November 25, 2012

Solemnity of Christ the King

First Reading: Daniel 7:13-14

   As the visions during the night continued, I saw One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven; When he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him, He received dominion, glory, and kingship; nations and peoples of every language serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed.

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Second Reading: Revelation 1:5-8

   Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, who has made us into a kingdom, priests for his God and Father, to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming amid the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. All the peoples of the earth will lament him. Yes. Amen. "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty."

Gospel Reading: John 18:33-37

   Pilate said to Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?" Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?" Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here." So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

Reflection: Fr. Sahaya G. Selvam

   In the gospel text of today (Jn 18:33) Pilate asks Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?".  Later John would tell us  (in Jn 19:14) that the placard that was affixed to the cross to point out to the crime of Jesus read: “This is the King of the Jews.” And All the four gospels are agreed on this interesting detail (Mt 27:37; Mk 15:18; Lk 23:38; Jn 19:14). If we look at the temptations of Jesus that appear early in the synoptic gospels (Mt 4:1-11; Mk 1:12-13; Lk 4:1-13), and more spread out during his public ministry in the gospel of John (Jn 6:15; 6:30-31; 7:3), we see Jesus making a discernment about his kingdom and what type of a king he is going to be.
   Jesus has the possibility to be ‘the king of spade’ – using his power to overthrow his enemies.  He does not choose this way.  He has the option to be ‘the king of diamond’ – using the possibility to possess the whole world and to buy people.  He does not give into this.  He has the opportunity to be ‘the king of club’– to use his power to perform miracles to preserve himself.  He sees this as a temptation.  Jesus discerns that the will of his father is that he be ‘the king of hearts.’ He will have to usher in the Kingdom of God through love, by appealing to the hearts of people – a kingdom that will not be brought through revolution, but through the evolution from within through the conversion of hearts. Now, this is going to take time.  It will be a slow process. It entails pain and even death.  He opts to be the “Suffering Servant.” And that is why, as the gospels describe, he ends up as a King who hangs on the cross.

November 18, 2012

33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

First Reading: Daniel 12:1-3

   In those days, I Daniel, heard this word of the Lord: "At that time there shall arise Michael, the great prince, guardian of your people; It shall be a time unsurpassed in distress since nations began until that time. At that time your people shall escape, everyone who is found written in the book. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some shall live forever, others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace. But the wise shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament, And those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever."

தமிழ்

Second Reading: Hebrews 10:11-14,18

   Brothers and sisters, every priest stands daily at his ministry, offering frequently those same sacrifices that can never take away sins. But this one offered one sacrifice for sins, and took his seat forever at the right hand of God; now he waits until his enemies are made his footstool. For by one offering he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated. Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer offering for sin.

Gospel Reading: Mark 13:24-32

   Jesus said to his disciples: "In those days after that tribulation the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds' with great power and glory, and then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the sky. "Learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that he is near, at the gates. Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. "But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

Reflection: Fr. James Theophilus 

   Man is worried about the last days and he is even frightened of the last days. Created beings had a beginning and they will have an end. It is natural law that material thing decay and get destroyed. Anyone who believes in creation will necessarily accept the last days. Man cannot be eternal on earth (creation stories of the Bible explain these).
   But when these things will happen is the question that man is faced with. Many false prophets have prophesied about the last days (they even fixed the dates and the hour) but they are gone (died) and the created world continues. Jesus has beautifully answered that only the Father knows the day and the hour. Earth quakes, Tsunami, Cyclones are only telling us that the created world is constantly facing the destruction and this is also a continuous process. We need to believe in the creator.

November 11, 2012

32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time

First Reading: 1 Kings 17:10-16

   In those days, Elijah left and went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the entrance of the city, a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her, "Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink." She left to get it, and he called out after her, "Please bring along a bit of bread." "As the LORD, your God, lives," she answered, "I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar and a little oil in my jug. Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks, to go in and prepare something for myself and my son; when we have eaten it, we shall die." "Do not be afraid," Elijah said to her. "Go and do as you propose. But first make me a little cake and bring it to me. Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son. For the LORD, the God of Israel, says, 'The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'" She left and did as Elijah had said. She was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well; The jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, as the LORD had foretold through Elijah.

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Second Reading: Hebrews 9:24-28

   Brothers and sisters, Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a copy of the true one, but heaven itself, that he might now appear before God on our behalf. Not that he might offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary with blood that is not his own; if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly from the foundation of the world. But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages to take away sin by his sacrifice. Just as it is appointed that human beings die once, and after this the judgment, so also Christ, offered once to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.

Gospel Reading: Mark 13:24-32

   In the course of his teaching Jesus said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation." He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, "Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood."

Reflection: Fr. James Theophilus 

   In this passage Jesus condemns the persons of religious practices and the rich. The people of religious practices (Pharisees) do a lot of religious activities. They distinguish themselves in the way they dress and the way they go about among other people. They also say lengthy prayers but their behavior is far from being human. They are condemned by their own actions.
   The rich people also go about doing a lot of contribution to the temple and the temple upkeep. Like the religious practices, temple maintenance is also important. People need to contribute for the same. But the attitude with which one does has to be seen. Contributing the surplus money has no merit. Surplus money does not affect the donor. Contribution should pinch the donor.

November 4, 2012

31st Sunday of Ordinary Time

First Reading: Deuteronomy 6:2-6

   Moses spoke to the people, saying: "Fear the LORD, your God, and keep, throughout the days of your lives, all his statutes and commandments which I enjoin on you, and thus have long life. Hear then, Israel, and be careful to observe them, that you may grow and prosper the more, in keeping with the promise of the LORD, the God of your fathers, to give you a land flowing with milk and honey. "Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone! Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today."

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Second Reading: Hebrews 7:23-28

   Brothers and sisters, the levitical priests were many because they were prevented by death from remaining in office, but Jesus, because he remains forever, has a priesthood that does not pass away. Therefore, he is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them. It was fitting that we should have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, higher than the heavens. He has no need, as did the high priests, to offer sacrifice day after day, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did that once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints men subject to weakness to be high priests, but the word of the oath, which was taken after the law, appoints a son, who has been made perfect forever.

Gospel Reading: Mark 12:28-34

   One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, "Which is the first of all the commandments?" Jesus replied, "The first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these." The scribe said to him, "Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, 'He is One and there is no other than he.' And 'to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself' is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Reflection: Fr. James Theophilus 

   This is an interesting dialogue between Jesus and a Scribe. Jesus has answered the questions of many people. Many had raised questions on issues like Sabbath rule, purification rule, and many other religious pious behavioural rules. Jesus always answered them or challenged them to get answer from them. He is one final question and probably the only question that is to be answered rightly.
   Jesus answered rightly. He quotes the scriptures to answer (Deut 6:4 and Lev 19:18). The scribe moving further from here added that loving neighbour is more than all sacrifices. His interpretation is also right. This is where Jesus comes forward to say that he is not far from the kingdom. Kingdom is not only the right knowledge of the religion (commandments, rules etc); not only the right interpretation of the rules but correct living of the love of God and the neighbour. Only Jesus has done it rightly.