the little things which God puts into their hands. There are thousands of acts of virtues as, for example, to bear little troubles and the imperfections of our neighbors; to suffer a biting word or some little injustice…..very seldom do we have the opportunity to gain large ‘sums,’ but we can daily earn little ones. And with the intelligent handling of these little ‘earnings,’ there are many who became rich”.

We look for the mother lode of a gold vein, but fail to see the specks of gold in front of us. It is in the fulfillment of the "small" things in our daily lives that we will experience the only important thing at the end of life. The journey of life is not made up of giant strides and leaps but in one small step at a time. Look for those small grace moments in each day--opportunities to be Christ to another person--if we wish to hear God say to us one day: "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the Kingdom prepared for you."

 Third Sunday Ordinary Gospel A

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. 

· Jesus had gone down to the Jordan in Judea where John was baptizing. Now, he returns to Galilee to begin his own ministry. It was safer for Jesus to minister in Galilee rather than Judea.

· John’s official ministry ends and Jesus’ begins. John had already realized this when he said: “I must decrease and he must increase.”

He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen. 

· One of the characteristics of Matthew’s Gospel is to show that Jesus fulfills the prophetic word of the Old Testament.

· Zebulun was the 10th son of Jacob and Naphtali was the 6th son. The area of Galilee was the portion of the Promised Land given to these two tribes.

· Isaiah was prophesying about the coming of the future Messiah as a light to a land of darkness.

From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 

· John the Baptist proclaims a message of repentance in anticipation of the immediate coming of the Messiah. Jesus preaches a message of repentance in order to enter into the Kingdom of heaven.

As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. 

· In Matthew’s Gospel this is the first encounter between Jesus and the future disciples. In John’s Gospel, Jesus has already evangelized Andrew and has encountered Simon. It must not have been a life-changing experience because he goes back fishing.

He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

· What was different with this encounter? Jesus gave them an invitation to become his disciples and to join him in the work of evangelization.

· Matthew said they immediately left all and followed Jesus. Another Gospel indicates that it was more dramatic than that. It was after the marvelous catch of fish that convinced them to follow Jesus.

 He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him. 

· Jesus has called us to be his disciples. How quickly and totally have we responded?

He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.

· The ministry of Jesus was simple and straightforward. He taught wherever he could, he preached the message of truth and he healed as a sign of the full salvation to come.

· Having reflected on this passage what application do we make in our lives?

 "When you lie down on your bed to sleep, remember with thanksgiving the blessings and the providence of God."  St. Anthony the Great

As we celebrate the feast of St. Anthony the Great, his words of wisdom are very appropriate for each of us to heed. Sometimes we fail to recognize and acknowledge with gratitude the graces of the day. But then we expect God to be gracious to us the next day. What we should do is always express our gratitude to God for all that we experienced from his hands and all the ways he guided us through our day. Doing this at the end of each day will keep our relationship in right order.

"To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless."  G. K. Chesterton

 "I learned from experience that joy does not reside in the things about us, but in the very depths of the soul, that one can have it in the gloom of a dungeon as well as in the palace of a king." (St. Therese of Lisieux)

What is this joy? It is the awareness of the fact that I am a child of God. It is the conviction that God dwells in me, I am a Temple of the Holy Spirit. It is the lived truth that I am loved by God unconditionally. This joy is not depended on feelings or external things. It is the reality of sharing in God's life now and in eternity. It is the awe that happens when I become aware of the grandeur of God in creation, seeing a beautiful sunrise or flaming sunset. It is the understanding that every moment is a gift and every gift is a grace from God for me to enjoy. It comes from dismissing all anxieties and living in the Lord.

Homily: Second Sunday Ordinary Year A

Reading: There are three Suffering Servant Songs in Isaiah in which the prophet identifies the future Messiah. Last Sunday, the first reading was also from the Book of Isaiah, the prophet. The selection was the first of these three Suffering Servant songs. Today, we heard from the second Suffering servant Song. The prophet calls him a servant through whom God will show forth his glory. As a servant he will depend on God for the strength to accomplish his will.  Jesus said that he will glorify the Father. He did so by embracing the will of the Father even to the death of the cross.

This servant, Isaiah said, was formed in the womb. The Word of God, the Son of God, became flesh and dwelt with us. This servant, who is God become man, will not only bring salvation to Israel, the chosen people, but also will be a light to all nations, bringing them salvation as well. He is made glorious in God’s sight. God raised Jesus, his servant/son up from death and exalted him at his right hand, giving him the name above all names, so that at the name of Jesus all may bow down to the glory of the Father.

Gospel: Isaiah identified the future Messiah as a servant who would save his people through suffering death. John the Baptist identifies him as the Lamb of God who takes away sin. A lamb is sacrificed. As the chosen people in bondage sacrificed a lamb, ate it, and mark their doorposts with its blood, experienced freedom, so through Jesus’ blood on the cross freed us from the bondage of sin.

John identifies him further as existing before him. Even though in time John was conceived and born before Jesus, in eternity the Son of God existed before he became the son of man.

John knew him as his cousin, but did not know him as the Messiah. John was sent to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah by calling people into repentance and acknowledging their desire to repent by being baptized. The Spirit revealed to John that the Messiah would be identified by the coming of the Spirit upon one he would baptized.

When Jesus come to be baptized as a sign of his public commitment to the will of the Father, John at first refuses because he felt unworthy to do so. Jesus insisted and said it is the will of God.

After Jesus’ baptism, John saw the Spirit of God resting upon Jesus, confirming the message he had received. That is why he proclaimed afterwards “Behold the Lamb of God. Behold the Messiah.”

He said Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ baptism is not a preparation but the fulfillment of God’s mercy. Our sins are forgiven and the Spirit of God dwells in us, sharing God’s divine life with us, calling us his adopted children.

Reading 2: Just as Isaiah was called by God to be a prophet, Paul says he had been called by God to be an apostle of Jesus. As John the Baptism was sent to prepare the way for the Messiah, Paul was sent to proclaim the Good News of salvation.

What should our response be to this Good News, both of John and Paul? As we commit our lives to Christ who takes away our sins, we are called to be holy, consecrated to Jesus. We have been consecrated in baptism and commissioned to share in the life of Jesus as priest, prophet and king. We have been made a temple of the Holy Spirit in baptism, anointed and empowered to be holy witnesses of Jesus to others in the power of the Holy Spirit. As Paul pointed Jesus out to others, so we are called to do the same.

How conscious are we of our vocation to be holy? How conscious are we pursuing holiness? How attentive are we to the daily, divine appointments from God to witness him to others?

There is a story of six people who froze to death around a campfire on a bitterly cold night. Each had a log of wood they might have contributed to the fire, but for reasons satisfactory to themselves, each person refused to give what they had. A woman would not give because she said she hated men. A homeless man would not give because there was a rich man in the group. The rich man would not give because he did not want to warm someone who was obviously shiftless, lazy, and drank. Another would not give up his log because he recognized someone not of his race or religious faith.

And the fire died, as each person withheld their piece of fuel for reasons justifiable to themselves, and so, they all died. This story was originally told in a poem that ends with these tragic lines: six logs held fast in death’s still hand were proof of human sin; they did not die from cold without, they died from cold within.

It is a sad but true story. The basic Christian principle is not lived. "Love one another, as I have loved you." We want to be loved by God but fail to see God in the other person. We want God to care for our needs, but refuse to care for the needs of others. We try to justify our actions, but in God's eyes our attempt to justify ourselves is in reality a lack of response to his gift of love. "What you did or did not do to the least, you did or did not do to me." The cold within was the lack of real love.

 Second Sunday Ordinary Gospel A

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ 

· The title Lamb of God is given to Jesus by John. It is based on the OT concept both of the Paschal lamb that was yearly sacrificed as an offering to God and on the Suffering Servant theme found in Isaiah.

· By equating Jesus with this title John is foreshadowing Jesus’ passion and death by which the sins of the world will be forgiven.

· By indicating that Jesus had a pre-existence may be an inspiration from the Holy Spirit that allowed John to see Jesus from a different perspective. Before, he knew Jesus as his cousin. Now, by the revelation of the Spirit, he sees Jesus as the one he had been speaking about, the Messiah.

I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” 

· John did not know Jesus to be the Messiah before this moment, even though John was testifying to the immediate coming of promised Messiah. There is a sense of excitement and awe in his words

John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and remain upon him.

· According to Luke this coming of the Spirit upon Jesus was following the Baptism and only Jesus was aware of this experience. According to Matthew, John also witnessed both the voice from heaven and the external manifestation of the Spirit. According to John the evangelist, the Baptizer experienced this before the baptism of Jesus and that is why he felt unworthy to baptize Jesus.

I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 

· God had prepared John to recognize the Messiah through the external sign of the descent of the Spirit upon one of those who would come to him.

· Notice the difference between John’s baptism and the baptism that Jesus would institute. John’s baptized with water as a preparation for coming of the Messiah, but no sins were forgiven. It indicated openness to the reconciliation that comes from the Messiah. Jesus called for baptism in water and the Holy Spirit, which fully reconciled the person to God and brought the person into the fullness of God’s life as a son or daughter.

Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”

· First, he identified Jesus as the Lamb of God. Now, he adds a further insight by proclaiming him to be the Son of God.

· It is the Spirit of God who enables John to give such a testimony without knowing the full impact of the title “Son of God.”

· Here John testifies with his words. Later, he will testify with his life.

· We are call to also testify to others who Jesus is to us. How conscious are we of this? How faithful are we to the work of testimony and witness?

· What practical application do we make from this reflection?

 St. Philip Neri used to say, that he who does not seek, above all things, the salvation of his soul, is a fool.  

How really important is our salvation to us in fact? The true answer to that question is the priority we place on it in our daily decisions and choices. Theoretically, we can hopefully say it is of absolute importance. But the reality of our lives may say otherwise. Yet in fact, there is nothing more crucial in our whole life than after our demise. Will we be with God eternally or alienated from him eternally. St Paul tells us “with fear and trembling work out your salvation. ” (Phil. ii. 12.)

One day St, Ignatius said to Francis Xavier: “Francis, whom do you serve? You serve the world, which is a traitor, that promises, but does not perform. And if it should fulfil all its promises, how long do its goods last? Can they last longer than this life? And, after death, what will they profit you, if you shall not have saved your soul ?" He then reminded Francis of the maxims of the Gospel: "What doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his own soul ?"“But one thing is necessary ?" (Luke x. 42.)

 As we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we need to take this time to reflect on our own Baptism. For the most part we were too young to remember. While God’s love was shown us in creating and sustaining us, His greater love was manifested when he re-generated us in the saving waters of baptism. As he gave us human life through conception, in baptism he gives us a share in his own divine life, adopting us as his son or daughter, pouring his Holy Spirit upon us. We are beloved like Jesus. We are filled with the Holy Spirit like Jesus. Now, like Jesus we are called to live consciously our relationship with the Father by doing his will. Like Jesus we are called to yield to the move of the Holy Spirit in our life as a Christian, giving testimony by our deeds of love. God, thank you for the grace of Baptism.

 Some people see things negatively, others positively. Some people approach things happening to them as a curse. Their constant expression is "poor me" or "why is this happening to me" Others interpret things as a blessing. Their reaction is voiced in expressions like "I don't understand, but God has a plan" or "God, give me the grace to endure your discipline."  The negative people stay under the dark cloud, while the positive people walk in the light of God's grace. Both may experience the same thing, but each responds differently to the same grace given to them. A stumbling block for one becomes a stepping stone for another. It is a choice we make. The consequences of our choices are radically different: living in rejection or living in acceptance, living as an abandoned child or living as a beloved child of the Father.

 With so many suicides, so many addictions, so many people with deep depressions, with so many abortions, we need to remind ourselves of this statement from Pope Benedict XVI. "Each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary.” 

If I embrace this truth of revelation, then I will live in relationship with God in such a way as to fulfill my purpose for existence. I am a child of God. I must never forget this. For when I do then my whole existence is jeopardized. I will not have a point of reference, which is my relationship with God. Lord, thank you for willing me into existence as your child, loved and necessary.

Homily: Feast of the Epiphany Year A

Reading 1: What is the purpose of light? It gives clarity and dispels the darkness around us. It enables us to see when we travel. The light in the first reading refers to the revelation that leads to Jesus the Messiah. This light, we will come to learn, is Christ the light of the world, who came to dispel the darkness of sin and to fill us with the light and life of his grace.

Jesus is the glory of the Father revealing the plan of the Father to us. At the same time, we are to become the light, as Jerusalem was to become that light for the world. The riches spoken of are not only material riches, but spiritual riches that come to us from sharing in the light and life of Christ personally and with others.

The people of Israel as they heard this prophetic message anticipated the coming of the Messiah. They had just returned from their seventy-year exile in Babylon because they had broken their covenant with God, in spite of many calls from various prophets to return to the Lord. When they returned to Jerusalem, it was in shambles, its former glory destroyed, beginning with the Temple.

To this disheartened people Isaiah speaks a word of hope. He reminds them that what God has planned for them is something greater than their former glory.

As the early Church heard this prophesy, the realized that the Messiah had come and the prophesy had been fulfilled. But they also realized that Jesus will come again in glory.  As we begin this year 2021, having experienced the devastation of the past year, we are reminded by the Lord that has given us something greater than physical existence in a physical world. God has sent his Son, who has redeemed us and shared his own divine life so that we may live forever in God’s glory. In other words, as real as human life with its ups and downs is, we are to remember the Lord shines upon us and calls us to something greater.

Gospel: The visitation of the wise men was the fulfillment of the prophets and a revelation of God’s plan and promises in each of our lives. Life is a journey, not just from birth to death, not only from the dependency of a child to the maturity of the adult. It is a journey to a personal, transforming, and life-changing encounter with Jesus, the Lord and Savior.

The journey of the wise men is one of the many journeys in the Gospel narrative. The purpose of the journey is the same: an encounter with the Beginning and End of our life, the One our heart yearns for. The wise men began searching in their own world of learning. Nature provides the initial spark and openness to something new. They follow their initial lead not knowing more than a new king has been born and this one was special. Nature itself was not sufficient in itself. God’s revelation in the scriptures was necessary. They needed to hear the word of God, which, like a light, indicated the place they were to go. 

They continued their journey of faith and encountered the Christ child, the newborn King. They offered him their gifts. Gold to recognize his royal dignity; frankincense, his divinity and myrrh, his humanity.  Isaiah had so prophesied in our first reading.

Their encounter changed their lives. They returned home a different way, not retracing the past, but moving into a new future because of their encounter.

Today, we have seen the wonders of God in nature; we have heard the word of God and now we are about to once more encounter the person of Jesus Christ in the breaking of the bread and in communion with him. Will our lives change as a result? Will we live differently this week because of him? Or will we be like those in world who saw the same phenomena of nature and didn’t do anything about it? Will we be like the people of Jerusalem? We hear the word of God pointing us to the direction we should take, but do not go.  Will we be like the wise men and continue or journey so that we can encounter in a fresh new way the Light of the world, the One who can make a difference in our lives?

Reading 2: Paul affirms the true meaning of this Feast. The visitation of the wise men from the East was not an isolated coincidence but the beginning of the fulfillment of God’s eternal plan. It was partially made known by the prophets of the Old Testament. But it was further taught by Christ in his short life.

Not only the Jews were the chosen people to whom the Messiah was sent to redeem and reconcile to God, but the non-Jews, the Gentiles were also saved by Jesus’ death and resurrection. The Jews were heirs of the promise and the Gentiles are co-heirs, members of the same body and co-partners in the promise of God. This is the plan of universal salvation.

 Today is the Feast of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. Here is a quote from her for our reflection. "The first end I propose in our daily work is to do the will of God; secondly, to do it in the manner he wills; and thirdly, to do it because it is his will." 

Isn't this the witness Jesus gave us in his own life? He came to do the will of the Father. He said that his food was to do the will of the Father. St. Elizabeth expands on this important message and way of life. She says that we should seek to do it in the manner he wills simply because it is his will. This is the road to true holiness. The focus is not ourselves but God. It calls for the dying to self, so that we may live for God and with God. It is the surrender of our desires and expectations in the embracing of the reality that we are creatures in relationship and totally dependent upon God. He wills our present and final good. Doing his will is not easy for, like Jesus, it leads to the cross. But it also leads to resurrection and new life.

 Today, we celebrate the Holy Name of Jesus, in St. Paul's words, the name above all other names. Here is a quote I like to share for your reflection. “Faith in Jesus and in the power of His Holy Name is the greatest spiritual force in the world today. It is a source of joy and inspiration in our youth; of strength in our manhood, when only His Holy Name and His grace can enable us to overcome temptation; of hope, consolation, and confidence at the hour of our death, when more than ever before, we realize that the meaning of Jesus is ‘Lord, the Savior.’ We should bow in reverence to His Name and submission to His Holy Will.“ (Blessed Henry Suso)

 Each New Year is a beginning; each day, each hour, each minute is a new beginning. Each is a gift from God that we do not deserve.  Instead of being attentive to the grace of the present year, day, hour or minute, we, many times, focus on our past faults and failures. We fail to see and appreciate what God wants to do in our lives here and now.  Sometimes, we even resist God, because we are afraid of the unknown. But he is the God of the present moment with a particular gift in the present moment.  Each gift is given in love. He wants us to receive the gift of his enduring love, calling us to become the fullest expression of who we are with love as our response. Lord, be patient with us for we are slow to learn and appreciate who you are and what you desire most for us. Help us to learn  how to begin anew, so we can live in you more fully.