15th Sunday - A (July 16, 2023)

 

Little Seeds

Matthew 13: 1-23

 

Last week, Jesus spoke of the little ones to whom God “graciously will” to reveal the mystery of God and God’s love. 

 

Today, Jesus speaks of the little seeds of “the word of the kingdom” that he sows with generosity and without discrimination.  The seeds though small can “bear fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirty fold.”  Such is the power of God’s words.

 

Now, we are empowered by Jesus, the Word of God Made Flesh, to also sow the seeds of God’s Kingdom in our attitudes, words, and actions, generously and without discrimination.  These can be little things, but with God’s grace, can “bear fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirty fold.”  Such is the power of God working in and through us.  

 

Image source: www.agnusday.org

14th Sunday - A (July 9, 2023)

 

God’s Gracious Will

Matthew 11: 25-3o

 

In this Gospel passage, Jesus gives praise to the Father, "Lord of heaven and earth," for having revealed to us, "the little ones," the mysteries of God's love in Jesus Christ. 

 

Who are we but God’s creatures.  On our own, we cannot know God.  It is God who, out of love, creates us and reveals to us God and the mystery of God’s love. 

 

That is God's "gracious will," which we can never fathom. 

 

Yet, imitating Jesus, let us give God praise and thanks for God’s love, and for calling us to share in Jesus' mission of making God known.    

 

 

13th Sunday - A (July 2, 2023)

 

“The little ones”

Matthew 10: 37-42

 

Jesus identifies “the little ones” as his disciples, as members of God’s family, as children of God.

 

It is in the little ones that we encounter God and the reality of God’s kingdom.

 

Then later in the Gospel According to Matthew, Jesus will identify “the least ones” as his brothers (25:40).  Jesus teaches us that in serving “the least,” we serve Jesus himself.

 

And with humility, may we embrace being little because that is when we are children of God.  

 

Image source: www.agnusday.org 

12th Sunday - A (June 25, 2023)

 

Matthew 10: 26-33

 

Last week, we heard Jesus sent the disciples to proclaim, “The Kingdom of God is at hand.”

 

In the same chapter, Jesus then warns the disciples of opposition and persecution.

 

But, the Kingdom of God is here,  so three times Jesus assures them, “Do not be afraid.” 

 

The Gospel of Matthew ends with Jesus again assuring the disciples, “I am with you always” (28:20).

 

Jesus is always with us, especially in his words and in the Eucharist.

 

And to us now, he says, “Do not be afraid.”  

 

 

11th Sunday - A (June 18, 2023)

Go, Preach, and Heal

Matthew 9:36 – 10:8

 

Jesus has been going “to all the towns and villages, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness” (9:35).

 

Then, he commissioned the disciples to do the same. 

 

He shared his missions with them.  He now shares his mission with us.

 

In order to proclaim the gospel and to be instruments of God’s healing, we must first imitate Jesus’ compassion whose “heart was moved with pity” for the people, second, be mindful that Jesus gives us the authority, and third, be generous (“Without cost you have receive, without cost you are to give”). 

 

Image source: Sacred Heart of Jesus by Pompeo Batoni, www.wikipedia.org

 

6th Sunday - A (February 12, 2023)

 

Jesus - the Fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets

Matthew 5: 17-37

 

Jesus’ teaching on the law and the Prophets is not about minimalism, or negativism.  It is not about how far I can go before I break a law, or before I get in trouble.

 

Jesus Christ has come to fulfill God’s plan of salvation, as revealed through the law and the prophets.  Therefore, our life is about striving to become more like Jesus.  And in doing so, we share in Jesus’ mission of being the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Gospel from last Sunday).

 

Image source: www.agnusday.org 

5th Sunday - A (February 5, 2023)

 

“You Are Light”

Matthew 5: 13–16

 

Reporting the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee, Matthew points out that Jesus is fulling the prophecy of Isaiah, “The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen (Matthew 4: 16) (Gospel of 3rd Sunday – A).

 

Today, Jesus declares that he has given us his light and shares with us his mission.  Now, “you are the light of the world.”  

 

 

4th Sunday - A (January 29, 2023)

 

Blessed

Matthew 5: 1-12a

 

It is not uncommon to misinterpret the Beatitudes as a formula of earning God’s blessing, “If you practice there virtues, you will be blessed.” 

 

That interpretation makes the mistake that one can earn God’s graces and blessings. 

 

Perhaps by the Beatitudes, Jesus teaches us that God has already blessed us and is present with us.   These virtues are the results and signs of the action and presence of God in our lives.  At the same time, by putting these virtues in practice, we allow God’s grace to further guiding us and working in us. [1]

 

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[1]  Fr. Francis Moloney, SDB., The Gospel of the Lord, Year A.  Liturgical Press, p. 136 – 137. 

Image source: www.agnusday.org

 

3rd Sunday - A (January 22, 2023)

 

Jesus Calls Me

Matthew 4: 12-23

 

Last week, the Sunday readings reminded that God has created us, and in Jesus our Savior, has made us God’s children. 

 

Of course, God always exists (God is), and God is always there for us. 

 

However, today, maybe we can ask ourselves, “When and how did I become aware of God and God’s presence in my life?”

 

Some of us might have received that knowledge through a concrete event, similar to the first disciples when Jesus called them, as recounted in today’s Gospel. 

 

Others might have grown in our awareness and knowledge of God gradually, over many years. 

 

Let’s think, pray, and thank God for the unique way that God reveals God’s presence and calls each of us to grow closer to God.  

Image source: www.agnusday.org

Second Sunday - A (January 15, 2023)

 

Children of God

Readings

 

A week after the end of the Christmas Season, we now continue to live the mystery of the Incarnation.

 

We do so with the words of Scriptures from today’s readings to reassure us that

- God “formed” us “in the womb” out of love for us (First Reading) 

- Jesus, “the Son of God” is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Gospel) to make us God’s children

- Jesus “sanctifies” us so that we are “holy” (Second Reading)
- God gives us the divine gifts of grace and peace (Second Reading)
- And so, God makes us “a light to the nations that God’s salvation may reach to the ends of the earth” (First Reading)

 

Image:  Leonardo da Vinci, The Baptism of Christ,  www.wikiart.org

Christ the King - C (November 20, 2022)

 

Jesus – God Saves

Luke 23: 35-43

 

Three times, different group of people expressed their expectation that the Christ would save himself. 

 

They did not understand Jesus and his mission that he had been proclaiming to them. 

 

One person understood.  He was a criminal but he knew that Jesus, as his name indicates, had come to save others, not himself.  (This Archangel had proclaimed the name Jesus, “God saves” at the moment of the Incarnation in Luke 1: 31 and also Matthew 1:21).   

 

Jesus truly is the Savior of the world, and the King of the universe.  

 

Image source: www.agnusday.org 

33rd Sunday - C (November 13, 2022)

 

I Am With You

Luke 21: 5-19

 

Jesus warns us, “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he.’”

 

Meanwhile, we don’t need to look elsewhere for a savior.  We don’t have to wait.  The Savior is already came.

 

Life has its challenges.  Jesus also warns us of suffering, disasters, persecution, and event death.  In all of these, the Savior is always with us.   

 

Image source: www.agnusday.org

32nd Sunday - C (November 6, 2022)

 

Children of God

Luke 20: 27-38

 

Jesus came to reveal to us that God is our loving Father.

 

Then, by his cross and resurrection, Jesus made us “children of God.” 

 

Thus, God’s life is not a future existence.  God’s life is already flowing in us, God’s children, now, in this life. 

 

We will die after this earthly life.  But we will rise, because God’s life lasts forever.  

 

Image source: www.agnusday.org 

31st Sunday - C (October 30, 2022)

 

A Descendant of Abraham

Luke 19: 1-10

 

The people in the crowd know Zacchaeus as a sinner. 

 

On the contrary, Jesus calls Zacchaeus by name, and declares him “a descendant of Abraham.” Thus, Jesus sees Zacchaeus a fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham.    

 

In Genesis 22:18, God promised to Abraham, “in your descendants all the nations of the earth will find blessing.”  Here, by entering the life and staying at the house of Zacchaeus, Jesus restores God’s promise in this man, known to others only as a sinner.  Zacchaeus’ household now know God’s mercy, and Zacchaeus brings God’s blessing to the poor. 

 

Image source: Jacopo Palma, Christ Calling Zacchaeus, wikimedia.org

30th Sunday - C (October 23, 2022)

 

Any Room Left for God?

Luke 18: 9-14

 

The Pharisee in this parable brags about his achievements and his self-righteousness.  He is certainly full of himself.

 

Consequently, he has no room for other people, not just the tax collector whom he despises. 

 

Neither does he have room for God since he thinks everything is his own achievement. 

 

On the contrary, the tax collector realizes that he has nothing.  Thus, he comes to the realization that he depends on God and God’s mercy. 

 

Let us thank God for giving us conscience, the ability to know our sins and our brokenness.  Conscience is indeed a gift from God.  If we are honest and humble, conscience helps us to know that we need God, and to grow in appreciation of God’s mercy.  

 

Image source: www.agnusday.org

29th Sunday - C (October 15, 2022)

 

Not the Judge’s Way, but God’s Way

Luke 18: 1-8

 

In most of Jesus’ parables, one of the characters would reflect some aspects of God’s goodness.

 

In today’s parable, however, the judge “who neither feared God nor respected any human being” would have to be seen as the opposite of God. 

 

Consequently, Jesus urges us to avoid the attitude and behaviors of the judge.  St. Paul illustrated the way of Jesus when he exhorted Timothy, “Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed, because you know from whom you learned it, and that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”  (Second Reading, 2 Timothy 3: 14-15)

 

Image source: www.agnusday.org 

28th Sunday - C (October 9, 2022)

 

Big Moments

Luke 11:11-19

Last Sunday Jesus taught us to be grateful to God for the ordinary and daily moments of life.

 

Today, the gratitude of the Samaritan leper reminds us to be grateful to God for the special or big moments that God at times bestows on us.

 

Has there been such a moment in my life?

 

(Image source: www.agnusday.org)

 

27th Sunday - C (October 2, 2022)

 

Gratefulness

Luke 17: 5-10

 

Beginning with our life breath, everything we have and are come from God, as God’s gifts of love to us.   

 

Therefore, we should never think that by doing good, we can earn God’s love, or that God owes us some rewards.  Nor should we think that by living a moral life and practicing charity, we earn our way to heaven. 

 

The right attitude is that we should strive to live according to God’s law of love as our expression of gratitude to God.  And in so doing, we become witnesses and instruments of God’s love in the world.  

 

Image source: www.agnusday.org

26th Sunday - C (September 25, 2022)

 

Do I Raise My Eyes and See?

Luke 16: 19-31

 

In this parable, the first time Jesus describes the rich man “raised his eyes and saw” is after he has already died.  Now he sees Lazarus, whom he recognizes and knows by name, “at Abraham’s side.” 

 

Prior to this, there was no indication of the rich man ever “raised his eyes and saw” Lazarus suffering “at his door.”  Was it because he was so caught up with his “purple garments and his daily sumptuous dinners”?

 

We can all be caught up with our own lives and fail to raise our eyes and see our brothers and sisters around us, particularly those who are suffering.

 

Image source: www.agnusday.org

25th Sunday - C (September 18, 2022)

 

Children of Light

Luke 16: 1-13

 

In this Gospel passage, Jesus uses the expression, “children of light.”  That’s us.  We have been entrusted with the greatest treasure – the light of God. 

 

Moreover, the light of God is not just some quality of God.  Jesus said, ““I am the light of the world” (John 8: 12).  St. John testifies, “God is light” (1 John 1: 5).

 

Consequently, we have been entrusted with the treasure of God’s very self.  We are privileged to be God-bearers.  We are called to bring God to the world. 

 

Through the Prophet Isaiah, God said to Israel the words later applied to Jesus.   Now God says to each of us, “I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6). 

Image source: www.agnusday.org