February 26, 2012

1st Sunday of Lent

First Reading: Genesis 9:8-15

    God said to Noah and to his sons with him, "As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth." God said, "This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.

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Second Reading: 1 Peter 3:18-22

   Beloved, Christ suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water. And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you--not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.

Gospel Reading: Mark 1:12-15

   The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news."

Reflection: Fr. James Theophilus

   Jesus was baptized in Jordan. He was about to begin his public ministry. Between these two events he was in the desert and remained there for forty days. Mark does not speak about fasting. The words desert and forty (days) immediately takes the reader to the exodus event. The redeemed people were in the desert for forty years and they were in the desert.

   The place and the time (duration) were needed for the people of Israel to have God experience, the experience the presence of God (Ex 13: 22), the experience of the care and protection of God (Ex 16 & 17), and the covenant relationship of God (Ex 20). Jesus has re-lived these experiences and that was the reason he was driven to the desert by the spirit and remained there for forty days.

   With these experiences (presence, protection, care, and relationship) in the desert for forty days, Jesus begins his public ministry. And this is the reason why he could say that the kingdom of God is at hand. With his experience he could boldly invite the people to experience God through repentance and belief in the Gospel.

February 19, 2012

7th Sunday of Ordinary Time

First Reading: Isaiah 43:18-19,11-22,24-25

    The LORD said: "Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise. Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob; but you have been weary of me, O Israel! But you have burdened me with your sins; you have wearied me with your iniquities. I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins."

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Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 1:18-22

   Brothers and sisters, as surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been "Yes and No." For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not "Yes and No"; but in him it is always "Yes." For in him every one of God's promises is a "Yes." For this reason it is through him that we say the "Amen," to the glory of God. But it is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us, by putting his seal on us and giving us his Spirit in our hearts as a first installment.

Gospel Reading: Mark 2:1-12

   When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, "Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, "Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven, ' or to say, 'Stand up and take your mat and walk'? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"--he said to the paralytic-- "I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home." And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"

Reflection: Fr. James Theophilus

   Jesus did not restrict his teaching; preaching and prayer to the religious places (Temple, Synagogue...) only. His prayer, teaching and preaching were done on the mountain, in the plains, in the houses, on the sea shore etc. For him every place and every opportunity was an occasion to preach the word of God. People also listened to him gladly. His teaching was real and he was preaching with authority. Among the crowd there were also Pharisees. Some followed him and his teaching but there were also Pharisees who found fault with his preaching.

   Jesus always rewarded the faith of the person who needed the healing or the faith of the people who were involved with the individual who needed the miracle. All his healing miracles were the result of the expression of the faith. The sick person is being carried and he could not probably express his faith openly but the people who carried him expressed it in their action and that was enough for Jesus.

February 12, 2012

6th Sunday of Ordinary Time

First Reading: Leviticus 13:1-2,44-46

    On those days, the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: "When a person has on the skin of his body a swelling or an eruption or a spot, and it turns into a leprous disease on the skin of his body, he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests. he is leprous, he is unclean. The priest shall pronounce him unclean; the disease is on his head. The person who has the leprous disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head be disheveled; and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, 'Unclean, unclean.' He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease; he is unclean. He shall live alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp."

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Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1

   Brothers and sisters, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, so that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

Gospel Reading: Mark 1:40-45

   One day a leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, "If you choose, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, "I do choose. Be made clean!" Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, saying to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them." But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.

Reflection: Fr. James Theophilus

   Leper comes to Jesus and asks him to clean him of his disease. Jesus wanted to heal him but much more than that he wanted to relate to him. He wanted to be with him; he wanted to identify himself with him. He wanted to be one with him and that is the reason he touched him. Only after doing this gesture of touching him he healed him. He made the leper feel at home with him before healing him.

   Jesus wanted this gesture to remain personal and not to announce to the others. The reason was that Jesus already had a crowd of people following him. Jesus could not travel openly in public. Could this be that Jesus did not want a crowd rather he wanted individuals to follow him (personal following and not a crowd following him). He wanted personal attachment and personal following than a crowd.

February 5, 2012

5th Sunday of Ordinary Time

First Reading: Job 7:1-4,6-7

    Job said: "Do not human beings have a hard service on earth, and are not their days like the days of a laborer? Like a slave who longs for the shadow, and like laborers who look for their wages, so I am allotted months of emptiness, and nights of misery are apportioned to me. When I lie down I say, 'When shall I rise?' But the night is long, and I am full of tossing until dawn. My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and come to their end without hope. Remember that my life is a breath; my eye will never again see good."

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Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:16-19,22-23

   Brothers and sisters, if I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel. For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.

Gospel Reading: Mark 1:29-39

   On those days, Jesus and his disciples left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them. That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, "Everyone is searching for you." He answered, "Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do." And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.