Reflection/Homily: Fifth (5th) Sunday of Lent Year B (March 22 2015)

Reflection/Homily: Fifth (5th) Sunday of Lent Year B (March 22 2015)

Theme: The Christian Cross as a Gateway to Heaven

In life, most times we desire good things but sometimes, we are unable to pass through crucibles in other to get them. For example, many students dream of graduating with first class honours but only a few are really burning extra candles. Some of us forget that hard work is a necessary condition for a great achievement. In the gospel reading (John 12:20-33), Jesus reiterates this principle that nothing good comes easy. He uses the analogy of the sown wheat to demonstrate that to redeem man, he must die and for us to gain eternal life, we must also die just as a sown wheat must die in the ground before it yields a rich harvest. The problem is that most of us are reluctant to work hard. This reluctance is found in our physical and spiritual lives. Sometimes, we want this or that from God but we can’t kneel in prayer to get them. We want to go to heaven but we can’t do good and avoid evil. We want to be exceptionally spiritually gifted but we can’t work hard to develop these spiritual gifts, etc.

Reflection/Homily: Third (3rd) Sunday of Advent (Gaudete) Year B (December 14 2014)

Reflection/Homily: Third (3rd) Sunday of Advent (Gaudete) Year B (December 14 2014)

Theme: Rejoice, Christ is Near Us

The Word of God is one means through which God establishes His presence among us. In the Word of God, He reveals Himself and communicates His will to us that we may know Him better. In Jesus, we experience this Word not just as a spoken or written word but as a Living Being and it is the arrival of this Living Being, the Word that was made flesh that we anticipate during Advent. The Word of God is Spirit and Life (cf. Jn. 6:63) and in the first reading (Is. 61:1-2, 10-11), we see this Spirit at work in the prophecy of Isaiah written shortly after the return from exile. This Spirit brings the Good News of salvation and deliverance to all. This prophecy was however, fulfilled in the gospel reading (John 1:6-8. 19-28) in the person of Christ. He is the Word that was God in the beginning (cf. Jn. 1:1) and the One anointed with the Spirit at baptism (cf. Mt. 3:16). Jesus confirmed himself to be the fulfillment of this prophecy after reading the scroll in the temple (cf. Lk. 4:18-19). In the gospel reading too, John recognizes Christ as the Word made flesh and he went further to describe himself as the Voice of the one crying in the wilderness. Thus, Jesus is the Incarnate Word and John the voice that calls people to prepare for the arrival of this Word. 

Reflection/Homily: Second (2nd) Sunday of Advent (December 7, 2014)

Reflection/Homily: Second (2^nd) Sunday of Advent (December 7, 2014)

Theme: The Voice of John the Baptist 

A certain time in the lives of the Israelites, they offended God by indulging in all sorts of immorality and idolatry and as a result, the wrath of God fell on them. They were taken into captivity by the Babylonians where they suffered and wept terribly (cf. Ps. 137). At a time, God had mercy on them and sent the Prophet Isaiah to console them. It was at this time that the Deutro-Isaiah declared the prophetic words we heard in the first reading (Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11). The reading also speaks of “a Voice” crying in the wilderness and calling on everyone to prepare the way for Yahweh. The Gospel reading (Mark 1:1-8) identifies this voice as that of John the Baptist who came to prepare the way for Jesus. John was only a pre-cursor to the messiah. He was always pointing to his arrival, making people conscious of and prepared for his arrival. He was that voice crying in the wilderness (cf. John 1:23) and the messenger spoken about in the first reading who will prepare the way for the Lord’s coming (cf. Is. 40:3).

Reflection/Homily: First (1st) Sunday of Advent Year B (Nov. 30 2014)

Reflection/Homily: First (1st) Sunday of Advent Year B (Nov. 30 2014) 

Theme: Be Alert as you wait for the Coming of Christ

Today is the first Sunday of Advent. The season of Advent is a very important aspect of the Church’s liturgical life. Advent simply means arrival or coming. In the Church, it is observed as a period of expectancy and in it, we reflect on the coming of Christ in three historical strands. First, that he came about 2000 years ago, born of a virgin. Secondly, that Christ constantly comes into our lives and is ever present among us in this age through diverse means. Thirdly, that he will come again, then not as a baby or as a mediator but as a king to judge the living and the dead. While this season concretely prepares us for the re-enactment of the birth of Christ at Christmas, it also points to the eschatological return of Christ and urges us to prepare for that great day. Henceforth, our Sunday readings will come from Year B, the weekday readings from Year I and the predominant colour will be purple.